I just finished The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson by Ellen Baker. Instantly intrigued with little Cecily as her mother dropped her off at the orphanage in 1924 with the promise to come back to her, she is never seen again. I wish we learned more about the mother and her story, I kept thinking we were going to find out more but we don’t.

In any case, Cecily is at the orphanage for a while until she’s sold into a traveling circus. The book flips between Cecily in the circus as a young girl, then teenager, and to present day where she has hidden her past from her daughter and grand daughter. We delve a bit into the lives of Liz, Cecily’s daughter and Molly, her daughter.

We also learn about another family, linked to Cecily. Its the DNA test that Molly’s son does that opens the can of worms that Cecily’s hidden life.

Synopsis:

In 1924, four-year-old Cecily Larson’s mother reluctantly drops her off at an orphanage in Chicago, promising to be back once she’s made enough money to support both Cecily and herself. But she never returns, and shortly after high-spirited Cecily turns seven, she is sold to a traveling circus to perform as the “little sister” to glamorous bareback rider Isabelle DuMonde. With Isabelle and the rest of the circus, Cecily finally feels she’s found the family she craves. But as the years go by, the cracks in her little world begin to show. And when teenage Cecily meets and falls in love with a young roustabout named Lucky, she finds her life thrown onto an entirely unexpected—and dangerous—course.

In 2015, Cecily is now 94 and living a quiet life in Minnesota, with her daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson. But when her family decides to surprise her with an at-home DNA test, the unexpected results not only bring to light the tragic love story that Cecily has kept hidden for decades but also throw into question everything about the family she’s raised and claimed as her own for nearly seventy years. Cecily and everyone in her life must now decide who they really are and what family—and forgiveness—really mean.

This comes out on Feb 20th.

“She began to wonder: What was the feeling you felt when you belonged somewhere? Whatever it was, sure she had never felt it. Would she recognize it?”

As a reader and admirer of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, I didn’t imagine I would need to read another 1930s circus story. Boy, was I wrong!

Cecily Larson has a hidden, heartbreaking and adventurous life spanning the decades of the 1920s to the 2010s. Ms. Baker takes readers on a journey across the U.S. and, like the circus trains anchoring the story, there is a show in each geographic location. Cecily begins her life as a toddler placed in a Chicago orphanage and spends the next 90 years in search of home, family and a sense of belonging. The vast web of characters affected by some sinister people, some good samaritans and a desire to keep secrets, each hold their own truth and hopefulness in various ways.

When DNA testing enters the mix the inter relationships come into focus, and had this reader hanging on for dear life, turning pages well into the night to find out how the pieces fit together. A plot as taught as a circus tightrope (I had to) kept many mysteries on the periphery until just the right time. I absolutely loved the Depression Era backdrop to the circus life, rich with well researched details, and the more modern period in northern Minnesota provided the perfect balance.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical family dramas with an Ancestry.com element like Lian Dolan’s The Sweeney Sisters.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson by Ellen Baker in return for my honest review.

The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is going to have quite a following. The story is an interesting one. Cecily Larson has lived a difficult life, but her family has no idea of her history, that is until her great-grandson submits DNA samples to trace his family’s ancestry for a school project. As a result Cecily’s secrets are about to come to light. With a heartbreaking backstory, Cecily has learned to endure, survive, and reinvent herself.

I enjoyed this work of historical fiction, but not as much as I am sure some will. There is quite a bit going on in this story. There are multiple time lines and quite a few characters. Some readers will admire Cecily, but I wanted to like her more. Perhaps as a result of her circumstances, she is guarded, trusts few, and has made some questionable choices. To say more would spoil the magic of the story.

Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. There are some historical fiction novels that you can read, and a year or two later, someone will ask you about it, and you find that you really can't discern it from ones that you've read since then. The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is going to be one that sticks with me. For me, it was reminiscent of Before We Were Yours and The Orphan Train. I'd also put it in the same category as Calling Me Home and Dreamland Burning. Not that each of these books are so similar, but each one does share some likenesses. Perhaps the most important thing for me though is that they all are very memorable in their topics and in the author's presentation.

My favorite historical fiction novels are the ones that are written in a dual or multi-faceted timeline and solve a present day mystery as the story unfolds. The Hidden Life fits this bill perfectly.

Other memorable aspects for me would be the strong character of Cecily, the setting of the circus, and the topic of adoption or selling of babies.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. Thank you, NetGalley and Mariner Books, for the chance to preview this copy. Thank you to Ellen Baker for a riveting, compelling, and heartfelt story.

