The Black Carnival has stolen my heart as my new favorite book. The precision in detail makes this a need-to-read in itself. I adore the horror elements, the world building, the character depth and development. The use of multiple perspectives not only provides good pacing and cadence, it allows for deeper exploration into each characters' motivations. Harlequin's use of vocabulary makes this gothic Victorian setting come to life in your mind. The graphic imagery is quite horrific and done incredibly so. His lived experience in both mortuary work and as a circus performer shines in a hauntingly beautiful way. I cannot speak highly enough of this work. I hope to see more literary work from Mr. Grim in the future.

A short *synopsis*
The year is 1886 in New Sarum, England, and Atherton Graves only knows a life surrounded by corpses. Amidst a rash of child deaths, he alone suspects they are the product of murder. At least, that’s what the ghosts in his mortuary tell him. But there’s hardly time to hunt the killer; Atherton has just sold a cadaver to a spiritualist at the notorious Black Carnival, and the town gang known as the Disciples are not going to take that lightly.

Caught between a serial killer, a circus bursting with foul characters, and his spiraling madness amongst the restless dead, Atherton will undoubtedly become the villain of his own story.

It has a very slow start, specially the first half, but the second half went quickly. The book deals with lot of themes such as religion, violence, found family, romance and much more. It's an interesting read with lot of dead bodies. It's a 3 ⭐ read for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

The first half of the book was slow. This book touches several good subjects, but it feels a little bit underdeveloped. I feel like it didn't really live up to the expectation I had set for it in my mind.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book. Unfortunately this book was not for me. I generally enjoy carnival books, but this one was not exactly what I was expecting. It definitely has a darker feel to it, which the book does provide warnings for death, including death of children. My main issue though is the normalization and constant discussions about siding with the devil and how God is against them. I would have dnf’d for this, but I did want to provide an honest review of the book.

The author is a great writer and the book flowed nicely through the writing. I was able to get immersed into the world and story.

The story’s main character is Atherton Graves, but there are a few other point of views as well. Including Mason, Boo, Lestor and Ivory. Atherton and his family’s business is a mortuary, therefore Atherton is constantly around corpses. Mason is a Disciple (who under the guise of being righteous is essentially a mobster), Mason expects a cut of any proceeds from the businesses and townspeople, including the mortuary. Atherton runs afoul of the Disciples when he sells a corpse to the Carnival and Mason finds out. Now Atherton and the Carnival have to try to survive the wrath of the Disciples.

There are a few other side plots as well, and I was disappointed that some of these side plots did not get resolved at the end of the story (without getting into spoilers, the problems with Florence and Lillian did not get resolved).

I also never felt very connected to any of the characters, it seemed like the characters were being moved to fit the story instead of acting based upon the personality of their character. I could not really tell you what type of character Atherton is, since his actions did not follow as expected. For example, in the beginning he appeared to be close to his family, but he drops them without thought later on and they’re never brought up again.
Again, this just was not my type of book. It does have some good action and suspense scenes, I just wish there was more resolution for some of the plot lines and I personally did not enjoy essentially the devil worshipping or accepting.

The circus descriptions and gritty 1880s London story setting really did it for me, target audience reached.

I enjoyed the twisty plot, there are some big reveals peppered throughout which I actually enjoyed pacing-wise. It had my emotions jumping through hoops!

If you are in the mood for a dark, goth, culty black magic, mortuary and circus inspired tale (would make an especially good October/Halloween time read) this is the book for you.

Thank you to Harlequin Grim, NetGalley and Quill & Crow publishing house for this unedited advance reader copy, all opinions are my own etc etc

1866 and the Black Carnival is on the move, this time to London, but the Carnival isn’t what we expect. It’s run by a coven of witches under the intrepid Lester Black, and there are a fair share of ghouls and peculiarly talented individuals within the little town of tents and caravans.

Young Atherton Graves is no ordinary undertaker. He feels and sees the ghostly presence of those who have been in his care. Currently it seems there are too many dead children, all from Mrs Butler’s orphanage where Atherton spends a lot of time. As he continues his grizzly work, the dreams and premonitions become more vivid, and he realises there may be a serial killer at large. He runs afoul of mobster Mason Cross and his goons and survives by the skin of his teeth and the timely intervention of Boo, the Carnival clown. This action by Boo, aiding someone he doesn’t know, sets off a cataclysmic chain of events and a lot of violence in the name of retribution.

