Laura Lam’s debut YA novel is certainly different. It is bold and goes where not many YA novels go, pushing the envelope in very exciting ways and adding to the debate that is consciously (and unconsciously) raging about gender expressions. I started the book without any expectations as I have learned that with debut novels, you need to go in with an open mind and let yourself be swept away by the narrative.Iphigenia, let’s call her Gene since Iphigenia seems like a disease, is a daughter of a lower noble class family and is burdened by all the problems that are common to women who lived in positions of privilege in history. However, these are not her only problems. She has a rather…interesting anatomical problem which I really have to tell you because it is not much of a secret…or perhaps it is and I should not but I think as a reader, I would like to know what I am getting into. So anyway, I’ll put this part in a spoiler so avert your eyes if you want but just know that I’m not really giving anything away. Anyway, Gene is what we contemporary people call a hermaphrodite. This automatically makes her existence extremely interested and conflicted where gender expression is concerned. I watched a Japanese drama some seasons back that dealt with this issue (it was fascinating) and I expected something of the same sort from this novel.Lam’s writing is very readable, her world is interesting and is built sufficiently if not wholly, there is room for more development. The plot is engaging, the setting of a circus is always intriguing and the characters are many and varied. The problems in this book arise from the very slow pace of the novel. While the time spent until the end (where all the action is, unsurprisingly, pooled) could have dealt with character creation and elaboration of both internal and external conflict, unfortunately, nothing much happens. Gene who names herself Micah falls into an ill-fated relationship with his/her fellow aerialist while being intrigued, in many ways, by a clown. Gene’s inner voice is curious and innocent. I liked that sense of bewilderment about her/his sexual orientation and I thought it was an interesting take rather than deciding either way.However, while Micah/Gene does begin a relationship with Aenea, she’s very little developed as a character. We never get to glimpse inside her head or see her as a person other than someone whom Micah/Gene kisses warily. There’s romance but it’s distanced and while there are lots of emotions where Drystan, the clown, is concerned, the same cannot be said for Gene’s relationship with Aenea. Oh there is a cautious exploration of Micah/Gene’s feelings for Aenea but they are more a sexual curiousity than one with a romantic consequence.As I said before, the action is saturated at the end and this does not do the work any benefits. Things are set up but there is no revelation, things are left teetering at a precipice and while the ending is certainly intriguing, I would have loved to see that kind of action way before the last few pages. However, after all is said and done, Pantomime is an interesting novel, certainly a different one and I recommend that you read it.
