Schabowski's debut novel, The Ringmaster's Daughter, is impressive in both expanse and execution. If I had to describe this novel in 3 words they would be: poignant, earnest, and undaunted. Schabowski is a gifted wordsmith. She writes well and develops engaging and three-dimensional characters. Though there are details that feel stretched (which I won't go into, as they spoil too much), overall this novel is an affecting, entertaining, and intriguing read.

Michel is a young, handsome, Frenchman of little means - though he is kind and romantic in an old-world fashion. After the death of his father and then his mother, Michel developed a deep and meaningful, relationship with his neighbor Bertrand. Bertrand is a kindly widower who loves Michel as a son. As tensions mount and the French army is overcome by the Germans, Bertrand risks much in order to assure Michel's safe passage from the city. Michel ends up a stowaway on a train that turns out to be that of a circus troupe - an eclectic group made up of a bearded lady, a magician, a drunken clown, a fortune teller, strong man, trapeze artists, a beguiling acrobat, ghoulish triplets, an aged lion, an accordion player, his monkey, and an array of horses . When he is discovered by odd couple Jean-Louis and Giordano, he is promised a place among the outcasts of this troupe, however, the ringmaster (Werner) and strong man (Serge) have other ideas - they have little empathy for his plight and he is thrown unceremoniously from the train with his belongings as it is moving. Though this did not happen before Michel first laid his eyes on Frieda, by whom he is utterly captivated.

After sleeping in a field and being proffered the kindness of a French winemaker named, Lucien, Michel crosses paths with the cirque once more. This time, the ringmaster sees his talents with horses, and gives him a very limited and indefinite position with the troupe in exchange for training his beautiful stallion, Beau. But Michel is warned, if he wishes to remain with the troupe, he must not ask questions and he is to stay away from Frieda, the alluring trapeze artist, who appears to be in a relationship with Werner (the older and portly ringmaster). Michel becomes dear friends with Jean-Louis, who also warns him to stay away from Frieda. As the Germans invade further into the French countryside, the troupe's position becomes increasingly precarious, and Michel becomes further entangled in his desire for the alluring Frieda. Tension mount from all sides and eventually give way. In this enduring tale, the human condition is presented raw and emotionally - the readers sees how one person can have many sides and facets and that not everyone gets a happy ending, as occasionally evil prevails. Even villains are not what they seem; sometimes they are not villains at all but simply people trying fiercely to protect what they love and conquer the ghastly evils being committed around them. This novel is a testament to the fact that little is ever black and white, especially when it comes to the hearts of men. But above all, there is something worth fighting for and believing in above all - love.

Maybe I’m just an impatient person, but it seemed to take too long for Michel to actually get to the circus I did enjoy the repartee among the characters, and the scenes with Michel and Beau, but the whole story seemed lacking in emotional depth somehow.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

1940's France, the backdrop of WW2, Michel finds himself packed up and fleeing a Paris that’s expecting the imminent arrival of the Nazis. Inadvertently thrown in with a circus troupe, Michel eventually is allowed to stay, care for, and train horses for the performance. Michel, though many obstacles are thrown in his way, becomes close to many of the performers. Michel learns backstories of the close-nit group of outcasts and finds himself identifying and caring for them.

I struggled with this story, as it carries such a promising premise but I just didn't feel that it completely lived up to it's potential. I love the WW2 backdrop and the circus atmosphere piqued my interest immediately. Who doesn't love a good circus story and make that circus shadowy and mysterious? Yes, please! However, I felt this story ultimately just wasn't for me.

The characters didn't feel well rounded, nor did they develop as the story progressed. Though we were given the backstory to some of the characters I never felt connected to them in any way. It was disappointing because I found myself wanting more from a character or a scene and just not getting it.

What I did like most was how Michel worked with the horses, as well as the descriptive scenes of the cities and country side. But when we get further into the romantic aspect, the horses fell by the wayside. When Michel joined the circus, events began to happen a bit too conveniently. Michel identifies two women who he regards as attractive upon first stepping foot onto the train and eventually, both become his partners in rather awkward ways. I found the romance to be very much insta-love.

