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The Wonders: A Novel Paperback – February 10, 2015

by Paddy O'Reilly (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 9 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Washington Square Press (February 10, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1476766363
  • ISBN-13: 978-1476766362
  • Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,289,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars"Who has not asked himself at some time or other: am I a monster or is this what it means to be a person?"
By Amelia Gremelspacher TOP 1000 REVIEWER on January 15, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Woven by Leon, The Mechanical Man, the story of three "wonders" emerges as a unique exploration of the status of humans. He has a mysterious metal heart, visible through a hole in his chest. He joins Kathryn, covered in wool from a gene therapy she had undergone for Huntington's; and Christos, who has had the framework for articulated wings grafted into his back. They are managed by Rhona who has promised that rather than freaks, they will be presented as the rock stars in a finely tuned fulfillment of the public's wishes to view the extremes of our lives.

This paragraph does little to prepare the reader for the fine tuned prose that informs the character development throughout the novel. The plot flows in a tempo that is finely timed to reveal the story without shorting the lovely vignettes of the world Rhoda has prepared for her wonders. Literature is quoted with finesse and an eye for its optimal use. I find myself entwined with the story and indeed, remembering the secret thoughts iI have ever encountered in questioning myself.

I have to say, in one of my highest compliments, I will now seek out this writer's others works, bumping my teetering "to read list" out of the way. In this market saturated with the freakish and the supernatural, this book finds an envied place of a new way to think about "different". It is a gem to squirrel away in this long winter.
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4.0 out of 5 starsFunny, likable, slightly ambivalent in parts, but good overall
By The Write Edge on February 24, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
A man suffers from heart failure and becomes a celebrity after a life-changing surgery turns him into a human anomaly. He joins two other people in similar situations, and the three of them form the latest international sensation. They experience the ups and downs of public life together and learn to navigate the emotional challenges that come with that life. Paddy O’Reilly gives readers this premise in the touching but sometimes ambivalent novel The Wonders.

Leon Hyland’s heart has failed, and he receives a heart transplant. When his body starts to reject the second heart, however, Leon decides this is it. There’s no point in prolonging the inevitable: he should just accept the fact that he will die. Then he gets a phone call that literally gives him another life.

A surgeon and a scientist couple in Leon’s native Australia tell him about a highly risky surgery. They have technology at their disposal that hasn’t received any kind of approval, but they also believe it could help Leon. After some deliberation Leon decides to undergo the ordeal. The worst that could happen, he reasons, is that he would die.

Against every imaginable odd Leon survives and feels better than he has in ages. The trade off? His privacy. The new heart is unlike anything anyone has ever seen, and he finds it difficult to stay anonymous. An American entrepreneur gets in touch about turning Leon’s newfound fame into a business venture. She tells him about two other people she’s met who have also undergone dramatic physical transformations and how she’s convinced them to join her.

Once again Leon does a mental shrug. In this way he meets Kathryn, an Irish woman who suffered from a terrible condition and who now has sheep wool growing from her skin.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsThe Price of Fame
By Cherie Reads on March 4, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
The Wonders is a book that can be deceptive in its depth. On the surface, it's the story of The Wonders, a group of three extraordinary people and their rise to fame. Leon has a hole in his chest through which can be viewed his mechanical heart. Kathryn is covered in black wool as a side effect of her treatment for Huntington's disease. Christos is a performance artist and has made himself into art by implanting giant metal wings onto his back. Rhona is the American entrepreneur with a history in the circus who brings them all together. They travel the country basically letting the public ogle them. Underneath, it's a commentary on the media, the price of fame, disability and what it means to be human.

The book basically follows the Wonders as they rise to fame. They start as three people with what some might call disabilities and Rhona brings them together and convinces them that they are special and should present themselves to the public. Like an old-school side-show, the three put themselves on display, starting with small private gatherings and working up to large public venues. Between shows, they live together at Rhona's compound where she also keeps retired circus animals.

I generally liked the plot. It was somewhat slow moving, although there is some excitement at the end, and I can see how some readers would not be satisfied. For me, that was ok in this case because I was fascinated by the characters and what was happening to them.

Leon, in particular, was intriguing. He is the books narrator, so we live the story through his eyes. He is the least confident and is somewhat socially inept.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsI enjoyed it and highly recommend it
By TeriA on May 25, 2015
Format: Paperback
A modern day freak show is what this book is about... and it clearly shows the high price that is paid by anyone looking for fame and fortune in today's culture. It's a very relevant book that is well written. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it!
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