Pantomime is very unique in many ways, and I absolutely love L. R. Lam's writing! This story is of a daughter of a noble family who doesn't feel at home in the gender role assigned to her. She runs away from home, for a few reasons, and disguises themselves as a boy called Micah. Micah joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice. The Micah/Gene character really intrigued me, and I loved learning about that dynamic! I am hoping the next book explores more of the magic in the world since it is not fully understood.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing the opportunity to read this version of Pantomime via e-arc ahead of publication.

Pantomime is a simple read, but not at all in a bad way. It is a well-executed book with a solid premise and perfectly met story beats. Lam creates an interesting and unique fantasy setting that the story and characters fall into so very easily, it is a read that feels seamless and smooth.

Micah Grey's character arc feels a little lacklustre, and the discussions around their being intersex may read murkily in places, but at the same time it is clear to see the stepping stones that are leading towards later books. Personally, I think all of that is rather fitting for the experience this character is living and what may be in store down the line.

Overall, this is an incredibly solid first book in a trilogy. It's very clear that Lam's revisions to the series over the years have created a stronger and stronger world.

I will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment of this revamped trilogy.

Enthralling, captivating, magical and colourful, "Pantomime" by L.R. Lam is one of the most beautiful hidden gems I've had the pleasure of stumbling upon this year. It was probably the easiest five stars I've handed out to a fantasy book in quite some time, in fact, and I'm itching to keep reading about Micah Grey as he goes on the journey of a lifetime.

Despite the fact that "Pantomime" was first published some 10 years ago, and thus has already been read and reviewed and loved by many people throughout the last decade, I was lucky enough to discover this story for the first time in its 2025 rewritten version, which is exactly what younger me wished for whenever the chance presented itself to browse the shelves of a bookstore in search of my next favourite book. Whimsical and endearing, "Pantomime" acts as the first act of young Micah Grey's tale as he embarks on a quest to find out who he truly is and how he fits in the world around him. You can find my summary at the bottom of this review!

Something I was immensely happy about was the main character's intersexuality, which is made clear from the very first chapter instead of being used as a plot device or a scandalous secret to be revealed further down the line. For decades now, LGBTQIA+ folks have been somewhat banned from main roles as complex characters with identities beyond their queerness, and all too often reduced to what shock value their label could carry as a plot device. Despite how much this has changed in recent years, we are sadly living very difficult times for those of us who belong in the TQIA+ spectrums of the community, and it's in this regard that Micah Grey was a dream come true. Rather than being shunned by the narrative or turned into a passive spectator in his own story, Micah is an active agent in the story who gets to make his own choices without being perceived as anything but a brave youth looking for a way to live a life that feels authentic to him. It's still far too frequent for us TQIA+ folks to be depicted as passive victims of our own identities, or martyrs struggling under the burden of who we are, so "Pantomime" was a breathtakingly strong ode to, in this case, intersex people's humanity and their right to take up space as main characters.

Although this was undoubtedly a fantasy novel, there was nonetheless a lot of excellently handled social commentary that felt incredibly relevant considering the current state of our world. I know that, had I had this story to keep me company when I was just a kid growing up without any proper vocabulary to understand myself and others around me with whom I felt a strong kinship that never made sense to me - I would've come into my truth much sooner, and with a lot less shame and guilt over not being what others expected. This was a powerful story that spoke to me in its nuanced and unapologetic depiction of an intersex character who doesn't need fixing and refuses to apologise for the mere act of existing. Nonetheless, Micah is well aware that not everyone will understand that he's deserving of the same dignity and freedom as everyone else, and in that sense Lam did an excellent job at juggling unapologetic self-acceptance and awareness of other people's prejudiced views. Since it's something that a lot of us have to learn the hard way, one rejection at a time, it felt empowering in many ways to read about a character like Micah, who doesn't internalise others' distrust of him but also isn't unaware enough to think that said distrust doesn't exist.

