Book 15: "The Circus of Dr Lao" by Charles G. Finney
Sunday, February 18th, 2007 07:45![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kittiwake"I am a calm, intelligent girl," Miss Agnes reassured herself. "I am a calm, intelligent girl, and I have not seen Pan on Main Street. Nevertheless, I will go to the circus and make sure."
Published in 1935, “The Circus of Dr. Lao” is a forerunner of all those books where a mysterious circus or travelling fair (or even shop) appears in a small town, full of wonders that have a powerful affect on the townsfolk, whether for good or bad.
When a notice in the local newspaper announces the arrival of a travelling circus, the locals flock to see it, but they seem surprisingly hard to impress. When the circus parades through town, with three wagons drawn by a unicorn, a sphinx and a shining golden ass, they are prepared to believe that they are just rare breeds rather than mythological creatures, and are more concerned with arguing whether the creature in one of the cages is a man, a bear or possibly even a Russian.
There’s not much of a plot; the circus is announced, here is a parade, the townsfolk visit the attractions on the midway and watch the main show in the circus tent, but apart from a couple of encounters with the satyr and the sea serpent, most people seem unimpressed. The fortune teller’s fortunes may be truthful but that makes them unpeasant and boring, while two young men seeing a werewolf transforming in to a woman, complain because she is an old woman, rather than being thrilled by seeing the metamorphosis. Even a rebellion by the sea serpent and a dozen people being turned to stone by the medusa's gaze, and don't stop the show.
Published in 1935, “The Circus of Dr. Lao” is a forerunner of all those books where a mysterious circus or travelling fair (or even shop) appears in a small town, full of wonders that have a powerful affect on the townsfolk, whether for good or bad.
When a notice in the local newspaper announces the arrival of a travelling circus, the locals flock to see it, but they seem surprisingly hard to impress. When the circus parades through town, with three wagons drawn by a unicorn, a sphinx and a shining golden ass, they are prepared to believe that they are just rare breeds rather than mythological creatures, and are more concerned with arguing whether the creature in one of the cages is a man, a bear or possibly even a Russian.
There’s not much of a plot; the circus is announced, here is a parade, the townsfolk visit the attractions on the midway and watch the main show in the circus tent, but apart from a couple of encounters with the satyr and the sea serpent, most people seem unimpressed. The fortune teller’s fortunes may be truthful but that makes them unpeasant and boring, while two young men seeing a werewolf transforming in to a woman, complain because she is an old woman, rather than being thrilled by seeing the metamorphosis. Even a rebellion by the sea serpent and a dozen people being turned to stone by the medusa's gaze, and don't stop the show.