I enjoy gothic novels and this one was no exception and the characterisations of the players are very well drawn, particularly undertaker Graves and Boo, the clown. I think that’s what kept me going, as the violence itself started to frequent the pages too often, although I believe the author’s focus on the inanity and pointlessness of the retribution cycle is perhaps the message here. A spooky read, recommended with the caveat for some readers that the story contains violence against children.

I couldn't get into it and didn't finish it around the 60% mark. Based on other reviews and the summary, I was expecting something gothic and atmospheric. Typically I like multiple POVs in a book but I didn't connect with this one. I also typically am a big fan of prose but the writing in The Black Carnival felt unnecessary and like it was trying to hard to give the atmosphere while missing the mark in my opinion. I did like that from the beginning we were set with the expectation to look deeper at what was going on.

In general, this should have been a book I loved. I am in a bit of a slump right now so I will likely reread this later when I am in a different mood to see if the summer version of me just wasn't in a gothic victorian mood yet. That's why I'm giving it 3 stars - there was so much that I should have liked.

2 ⭐️

I feel like this could be a great novel for those who are the fans of classic literature and murder mystery and have exceptional English . As a person whose first language is not English , I found it harder at times because of its very complicated English😭 The Different POVS were also not my cup of tea. I did not connect with the characters , although I must admit the last part of the book was quite good. I loved the aesthetics of the book ( in fact I was looking forward to it because I’m obsessed with books with circus vibes) but it just wasn’t enough for me to love this book.


You liked The Night Circus but want something a bit more mysterious and much darker , you might like this one ( Check the trigger warning before reading) Thank you NetGalley and Quill & Crow for the E arc in exchange for an honest review!

🌟🌟🌟 **3/5 stars**

“A haunting Victorian carnival that chills, surprises—and sometimes stalls.”

The Black Carnival proves Harlequin Grim is no stranger to macabre ambition. Set in 1886 New Sarum, England, it follows mortician Atherton Graves as he investigates a rash of child deaths—only to become entangled with the eerie Black Carnival after selling a cadaver to a spiritualist. Soon, he's caught between a murder mystery, the town gang “The Disciples,” and the ghostly voices creeping into his sanity

The dystopian Victorian setting is vividly unsettling. Readers hoping for vivid carnival spectacle will find instead a disturbing backdrop—grisly, gothic, and intense rather than whimsical. This tone supports the horror themes, but left me wishing for more immersive carnival world-building

Strengths:

Atmospheric prose and narration. The tone is chilling, combining grim imagery and spiritual dread that fits well with Gothic horror
Multiple POVs add emotional depth. These perspectives enrich the narrative, fleshing out side characters and building empathy while deepening the mystery around Atherton
Strong character tension. Atherton’s psychological unraveling, the pressure from the Disciples, and the carnival’s dark forces intertwine effectively to build suspense.

Weaknesses:

Carnival feels under‑realized. Despite the titular setting, the carnival is more of a haunting shadow than an immersive world, making the novel feel uneven and leaving some mystery unfulfilled
Pacing can drag. Atmosphere takes precedence over plot progression at times, leading to slower narrative momentum and long stretches without strong forward momentum.
Violence and grim content may overwhelm sensitive readers. This is not a light read—the graphic child deaths, cult undertones, and necromancy can feel relentless in tone.

Overall:
The Black Carnival is a gothic horror novel with ambition and eerie atmosphere, offering emotional perspectives through multiple characters and a richly unsettling tone. However, its lack of carnival immersion and uneven pacing may hold it back from fully engaging readers expecting visceral thrills or a more vivid circus environment.

Perfect for readers drawn to psychological horror, Victorian settings, and spiritual dread—but less so if you want vivid carnival life or a fast-moving plot.

Would recommend to readers who:

* Crave moody, gothic historical horror
* Appreciate character-driven layering and spiritual dread
* Enjoy mysteries of the undead and cult-like conspiracies

Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the advanced copy.

