When I read the premise of this book, originally I thought I would like to read it. That never happened. I didn't connect with the story nor the characters. My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"THOSE WHO STRIVE FOR MORE WILL BE PUNISHED. HE HAS TAKEN TOO MUCH, FROM TOO MANY PEOPLE." This story was amazing. A real page turner. The CIRCUS OF WONDERS was full of unbelievable wonders. And the ending was a perfect ending.

What a beautiful, sad, empowering story. Nell is born covered in birthmarks, this defines her as the oddity in her town, her brothers fiancé won’t touch her, her father sells her to the circus!!
During her time at the circus Nell evolves with people who accept her and her confidence begins to change her.
This is the book that will hopefully change one’s view on the different, have you cheer Nell on and will stay with you for a long time !

Circus of Wonder is a fantastic story about a traveling carnival/circus run by a guy named Jasper. His brother Toby is a cameraman and close friend but is treated poorly by Jasper. Nell is the main character. She is a woman born with birthmarks covering her in such a way that people treat her like a freak. She gets sold to Jasper and while it starts out awful she really finds her wings so to speak. The story is really well told and I found myself having a hard time putting it down. The carnival atmosphere is wonderful at times and horrible at others and I loved it. The end was not what I expected going into the book and that was just fine. I wish it had gone on longer, I really could have used more time with Nell, Scarlett, and the gang.

Yes, yes, 1000 times, yes! This one was so good. I'd never read this author before today, but I will definitely be reading more after this.

DNF @ 31% - This book just moved too slow for me, nothing seemed to be happening. I might pick it up again later.

(Also, I've never heard of birthmarks being itchy.)

Reminiscent of Water for Elephants, Circus of Wonders examines what happens when people who are marginalized and judged to be different are given the freedom to be themselves and the power that comes from that freedom.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I was drawn into this book very quickly. A girl who has birthmarks is sold by her father to a traveling circus for 20 pounds. The story could be so good but the middle seemed to drag on a bit for me and probably could have been condensed. I loved the characters a lot - each very well developed even those I didn’t like as people they were fun to read about. What happens when most of your life you are considered a “freak” or “changeling” but someone else makes you famous for that exact thing?

This is a beautifully written book. The author really paints a stunning atmosphere. It is a book I will reread multiple times in my life, I’m sure.

"All of history is fiction."

4.5 stars

Circus of Wonders is a neo-Victorian novel about a woman, deemed a freak of nature by society, sold into the circus by her father.

19-year old Nell, born covered in birthmarks, is viewed as a freak in the small, coastal town. She lives a quiet life with her father, a drunkard, and her brother, her protector. She does all that she can to remain invisible. That is until one night, Jasper Jupiter, the circus owner and ringmaster, sees the value in Nell’s difference. Having conspired with Nell’s father, the young woman is sold to become a spectacle and the next star of Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders.

“A life of being both intensely visible and unseen.”

The novel has three narrators: Nell, Jasper, and Toby, Jasper’s brother. I loved Nell’s character; she is the driving force of this story. Jasper is a complicated and complex character; he loves his circus and performers, but he also sees them as creatures he owns to control. And then there is Toby, whom I both wanted to hug and shake at the same time.

I could have lived without Toby and Jasper’s flashback to their time-fighting in Crimea. In fact, I could have lived without their narratives at all, as I preferred Nell’s voice. On the other hand, a large part of the story revolves around the brothers, bound together by a terrible secret: “We’re brothers, linked together.”

In addition to Jasper, Nell, and Toby, there is an eccentric cast of characters who star in the circus: Stella, a charismatic woman with a beard; Pearl, a young albino girl; and Brunette, a 7-foot tall woman, and Peggy, a dwarf. Macneal humanizes these characters; I would have loved to know more about their backgrounds and life before the circus.