Regarding the setting and worldbuilding, this book offers an immersive experience that drew me right in from the first pages. Thanks to small snippets from scholarly works and local legends, it's easy to fall in love with the fascinating world of Elada that Lam has created. At the same time, the story introduces its unique concepts and magic system in a perfectly paced way that is neither too rushed, nor too dense. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy I found it to keep track of all the key figures, names, and species, since I often have trouble with fantasy precisely because the excessive info overwhelms me. Even though this is a very subjective topic, I personally found Lam's prose to be quite accessible for neurodivergent readers without losing its whimsical spark. The book was mesmerizing enough to me that I devoured it in under 24h, and never felt the need to go back and reread any of its passages.

Since this first installment ends in quite an explosive way, I think it's safe to say that it's got me on my tiptoes as I frantically look for a way to read its sequel ASAP! There were no ugly cliffhangers or loose threads that made the last chapters unsatisfying or frustrating, but enough is happening at the moment to leave the reader hungry for more. With such high stakes, who wouldn't want to find out what happens next!? I'm dying to, personally, and in the meantime I know I'm going to have a blast going through Lam's backlist!!

All in all, this book was utterly delightful. Huge kudos to Mx. Lam for writing such a wonderful story with an amazing main character who's loveable and kind! This book will stay with me for a long time to come, that's for sur.

***

SUMMARY. Unable to commit to a lifetime of performing the role of the dutiful spouse in frilly dresses, and frightened that corrective surgery might be forced upon his body so he can come closer to living up to other people's expectations, young Micah Grey has run away from his family and the comfort of coming from money, and marrying into yet some more of it. Although Micah has never set foot outside of his privileged bubble as the child of high nobility, he ends up finding his place at the Magical Circus passing through town, which is willing to give him a shot at becoming an aerialist and travelling the continent alongside the colourful crew that makes the magic happen. Despite how badly Micah wants this to become his home, his past is quick to catch up with him when he catches wind of a Shadow his parents have hired to bring him back, and it really doesn't help matters that the circus is drowning in debt, negligent managing, and an inability to compete against other spectacles' posh and refined shows. With the help of a spirit only he can hear, Micah will soon find himself faced with impossible choices and a dreadful truth: his tale has only just begun.

Circus vibes, magic, and characters with heart. I really enjoyed the story, Micah Grey, and the worldbuilding. I was swept up in magic. This story was a fun romp from start to finish.

ARC review

"Pantomime" by L.R. Lam is the first book in the "Micah Grey" series.

I received an advance review copy from DAW (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

This series was first published in 2013, but this is an edited version.
I did not read the books before, but I liked the "Dragon Scales" series from the author.

The main character is Gene, that was raised as a girl, but was born both female and male.
Trying to escape her controlling mother, she runs away from home dressed like a boy and joins the circus as "Micah Grey".

Micah's story and transformation is written well.
Most of the chapters take place in the present, but there are some flashbacks chapters about the time before he run away from home.
The life in the circus is very interesting and magical.
Drystan is a clown that becomes close to Micah and one of the few that find about his secret.
But Micah is also attracted to Aenea so there is a love triangle situation.

I liked the mystery from the story and I would like to know more about Micah's magic.

This is an original story with a great character.

Can't wait to read the next book.

I love L.R Lam- so grateful for the opportunity of an early read from Net Galley!

Pantomime is a beautifully reimagined tale that blends fantasy, identity, and the allure of the circus. Micah Grey, our protagonist, escapes a confining life to join a magical circus, uncovering secrets about himself and the world around him. Lam’s prose is lyrical, and the world-building is rich, making it easy to get lost in the story.  

The themes of self-discovery and acceptance are handled with grace, and the characters are deeply relatable. If you’re into stories that challenge norms and transport you to a world of wonder, this one’s for you.

I went into Pantomime knowing how special this series was to people in its first form when L.R. Lam first published it, and that some readers felt so seen by Micah's story, they took the same name when they transitioned. Normally I would worry about the pressure to love a book that obviously means so much to those that read it. But L.R. Lam made it so easy to fall in love with the story, the world, and Micah of course.

