When Delilah Marlow is coerced into visiting the famous Metzger’s Menagerie, she feels horrible for all of the mythological creatures/people in the show, ranging from oracles to werewolves to sirens. When she witnesses a particularly brutal treatment of an exhibitor, Delilah discovers she isn’t as human as she thought. Taken into custody and then sold to the Menagerie itself, Delilah discovers that fighting for freedom, for herself and the others at the menagerie, will take more strength than she ever imagined.

I am hopelessly in love with Rachel Vincent’s Menagerie. The writing grips the reader tight from the beginning, squeezing harshly in the horrifying scenes of inhumane treatment and torture, and doesn’t loosen up until the last page is turned. The dark, evocative emotion churning through this story is not for the faint of heart, as fitting with such serious themes. Vincent captures the wide spectrum of humanity with an unflinching narration, likely leaving readers shocked at how easy it is to imagine a world like Delilah’s where her society no longer considers her human. Yet, as bloody (but not too gory) and scary as the story may turn, themes of justice, kindness, and family prevail among them and offer glimpses of hope for humanity in the darkest times.

The relationship, which I would be reluctant to label romantic, between Delilah and Gallagher is powerful and intense. The lines of distrust and unease are meshed right alongside a kind of honorable friendship and mutual hunger for some sort of justice. There are several twists in their stories that made me not only gasp, but also nearly drop the book in surprise. The secondary characters are just as complex and remarkable, and the wide range of mythological creatures is highly impressive.

With the sometimes brutal violence and heavy themes, I would recommend this for older teens and up. Menagerie is a frightening, frantic, and richly sublime story that claws your heart while whispering promises in your ear, and I can’t recommend this masterpiece by Rachel Vincent enough.