The Invisible Circus: A Novel (Paperback)

by Jennifer Egan (Author) "She'd missed it, Phoebe knew by the silence..." (more)
Key Phrases: invisible circus, San Francisco, Red Army, Haight Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
First-novelist Egan examines the bittersweet legacy of the 1960s through the story of a teenage girl who travels to Europe to retrace the steps of her dead sister.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The 1960s seem to have had a pervasive influence on the lives of those who were young then. Phoebe O'Connor saw those years in terms of her older sister Faith's life and death. In 1978, 18-year-old Phoebe decides to relive the final months of Faith's life and perhaps discover the truth about her death. She leaves San Francisco for Europe, determined to retrace Faith's journey using the precious postcards from Faith that she has saved for ten years. She visits London, Amsterdam, France, and Germany, where she meets Faith's lover, Wolf. Wolf decides to accompany her to Italy, and they have a passionate, feverish affair as they travel to the place of Faith's death. Phoebe learns the truth about Faith, the sister she has idealized, and about herself and her family. These self-realizations are often painful to read because they are so real. Egan's first novel is great reading. Recommended for most fiction collections.
Barbara Maslekoff, Ohioana Lib., Columbus
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Picador; 1 edition (January 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312140908
• ISBN-13: 978-0312140908
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #815,430 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This hauntingly beautiful novel is why we read fiction., March 25, 1998

By	Monica I. Adler "Monica Werner" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jennifer Egan's The Invisible Circus is a triumphant first novel. The riveting plot and fascinating characters make this book a page-turner, and the thematic reflections on memory and family ties keep the reader thinking of this book long after the last page. The gripping plot is at once a mystery and love story: Phoebe goes on a quest to understand her sister Faith so that she can begin her own life, free from the bonds of the unresolved family issues that Faith's life and mysterious death created. The portrayal of the relationship between Phoebe and Faith reflects more insightfully the bond between siblings than any other description I have read. Phoebe's impulsive trip to Europe results in a beautifully written adventure, filled with engaging vignettes and believable characters. Ultimately, however, it is not only the well wrought characters or carefully constructed plot that makes you love this book. Rather what makes this book a cut above are the stimulating reflections on the nature of memory, the search for transcendence, and the impact of even fleeting relationships on shaping everyday existence. The Invisible Circus will haunt you, leaving you pondering the elusiveness of memory and the ephemeral nature of experience. Faith's search for 'real life,' and the tragic consequences of her search prompts the reader to reflect on the nature of the ordinary versus the unusual, the struggle for balance between routine and risk. Ultimately this book helps the reader achieve a moment of transcendence, the highest achievement both in fiction and life.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exquisitely written coming-of-age story., September 5, 1999

By A Customer

There is not a word out of place in The Invisible Circus; it's been a long time since I've read such beautifully crafted prose in a contemporary novel. But the portrayal of Phoebe is most amazing: She's an intelligent, troubled, and wholly sympathetic girl who comes right off the page. I was with her all the way, and with this wonderful novel as well.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traveling in Europe as a Young Girl, August 8, 1999

By	"junglelove" (NYC) - See all my reviews

I loved this book and couldn't put it down! While it is successful in exploring the feeling that most of us brought up in the 70's had of eating leftovers from the 60s party; it is even better at portraying the excitement, danger, loneliness, and naivite that are part and parcel of a girl's first trip to Europe. I too was there, at the tail end of the '70's, and Egan is absolutely on target. She has created a picaresque novel with a female lead character who doesn't die, have a baby, or suffer incestuous abuse. How refreshing!

Yes, some of the relationships seem improbable, there is some adolescent wish fulfilment in the relationship between Wolf and Phoebe, but I didn't mind. I thought the relationship was fun and romantic, and Wolf's dialogue and attitude was realistic enough to me to keep me glued to the page. Okay, I fell in love with him. I loved the scene where Phoebe meets Wolf in Europe for the first time! To me the extraneous stuff was in her mother's fantasy second marriage, and her brother's career. Admittedly, this book will appeal more to women than men.

I was surprised to read above that they were making a movie out of it. It's suitable material, but I can't help but anticipate that Hollywood will make a mess out of it.

Loved it, Loved it, Loved it. So go ahead and Buy it!