Circus of Wonders is a powerful and, at times, disturbing read that gives a glimpse into the lives of those viewed as freaks of society. The circus offers them respite and a family, but it also highlights their differences and makes some long for normalcy, whereas others long for the spotlight and don’t want to go back to a life where they must live on the margins because of their difference. Some scenes are hard to read, and others are heartbreaking.

There are many things to love about this novel, but most of all, I loved Nell’s exploration into accepting her difference, embracing her power, finding her voice, and writing her history.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jasper Juniper dreamed big. His vision as the most spectacular oddities show in the world was to be his claim to fame. But could he have dreamed too big? Join Nellie Moon as Jasper pushes her to new heights, literally, in order to gain the attention of the Queen herself.

Nell was sold to Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders.

She is the "leopard girl".

A circus of the unusual - many acts were referred to as "freak shows". They attracted crowds who wanted to gawk at people because of birthmarks or other abnormalities. During the 1860's in Victorian England, the audience was obsessed with this type of entertainment that peddled physical differences for amusement. It brought in big money. The villages were struck with "circus fever"and the "giants and dwarfs, pig-headed boys and bear-girls".

A captivating story that follows Nell and her "journey".

There is jealousy, horror, power-struggles, identity crisis, family issues, brothers that have past ties and broken dreams.

Recommend to those who enjoy the circus setting, Historical/Literary Fiction, complex plots and a touch of fantasy or fairytale-ish stories. I felt some sadness, although there was also a ray of hope.

Very much enjoyed. This was right up my alley and a perfect read to end the year on. Story, plotting, characterization, everything just was a lovely package of a book. I do tend to gravitate to anything "circus' in the title (I'm not sure why since I don't love them in person) but I always find they don't disappoint.

Circus of Wonders is Elizabeth Macneal’s follow-up to her novel The Doll Factory, the atmospheric, Gothic thriller that transported me to a Dickensian London. Like The Doll Factory, Circus of Wonders is about an woman whose body sets her apart, and the man who determines to own it.

Nell is close to her brother, but can envision no future for herself. Birthmarks sprinkled across her body distract from her beauty. When her brother married, he would not want to bring a sister into his marriage household.

Jasper Jupiter’s traveling circus comes to town, and Nell’s father offers to sell Nell to Jasper for his collection of ‘wonders’. When Jasper sees Nell dancing, he imagines she will be his ticket to fame, perhaps even bringing his show to the Queen’s attention. Against her wishes, Nell becomes Jasper’s property, reimagined as The Queen of the Moon and Stars, the birthmarks across her body said to be where she extinguished stars against her skin. Strapped in a harness and hoisted into the sky from a balloon, then gliding to earth while reciting Shakespeare, Nell discovers the power of performance.

Jasper and his brother Toby have been closely attached since childhood. They imagined running a circus together. But during the Crimean War, Jasper teamed up with the upper class Dash, the pair turning the horror of war into an excuse to drink and rob the dead with wild abandon. Toby had joined them as a photographer, instructed to create pictures of the ‘happy’ side of war. Toby worried that he would be replaced by Dash. Dash’s death was neither wholly an accident, nor wholly deliberate.

When Toby first saw Nell, he became obsessed with her. In time, Nell secretly comes to him. She may belong to Jasper, but it in Toby she finds comfort.

Jasper’s drive for fame impels him to take risks; it is his fatal flaw, and his downfall. In desperation, he imagines a new kind of circus that would not rely on human curiosities. The story builds to a thrilling climax.

I loved the writing, with sentences like “The sea is gin clear, rocks as sharp as bayonets.”

References to Frankenstein, Icarus, and fairy tales like The Little Mermaid root the story in timeless archetypes.

The Victorians were fascinated with ‘freaks’ and oddities, anything that didn’t fall into type categories. Queen Victoria hosted Tom Thumb and other wonders. Barnum’s circus and museum were huge draws, and Siamese Twins Chang and Eng became popular performers, and then bought a plantation in the American South.