Overall, I enjoyed aspects of this story but it did fall a bit short for me.

France 1940, Michel's Bonnet's life is about to change when the germans are trying to take over France( Also are very successful). A very close like family member helps him escape away from Paris. Michel bonnet ends up with a circus that is very unusual and its destination constantly changes.
( obviously depending on the circumstance) The question is why is everyone so secretive about their history? Their destinations are need to know bases, basically everything is. Michel ends up getting a job training horses for the circus. Also suddenly people start walking off and dissapering all of a sudden. Soon they have to Acknowledge from some very rude Nazi's you take Paris then its obviously under German Rule you must succumb to Hitlers rule.

I was asked to pick a quote:
'It does not matter who were are, Michel, we are all here and we work together. That is what matters.'
This is when you are starting to learn everyone in the Circus stories and backgrounds and truly what does matter is that they work together.

I also cried at the ending, did a bunch of oh no's and gasps. I don't think I will ever be emotionally read even if it's fiction for a world war two book especially when it involves the life of people where they are mostly likely going to be rounded up and died no matter who they are.

The Ringmaster's Daughter was a true delight to read. From the very first page, the writing was absolutely gorgeous and painted such a beautiful picture with its imagery:

“Small boats sluggishly cut a path through the water, as if it has thickened to soup”

Even the minor characters were so full of life! They all felt like real people...sometimes more than Michel himself. Once he joins up with the circus there are a great number or characters that keep track of. Again, given how well fleshed out most of them are it was surprisingly easy to keep track of them, but there were a couple (Felix and Hugo) that took me a few appearances before I remembered who they were. It might’ve gone better if so many characters weren’t introduced all at once.

I am a sucker for anything French-related. I LOVED that many chapters has French names (given that I could read them, especially - I can see why someone who doesn’t know French might not like that so much). And all the little touches throughout made it feel so genuine, like this quote:

“Camembert so ripe it was one day away from being inedible - the perfect age.” - YES YES YES. This is so real it made me laugh out loud.

I felt the progression of Michel’s relationship with Freida went from 0 to 100 in a short period of time. I enjoy a slower ramp up so I'm more invested in the culmination - this felt just a little too unbelievable (e.g. going from not talking to calling each other darling). It also may be that it just makes me uncomfortable to read pet names, ha. Maybe I would’ve preferred if they called each other pet names in French?

The switch in POV from third person to first person in the last few chapters didn’t bother me at all, it felt quite natural as he was wrapping up his story to do it in his own words. I teared up at the end - I do love a happy ending!!

This book had intrigue, lovingly designed characters, a fresh take on a very well known historical period, and most of all, the perfect pinch of magic.

Paris, 1940, and the city of lights has gone dark.

Twenty-year-old Michel Bonnet earns a living breaking and caring for horses on the outskirts of the city. But as the Nazis invade, Michel flees Paris and takes refuge as a stowaway on a train headed for the rural South…and so begins the journey that will change his life.

Th train belongs to a travelling circus whose Ringmaster, Werner Neumann, is a troubled and irritable man. Neumann offers Michel a job caring for the troupes horses, an opportunity that comes with some unusual conditions. Michel must keep to himself and never speak of what takes place behind the glittering curtain.

But as Michel finds himself pulled into the wondrous world of the great spectacular he begins to doubt if he can keep his word. Especially, when it comes to the beautiful trapeze artist Frieda - the graceful, green-eyed star of the show.

I have always loved historical fiction, especially those set during WWII. Usually those I read are set in the UK, depicting the home front and full of the British blitz spirit. But lately, I’ve found myself reading novels set in different countries that were affected by the war, particularly those that were under occupation.

This is one such novel, starting in Paris and moving through several rural French villages. This is a story of romance, friendship and hope, set against the captivating and colourful backdrop of the circus.

Michel is a wonderful main protagonist, he is kind and gentle, and his scenes with the horses and Bertrand are so heartwarming. The whole cast are enticingly eclectic, each with their own story of what brought them to the circus, shrouded in an air of mystery and magic.