I really liked the premise and idea of the story but it fell flat for me.
The first big issue was the character dumping. The beginning throws you in and it doesn’t transition well to where you know which character is talking when, or who we are describing.
The other issue is when switching from past to present there is no clear labeling of this. I prefer chapters to say when they are in the present, etc. The dates were written sometimes but not all the time. Sometimes the time would switch mid chapter. It took me so long to understand who was talking in the first several chapters because I had no clue who was who. I was getting so confused with Liz and Molly and their relation to Cecily in the beginning. This wasn’t described well enough for me.
Then there were more characters thrown in and I got even more confused and didn’t understand anyone’s relationships for a while. I did finally understand, but I got to about 30% and decided to dnf because sadly it wasn’t grabbing my attention enough. There just isn’t a super strong plot and nothing really gripping me to want to read more. I’m sorry that it turned out not well for me, but I wish you all the best on your book.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoy books at the circus or that take place in the circus and so I had high hopes for this book. While part of the story is centered around the circus, it really is a small part of the overall story. This is a story about a young girl who’s given a hard hand and comes out a survivor.

THE HIDDEN LIFE OF CECILY LARSON
BY: ELLEN BAKER

This is a novel that covers such a multifaceted amount of powerful themes. I did enjoy it but it did start out in one direction and switched its focus towards the end and it felt rushed. It starts out with a young girl named Cecily getting dropped off by her mother at an orphanage where her mother promises to be back to get Cecily after she earns enough money for both of them to survive with. This is the middle of the 1920's. In fact her mother seemed quite sincere to me in wanting Cecily to stay no more than a year. She signed a document saying she would be back within a year. Cecily is hopeful to be leaving the orphanage in Chicago. Both Cecily and I were heartbroken at the fact when a few years pass and she gets sold to a rather stern man.

The man who bought Cecily doesn't say much to her and Cecily is worried that her mother won't be able to locate her when she returns to claim Cecily. The innocence in Cecily's pure heart still believes her mother will be searching and I as the reader felt in my heart that I knew it would be impossible for the mother daughter reunion. Cecily has been bought by a man who owns half of the circus that they eventually reach after a long train ride. Cecily is in awe at seeing all of the animals, clowns, and she for once has enough food to not be hungry anymore. She however doesn't yet know that she will be expected to perform even when she injures her knee. She is taken under a young woman's wing named Isabella and they do acts while riding a horse.

Cecily gets attached to her horse and is still only able to see the good in people until Isabella gets jealous of Cecily. Isabella is in a relationship with the man who bought Cecily and as Cecily grows up as a teenager the man who bought Cecily starts showing an interest in her which turns Isabella from what was initially a sisterly bond to outright hatred and cruelty towards Cecily. All Cecily has now is her horse and she falls in love with one of the young teenagers who happens to be Black who helps her around when she injures her knee. A romance ensues and when it's discovered that Cecily is pregnant her boyfriend has left already.

Cecily ends up in a reformatory and wants more than anything to keep her baby. She does get transferred to a better home with the belief that she will stay and have her baby. She loves her baby while she is pregnant and has every hope of finding her baby's father whose name is Lucky and the three of them becoming a family.

The novel at some point alternated with the year 2015 where Cecily is 94 years old and is in the hospital after breaking her hip. She has a daughter named Liz, a granddaughter named Molly who are concerned for Cecily's full recuperation which will be months in rehabilitation. Molly has a son named Cade who is a teenager. For a school project he is tracing his family tree and his grandmother Liz offers to pay for four DNA kits which costs between four and five hundred dollars. Molly and Liz think it will be a wonderful surprise birthday gift for Cecily to have the results. It is understood that Cecily would never agree to participate so Molly has one of the nurses trick Cecily into filling a tube with her saliva without knowing it's for her great grandson's school project. She thinks its a test for the hospital not knowing she has supplied her DNA to be tested.

What could be the harm in the DNA tests? There is where the consequences upon receiving the results will bring surprising discoveries. This is the section I began talking about being too much happening at once towards the last 30% of the novel. It should have been introduced earlier by not making the circus taking up most of the story and not an info dump towards the end.

I did really enjoy this novel and it explores many themes. At times heartbreaking there is also inspiration and hope and at its heart is love and family. The novel sings with it being written with a huge heart and the many kinds of love. It also explores forgiveness, adoption and its effects on yearning to know and connect with biological family. It does end with a HEA and left me grateful for the chance to have read it feeling love in its many forms.

