An easy to read historical fiction which follows the story of Florence, a strong woman, between India and Britain. The story is set out around post Second World War and around the time of India’s independence, although this is not explored in detail. A nice read of a woman defying conventional norms and the dual time keeps it interesting (although the book is written about a privileged person in India).

A beautifully written book contrasting Florence's life in India as a young woman and her adult-self in England. I can imagine "In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced" by Justine Bothwick as a television serial, it has such a wonderful cinematic quality. The story is engaging: her early life in India and the events that lead up to her departure to England, and her family life in that cramped house in Portsmouth. The everyday drudgery is then juxtaposed with the circus life of Florence's sister-in-law.

‘In the mirror, a peacock danced 🦚💃🏽’ by Justine Bothwick
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5
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Set against the lush backdrop of 20th-century India ‘In the mirror, a peacock danced’ soars from the shimmering heights of the big top to the depths of heartbreak, can Florence find the happiness, independence, and passion she once had in order to start living again?
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The moving story of one woman’s journey back to herself 💫 The book follows Florence, a British woman growing up in India before and during Indian independence. Brought up by her over powering Father who forced Florence to sing and dance like a performing monkey, ignoring her higher aspirations in life and passion in maths and engineering.

I thought Florence was an incredible characters and her journey to free herself was certainly a heartbreaking one. She fled an abusive husband and longed for a better life in England. She went through a lot yet carried on pursuing her own dreams to make a better life for her and Richard.

It was beautifully written and one I would recommend to all historical fiction lovers. A reminder to never give up on your dreams and never let anyone tell you you can’t 💖
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Thanks to @netgalley, @agorabookldn and @justinebothwick for the advanced copy! Publication date 24th June 2021 📖

I really enjoyed this book!
Florence is such an amazing character. You can see that she tries to fit in the norms of a young woman living during the Second World War but she is definitely conflicted and wants to get out of the standards. Loved the journey of self-discovery she went through and how it ended.
She is into trains, which is something new for a woman in those years and that's what she's passionate about.
The writing was flowing and it was easy to read - only part I struggled with is when the author was going into too many details about trains and engines.
Whilst reading this, I was also reading 'Mythos' by Stephen Fry and noticed that the peacock is one of the symbols of Hera, goddess of marriage. Florence always sees and talks about peacocks when talking of/with Jay and I like to think there is a connection there (maybe it's just in my head, but I like to think there's Greek mythology everywhere).

I honestly really liked the background also. It was interesting to see India and the process it went through for independence from England, and how it was seen by both Brits and Indians - even though this is not the main topic of the book, I would have liked to see even more of it.

Love the cover of it as well, I hope there will be a version with sprayed edges!

Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for the opportunity of reading this advance copy.

This book had a bit too much going on for me. I loved the setting in India, but not as much the chapters set in England. The fact that our female protagonist is interested in trains and engineering was unique, but add in the circus and it's a bit over the (big) top. I can see a lot of people loving this story, but it's not going to stick with me.

Really loved this book. It was set in between India and Portsmouth around the Second World War, following the brave and wonderful Florence as she made her way in the world. Fantastic characterisation and descriptions - I could really imagine all of the places. I also like the fact that I thought it was going to be a love story and it turned a corner of self discovery - just brilliant!

Florence has been brought up in India, used to a life of luxury, but fated to be shipped back to England to finish her education, with her parents plan to marry well. Instead, she dreams of studying at University to become an engineer working on the Indian railways like her father, having helped in his office from a young age.

She finds herself fleeing an abusive marriage, stuck in Portsmouth, England, pregnant and friendless. The tale is one of hope, though, as she pulls herself out of her situation, and eventually finds herself and her true calling, bringing up her young son along the way.

I found the descriptions of Indian life very vivid and the depiction of how Indian's were treated depressingly accurate - their dignity in the face of caste issues and English ignorance was well written.

Have you ever felt like your life needed a new path? That you’re not doing all that you’re meant to? Florence from “In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced” proves again and again that it’s never too late to reinvent your life. This novel follows a British woman living in India before and during Indian Independence, with railways, peacocks, and circuses all making an appearance. I really loved Florence and I could not imagine a better debut for Bothwick.

What a gorgeous cover! This story was much more intense than I expected. Such a well written, amazing story! It does have some triggering content. But, I am so happy to have had the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

An eloquently written story about a woman’s journey to free herself from the societal expectations that she is seemingly bound to. Torn between the familial obligations imposed on her, and the hopes and dreams for a future without restrictions, Florence finds herself reminiscing about her youth, whilst yearning for what could have been if the realities of life hadn’t have intervened.

An inspiring novel with an easy to follow narrative, which I was immediately drawn to due to its setting in India (one of my favourite countries). There were some beautifully vivid descriptions of the unfolding scenes, however for me there wasn’t quite enough of it to capture the energy of the landscape’s magnetism, and desolation - this could have elevated the story’s theme a little more as they both do well to compliment each other. Florence’s journey although privileged, is an unusual one, particularly for a woman living during the early 20th century, her clandestine pastimes add to the appeal of the story. Female leads that set their sights on defying institutionalised male conventions will always capture my attention when reading historical fiction, and this story did just that. Overall, this was an enjoyable read to relax with over a lazy weekend.

An enjoyable reading experience with a dual time line and setting of India and post-war Britain. The descriptions of India are very evocative and exotic (lights, coulours, smells of spices and flowers, etc.) and contrast neatly with the drab, cold greyness of Britain in the early 1950s.

