I’ve seen a lot of reviews about this book where people complained about the characters, however I honestly felt they were very developed and didn’t fall flat. Although it’s a darker story than expected, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Initially I was drawn to the cover and after delving into the book itself I soon realized the catchy cover matched the inside. I’ve always been super interested in circuses, only attending one as a child they’ve always peaked my interest so being able to read about the “freak shows” kind of filled some of my curiosity’s from childhood. The author makes you feel like you’re really attending the circus the way she describes it and the characters. I love how well this was written.

I wish I could have liked or even finished this story, but I couldn't. The premise sounded fascinating, but the style of writing didn't grab me. Neither did the character who I had a difficult time connecting. Thank you NeGalley for allowing me to leave an honest review.

Macneal takes us back to Victorian England. It is 1866 and everyone is a bit manic over the circus life. The freaks, the oddities, the animal tamers, and of course those human wonders.

Jasper Jupiter has a plan for his Circus of Wonders. To be the biggest circus anywhere. He believes it is his destiny and he will do anything to keep it. As they set up their tents in small poor towns, people come to gawk and take advantage.

In one of those towns lives Nell. Nell has vitiligo, a disease no one knew back then. It causes the loss of skin color in patches. She is made fun of, shunned, and then the worst of betrayals. Her father sells her to Jupiter. Calling her the “leopard girl”. Nell is crushed. Surely her brother will come for her. But as time goes by and she bonds with the performers, she isn’t so sad anymore.

Nell is transformed into a human wonder. She is the Queen of the Moon and Stars. Flying high over the crowds and becoming famous. A little too famous for Jasper.

Jasper and his brother Toby have a co-dependent relationship that has something to do with what happened during the war. Jasper holds it over Toby’s head until the truth comes out and everyone runs.

I am not embarrassed to say I cried so hard in this book. Nell is a courageous and determined character. She goes from wanting to fade into the background to knowing her worth and following her own star.

Macneal is a genius at pulling on our heartstrings as well as giving us looks at Victorian England in all of its ugliness at the time.

Well Done!

NetGalley/ February 1st, 2022 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

I am a huge fan of Historical Fiction and circuses so when I came across this book on NetGalley I was very intrigued. The book follows Nell, a girl with birthmarks all over her body, Toby, a labourer in the circus and Jasper’s brother, and Jasper, the ringmaster and owner of the circus. Circuses, for those who are unaware, were travelling performers and labourers from lower economic classes or had some form of physical difference from the rest of society. The circus was often synonymous with the word “freak show” so the quality of life for performers was very low prior to joining the circus, but these insecurities would often make a community amongst the performers as well. I think Macneal truly captured the tension between acceptance and rejection, as well as the need to succeed when the odds are stacked against you. I really liked it!

Step right into Victorian, England where even the Queen is obsessed with "circus freaks"
Jasper Jupiter is a circus "master" exhibiting his menagerie of animals and human "wonders" throughout the country. He does everything he can to catch the attention of the queen and make sure all of London is talking about him and his circus.
Toby, Jasper's brother, works with the circus. While his childhood dream was to partner with Jasper in the circus, his duties are largely relegated to photography and manual labor.
Nell, covered in birthmarks, is sold to a traveling circus. She rises to "stardom" as she performs as Nellie Moon, Queen of the Moon and the Stars.
Readers learn about the circus, the performers, and their relationships through the eyes of these three narrators.
Circus of Wonder is a compelling story of family, friendship, jealousy, beauty, power, and the cost of fame.
Hand to readers who like a drama with some thoughtful "talking points."

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved the time period, and descriptive writing. I loved the characters and was pulled in by the tragedy, loss and grief. It’s an empowering story of self identity, a love story and a cautionary tale of insecurity and greed. There are so many layers. It was captivating all the way through

Circus of Wonders was not my favorite book. It was too dark for my taste. Nell was sold to Jasper’s circus as a child and spent years performing for him. He and his brother Toby share secrets from their past and are almost like one person except Jasper is always in charge and running the show. Nell is attracted to his brother Toby and the feeling is mutual. When Nell becomes too big of a hit Jasper is not happy and decides to make changes to the show. How will Toby choose between them?
I felt the story was vary dark and Jasper and Toby had an unhealthy relationship based on secrets and lies. In the beginning I felt it drug along at a slow pace. I never related to any of the characters. Not a terrible story just not to my taste. I did finish it but only because I had agreed to write a review. I give it 2 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I first started this book, I thought it was ‘just’ a good story. But, as I moved through it, and the characters became more fully developed and the plot continued forward, I found that the author did a great job of developing the dilemmas of life - the importance of good communication, the way words can tarnish your view of yourself and the world in which you live as well as the way words can make you stronger. And all the while she is exposing these ideas, she is weaving a very good story.

(Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review)

Circus of Wonders is a historical fiction novel about a young woman in Victorian England whose father sells her to the circus. It is written in third person present tense, which admittedly took me some time to get used to as it isn’t typically my favorite. There are three different narrators, which works quite well as each of their stories are inextricably linked.

Nell is an outcast in her village. Born with birthmarks covering her body like a series of starry constellations, Nell’s differences are looked on as something to fear. Her father can barely stand to look at her, blaming her for her mother’s death, and the villagers try not to touch her. The only person who accepts her and genuinely seems to love her is her older brother. Nell is afraid her relationship with her brother is about to change though as he’s about to be married. Then along comes Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders! Whereas Nell sees her birthmarks as deformities, Jasper sees them as his chance for fame. Jasper is a master storyteller. He can weave magic from the mundane. It doesn’t take much for him to convince Nell’s father to sell her to him, and with one tiny transaction Nell’s life is no longer her own.

