About the book
On the windswept front of Morecambe Bay, Cy Parks spends his childhood years first in a guest house for consumptives run by his mother and then as apprentice to alcoholic tattoo-artist Eliot Riley. Thirsty for new experiences, he departs for America and finds himself in the riotous world of the Coney Island boardwalk, where he sets up his own business as ‘The Electric Michelangelo’. In this carnival environment of roller-coasters and freak-shows, Cy becomes enamoured with Grace, a mysterious immigrant and circus performer who commissions him to cover her entire body in tattooed eyes.
Reviewed by Ladies of an Age Reading Group:
Only 1/3 of our group managed to read this. Those of us who made it (with a dictionary) loved it – beautifully written, a slow burning love story.
Star rating: ***
Review by October Books Reading Group:
Rich, complex, highly original. Not the easiest read but those who stayed with it found it a rewarding experience.
Star rating: ****