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The Sunday Times bestseller from the bestselling author of The Doll Factory , Elizabeth Macneal ''Glitters and gleams . . . utterly beguiling'' Daily Mail Set in a spectacular circus in the pleasure gardens of Victorian London, this is an addictive novel about power, fame, and a love that is threatened by a terrible secret. 1866 . In a coastal village in southern England, Nell lives set apart by her community because of the birthmarks that speckle her skin. But when Jasper Jupiter''s Circus of Wonders arrives in the village, Nell is kidnapped. Her father has sold her, promising Jasper Jupiter his very own leopard girl. It is the greatest betrayal of Nell''s life, but as her fame grows, and she finds friendship with the other performers and Jasper''s gentle brother, Toby, she begins to wonder if joining the show is the best thing that has ever happened to her. In London, newspapers describe Nell as the eighth wonder of the world. Figurines are cast in her image, and crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. But what happens when her fame eclipses Jasper''s own? And as she falls in love with Toby, can he detach himself from his past and the terrible secret that binds him to his brother?
About the author
Elizabeth Macneal was born in Scotland and now lives in London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth’s debut novel, was a Sunday Times bestseller, has been translated into twenty-nine languages and has been optioned for a major television series. Circus of Wonders is her second novel.
Summary
Step right up for the most captivating read of the year . . .
Filled with the sights and sounds of Victorian England, Circus of Wonders is the instant Sunday Times bestseller from Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory.
‘Intensely satisfying’ – Stacey Halls, author of The Familiars
England, 1866. When Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in a coastal village, Nell soon catches the showman’s eye. Shunned by her community because of the birthmarks speckling her skin, to Jasper she is a prize – she could be his very own leopard girl. But how to make her his?
Soon Nell finds herself the star of Jasper’s show. Suddenly she is famous. Crowds rush to watch her soar through the air. Figurines are cast in her image. Even Queen Victoria wants to see her perform. But is Nell free to live and love as she chooses? And when her fame begins to eclipse Jasper’s own, could she be in danger? After all, the higher you fly, the steeper the fall . . .
‘Filled with character and life’ – The Times
‘Utterly beguiling’ – Daily Mail
‘Brilliantly involving’ – Daily Express
‘Exhilarating’ – Sunday Times, Books of the Year
‘An immersive gem’ – Red
‘Joyous, frightening, heartbreaking’ – Independent
‘Deliciously vivid’ – Woman & Home
The Burial Plot, Elizabeth's latest cat-and-mouse thriller, is available to pre-order now!
Report
A glittering follow-up to The Doll Factory . . . a mark of Macneal's subtlety and originality Guardian