Lam opens with a note about the journey this book and the wider series has taken. I think that really served to highlight how much love and care went into the whole story initially and in the rework of its newest publication. I already had started to mentally aww before I hit the prologue.

Meanwhile the prologue absolutely captivated me. "Discover the mystery and magic of R.H. Ragona's Circus of Magic, the best circus in Elada." How can you not be drawn in by this?!

From the prologue, we get Micah's first experience of the circus, being drawn into the weird and wonderful place that is the circus, and finding his feet while dangling in the air from the trapeze. I have many notes on this but as an aerial circus instructor and keen circus fan, L.R. Lam has one of the best depictions of flying trapeze I've read and obviously did their research on Victorian-era circus structure.

As we follow Micah's circus journey, we also get flashbacks to the things that lead up to him running away to join the circus. These flashbacks were beautiful, and painful, and tense. Between the then and now, we meet Cyril, Aenea, and Drystan. All three of whom I adore alongside Micah. There is a wider cast at the circus who are of course also magical, and I hope we get a bit more time with a select few of them as the two remaining books are republished.

What stands out is not only the richness of the circus and the little details that Lam paints, but also how vivid the rest of the world is. Each chapter begins with a note from someone somewhere in the world. Whether it's an academic quote from Caed Cedar at Royal Snakewood University, Godrick Ash-Oak, Aerialist Diane Albright's memoirs, Hestia's Fables, or the unpublished memoirs of Jasper Maske.

It's clear why people fell in love with this story. It's clear why those going through their own identity journey fell in love with this story in particular. Micah is unapologetic about who he is. He loves his body, he loves his friends and family, he loves his circus, and through him you get all the wonderful parts of a magical world. Like I said, Lam made it easy to fall in love with. I cannot wait for the next book. I cannot wait for this series to find even more people. And I hope for the love of the Lady of the Moon and the Lord of the Sun that Micah gets something great at the end of the journey. Please, L.R. Lam. We need this.

Pantomime didn’t begin to capture my interest until about halfway through the book. The moments with Aenea were wonderfully written and showed a lot of vulnerability. It seemed as though the real story would begin in book 2 which is frustrating as a reader. I also wonder if Pantomime relies too much on readers having experienced a circus first-hand which I have not. It’s clear Micah is enthralled but I did not feel the magic or the pull of the circus come through the pages and grab me.

I think it’s wonderful a story with an openly intersex main character exists and hope this representation is helpful to the community.

This is an interesting book that really sells the story of running away to the circus. Micah does the hard work, the dirty work, and eventually earns the right to become an aerialist where he falls in love with Aenea, talks to a ghost, and has all manner of adventures. It’s a quick read, well written and well plotted. Unfortunately for me, while I think it’s fine on its own, I’m not caught enough by the story or the characters to continue on to the next book.

That’s no flaw of the book, just that this book didn’t do the things I wanted in the way I wanted them because it was busy telling its own story about its own characters. If you like circuses and turn of the century fantasy worlds, along with a bit of adventure, this book should be right up your alley. The characters are believable, and the world building is strong. It does, however, end on a bit of a cliffhanger.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

Pantomime is a bittersweet, queer coming of age story full of magic, misfits, and found family. It follows Micah, an intersex teen who is forced to run away from home to escape his controlling mother. He happens upon a circus and is swept away by the spectacle, ultimately convincing the ringmaster to hire him on to train as an aerialist.

There are a lot of things I liked about this book. Micah is such a sweet character, and seeing him find a place and start to flourish among the circus folks was probably my favorite bit. Despite his struggles with his physical differences and his upbringing being forced to live as a girl, he has a clear, positive self image that is very refreshing. Any conflicts that arise due to him being intersex are a result of societal pressures rather than any internalized hatred. The messaging was clear but not overdrawn and I can imagine it resonating a lot with younger readers, especially the themes of self discovery and acceptance.