Publication Date: February 20, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Ellen Baker and Mariner Books for providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheHiddenLifeofCecilyLarson #EllenBaker #MarinerBooks #NetGalley

The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson explores family secrets and their ripple effects. I absolutely loved Cecily's story, and I wish there'd been more of it rather than so many subplots and side characters. This would be a great pick for a book club. Overall I loved this book and will be recommending it!

Emotional and captivating. Following the life of Cecily had so many turns of events I couldn't help but get squishy at some parts and angry at the others. Very well written and an excellent book to read!

The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is a charming story about a family of women in Minnesota, led by their 94-year-old matriarch, Cecily. Cecily's life is told across two timeliness, one present day and one historical, filled with mystery and adventure. Hers is a tale of an abandoned child at the start of the 20th century, who ends up amidst the unpredictability of a traveling circus.... a favorite historical fascination of mine! There is little doubt most readers will find hints of Water for Elephants here, but it is also a family story, a path towards finding identity and sisterhood. If you enjoy books that paint complex family portraits, Ellen Baker's latest is one for you to enjoy. Thank you NetGalley for this exciting ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! My favorite parts were Cecily’s early years. The way the characters ended up connecting was fun to see unfold. I also love the MN references.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this early.

In 1924, Cecily was four years old. Her mother's boyfriend did not want her around, so she was dropped off at an orphanage in Chicago where children are unscrupulously sold. By the time Cecily is seven, the owner of a traveling circus pays the orphanage to have her come work for him. The plan is to train her as a bareback horse rider doing flips and other dangerous tricks. Having such a young performer was sure to create added appeal for the circus. Initially, Cecily is enjoying being a part of the circus as she finally has a substitute family. Once she becomes a teenager, Cecily falls in love with a boy who helps with the horses, but their love is forbidden. When the story shifts to 2015, Cecily is 94 and in failing health. Liz, her widowed daughter travels to Minnesota to be with her mother. When Cecily's granddaughter Molly's son Caden plans to research his family tree through DNA testing, a big secret is on its way to being exposed. Concurrently, another woman and her children are struggling with identity and trauma. They too take DNA tests to try and heal age-old wounds.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson by Ellen Baker. What a sweeping and satisfying read! The years when Cecily was living and working in the circus were so well done. I was riveted. Cecily's resilience saw her through terrible, cruel times. My heart was heavy throughout all the challenges Cecily went through. The book brings to light some despicable activities of the earlier time period. There's a lot going on in this book with many characters and subplots so take the time to sort it all out. It's worth the journey.

This multigenerational family saga centers around Cecily, a family matriarch now in her 90s, and her life story. Through DNA testing, secrets are revealed that unsettle the family dynamic. More heartfelt than tragic, Cecily’s story is one of wonder, and resilience, and belief in impossible things.

I love how this book inspires contemplation of ideas like the meaning of family, the secrets worth keeping, the relative value of hope—without telling you how to feel. This would be a great pick for book clubs.

The story is told in multiple timelines, with multiple (maybe too many?) side characters that are sometimes hard to keep track of. Stick with it for a huge payoff that is worth the effort.

4.5 stars!

Thank you netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it, everything about it!! The story was magical and beautifully written. I was hooked from the very start and couldn't put the book down. I hated when I got to the end because I wanted to keep reading about Cecily and her family. What would Cecily's life have been like if she remained at the orphanage? What ever happened to her mom and why didn't she ever show up? At first the circus was a wonderful place for Cecily. Isabelle was like a sister, she helped Cecily in many ways and kept her safe. Circus life is hard. Isabelle's jealousy got the best of her. The accusations against Cecily and the way she was removed from the circus was horrible. Her time at the Wayward Girls Reformatory was unfortunate. She should have never been there. Grace was the best thing to happen to Cecily , especially after her traumatic stay at the McNaughton House. Grace and George the big orange cat saved her life. George mostly purred and got petted. What ever happened to Grace? The biggest shock of the book and one I didn't expect was about Liz. I knew what Cecily's connection would be to Clarissa. I wished Cecily would have talked about her past with Liz sooner. Maybe then Liz would have went to meet everyone. I loved how everyone ended up being connected and shared similar experiences. This is one book that I keep thinking about and enjoyed immensely.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. I loved reading about Cecily's life. She had so many different experiences, that shaped her life. She worked/lived in a traveling circus, survived the Wayward Girls Reformatory, McNaughton House and a TB Sanitorium and ended up loving Sam and never forgetting about Lucky. She lived an amazing life. This is the first book I read by the author and I can't wait to read more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Mariner Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Mariner Books Publishing for providing me with an advance copy ♥️

"The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson" by Ellen Baker is a truly amazing book that tells a big story about love, loss, and redemption. Cecily's life is full of ups and downs, and we feel like we're right there with her. She faces challenges like being abandoned by her mother, growing up in a circus, and dealing with difficult relationships. But she also finds joy, love, and strength along the way.

