Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - Circus of Wonders

Sliding over some interesting parts much too quickly, this book about a woman finding meaning in the circus and the brothers who changed her life- for better and worse- was otherwise hard to put down. Nuanced and romantic.

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mikaelaandherbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved how this circus-themed novel combatted the typically romanticized view of circuses with the reality of how circuses both exploited and empowered (at the expense of others) those within the industry. I also liked the integration of historical facts, without basing the fictional circus troupe on any real life people. While the actual story is entertaining, I didn't find it as great as the overarching critique of circuses.

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nini23's review against another edition

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adventurous

3.5

A circus or carnival rolls into town, whips the people up into a frenzy of excitement, chaos and changes ensue. The last book I read with this premise was The Melancholy of Resistance by Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai, a superbly dark literary tale building up to a memorable climax.

Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in young Nellie's little coastal village. Nellie, ostracized by the other villagers due to 'birthmarks' all over her skin, labours with collection, stringing, processing of flowers. Unfortunately for her, her unusual appearance catches the eye of the ringmaster and circus owner Jasper Jupiter and she is sold by her alcoholic father for £20 to the circus against her will. The rest of the book is about her life in the circus, her relationship with Toby (Jasper's brother) and her explosive fame.

Circus of Wonders is historical fiction circa 1860s/70s Britain but the atmosphere of that time furthermore didn't come alive for me off the page. There are street urchins, high interest moneylenders, blacksmiths, Queen Victoria mentioned. This is apparently post the war in Crimea which both brothers Jasper and Toby, as well as a friend called Dash (his fate plays a pivotal part in the two brothers' relationship) were on the front lines of. However, the war setting of Crimea seems to exist only as an exotic backdrop for flashbacks.

Jasper is an indistinct villain - is he a megalomaniac, with delusions of grandeur or a desperate gambler? He is shown in flashback killing Russians with Dash, treating it like a lark and theater, looting from corpses and wonton destruction on enemy territory. Yet at times, MacNeal will have him tired of all the deaths and have insight into his relationship with Toby. Toby, oh my, the mental self-flagellating he does.

The strongest part of the novel for me was Nelly reflecting on her lack of agency over her own fate and how she rages about it. Jasper views her as his possession, and even protection by Nellie's brother Charlie can veer into possessiveness. I wish the book hadn't gone into that maternal territory with Nelly and her 'empty belly' and her taking in of Pearl. I was never in fear for Pearl because she would be protected by plot armor.

Circus of Wonders is a found family story, the protective relationship between the circus 'marvels'/'curiosities' is heartwarming especially between Nellie, Stella, Brunette, Peggy. How society views them as 'monstrous' and 'freaks' is heartbreaking. The ending is hopeful though I'm not sure if it's wish fulfillment considering the time period. 3.5 ⭐

Circus of Wonders' North American release date is 1st February 2022. Thanks to Emily Bestler Books/Atria Books for providing a digital ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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ellereadsbookslike's review

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Nell has always felt different because of the birthmarks that speckle the skin all over her body. The only person that doesn't treat her differently is her older brother, but he is engaged to be married and Nell knows she cannot rely on him forever. But when Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders arrives in her village, her life is about to change forever...

I am a big fan of both books set in Victorian England and Circuses so right of the bat this book is right up my street. The Victorians, and the queen they are named after, really were obsessed with 'oddities' so setting the story in that time period couldn't be more perfect. This is a book that fans of the history of circuses will enjoy as there's lots of mentions about other very famous circuses and performers from that time.

This book is a multiple POV and even though Jasper isn't particularly a very likeable character, I think I enjoyed his POVs the most. I'm a fan of books that show the world from the 'villain's' point of view and I enjoyed seeing into Jasper's thoughts. Also Jasper's chapters were very much used for exposition.

There's a lot of mystery elements to this story although for me the reveal is definitely a bit underwhelming and built up to be more than it is. But I adored the ending. I obviously won't spoil it but I thought it was really clever and it definitely averted my expectations.

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emmagreenwood's review against another edition

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relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Tuppence Middleton - she is very good at creating difference voices for each character but for some reason the audio version made the story less enjoyable to me.

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hettyreads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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