The only places this book fell a little short for me is around the pacing and the fantasy elements. The first half of the book switches back and forth between present and past, and I found it a little hard to keep up momentum, but once the timelines converged the story was very engaging to the end. As for the fantasy elements, they are repeatedly referenced but ignored by the main character until the very end, so we still don't learn very much about them. I imagine the next two books will dive deeper into the lore. One yellow flag for me is that this book hints that Micah, and perhaps intersex people more broadly, are actually not human at all but some other race entirely. I kind of get where it's going with that but don't know if it's the best approach.

Also notable is that this edition is significantly revised from its original back in the 2010s. I haven't read the original, but after reading and enjoying Samantha Shannon's Bone Season revisions I am interested to see if this will become a wider trend for revitalizing older series for a modern audience.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This story was so whimsical and creative and unique and I loved it so much. It felt like the best bedtime story . I loved it.

“Pantomime” was a very creative and enjoyable story. I like that Iphigenia/Gene/Micah is intersex and does not fully understand what that means but knows it is not something “acceptable” and knows that the gender presentation their parents want them to portray (a young noble woman) is not what they want/feel most comfortable being. I also like the idea of the Kedi — half-man, half-woman —representing completeness. I think most (if not all) people exist on a gender spectrum. There are certainly people who are very much what society defines as “masculine” or “feminine”, but I think most people have elements of masculine and feminine and it is finding the proper balance between those aspects that leads to a sense of belonging.

I like the way the author alternates between past and present, slowly giving the reader a look into the life of Iphigenia/Gene/Micah when they were (at least perceived as) the daughter of a noble family and their life once they join the circus and become Micah Grey. There is a great cast of supporting characters, especially the various circus performers.

3.5 ⭐️ —Thank you to NetGalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this new version of the book.

i read dragonfall and enjoyed it so when i saw that the author was rewriting this series, i was intrigued. overall, i really enjoyed reading this book. I've never read a book with an intersex (main) character and it was interesting to read from that perspective. micah's story at the circus gets interrupted with flashbacks about his life from before he ran away from home. i liked reading about the circus and the interactions between all the performers. the love triangle between micah, aenea and drystan did feel very forced and was a weird way to tell the reader about micah's bisexuality/queerness. some of the chapters that described the circus acts were really long and slowed the story down significantly. the book also describes domestic violence, but no one seems to help the victim at all until it is revealed at the end that drystan helped her escape. i wish that had been talked about more throughout the story. the ending in general was suprisingly violent and rushed. the whole book felt like it was building up to something and then it ended so quickly.
i do want to read the sequel to know what happens.

A Whimsical, Wistful, and Wonderfully Unique Tale of Identity, Magic, and Belonging
Pantomime by Laura Lam is a beautifully written and emotionally rich fantasy novel that follows the journey of Micah Grey, a character unlike any I’ve read before. Told in a dual timeline, the narrative masterfully weaves Micah’s life before and after joining the circus, offering readers both an intimate backstory and a front-row seat to his unfolding transformation.
From the very first page, I was drawn to Micah—not just because of who he is, but because of how deeply real he feels. Micah is intersex, and the way Lam handles his identity is deeply respectful, sensitive, and powerful. His pain, his yearning for acceptance, and his courage in hiding and surviving in a world that would never fully understand him—it all leapt off the page. You feel the ache in every choice he makes, especially in the moments he longs to speak his truth but can’t. His relationships—especially with Aenea—are tender, fragile, and layered with both affection and an ever-present distance, shaped by the secrets he must keep.
The circus setting is both vivid and enchanting, filled with wonder and quiet danger. Lam paints it with whimsical charm and underlying melancholy, making it the perfect backdrop for Micah’s story. The dual narrative enhances the emotional depth, revealing how he becomes who he is, while simultaneously following his search for a place to belong.
I also have to applaud the worldbuilding. From the snippets of lore and history that begin each chapter to the mysterious remnants of magic—the “Vestige,” the haunting presence of the “ghost,” the Penglass globes, and the mythical beings like the Alder and the Chimera—it all adds a layer of ancient mystery that lingers behind every scene. It’s just enough to keep you intrigued while leaving you hungry for answers. I can’t wait to explore more of this world in the rest of the trilogy.
Highlights:
• A protagonist who is bold, vulnerable, and wholly unforgettable
• A delicately told story of gender identity, handled with nuance and care
• Beautiful prose that captures both the wonder and cruelty of the world
• A mysterious magical undercurrent that raises fascinating questions
Pantomime is a rare kind of book—one that is both whimsical and deeply human. It doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of being different, nor does it downplay the magic of embracing who you are. This is a story that celebrates the courage it takes to live authentically, even in the face of fear.
Micah Grey is truly one of a kind, and I can’t wait to follow where his story leads next.