From a privileged childhood in British India Florence grows to become a strong woman.

In 1930’s India, Florence Hunt lives an enviable life of privilege on a lushly landscaped plantation estate with her widower father who works tireless hours at a railroad company. She attends lavish parties and rides horses amidst the fragrant frangipanis and wild, gem-hued peacocks in the veiled shadow of the Taj Mahal. But Florence longs for more. She is deeply fascinated with anything and everything mechanical, to the disdain of her disapproving father, who prefers she pursue more “feminine” hobbies, like singing and dancing. When she meets a young engineer who works for her father, her world seems boundlessly transformed, until the impending war changes everything in the blink of an eye. Fifteen years later, Florence, is pregnant, single and living with her aunt in Portsmouth, England. Drowning in the doldrums of her new daily life and grappling with what once was, she begrudgingly continues her pursuit of happiness and to find her place in the world. Just as Florence seems to be on an irreversible path of self-destruction, someone from her past reappears, reigniting her flame and freeing her to soar to new and unimaginable heights.

This haunting and heartfelt coming-of-age tale is beautifully written, richly layered with the stark contrasts of ancient, ornate splendor of India, and the dreary, post-war gloom of England. At the center of it all, is just a girl, trying to find her way.

A stunning first novel, I can't wait to read more from this author!

Transport yourself to India and the circus through this beautiful story of strength and never giving up on your dreams despite the obstacles which keep trying to put you down.

This is the story of Florence Hunt who was born in Agra, India in the early 20th Century. She grew up surround by the lush jungles, roaming peacocks and going for daily rides with her horse past the Taj Mahal. She was brought up with her Amah after the death of her mother, and her rather chauvinistic father. Her father's aspirations for Florence were more to do with ‘lady-like’ activities such as singing and dancing, however, Florence aspires for more. With a head for maths and an interest in engineering having spent time working in the office at the railway with her father, on her 18th birthday in 1938, she was swept off her feet by a young engineer who encouraged her to learn with secret lessons on physics and engineering. Then the war came and everything changed.

Later in 1953, Florence is now pregnant and living with her aunt in Portsmouth, England. She is struggling to adapt to the grey dreary life in post-war Britain and her ambitions have not wilted however they are slowly fading. With a new husband and dreams diminishing, an old friend knocks on her door and brings her back to life.

I adored this story as I was fully transported to India and back again to the UK as I was taken on her journey in this wonderful time hop novel. I was on her side from the beginning to the end rooting for her, hoping she finds happiness and has the opportunity to follow her dreams. I really enjoyed learning with Florence as she was taught about engineering, I found it very insightful and just the right amount. Florence is a reminder to not give up on your dreams and aspirations. It's a beautiful uplifting story and one which I recommend to all fictional history readers, actually, anyone!

The beginning of this book threw me slightly,it felt geared to a much younger audience than myself.
Thankfully that didn't last long,and soon we were thrown into post war grown up Florence.
Looking back,Florence goes through a lot,and she isn't one to give up.
We see her in different stages of her life,with different male authority figures,and how she relates to them.
I really warmed to her over the course of the book.
Definitely gave me longings for India.

I received this book for an honest review from netgalley #netgallery

This book was very interesting. Definitely not what I expected. But very imaginative in the characters were unforgettable.

This book was wonderfully written, with excellent descriptions of India, and eloquent words strung together to create beautiful passages. I enjoyed this book due to that. However, it is not the most uplifting story, so beware.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy.

A relaxing gentle paced novel, with limited characters. Set mostly in India from the lead up to WW2 and subsequently during independence and partition was the attraction of this novel. It was interesting to see how the writer addressed the multicultural aspects, which sadly still exist but to a lesser extent. Well written in plain English making for an easy transition between the time zones in two Continents.

Florence, the heroine, shows strength of character having had a domineering father and an abusive husband. As a devotee of realism, I found some aspects of the story too much of a fantasy. A pleasing, although predictable, closure.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. Florence is a remarkable young woman who wasn’t encouraged to be strong and independent. Through her life she has always respected her fathers wishes, and not until later in life, she truly feels free.

This gorgeous book takes place in pre war India where Florence Hunt spends her time exploring the splendors of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. Her father, a railroad baron, wants his daughter to become more interested in ladylike pursuits, while she yearns to know more about the world. She meets a physics professor, a man eager to share his knowledge with her, and she falls in love, with both the subject, and the man. Sadly, there is no happily ever after for the couple, and in 1953, Florence finds herself in England, pregnant and alone. As she struggles to find a place in world that has no use for educated women who want more than marriage and a family, Florence tries to resurrect the strong, curious woman she used to be. I loved this book, it’s filed with the glories of India and the struggle of a woman trying to assert herself in what was very much a man’s world

This book was incredible! From the settings to the characters to the pacing, everything was amazing! Each character felt well developed and realistic, with clear motives and goals, and development that didn't feel unnatural.
The plot kept me hooked throughout the entire book and was evenly paced, no area seemed to drag. At the beginning there were some moments were the non-linear time progression was a little harder to follow, but that was cleared up for all later chapters.
The setting description echoed the tone of the novel at each moment well, and had stunning descriptions without overloading with information.
A content warning for domestic violence in the book would be a good edition.
This was a very enjoyable read, I would definitely recommend it.