Extremely disappointing. All of Clive Barker's usual themes are certainly present: nonjudgmental eroticism, visceral body-horror, religious revelation; but they are in service of a sloppily assembled and meandering storyline. His [b: Books of Blood|761023|Books of Blood Volume One (Books of Blood #1)|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429999423s/761023.jpg|1249260] delivered these themes with a breathtaking mastery, [b: The Hellbound Heart|52635|The Hellbound Heart|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327312426s/52635.jpg|1093522] and its movie adaptation can at least commit to a brutally Sadeian purpose. The are some excellent ideas and some genuinely demented images in The Great and Secret Show, but the way it flails around is frustrating. I spent all this time committing to a door-stopper epic, only to learn too late that maybe I should've tried [b: Imajica|567704|Imajica|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1333844729s/567704.jpg|1371342] or [b: Weaveworld|52640|Weaveworld|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1329374451s/52640.jpg|942564] instead. ( )

I love this book, I have little is the way of expression as to why. It is one of the only books in my library that I have ever been able to read more than once. The expression and flow are harmonious to its story. ( )

What a bizarre book! By all accounts it shouldn't be the type of book I'd ever pick up, much less the kind that would keep me engrossed all the way through--but it was, and it did. I tried to explain the plot to a couple of people, and each time I ended up with a confused jumble of themes all wrapped up in a feeble explanation. "It's about... uhh... good vs. evil. And demons, the undead, nightmares that come to life, shamanic magic, a talking ape, and metaphysical horror. Among many other things."

The ironic thing is that by the time I reached the last page, I realized I didn't actually like any of the characters. Even the "good" ones. Howie and Jo Beth's relationship was so forced and sudden that it made me roll my eyes throughout. Grillo and Tesla were the two that came closest to being genuinely likeable, yet they fell short as well. Despite that, I still found myself eagerly dragged along by Barker's imagination. I wanted to know what would happen next, and so I went along for the ride. In the end, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not entirely sure I need to read the sequel. ( )

I reread this because I remembered the first part being really good when I read it many years ago. That part is still good. The premise is great. Then it drags on for 300 pages too long and while having a cavalcade of creative ideas it's more a Pollock painting than anything that resembles something intelligible. He smashes a trilogy's worth of worldbuilding into one novel and people seem to love it. The problem is that world and the characters just aren't very good. ( )

Un po' una delusione.
La parte I è da quattro stelle. La parte II da tre stelle. Il resto (che sono ben altre *cinque* parti...) oscilla faticosamente e un po' noiosamente tra le due stelle e le tre.
Mi aspettavo di più dall'autore preferito di Dimitri - e però specie nel finale le cose si fanno via più confuse invece di chiarirsi, finendo per trovarsi di fronte all'ennesimo fantasy in cui gli elementi magici si mescolano senza un minimo di struttura per venire incontro alle necessità della trama. ( )