☆3.5 Star☆
The Night Cirrus by Harlquin is a moody, brilliant novel.
There’s no doubt that Harlquin has a talent for language. The prose is lush, almost hypnotic at times, with moments that read like poetry. The world-building is creative and strange in a way that’s genuinely intriguing. However, the story often feels weighed down by its own style. Pacing is slow, and the plot can be hard to follow often wandering into abstract territory without clear emotional payoff.
Character development is another weak spot. Leira is interesting on paper, but her motivations and inner life remain frustratingly vague. Supporting characters drift in and out like passing clouds, rarely leaving a strong impression.
That said, there’s something admirable about Harlquin’s ambition. The Night Cirrus isn’t a typical fantasy or speculative fiction novel, it’s more like a dreamscape, best read for mood rather than momentum. For readers who enjoy quiet, meditative stories with a touch of the surreal, it may strike the right chord. But others might find themselves wishing for more substance behind the mist.

⋅˚₊‧ ୨Pros୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅
✧.*Beautiful, poetic prose: The writing is lush and lyrical, with vivid imagery that captures the dreamlike tone of the novel.


✧.*Unique atmosphere: The setting feels haunting and imaginative, with an almost surreal quality that sets it apart from typical fantasy worlds.


✧.*Creative concept: between the settings and charecters.


✧.*Meditative tone: Ideal for readers who enjoy slow, reflective storytelling that focuses more on mood than plot.

⋅˚₊‧ ୨Cons୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

✧.*Slow pacing: The narrative often drifts without urgency, which may frustrate readers expecting a more dynamic plot.


✧.*Underdeveloped characters: Key figures, including the protagonist, can feel distant or emotionally flat.


✧.*Vague storytelling: The abstract nature of the plot and world-building may leave some readers confused or disconnected.

✧.*Lack of payoff: Symbolism and atmosphere take center stage, sometimes at the expense of clear resolution or character growth.

OMG. This is my very first horror book, and I'm obsessed! If you love The Night Circus but prefer a darker fantasy and horror thriller vibe, this book is for you.

At first, I was completely lost in the first part of the book due to the multiple POVs, but I eventually got the hang of it and caught up with the plot, which follows one specific character's POV. My favorite character was Altherton, and he easily became my favorite. Additionally, other characters had their unique POVs; the order of POVs helps readers follow the story's flow and catch hints in each chapter. Some of the characters' POV might be underestimated in all of the above, but their character development is important and acts as a key in the whole plot.

This is a wonderful horror and thriller book that I have ever experienced. Thank you, NetGalley, for accepting my request!

3.5 stars rounded up!

I struggled a bit to rate this book. I definitely enjoyed the read. The writing was amazing, from page 1 it felt like there was something sinister crawling under the surface of this book, and it stayed so for the whole story. The setting and atmosphere matched very well. It was dark, eerie, and horrifying. I found the balance between the horror and the lovely "found family" great. This circus consists of people who are kinda cast out by society, one way or another, and they found solace with each other. The circus accepts you the way you are.

This all said, I had some issues with the plot. This book touches several good subjects, but it feels a little bit underdeveloped. I also had some points where I lost the plot a bit.

I would recommend this one to everyone who is looking for an eerie, atmospheric spooky read, and who don't mind a weaker plot execution.

This book wasn’t for me, but that’s okay!

Let me start with the positives. The atmosphere is great. The descriptors weren’t overly done, but I could picture it all in my mind. The characters were distinct, which always works well with multiple POV.s. The author is obviously incredibly intelligent, but that brings me to the bad.

The writing was a bit much for me sometimes. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person, but I found the writing hard to digest. It hovered in the space right over my head and didn’t ever find a good flow.

I think this book will be a winner with others, but I wasn’t the right audience.

Wow! This was unexpected. I recieved an ARC of this book from netgalley without knowing really anything about the concept, I thought the cover was cool and that basically sold me on it. I did go into this arc thinking "oh maybe this will be like the Night Circus" but yeah, that was absolutely not the case, though I'm not mad about it!

This story follows a mysterious macabre carnival that travels throughout England in the 18th century. Alongside the carnival cast of characters we have a mortician, Atherton Graves, who has been blessed/ cursed with a gift of seeing the dead. In his field of course this is cause for chaos. Graves explores a rash of child murders happening in his city, while at the same time dealing with the big bad gang of Disciples headed by one Mason Cross who demand a cut of all businesses funds. When denied this power and money, they cause absolute chaos. These guys are no joke, so not only do you get the drama of a murder investigation with supernatural cause, the reader also gets a good dose of human brutality through the actions of the Disciples through the story.

