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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly researched Medieval fantasy, September 9, 2000
This review is from: The Juggler (Paperback)
From the compelling first chapter in which a capricious king orders a juggler's hand cut off, to the last, quietly triumphant page, The Juggler is a dark, meticulously detailed, compulsively readable Medieval fantasy. The strongest portion of the book is undoubtedly the first chapter, which has a tone strongly reminiscent of that of Poe's quirky, macabre short stories-- "Hopfrog" in particular comes to mind. This is not to say that the rest of The Juggler isn't excellent-- because it is. The protagonist, a commoner named Beran, has sold his soul to the Devil (as literal and real a figure in the story as he was in the Medieval mentality) to become the greatest juggler in the world. Beran's journeys as a master juggler in the Middle Ages, narrated in almost a picaresque style, are carefully painted and convincing. Additionally, the author's note on the historical accuracy of his novel is both interesting and informative. The Juggler isn't a perfect book; the romance is a little unconvincing, and the ending is somewhat anti-climactical. However, its surprising originality (considering it has two very overused fantasy elements-- a Medieval setting and evil incarnate) more than make up for its shortcomings. After all, how many Medieval books can boast of having a juggler as a main character? The Juggler is not a book for younger teens, but the older teen with any interest in dark fantasy or Medieval England will find it to be an engrossing read.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction with a devilish twist, April 15, 2001
This review is from: The Juggler (Paperback)
"The Juggler" by John Morressy takes place in medieval Europe. The book, written in the third person, opens with a thought provoking, although grim introduction in which a juggler who is disapproved of gets his hand cut off. "The Juggler" then follows with the first chapter in which a farmer's son, Beran, witnesses a juggler performing at a fair. From that day on, Beran aspires to become the greatest juggler in the world. After his village is attacked while he was out, he takes to the road to learn how to juggle. While on the road he meets various people including some pilgrims, who in the long run influence his life greatly. Beran becomes the apprentice of another man he meets while traveling. This man teaches him how to juggle superbly, but Beran is still not satisfied with his skills. One night while speaking with his master he said that he would give "anything" to become the greatest juggler that ever lived. During their later travels his master is murdered, Beran, fleeing from the killers, stumbles into the embodied version of the Devil. Beran knew who the man was immediately, "Yet the old man looked so kindly and innocent. His pale face was smooth shaven, his large dark eyes full of sympathy, his white hair snowy in the morning light. He might have been an angel, not the thing he was." (page 110) Satan and Beran make a deal that Beran was to be given the skills of a master juggler, skills whose limitations were the only hindered by the widths of Beran's own imagination, in return Beran would have to hand over his soul to Satan at 50 years from that day. Beran, still a young man, traveled all over Europe amazing everyone who saw him, not taking care to the atrocity he has created in himself. After some time Beran realized what he had done with his soul. He remembered the pilgrims he saw in his travels, and in order to repent for his sins he became one. He traveled to the Holy Land and wandered their searching for a way to save himself. The first part of this book is magnificent. It realistically relays the travels of a man who is neither rich nor prosperous, of which very few accounts were written in medieval times. The book is very descriptive of things not only unique to the story, but of those things relating to most of the medieval era. "The Juggler" is very well researched; one who didn't know much about the ways or beliefs of common people in those times would be more than adequately supplied with information. For example, the belief that Satan was a physical being was a common belief of those living in Medieval Europe, however those living in the 21st century might scoff at the idea. The last part of the book, although, was rushed and at some points quite dull, not an ending that suited the well-written and thoughtful book. However, overall "The Juggler" was a good read, suitable for those who wish to know more about the life of commoners in medieval times, as well as those who enjoy a book containing adventure and travel.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Very dull, March 22, 2009
This review is from: The Juggler (Paperback)
This might have been an interesting read if the entire book hadn't fallen into the trap of telling rather than showing. Beran, the story's main character, is a cardboard cutout who doesn't really have a soul to sell. If there'd been more to the writing than Beran did this, then this, met so and so, wore fine/ratty clothes, did this, met a nice/evil/indifferent man, did this, went out on the road, and did this, The Juggler may have received more than one star from me.
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