This book, this story, had me entranced from the beginning. Even under the shadow and trials of war the reader is swept along on the characters journeys, celebrating every high and feeling every low.

However, I do have just a few tiny negative points, which is so disappointing as this was a 5-star read for me all the way through. Firstly, the title is a major plot spoiler, which I won’t go into in detail. Secondly, the last two chapters are changed from a third person narrative to first person, which I found caused somewhat of a jarring effect on my reading; and lastly, the ending felt rushed and just a tad too conventional after such a whimsical tale.

That aside, this is a truly sensational debut novel. Carly Schabowski is definitely one to watch out for, I certainly will be.

I loved this take on WWII with a circus element. I was so shocked at how easily this time period and this circus trope worked together. I was fascinated with how this was going to go and it was such an excellent surprise. Wonderfully written and easy to read and follow.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 4.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I love all things circus in books - I think it's such a fun atmosphere for a story - so it's absolutely heartbreaking that I couldn't love this story more.

I have been trying to think of what it was that prevented me from giving this 5 stars and I think it's just a bunch of little things. The writing feels a bit disjointed at times with irregular pacing, there are so many characters thats it's difficult to form meaningful connections with all of them, there isn't enough circus, but there also isn't enough WWII, and I didn't really feel the romance.

This not a terrible book my by any means - there were just many little things that added up to a lesser reading experience for me personally.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This book is set in the 1940's and has a great storyline and I really enjoyed it and liked the characters. I can remember going to a circus when I was young with my parents and how much I loved it this brought back happy memories for me.

The story allows us to be taken on protagonist, michel’s journey among the setting of World War Two. Michel finds himself having to fee from his hometown due to a nazi invasion where he finds himself on a circus troupes train. Along the way michel forms beautiful friendships, falls in love with the ring masters daughter & puts his life at risk to save those he has met. We soon discover why the characters of the circus troupe are wanting to lay low.
A lovely story about the effects of France throughout the nazi invasion & above all, how love conquers all.
This story was such an enjoyable read however there were moments where I felt the pace slow down a little. For me, there were too many characters to follow all the way through but I did enjoy following the main characters, that I soon bonded with. This book focuses more on the characters, their backgrounds and relationships rather than a set, solid storyline. If you like a light hearted read & want to escape, I definitely recommend this story.
I gave it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💕

Carly Schabowski is a welcome new voice. The Ringmaster's Daughter, with just a few corrections, could be a solid 4 Star review. She writes beautifully and could be both a best-seller and "soon to be a major motion picture". My two major suggestions: (1) Why give away the surprise 60% into the book with the title? (2) The final chapter is rushed and trite and spoils what could be a truly wonderful reading experience.

This historical novel begins in 1940 Paris just before the Nazi invasion. Bombs have fallen and Gestapo uniforms are on the ground. People are trying to escape. Michel, a young orphan has been living hand to mouth with help from friend and neighbor, Bertrand and the local café owner. Here's the first suspension of disbelief: As her runs to catch a slowing train, Michel ends up on a circus which has seen better days. Coincidentally enough, Michel is a horse trainer and the circus has a massive, untrained and somewhat crazy stallion. And that's how Michel finds a job. Schabowski does wonderful descriptions of the circus crew from the bearded lady, the sword swallower, the accordion player and his monkey, to Frieda (the gorgeous trapeze artist, malnourished triplets and Werner, the curmudgeonly ringmaster.

The story develops with intrigue from a jealous horse dancer and the inevitable encroachment of the Nazi soldiers. All is well researched and exciting as the troupe loses its train and becomes increasingly ragtag.
Miraculously, there is always rescue from unexpected sources and people who warm to Michel's looks and charm to help him. All in all, this first novel a significant start to what is sure to be a successful career for Schabowski.

Many thanks to Net Galley, the author and Bookouture for the chance to read and review.

I was drawn to this book due to the time period of the book. This was a new and interesting perception of the times. I enjoyed the characters and you will learn to love them as well. The main character accidently becomes part of a circus, and this books not about circus life, but instead what the circus life provded for its participants.