As in Macneal’s novel, ‘freak shows’ could offer some marginalized people a place in society, even empower them. But not for all. Stories of freaks whose lives were tragic are referred to, including a woman with hair all over her body whose husband, after her death, showed her embalmed body.

An engaging page-turner, the story is also a morality tale, and a fairy tale. The tale of a girl who uses what she has to create the life she wants, and of men whose inherent flaws derail them. The story of sibling love and competition. And, a chilling look at our shameful treatment of fellow humans.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Nell is covered in spotted skin that are birthmarks. People make fun of her and her brother Charlie looks out for her. She is 19 and makes candy from the many flowers in the garden of her father's home. Her world is turned upside down when her father sells her to a Circus.

This book takes place in the 1800's and is beautifully written. Nell tells from her perspective how it's different to be stared at, versus "looked" at for her talent. Macneal describes life in the circus and how they survive their special abnormalities. I very much enjoyed the book and the lives and secrets of the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. I will look for more books by this author.

So I've actually read this book as soon as Waterstones sent my copy after publication, the story itself did sound intriguing but it did not live up to my standards. On the upside, I did find the way the story was told to be simply wonderful - I could easily picture every scene, conversation, and atmosphere without any need to reread the words multiple times. I, also, enjoyed the little romance that was taking place throughout the book. Unfortunately, it broke my heart to know that the main character did not technically end up with him. Regardless, the book was well-written but my taste was not particularly helpful in this case.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of Circus of Wonders!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal is a historical fiction novel set in Victorian England that will appeal to fans of The Greatest Showman and The Night Circus. The story revolves around Nell, a young girl who is known as a "leopard girl" because of her unique birthmarks. She's sold to Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders, leading her on a journey of magic, fame, and self-discovery. Will Nell thrive in the strange circus? And will Nell discover her own power?

Here is an enchanting excerpt from Chapter 1:

"At the top of the handbill, three times the size of any of the other acts, is a man’s face. His mustache is curled into two sharp brackets, cane held like a thunderbolt. “Jasper Jupiter,” she reads, “showman, presents a dazzling troupe of living curiosities—”
“What’s a living curiosity?” Nell asks her brother.
He doesn’t answer.
...
The circus is coming here, to their small village. It will pin itself to the salt-bleached fields behind them, stain the sky with splashes of exquisite color, spill knife jugglers and exotic animals and girls who strut through the streets as if they own them. She presses closer to her brother, listens to the racket of questions. Gasps, exclamations."

Overall, Circus of Wonders is a lovely historical fiction novel that will appeal to anyone with an interest in Victorian circuses. There is something so magical about circuses, and the author captures that atmosphere perfectly. One highlight of this book is the three main characters: Nell, Jasper, and Toby. Usually, when I read books with multiple 3rd-person POV's, I typically enjoy one over the others. For this book, I enjoyed reading the chapters from all 3 characters. This shows how skilled the author is in making us care about each character. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of circuses, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in February!

Despite a very interesting premise, this one just never grabbed me... I had a difficult time connecting with the characters and something about the author's writing style just didn't resonate the way I wanted it to. I never fell into the story, rather I kept having to force myself to turn pages... I'm not sure exactly why. Other readers love it though, so I guess it's just another example to prove the point that some books just aren't for some readers, and this one just wasn't a good fit for me.

I really enjoyed MacNeal's latest book, about Jasper, the "freaks" he hires for his circus, and his brother, Toby.

Nell and Stella were captivating characters, and I wish we had gotten more of all the women. The history of Toby and Jasper was compelling and emotional.

The only issue I had was the pacing; at times, it seemed like nothing was going on, and then it picked up and too much happened. Overall, though, I was entranced and engaged.

I was seriously conflicted on if I wasn’t to read this book. I absolutely adore dark books that have a circus/carnival theme, but I’m not a huge fan of historical books. But I thought that the author did a good job of melding the two worlds together well enough to make it interesting.