I knew I’d love this book before I’d even opened it so when I started reading it I was truly smitten. There is just something about the circus that fascinates and enthrals me and this book perfectly captures it all. The writing is beautiful. There is just something very evocative about the writing style. It creates an immersive atmosphere and a very real sense of time and place. When reading the book you feel part of the circus, and you understand the intensity of all the characters. They all feel so real. This book is escapism at its best. I felt part of an extraordinary World that I feel quite sad to leave. This story is about love in all its forms as it weaves its magic until the final curtain falls.

I had high hopes for this because The Doll Factory instantly became a favourite of mine, but I’m sad to say that this one isn’t even in the same league as The Doll Factory.
That being said, I loved the circus theme because that always seems to interest me, and Macneal got the characters spot on in regard to how they would truly feel about being in a circus as I imagine it isn’t all fun and games!

I wasn’t a big fan of Nell. Although she had her reasons for being angry and bitter, I actually disliked her character and found her to be quite selfish at times.
I took an instant dislike to Jasper, who I felt early on was manipulative and cruel.
It was Toby I connected with. Throughout this book I felt incredibly angry at how Jasper and Nell treated him, and towards the end I was even more angry that both Jasper and Nell stopped him from having the life he truly deserved. I was with him to whole step of way, willing for him to thrive.

I didn’t feel like this novel was set in the Victorian era, and if I didn’t know that it was before I started to read it, I wouldn’t have realised that it was set in that time period. This disappointed me because I LOVE Victorian literature and Macneal captured this so incredibly well in The Doll Factory.

I hate to keep comparing it to her first novel, but it is hard when you know a writer has such potential that they have already reached previously.
I’m afraid to say that it lacked mystery, intrigue and true imagination. It felt more like a character reference for the three main features.
I wanted more adventure, more shock, and more excitement!!
It definitely wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t the best either.

I did like however, that the girls finally got their show at the end. I’m all for female strength and equality!

A totally unique story. Beautifully written with love, loss and heartache at its core.
I loved the circus theme, I never knew much about this before I read this book. Such a good insight into another world, in another time.

I’ve always enjoyed reading books about circuses, I don’t know why, perhaps it’s the idea of life on the road and bright lights and performing. Actually, this life really isn’t that glamorous and this book shows us the lows more than the highs.
Many other people have written a resume of this book and I always think that there are professionals who write a blurb in just the right way to set the scene and give a taster without giving the plot away so I won’t try to do their job here.
I must admit that I found it rather difficult to get into but once I had made it past the first few chapters on my third time of starting it, I was drawn in and could appreciate not only the beautiful style of writing but also and especially the characterisation which is excellent.

Nell has always felt like an outcast, but in her small village, at least people are accustomed to the birthmarks that cover her face and body. But when her father sells her to Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders, Nell is thrust into the spotlight. Jasper and his brother Toby always dreamed of owning a circus together, but they are both haunted by their experiences in the Crimean War—Jasper as a soldier and Toby as a war photographer.

‘Circus of Wonders’ is not a relaxing reading experience. The exploitation and commodification of people and animals in circuses is an uncomfortable history and even the experience of reading about it can feel a little voyeuristic. Jasper’s ambitions and desire to prove himself lead him to invest heavily and at first it pays off and Nell’s star rises. But Jasper is not willing to be outshone by his ‘own creation’ so, as Nell is suspended high above the ground with manufactured wings like Icarus, Jasper gets in deeper with the moneylenders and a sense of impending doom pervades the narrative. It is a tense and evocative read, but thankfully has a satisfying conclusion.

Loved this story of Nell, a Victorian girl who is mocked for her different appearance then sold into the circus because of it by her drunken father. Nell's life takes a different turn than her past in a seaside village picking violets, and she sees the dangers while also looking to make the most of her new opportunities.

Jasper Jupiter and his adorable brother Toby try to take the limelight and dominate the story, but in the end it is Nell and her fellow female performers that find themselves centre stage and finally in control.

All the glories of Victorian showmanship are there, the descriptions are so colourful and acute, and the ending almost broke my heart, it is written with such yearning and unspent passion.

