Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
1866. In an English coastal village, Nell picks violets for a living. Set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin, Nell’s world is her beloved brother and devotion to the sea. But when Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter his very own leopard girl. It is the greatest betrayal of Nell’s life, but as her fame grows, and she finds friendship with the other performers and Jasper’s gentle brother Toby, she begins to wonder if joining the show is the best thing that has ever happened to her. But who gets to tell Nell’s story? What happens when her fame threatens to eclipse that of the showman who bought her? And as she falls in love with Toby, can he detach himself from his past and the terrible secret that binds him to his brother?
I was more than a little excited to read Elizabeth Macneal’s second novel, as her debut, The Doll Factory, was one of my favourite books of 2019. In Circus of Wonders, she has once again demonstrated her impressive writing skill and her gift for creating an authentic historical atmosphere.
Macneal transports the reader to Victorian England, to a time when the public were obsessed with looking at, learning about and being in the presence of ‘freaks’ and curiosities. Anyone who differed from the norm could be paraded in front of spectators for a price, earning money for unscrupulous men in search of a profit. Surely most people by now have seen The Greatest Showman – Circus of Wonders paints a very different picture from the point of view of those forced to perform and parade their differences, whether they want to or not.
Nell is a wonderfully three-dimensional character. As someone who has never been able to fit in anywhere, her determination to keep her head down and stay out of the way wars with an inner fury that she is obliged to do so. With the circus, she seems to find the freedom she has longed for. But Jasper, her new boss, is a terrifying character, his inner demons often escaping in bouts of violence. Toby is utterly caught up in his brother’s plans, both attracted to and horrified by Jasper’s ruthlessness.
The book did have a few flaws, namely a considerable slowing of pace towards the middle and the characters’ constant complaining, which became a bit wearying to read.
Despite this, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to historical fiction fans. The focus on storytelling, on the man-made transformation of human into myth, elevates this book into a truly compelling and unique story.
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