This book has everything. And by everything I mean: the vibes of a traveling circus in a mythologized turn-of-the-century st Petersburg that later gets stranded in Siberia, a mysterious woman who may or may not have wings, and several side stories one of which features a panopticon of murderesses. 

I am both enchanted and frightened of Angela Carter now. This was my first foray into her work, and I'm not sure if I enjoyed it. Each sentence goes on its own narrative adventure to the point where I struggled to keep in mind the overall plot (was there one?). But I'm intrigued and I think I want more. The mixed feelings have earned this book a 2.75 on SG, up to 3 on GR.