Review: Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Spectacle
(Menagerie #2)
by Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Mira
Publication date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

When their coup of Metzger’s Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of “exotic wildlife.” Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle’s owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.

But Vandekamp’s closely guarded client list isn’t the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light.

 

 

 

Whenever I read the second book in a series, I always find that it lacks that suspense of world building. I tend to find myself getting bored and I lose interest in the story as a whole. However, Spectacle stands on its own without relying on Menagerie. Wherein with Menagerie we were introduced to the world of the carnival lifestyle and the injustice of the cryptids that are put on display for human enjoyment, Spectacle ups the ante. I didn’t even know that you could push the envelope farther than the mistreatment of the cryptids in the carnival. Parents ripped away from their kids. Lovers or spouses ripped away from each other to help with the “breeding program”. Being beaten and tortured to ensure that you’re enraged enough to shock and scare the audiences who stand safely on the other side of iron bars. The first book was awful, but the world of Spectacle was even worse.

Delilah wakes up in this weird dormitory-style room surrounded by women. Some are cryptids from her menagerie and some are new faces to her. She soon learns that even though she isn’t standing in a barred cage, she’s still a prisoner. Where the menagerie wore showed it’s vile intentions up front, the Spectacle hides it all behind glitz, glamour, and entertainment. Forced to “entertain” the rich and famous, where as long as you pay, you get to play with the cryptids, Delilah finds herself in an even worse situation than the menagerie. Not only are they held captive and forced to entertain the public again, the means in which they do so is so horrendous that it makes those dirty carnival cages seem like a luxury.

I honestly don’t have enough words to fully express the range of emotions I went through while reading this story. To know everything that Delilah went through, what some of the other cryptids went though, it was just heartbreaking to see them endure so much and then get subjected to the Spectacle. Not only does the author shock you with the world that she’s created, but she throws some pretty crazy curve balls at the characters that keeps everything interesting. While I knew the big reveal before it was even addressed in the story, I was still glued to my seat watching it all unfold. Even still, the author managed to throw in some surprises that even had me shaking my head at the craziness of it all.

If you are in the mood for a dark fantasy, then you have got to pick up this series. The author has created a world that will leave you horrified, intrigued, and mystified all at once.

 

 

 Favorite quote

“Civilization isn’t about what you know. It’s about how you behave. How much respect and dignity you give to those around you.”

 

 
Previous reviews from Menagerie
Menagerie

 

 

 

 

3 Thoughts on “Review: Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

  1. Well dang, this sounds great and dark and crazy.

  2. Another series I’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten to yet. I’m glad book two isn’t just filler.

    Karen @ For What It’s Worth

  3. Spectacle sounds like a pretty heavy story to read! I hadn’t heard of this series before, but your review has certainly got me intrigued now

Leave a Reply to Stephanie Jane Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post Navigation