This story starts in 1940 in Paris.
As the WW2 rages and threatens the capital of France, Michel flees and joins the Le Cirque Neumann.
There he finds refuge, friends, trouble, and love. We follow not just his story but also the story of his friend Bertrand, whom he left behind in Paris, and all the other colorful characters Michel meets in the circus.

This is a historical novel written in the hard and dark times of war filled with heartache, hardship but above all hope. I love that in the end, this was a book that left me with feeling satisfied after reading it. I liked that it has a happy end. It is also a story that focuses more on the characters' journies and what they are going through. I like that war is not the main topic of this novel.

I didn't understand choices to switch narration from third to first-person towards the end. My personal choice would maybe be that first-person narration was from the beginning.

The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful.
I would rate this book somewhere between three and four stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I will be sharing it on Goodreads, Twitter, and Amazon.

I love it! This book is so heartwarming! After reading The Dutch House, and tell to myself lets read another fictional, historical based book and then i saw this and got intrigued! And liking everything about this book! From the start it keeps me going! Get interested of Michel’s life, his choices and a just go with the flow principle at that time of his life... I love the connection of Michel and Bertrand, like a father and a son, and friend at the same time, i really love their conversation that makes my heart mushy and swell. I have a soft spot when it comes to family stories, and dont forget about his adventure and find friends along the way... and i hope at this time, there’s still people who will willingly to help you without anything in return like Jean, Lucien and the gang. Im like in that place and part of the crew. There’s some phases of the story where for me is just a filler that makes some dull moment. ( im not a professional reviewer but thats what i felt). It is a lovestory of Freida and Michel that gives me gasps and oooohs (while reading especially the last part if the book my heart at that moment!) and also celebration of life, friendship and family! Im so happy with this book, touching, heartwarming and magical that needs no spell to feel.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the stunning cover. It starts out in Paris during WWII following main character, Michel, while he makes his way out the the city. He stows away on a train and later finds out it is a circus train. This story follows Michel’s journey through the struggles of WWII, love, and what being in the circus is all about. The book has several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I truly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I was a bit disappointed by The Ringmaster’s Daughter. It started promising. I liked the first chapters set in Paris, and then when Michel leaves and joins the circus. Then something shifted strangely, and it quickly started to bore me.
The story itself wasn’t anything new, it follows the more or less same plot as so many other books.
The writing style didn’t flow, it felt very stiff and that may be part of why I wanted to stop and not continue. I liked the characters though, they were interesting and that was what mainly kept me continue reading.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a good book either.

The author of this book weaves a marvellous story together, set against the backdrop of the German occupation of France in WW2.
It is also an epic historical romance story that plays out subtly over time during the course of the book which is mainly set within a travelling circus. It is both a thought provoking and, at times, emotionally punching read.
All the characters are exceedingly well drawn and I will look out for more of this writer's work as I'm hooked.
I devoured 'The Ringmaster's Daughter' in two sessions.
Brilliant story.

The Ringmaster's Daughter by Carly Schabowski is a warmly-written WWII tale centering on Michel Bonnet, a young, driftless but kind Parisian who finds himself attached to a struggling circus as their horse handler. As Michel finds his place among the secretive and odd group of performers and outcasts, the circus stays just ahead of the Nazi invasion of France - until it doesn't.

I enjoyed this book. There was a little romance, a little intrigue, a little history and a little darkness. The author did a great job of fleshing out the main characters while surrounding them with a full stable of interesting sub-characters. The plotting was well-paced and complex enough to challenge the reader. That said, it was a fairly quick read, but one that kept my attention.

My only complain came at the end, as the author switched from the third-person to first-person voice, which i thought was unnecessarily jarring and skipped over large chunks of time. It felt like she'd run out of energy, like she wanted to arbitrarily extend the storyline out a few more years without putting out a lot of words or effort. The conclusion itself was satisfying, if a wee bit tired, but the change of pacing was disappointing and left me with a less-than-great-ending feeling.

This review is based on an advance copy read.