I'm still trying to make sense of this, because I think it's too deep for me to understand. Ha. I'm so dense sometimes. For some reason, I'm totally loving the imagery in "the candied peels and syrup stains of children's sweets." It's just very clear, and that's probably why I like it. Silly, I know. This is very nice. Keep writing! :)

congrats, you are the second person in the world to use 'ambergris' in fiction.

i don't quite get what the carnival is a metaphor for... or did i miss it completely?