In The Black Carnival we see a long cast of characters and multiple POVS that create a very interesting and multilayered adventure. I started this arc and simply couldn't put it down. The dynamics of all of the characters left me guessing, especially with the supernatural aspects of this story. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery, magic, supernatural stuff. I can see it being a perfect October read. There is a fair bit of violence, reference to murder and death, and other somewhat "yucky" body horror, but it was never too much for me. Definitely check it out!
Thanks to netgalley for this arc!

Wow, I loved the prose in this book! This created such dread in the carnival and every character felt so human-like, well-rounded and you felt like you were part of their struggles. This multiple POV book - jumps perspective almost every chapter and it was just great how it was delivered as they all had a huge part to play in this plot.

The book is a historical horror which is perfect! I'd highly recommend picking this up during spooky season as the carnival and clowns have that creepy vibe!

I had such high hopes for this one! Any story in a Victorian gothic setting has my interest. Carnivals and orphanages? Sign me up! Mediums and ghosts? Yes please! This book had all of those and more, but for all the exposition it had I feel like it didn't really live up to the expectation I had set for it in my mind. The setting was beautiful and the characters were interesting to follow along with, but I wanted more! Maybe I'm just a glutton and I thrive on the very themes this book serves up, but I wanted to know more about the characters, the setting, and the histories of the carnival! This book was like a gourmet lunchable--enjoyable and satisfactory while eating, but I still feel hungry when its over.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun gothic read to beat the summertime heat, and I look forward to more from the author!

The Black Carnival by Harlequin Grim is an intoxicating swirl of darkness, performance, and psychological unease. It invites readers under the velvet tent of a traveling spectacle where masks hide more than identities—they conceal curses, longings, and unspeakable truths. Grim’s writing is theatrical and visceral, turning every scene into a performance that seduces the senses and messes with the mind. It’s campy in the best way, deliciously eerie, and boldly imaginative—a celebration of all things strange and shadowed.

What makes it shine isn’t just its creep factor, but its empathy. Beneath the grotesque and glitter, the story grapples with what it means to be seen, to be othered, and to find family in the uncanny. Some plot threads fray toward the end, and the spectacle occasionally overshadows the heart, but the overall ride is unforgettable. Perfect for fans of Night Circus–style ambiance crossed with unsettling folklore and queer found-family vibes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House

2.75
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for a honest review. I reallyyyyy wanted to like this book but unfortunately that was not the case. Some things i liked were the atmosphere and the beginning of the book. This book started super strong but it fizzled out fast for me. The different povs made the story a bit hard to follow at times for me and the main mystery lost its mystique about 60% of the way through. I think some people may like this more if you are really into circus related aesthetics but the aesthetic alone was not enough to carry the story for me. The characters weren’t super strong in my opinion and i wasn’t really rooting for them. This was a good start for a debut novel but this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.

I have been reading this book for a couple weeks and I must say I absolutely LOVE! It is really well paced and the world that was built has been really neat! The story builds up slow but starts to ramp up the more you read. It starts slow to get to know the characters and understand the feel of the world. The theming and the execution has kept me coming back for more after putting it down! I highly recommend for those that love horror and fictional history and a good itch for carnival.

Despite having read many haunted/creepy circus books without truly liking a single one, I kept trying them in hopes of finding the one that would scratch that itch in my brain. Finally, I have found it.

In The Black Carnival, we follow a multiple-POV narration of what I can only describe as a nightmarish yet fascinating spectacle, a series of characters that are, in some way or another, all linked to the cursed funhouse that is the circus.

I thoroughly enjoyed each and every character, infused with their own distinctive voice, and I felt transported to the underside of Victorian London with them all. The narrative is lush and exquisite, even poetic at times, fitting for the setting and tone of the story. That was, for me, the best aspect of the book.

I would have liked for the author to delve a bit more into the specifics of the worldbuilding, magic system and characters' backstories, because I felt a bit lost at times, but the story was well worth sticking around.

Overall, a very enjoyable read that has finally proven to me that haunted circus books can indeed be exactly what I expected them to be.