Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz
22 Oct 2012
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![Splendors and Glooms. Laura Amy Schlitz. Book Review: When Clara Wintermute sees Grisini's show on the street, she's enchanted by the wonderful puppets—but most of all, by the two children assisting Grisini; children unlike any she encounters in the home of her well-to-do family. Neither Clara nor the puppeteer's helpers, Parsefall and Lizzie Rose, could imagine that their very different lives share undercurrents of sadness and hardship. [Image: A girl watches a marionette] Nor could any of the children imagine the machinations, of adults with grand power and little conscience, that they will be drawn into together. A creepy, Victorian gothic with great characters and plotting, though the ending is a bit too pat.](/assets/img/splendorsandglooms.png)
Spooky elements: Creepy atmosphere, dueling magic, deadly artifacts, plenty of villains (including one who is downright dastardly).
Good for: It's very similar in atmosphere and subject to The Night Circus. It can't seem to decide if it's a middle grade or young adult book, and I'd say it falls somewhere in between. The Night Circus for teens!
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