The Traveling Triple-C Incorporeal Circus by Alanna McFall

The Traveling Triple-C Incorporeal Circus by Alanna McFall

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Atthis Arts through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excited about her brother’s upcoming wedding, Chelsea accidentally fell to her death and tried to save the invitation over herself. She is very close to her family, so she mourns her own death as well as shadows her family in addition to her girlfriend for some time, almost losing herself in the process. When her brother’s wedding is finally back on track two years later, Chelsea’s certainly not going to let her ghostly form keep her from attending his big day. Armed with two friends, one living and one dead, she embarks on a long journey to get from New York City to California on foot.

We mainly follow Chelsea, our protagonist, but it quickly becomes more than her story. As the chapters fly by, it becomes clear that it’s also Carmen and Cyndricka’s story in addition to the ghosts they meet as they travel. They each have their own story and have yet to figure out why they became ghosts in addition to completing their unfinished business that’s holding them here. So many of these characters are relatable in different ways and I think that any reader can easily find a character that they see a part of themselves in.

Chelsea almost loses herself when she meets her mentor, Carmen, who saves her from falling off the edge and becoming a wailer in addition to becoming a friend and source of comfort. Part of her ghostly program is to stay busy and not visit the people she knew during her life, which is difficult for Chelsea to stick to because she misses her family. When she learns that her brother is finally getting married, Carmen disagrees with her decision to attend the wedding but decides to tag along. Once the journey begins, it quickly becomes a sad but funny and heartwarming story following these three characters across the states and watching their ups and downs along the way.

I love that Cyndricka is the sole living member of the incorporeal circus. As a living and breathing person, she’s the one member of the group who must take care of herself and has needs that need to be met for her survival. And as a woman living on the streets, she also relies on the help of her ghostly pals to alert her of any danger that tries to find her. Cyndricka is such a wonderful character and I’m so glad that she has a whole world of ghosts that know and understand her when the living world doesn’t.

There are so many funny, touching, sad, and straight up happy moments in this book that it was truly a wonderful ride to be on. I was sad when I made it to the final chapter because I knew the story was about to end. If there is ever a sequel, which I don’t think there will be because it felt and read like a standalone novel, I will one hundred percent be there for it. It’s truly a story of love and loss as well as finding oneself even when one thinks it’s too late. I found myself hoping that we would revisit This is also the first book that I’ve seen a menstruation cycle dealt with during the story rather than forgotten or barely mentioned, so that was a big plus as well.