Spartacus Ryan Zander and the Secrets of the Incredible is fast and furiously fun.” “An eccentric kidnapped mother, a malefic circus, and more evil clowns than on a clear Halloween night. – Dale Basye, author of Heck, Where the Bad Kids Go And, if you’re from inner- or even outer-Portlandia, you will derive extra joy from the numerous inclusions of various beloved landmarks, twisted like a helium-filled balloon animal into Elwood’s wonderful story.” But I’m a better person for every mile spent with Spartacus on his darkly comic road trip. But it’s the various roadside attractions and delightful deviations along the way that make her story sparkle like the creepy-shiny eyes of a carnie. His insights and feelings at being a runaway in a difficult situation at a difficult age hold your metaphoric hand as Elwood leads you, circuitously, to the inevitable big showdown at the Big Top. The book is the story of charming outsider Spartacus Zander, AKA “Poop Lip.” As exotic as his name is, Spartacus grounds the fantastical events of his story in a deeply affecting and relatable way. And, about midway through reading Molly Elwood’s page-turning novel, Spartacus Ryan Zander and the Secrets of the Incredible, my appreciation for her quirky, breezy style quickly gave way to wanton prose-envy of the worst kind. “As an author, there’s a moment when noble emotions such as “admiration” and “respect” for a fellow scribe cross over into outright, green-eyed jealousy.
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