Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, Genevieve Valentine’s first novel, is a different and ambitious book, with a narrative that stands out for being peculiar and strange.
The Circus Tresaulti is known for its extraordinary members: people who have had various parts of their body – such as their legs, eyes, or even their heart – replaced by gears, scrap metal, and utensils of iron and steel. These pieces are set inside their bodies by the director of the circus – to whom everyone refers simply as “Boss” – to make them more resistant than their original selves, helping their work in the circus. The process is absurdly painful and, in the end, it is not [...]