Soon the troupe travels to London where Jasper borrows an extravagant sum from a money lender, the Jackal. Nell becomes Nellie Moon, The Queen of Moon and Stars. She’s the star of the show, the final act, the key to Jasper’s success. But Jasper soon realizes that no one cares about the creator; it is his creation that the crowds wish to see. His jealous rage and the unhealthy attachment to his brother work to unravel all the magic he has so carefully created. But Nell isn’t willing to give up her new life. She has found her place in the world as a flying woman and will do anything to keep succeeding.

Circus of Wonders is about found family, siblings, and healthy versus unhealthy attachments. It’s a book about stories; the stories we think we know, the hidden stories, and the stories we create for ourselves. Ultimately it’s a story of women empowering women and forging a path ahead. A beautiful, feminist read, full of magic.

While this novel has all the makings of something fantastic (traveling circus of freaks, family drama, a rising star, a violent loan shark, a fire, and murder), I never really connected with any of the characters. The story was interesting, but I wanted more- more twists, more diva-like behavior, more theatrics, more tension. Overall, I think this book delivers on telling a story of a traveling circus, but it didn't do it for me as either a thriller or a drama.

The newest big entry into circus lit, Circus of Wonders delves into the social model of disability, the Victorian obsession with "freaks" and difference, and the relationship between the body and class in the period. Nell's father sells her to a traveling circus, and while she rails against being betrayed, she soon finds a place, albeit an uneasy one, amid the other performers in the show. Made the star attraction after just a few weeks, Nell catapults the circus to fame as it sets up shop in London. But rivalries and jealousy and guilt and pride will bring down the entire enterprise, leaving Nell to consider how she really feels about her differences and abilities, and what she wants from life. This would be a good book club read, focusing on disability and bodily difference,

Elizabeth Macneal's new novel is a magical mix of historical fiction, fairy tale, and circus life. Nell has always been labeled as different by her little village in the English countryside; she is spotted with birthmarks like a leopard girl. Nell is very close to her brother, but he will marry soon. Her mother died years ago, leaving her father to care for them, constantly struggling with poverty and hunger. Nell takes comfort from reading Grimm's fairy tales, wishing she, too, could have a happy ending. Then Jasper Jupiter's circus arrives, changing Nell"s life forever.

Jasper and his brother Toby run a small circus, capitalizing on the Victorian fascination with freaks and the unusual. Jasper has grand ambitions of becoming the English P. T. Barnum, of performing for Queen Victoria herself. Jasper and Toby are forever linked not only as brothers but by a secret they share from the Crimean War, condemning Toby to a life as second best to Jasper. When Jasper casts Nell as his new star act, Nellie Moon, he sets in motion a chain of events that will transform all their lives.

The circus and the performers created by Macneal come alive with historically accurate detail and poignantly real human emotions and relationships. Narrated in alternating chapters by Jasper, Toby, and Nell, the story takes on a real intimacy, bringing to life the characters and the circus. Fans of historical fiction set in the Victorian era should flock to Circus of Wonders.
#CircusofWonders #NetGalley

I couldn’t get into the style of the writing and I didn’t feel connected to the characters. I just don’t think this book was for me

Circus of Wonders swept me up in its story and didn't let me down again until the last page. Macneal has told an absolutely riveting story that I've already recommended to two different friends ("I know it's not published yet but put it on your to-buy list anyway. Yes, I know. Trust me.")

While the plot was not the strongest (I saw the "twist" coming far before the reveal; the end was quite abrupt), the characters were gorgeous, intricate creations. Told from Nell, Jasper, and Toby's perspectives, watching them evolve and unfold like origami flowers was fascinating. Deeply layered characters, I loved their voices. I also really appreciated the setting of the circus and themes of being valued and self-acceptance. Macneal is an author that I will happily pick up and read more of, and Circus of Wonders is one I will likely buy hard copy for my shelves when it's published :)

I received my ebook ARC from Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books in exchange for a review, but the opinions here are mine alone.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

This was just ok for me. I’d hoped to feel the magic like I did with Water for Elephants but no such luck. I found the story somewhat predictable and in the end, the story line fell short for me.

Thank you to @AtriaBooks and #NetGalley for the digital ARC. The review and opinions shared here are entirely my own.

I enjoyed this historical fiction about a traveling circus set in victorian England. It has a little bit of everything - complicated family dynamics, love and "found" family. But the way the author explored the perceptions of what is "normal" and "beautiful" vs. "different" and "unique" still resonates in today's society. Also touches on the "cost" of fame.

Overall, an interesting read.

I loved Elizabeth Macneal's The Doll Factory, so I was thrilled to have the chance to review Circus of Wonders. This book did not disappoint. It was beautifully written and full of literary merit with a gripping plot to boot. Moreover, however, the way it handled disability, especially within the Victorian era, was incredible, The varied reactions that people have to disability, whether they have one or whether they encounter someone with one, were very true to life and timeless. The way the characters' emotions emerged was also beautiful and touching. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is interested.

I really love historical novels based off the circus and Circus of Wonders was no exception, I loved the coming of age aspect to it. I enjoyed reading Nell grow into herself and become proud of who she was and comfortable in her own skin. There was plenty of drama, adventure and romance in this story, which helped make it engaging and interesting. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

4/5 Stars. Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal was a good read. I enjoyed her first novel, The Doll Factory and I am not surprised that once again I liked her storytelling/writing style. This was a look at traveling circuses back in the 1860s, and it was a well-done look at one.