Book Review: Show by Shane Peacock

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Show
Author: Shane Peacock
Publisher: Cormorant Books
Publication Date: June 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781770867963

Synopsis:
In an alternate 1899, farm boy Solomon Hunt leaves home after his father’s death to seek income for his family, only to stumble into the adventure of a lifetime when he rescues a young genius showman from captivity in a sideshow. Together, the duo flee across the terrifying, entertainment-obsessed Empire of America, performing for a living while evading a group of vicious pursuers led by Leonard J. Coop, who not only dominates the Empire through his circus-like extravaganzas, but seeks to be president too.From Buffalo to New Orleans, Denver to Los Angeles, and everywhere in between, Solomon befriends and recruits diverse young performers trapped in shows, including a human cannonball, a giant acrobat, a blues musician, an outlaw gunslinger, a talking gorilla, and more. As Coop closes in and vile secrets are revealed, the ragtag troupe reaches little Hollywood, California, where they present an explosive, groundbreaking performance intended to save them all.

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I’ll start by saying, the end of the 19th century is certainly not an era that I plant myself in often, but in reading Show, I was transported to a time and place of mystery and magic, of freedom and explorations, of misfits and friends. While Solomon roams further from home, there is an underlying sense of the sinister lurking behind him as he helps to lead a group of performers away from the clutches of the greedy big wigs of the circus circuit in a bid for autonomy and freedom. All the while, they are pursued by their very own Rozencrantz and Guildenstern in the form of two comically terrible thugs from their past lives. Crossing the Empire of America to see the sites and make a living in the land of opportunity, this troop employs their strange gifts and talents to make a living of entertainment on their own terms, outside of the shackles of their previous employers.

This is a coming of age adventure story, set to a backdrop where the world was embroiled in change and people delighted in the performance of the unusual or different, benefiting off of those who stood out from society or didn’t fit into the paradigm of the time. It is also a commentary on authority and power, on those who think they can take and control others by exerting their money and influence over others, maintaining their position through fear mongering, violence, or terrible threats. Peacock sets this rag tag group against the backdrop of turmoil, making their success all the more triumphant, but the fear of failure all the more threatening.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m always pleased to support Canadian authors and publishers with a post on Worn Pages. I hope you’ll enjoy this one as much as I did.

Happy reading!