While carnival freaks may be an antiquated, even offensive, concept in the 21st century, Paddy O'Reilly (The Fine Color of Rust) explores what it would mean to be a "modern marvel." A producer brings together three peculiar individuals to form The Wonders: protagonist Leon, owner of a metal heart, finds himself plucked from his quiet life in Australia and thrust into the world of international celebrity once he's joined with Christos, who has surgically connected wings to his back, and Kathryn, whose skin is covered with wool. With money and fame come both the chance to rebuild Leon's fragile ego and increasingly dire threats against their lives from those who believe The Wonders are insults to humanity.
O'Reilly takes a very deliberate pace with The Wonders, following Leon and his comrades as they plan to put on their version of "the greatest show on earth." The behind-the-scenes aspects of the book are its most engaging parts, mixing fish-out-of-water comedy with the tension over whether or not Leon will succeed in his performance as the "Clockwork Man." But the stakes never really feel that high, until a rushed and tonally jarring ending places the main characters in mortal danger. It's one slight misstep, though, in an otherwise pleasurable book concerned with the (mechanical) workings of one man's heart. --Noah Cruickshank, marketing manager, Open Books, Chicago, Ill.