Book Review: ONE OF US

by | Dec 6, 2025 | Book Reviews, Reviews, The Horror Review News | 0 comments

One of Us
Dan Chaon
Henry Holt and Company (September 23, 2025)
276 pgs.
Reviewed by Carson Buckingham

One of Us is set in 1915 and centers around 13-year-old Bolt and Eleanor, twins with mind-reading capabilities. After their mother dies, they are taken in by a ne’er-do-well con man who claims to be their uncle. He abuses the children, and when they see a chance to escape him, they do. Salvation comes in the form of an odd ringmaster called Mr. Jengling, who adds them to his traveling sideshow.

Being the circus/carnie aficionado that I am, I couldn’t wait to read this book. I had high hopes.

Those hopes were dashed.

There is nothing new under the sun here. The show is peopled with pretty much the same old-same-old, and the book slogs along from there. The uncle is coming after them, though it seems a little far-fetched, with their head start and his not knowing which direction they took, that he could locate them at all.

If you have read my past reviews, you will know how much I stress the importance of research. People say, “Well, it’s fiction—how much research do you really need?” The answer? Quite a bit. Even fiction must be well researched. It must be based in fact in order for the reader to willingly suspend their disbelief when the fictional elements are introduced.

And there are plenty of sources out there for carnival research, but this author did not make use of them. Right off the bat, he refers to carnival attendees as ‘gillies.’ This expression was not used by carnival personnel. The correct term would be ‘rube’ or ‘mark’ or ‘townie,’ though ‘rube’ was the most common. He refers to ‘barkers.’ Incorrect. They are called ‘talkers.’

It seems that the entirety of Mr. Chaon’s ‘research’ took place while watching the Tod Browning film Freaks. He even co-opted the ‘acceptance ceremony’ from the film. Fortunately for the author, the film is in the public domain. Fortunately, because he appropriated not a historically accurate rite of acceptance, but rather, something that Browning created for the film to illustrate the solidarity among the freaks. So, no plagiarism here, just no fact-checking.

The pacing was slow, the story was mediocre at best, and the ending was completely flat. It was 276 pages that felt like 600.

“Well, other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”

1 star out of 5. I do not recommend this book. If you want a good carnie story, try Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham, or catch Carnivale on a live stream.

About Carson Buckingham

Professionally, Carson Buckingham has made her way in life doing all manner of things, most of which involve arson. She is currently employed as a freelance writer on a work release program. In her spare time, she studies forensics, in hopes of applying her new knowledge to eluding the authorities more effectively the next time. She is originally from Connecticut, but now resides in Kentucky—and Connecticut is glad to be rid of her.

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