Such a beautiful story.
The narrative was magical.
In general I really enjoyed this book.
And the cover is so unique.

"Come one, come all."
L.R.Lam is the barker that lures you into the world of R.H.Ragona's circus of magic with people and creatures that breathtakingly well written. Let her take you on this journey of Micah finding their way in Elada: a world full of opposites, like a victorian nobilty vs the anything is possible circus or the glim and darker setting (there's a Shadow and a ghost) vs stones that light up in magic. She will draw you in with suspenceful flashbacks and a romance plot that mirror your teenage experiences so lively it is like reliving your first kisses.
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I have just finished Pantomime's republished edition which was completely rewritten and let me assure you it is a book to treasure: representation of any gender and sexuality is brought with tender care. I will try to make as many people read this novel, because of it.
5 stars don't even cover my appreciation, such a fabulous book!
Thank you @netgalley and @DAW for the arc!

After discovering L.R. Lam from their Dragonfall duology, and seeing that they went back and revamped their Micah Grey series, I knew I was going to be in for a world of enjoyment inside the circus. Pantomime stands as the first of a trilogy as a whirlwind of self-discovery, behind the scenes of a circus show, and the suspense of a well-written thriller. The magical world building that took place was so immersive and well-thought-out that it felt like I was walking along the mudded backside of the circus' big top with Micah and the rest of the crew. L.R. Lam never fails to create such a beautiful world of fantastical wonder while sprinkling in important themes of self-love and the ability to stand noble and true to yourself and those you love. I am so excited to continue this trilogy and see where the Lord and Lady are taking Micah Grey next.

Interestingly, this book felt more like a prequel - setting up all the backstory and call to adventure before the real adventure begins. That being said, I did enjoy it and was surprised that, despite there never being major conflict until the very end, it didn't really feel like a slog. The world of the circus was rich and interesting, and I enjoyed the characters and the relationships they formed. I cannot speak for the intersex experience specifically, but as a trans man (who doesn't intend on pursuing a full medical transition), I felt a kinship with Micah and related to their experience a lot - I thought it was a good representation of someone who doesn't entirely fit the binary.
I thought that Aenea's exit from the story was forced and unneeded. Losing a member of the cast at the climax of a novel is pretty common and normally I wouldn't have a problem with it, but because so much of this book felt like set up for the larger story, it felt like she was written out before the story had a chance to begin. The only way I can see this becoming a non-issue is if she appears in the next books, though the circumstances of her exit imply that will not be the case.

The pace and flow of this book is beautiful, there’s a clear connection between the two moments of the story converging, so it doesn’t feel confusing or disjointed.
Micah is an amazing protagonist and the struggles of family, found family and magic are beautifully played out around circus hijinks and serious moments. Can’t wait to read the next installment!

thank you to DAW and Netgalley for the ARC.

I am loving authors revisiting their series to rewrite and edit them to the standard they hold themselves at now. Though I never read this trilogy in it’s original form it’s been one that i’ve heard about forever and always meant to read. So when I heard it was getting a rework I knew, now was the time.

L R Lam has not disappointed, from the first few chapters I was already falling in love with Micah. His earnestness and want to do his best makes him an extremely likeable character placed in a difficult situation. Lam's character work is fantastic and had me caring about and wanting to know more about characters that had very little page time.

Lam’s prose flies off the page and really immerses you in the world. There are so many things I’m excited to learn more about as we dive deeper into this world.