I absolutely loved this book! The author is great at creating characters that feel like real people. Cecily's spirit and resilience are inspiring, and the supporting characters add depth and complexity to the story. I especially loved the way the Ellen Baker explored themes like family, forgiveness, and resilience. These themes are important and relatable, and the author handles them with care and nuance.

The writing is beautiful and descriptive, making it easy to imagine the settings and characters. The story flows well and keeps you engaged. I couldn't put it down! I think this book is a triumph and will captivate readers. It shows how powerful stories can be and how they shape our lives. I highly, highly recommend this beautiful book 🥰

This book is not a quick read, but one that needs time to savor. The author uses words to put you in time along with Cecily, to see her world through her eyes.to feel her hurt and pain, and then her triumph. The story alternates in time, with Cecily in the hospital and looking back on her life, as her daughter and grandchild deal with the outcome of secret DNA tests and an altering of the reality they know. It's an interesting look at families, what we keep hidden, even from ourselves, and how they can affect our future selves. Cecily is a character that grows on you and stays with you after the book ends.

When she was a little girl, Cecily Larson’s mother drops her off at a Chicago orphanage and promises to return for her. After several years without any word from her mother, the orphanage sells Cecily to the circus to be their new bareback stunt rider. Cecily then sends the late 1920s and early 1930s traveling the country with the circus. In her late teens, Cecily falls in love with a young roustabout. Because he is a Black man, their love is forbidden. When it is discovered that Cecily is pregnant, the circus kicks her off the show. After being forced to give up the child that she thought had died, Cecily reinvents herself and begins a new life with a doctor that she met at a tuberculosis hospital. Many years later, Cecily is forced to reveal her secrets when her family tricks her into giving a salvia sample for a DNA test. It comes as a shock to her daughter to learn that Cecily is not her biological mother. Cecily also finds the child that she thought had died.

THE HIDDEN LIFE OF CECILY LARSON is a very intriguing read. The novel moves back and forth in time and between multiple viewpoints. Cecily’s life and the unraveling of her secrets is the main focus of the story. The secondary plotline of Cecily’s daughter’s medical issues seemed unnecessary and distracting. There were times when the plot dragged on, and it felt like it took too long to get to the point. As someone who has spent countless hours tracing my ancestors on Ancestry.com, Cecily’s great-grandson’s research into his family history was my favorite part of the novel. My DNA test results also revealed some secrets, but nothing to the depth of Cecily’s secrets. My main issue with the novel was that there were no answers about what happened to Cecily’s mother. Much of the novel is dedicated to Cecily wondering why her mother never came back for her. The story would have felt more complete if Cecily finally got some kind of answer.

Thanks Netgalley and Mariner Books for this early copy of The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson. The story begins in 1924 with 4 year old Cy being surrendered to an orphanage by her reluctant mother who promises to return for her. Years later she has net returned and young Cecily is sold to the circus. Many many years later when Cecily is an old woman the results of a DNA test reveal to her family that Cecily has been keeping secrets about herself for their entire lives.
I loved this premise and I loved the first half of the book. The last half is where it suddenly fell flat for me. We are suddenly introduced to a whole new setting and a whole new cast of people and I couldn’t make myself care for their story the way I are about Cecily. It all wrapped up well in the end though so I liked it well enough. 3 stars from me.

This book follows Cecily Larson and what she has gone through in her life. You see Cecily in different stages of her life, starting when she is a child who was abandoned at an orphanage, her time working for a circus, and late in her life when she is thinking back on the secrets she's kept from her family. When a DNA test is taken by some of Cecily's family surprising revelations come to light.

I enjoyed reading about Cecily and all her strength and perseverance she had to make it through her life. I enjoyed reading about her time working for the circus in a horse act. During her time at the circus Cecily meets Lucky, a young man who starts working in the crew. Cecily and Lucky grow close during this time, but there are hardships that make a relationship impossible for them during this time. Cecily goes through some hardships and faces some unthinkable situations.

This was a bittersweet read that kept me interested right to the end.

Long buried secrets and families separated by circumstances beyond their control is the constant theme throughout this story. It's told in various timelines but the author does a good job in making the transitions seamlessly. I shed a few tears while reading this heartbreaking yet uplifting tale.