Holy crap- I almost felt like too much of a peasant for getting to read this. It’s- amazinggggggg.

From the start, I was aghast with the way the author writes. It truly felt like I was getting thrown into a whole Time Capsule and world. So much respect for the author, the way they write is just so so good

What a whimsical, incredible, unique story with a main character who felt real and complex and well rounded. Lam's writing absolutely soars off the page and brings you in to such a lush and colourful world you cannot wait to explore more of.

A brilliant revision to the original story. Beautifully written, perfectly paced, and is absolutely my favourite book of the year.

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.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy* (review of the 2025 re-write editions)

If you know me, my favourite author is L.R. Lam, right beside Elizabeth May. My favourite book of all time is Seven Devils by L.R. Lam and Elizabeth May. When I saw the news that Lam was rewriting their first trilogy, I was so excited! Elizabeth May did something similar, but aged her series up (The Falconer).

The first Micah Grey trilogy, I only read Pantomime and Shadowplay. I never read Masquerade even though I wanted to! I was so excited to read this edition of Pantomime, and I’m so glad it lived up to my expectations. Lam’s writing is one of my favourites, and this is no different.

In the authors note at the beginning of this book, Lam mentioned that multiple readers have reached out to them to say they named themself Micah after Micah Grey, and I love that. If I read this series when I was first figuring out my name, Micah definitely would’ve been up there in options!

Micah’s character growth in this book is one of my favourites, and I’m so excited to see how this series continues with the re-writes, and also how it ends! Funnily enough, when Lam announced they were releasing re-writes of this trilogy, that was around the time I was looking at finally finishing it! It was like fate telling me to wait lol.

Pantomime was one of the best reads I had this month alone! Omg L. R. Lam is a genious! The characters are perfectly built, the story is so well written.. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.

This is an ARC review of the updated 2025 version. This review is my honest opinion of the book.

Micah's story drew me in from the get-go. I planned on reading for just 10 minutes before bed yesterday, but ended up reading 50% of the story in one go. My heart broke for Micah so many times throughout this story, and got glued together again too. It's not easy to live in a world that wants you to choose to be one thing, when you are and cannot be one of those things. Micah's struggles around that are portrayed so realistically and respectfully. You feel his pain, his joy, his doubts, as he tries to find where he fits in.

The descriptiveness of tbe writing is just right. It painted a vivid picture, but we never got lost in flowery descriptions of everything in this world.

The flashbacks worked really well. Through them the understanding of our main character is very much enhanced, and they don't take you out of the story at all - when we switched back to the here-and-now I was engaged immediately.

There's so much mystery in this story - what is Penglass? What does Vestige do exactly? What happened in this world to make it the way it is - and what changes are coming? We've got our characters build up and the stage is set - I'm very curious to see what happens next.

Even more perfect than I remember it being, PANTOMIME is a piece of art that has stuck with me since I first read it and is now even better with the author's preferred changes.

This was an excellent, enjoyable and empowering read. The plot flowed well and kept me eager to read. Micah's character was extremely likeable and I loved to see the journey around gender authenticity.

It was a feel-good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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

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.

"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!

An astonishingly beautiful revision. Reading this felt let coming home. The worldbuilding is delicious, the characters are so loveable, and the pacing is perfect. This book is filled with queer joy and whimsical magic, everything I love in a book and more. L has smashed it out the park, I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy

Um…yes!
Pantomime was fantastic! I absolutely loved the first book in this series about Micah Grey!
The world building was phenomenal! I love a circus setting and this did not disappoint! The world Pantomime is based in sounds incredibly interesting and I can’t wait to read more about it and explore more of it.
The characters are wonderful! Micah is especially well written and their development is fantastic. Their relationship with Aeana felt a little rushed, but it had its place in the story. I am so intrigued by Drystan and I’m glad we’ll get more of him as the series continues!
The pacing of this book was excellent, the length was perfect, the world building fabulous and the character development spot on!

I am a really big fan of the author. I didn't know there was a previous series and I am so glad I got this. It exceeded my expectations. The author has a beautiful way of story telling.

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.

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.

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.