A wonderful tale of a circus of wonders, told so well you can smell the sawdust, feel the excitement as the performers prepare to perform. Nell is born with birthmarks over much of her body and is shunned in her small village but when she is sold to the circus her life begins. A tale of self empowerment, of being different, of finding love in unexpected ways. Captivating.

Nell lives in a small coastal village where her speckled birthmarks set her apart from the rest of the community, but when Jasper Jupiter's circus visits it is her birthmarks which attracts Jasper's attention.

Nell is sold, by her father, to Jasper and she finds she has the opportunity to perform and thrive in the circus. Nell's future seems to be more hopeful and with the support of the other performers, most of them women, actually ends up performing for the Queen.

Much more than a circus story, Circus of Wonders is a beautifully crafted, evocative and moving Victorian gothic novel. Elizabeth Macneal takes us behind the makeup and costumes to meet the performers, learn their stories and discover that most of them have a dark, upsetting history.

My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was a big fan of The Doll Factory so was really looking forward to reading Circus of Wonders, but also nervous of that second novel disappointment that can do often happen. I shouldn’t have worried, if anything I preferred Circus of Wonders, it drew me in from the start and I was totally absorbed in the characters. Also cover looks great. I’ll be recommending this one widely!

Here we meet Nell. Nell’s mother died when she was a baby and she was raised by her father with her older brother, her protector.
Nell looks different, she has birth marks over her body and has grown up with people continuously pointing at her and ridiculing her appearance. When a local circus passes through town, she is unwittingly drawn into a new world and becomes the biggest act that the ringmaster Jasper has. All she has to do is bide her time and surely her brother will find and rescue her?

Jasper harbours dreams of becoming the biggest and best ‘Circus of Wonders’ but is he living dangerously close to the edge as he grasps for his dreams with his faithful brother Toby by his side. Jasper is a character with a volatile, erratic but caring personality that you are drawn to and cannot forget...

Another beautiful descriptive and engaging book from Elizabeth. Her writing sets the scene beautifully and you can almost see it right before your eyes. I love becoming part of the worlds Elizabeth creates. Here we are transported back to Victorian London. I absolutely loved her first book The Doll Factory so of you haven’t already picked it up, it’s also a must read.

Time to join The Circus of Dreams.....You’ll be so glad you have a ticket to the biggest show in town!

Spellbinding with truly exceptional characters that will stay with you for a long time.

I eagerly await what Elizabeth produces next.

Thank you to PanMacmillan and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Interesting story, but not sure it was my cup of tea. I found the characters and the storyline interesting but I felt that not much ‘happened’ really and I would have liked more action.

Circus of Wonders is a beautifully executed account of what it means not to fully fit in, what it means to be seen as different and what it is like to finally find your own voice and feel at ease in your own skin.

I can't recommend it enough. It's engaging, addictive I dare say. The images, sounds, smells evoked by the Elizabeth Macneal followed me once the book was closed. My level of engagement was such that I began to believe that the events described were my own memories. To be fully honest, I was more gripped by this than I have been by anything in a while.

It really helps that the writing is extremely evocative and the characters are like they are: not perfect. You can't hate or love them, you can simply do your best to understand them. What they think, what moves them, their fears, their ambitions are simply relatable.

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Think Greatest Showman and Moulin Rouge mixed together and you are well on your way to one of the best circus/show related novels I've ever read. I loved Nell and her complex character, the way she has never quite fitted in to then finally belonging. The female characters in the novel are especially compelling and strong minded despite being controlled by the fear inspiring Jasper Jupiter. I particularly enjoyed references to PT Barnum and historical references to the Crimean war, Queen Victoria and 19th century London. Thank you @netgalley and @panmacmillan for the ARC in return for an honest review. I couldn't put this book down.

A most unusual story. With mention of real people from history this is the story of when circus shows were made up of people with deformities or disabilities and invited people to come and stare.
The story itself is a fictional tale but it’s an easy to read book and mostly is about the two brothers who ran the circus and Nell who was their star act. Her story is sad in places and then she finds love.
The story picks up pace and I was drawn in to know how it all would end. The end really comes in the epilogue and how touching it is. It leaves the romantic in us to think that the story wouldn’t really end there.
I totally enjoyed this book.

