Set in 1866 in a coastal village in
southern England, Nell is set apart by her community because of the birthmarks
that speckle her skin.
Nell is kidnapped as Jasper Jupiter’s
Circus of Wonders
arrives in the village. Nell soon finds out her father has sold her to Jasper
Jupiter to be his very own leopard girl. As her fame grows, and she finds
friendship with the other performers and Jasper’s gentle brother Toby, she
begins to wonder if the greatest betrayal of her life is actually the best
thing that has ever happened to her.
اضافة اعلان
In London, newspapers describe Nell as the eighth wonder
of the world. Figurines are cast in her image, and crowds rush to watch her soar
through the air. But what happens when her fame eclipses Jasper's own? 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?
Reviews
“A glittering follow-up to The Doll
Factory … a mark of Macneal's subtlety and originality.” ― The Guardian
“Elizabeth Macneal has done it again. … Entrancing,
tender, and captivating. A marvel. I couldn’t put it down.” — Sara Collins,
author of Costa First Novel Award winner The Confessions of Frannie Langton
“Wonderful. … Glitters and gleams with the grimy stories
of a travelling circus. ... Utterly beguiling.” ― The Daily Mail
“Circus of Wonders is confident and beautifully written.”
— Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal
“A glittering, begrimed tale of love and
self-determination flush with richly detailed prose. Sumptuous, macabre,
enthralling; a perfect slice of Victoriana.” — Jane Healey, author of The
Animals at Lockwood Manor
“Elizabeth Macneal's novel is spectacular — a book of
wonders!” — Alix Nathan, author of The Warlow Experiment
“At turns dark, joyous, frightening, and heartbreaking,
Circus of Wonders is an absorbing read.” ― Sunday Life
“A glittering, soaring, magical exploration of
showmanship, voyeurism, and storytelling, Circus of Wonders is also a
wonderful, sumptuously written love story. Visceral & cerebral. I loved it.”
— Caroline Lea, author of The Glass Woman
“Engaging and enjoyable.” ― Scotsman
“I loved it. Circus of Wonders is a terrific successor
to The Doll Factory. I adored the vibrant cast of characters — they are
tenderly drawn yet dazzle off the page.” — Rachel Hore, author of Last Letter
Home
“I was dazzled by it from beginning to end. What a
fabulous, riveting, engrossing story! There's such a creepy undercurrent of
dread and violence running just beneath the surface of everything she writes,
yet there's humanity and kindness, a palpable love for Nell and the other
circus performers that makes all the characters come to life.” — Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light
“An enjoyable and engrossing novel, which captivates
from beginning to end.” ― Historical Novel Society
“The gritty glamour of the circus and the horrors of
war. Macneal’s characters are finely drawn, their entwined stories playing out
against the backdrop of the big top.” ― Daily Mirror
About the author
Elizabeth Macneal was born in
Scotland and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works
from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at
Oxford University, before working in the city for several years. In 2017, she
completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA where she was awarded the Malcolm
Bradbury scholarship. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth’s debut novel, won the
Caledonia Novel Award 2018.
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