Review: Fascinating, innovative, and disturbing
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2013
"Marie" is a fascinating story about sideshow characters in the modern world.  In a nice bit of innovation, author Lori Safranek has the title character recruited as a circus performer from her pay-per-view website that caters to chubby chasers.  I had first expected the story to take place in a previous age when freak shows were more commonplace but this technological twist was a welcome surprise.  The depiction of Marie is sympathetic and respectful.  This is a woman whose self-acceptance is admirable; her looks are never made fun of during the story.  The story takes a bizarre and disturbing turn as Marie comes to harm from what at first seems like a supernatural curse.  By the time this happens, we care about Marie so her suffering is compelling to read about as we fear for Marie's fate.  This is first-rate story in a quasi-horror genre with real emotion and believable characters.  A must for fans of sideshow tales!