I am a sucker for a circus story and this did not disappoint. I love Nell and seeing her character develop from a girl hindered by her disfigurement to a superstar famed for her difference. I loved Toby the gentle giant and all the amazing circus characters. This book flits between the past story of Toby and Jasper during the crimean war and the present day circus adventure, whilst I preferred the present day I can see the relevance of the past story. A great book which I devoured in 2 days. Thank you for this advanced copy

This magical story takes us back to the nineteenth century and the world of the circus, where we're introduced to the ordinary lives of extraordinary people as they use their differences to exploit - or be exploited. Among the dwarves and giantesses, bearded ladies and strongmen, is Nell, a girl whose skin is speckled by birthmarks. Sold by her father to travelling showman Jupiter Jones, she is promoted by him as The Queen of Moon and Stars, flying high above the crowds and drawing the admiration of Queen Victoria herself. But of course behind the glitz and glamour of the circus there's a darker, seamier side to the life the performers lead, and this novel explores themes of otherness, loneliness and an imbalance of power, not just through Nell's story, but through those of Jasper and his brother Toby. Theirs is a strong bond, but what happened on the Crimean plains years earlier that gives Jasper such a hold over Toby? Their wartime experiences shaped the brothers, and spill over into the present, when jealousy rears its ugly head with the arrival of their new living curiosity. For Jasper, Nell is a prize, a creature he owns, to be shaped and moulded to his advantage. For Toby, she is a woman to be loved and protected. And as for Nell herself? Adapting to circus life isn't easy, but maybe, finally, she's found an escape from her previous life in the shadows.
I loved this story for its plot, its characters and its beautiful writing! The author engages all our senses to explore illusion versus reality, keeps us on a tightrope of emotions and presents us with a truly dazzling show.

Read this one you won’t be disappointed !!
What a wonderful book with a cast of some of the best characters I have ever read in a story.
Jasper Jupiter’s circus of wonders it sounds amazing full of spectacle and magic but behind the glittering facade thing are not wonderful as this is Victorian times when so called “freaks” are put on display to an eager public wanting to be horrified at the bearded lady and the leopard girl and others who are sold into a life of sadness, but in that sadness friendships, love and hope are born.
I loved the story, I loved reading about the history side of the book with real people such as Chang and Eng and Barnum and although it made sad especially with the way both people and animals were treated it also made for an exceptional novel.
So a book I became engrossed in and read very quickly and one that I really can recommend, it’s different, spellbinding, beautifully written and just a great read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Picador for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love books about circuses. I love the sense of magic and fantasy, and the promise that absolutely anything can happen. Elizabeth Macneal's second novel, 'Circus of Wonders' did not disappoint!

It is 1866, and we meet Nell picking flowers in a coastal village in southern England. She has been ostrasized by her community due to the birthmarks which cover her body, and she has little to defend her except for her brother. When Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders arrives, her father wastes no time in selling her to the circus as part of its freakshow of performers. Here, Nell finds an acceptance and sense of belonging that she has never known before.

Jasper Jupiter is a spectacle in himself - confident, ambitious, and desperate to build the best circus in the world, and one that can be presented to royalty. His brother, Toby, lives in this shadow, but finds a new purpose with Nell.

Macneal paints her characters with great sensitivity, and I found them to be very realistic. I really liked meeting Nell and getting a strong sense of her backstory before the circus lands. She's a strong character and we build a real empathy with her through the opening chapters, which helps us to understand her motivation, and fear of losing her place in the limelight, later on. Jacob and Toby have a complex relationship, and we see glimpses of both the childhood, and experiences in the Crimean War, which have contributed to it.

The plot reminded me of 'Water for Elephants', which I enjoyed reading last year. However, I found this novel to be even more vivid in its colourful descriptions, and with less of a dark undertone. With episodes featuring Queen Victoria, London money-lenders, and even a little steampunk towards the end, there is something in this novel for everyone!

'Circus of Wonders' by Elizabeth Macneal is due to be published on 13th May 2021.

Thank you to Netgalley UK and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fast read and well written. It was magical and I felt very much part of the story and all the characters.

I really enjoyed this well-written book. The historical atmosphere was conjured up very well, and the characters are all very believable. A great story.