We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth Macneal’s latest novel, Circus of Wonders, is published in the US by Simon & Schuster. Circus of Wonders is an addictive novel about power, fame, and a love that is threatened by a terrible secret, set in a spectacular circus in the pleasure gardens of Victorian London. Publishers Weekly called it ‘colorful historical brimming with action and psychological conflict’, while The Historical Novel Society praised the Circus of Wonders as an ‘engrossing novel, which captivates from beginning to end.’ The UK edition published in 2021 with Picador and was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.
Circus of Wonders is the latest novel from bestselling author, Elizabeth Macneal. Her debut novel, The Doll Factory, achieved huge success: it was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the best historical fiction novels of the year in 2019 and was also listed in The Washington Post’s 50 Notable Works of Fiction in the 2019 round-up.
Pre-order customers of Circus of Wonders were even treated to the chance to win an incredible tea set, handcrafted by Elizabeth…
Early reviews for this book have been rave and we are delighted with their endorsements:
‘Circus of Wonders is a soaring, tumbling, whip-cracking book. Elizabeth Macneal has brought an extraordinary group of characters together in these pages; the result is a glittering world, a story as moving as it is deeply entertaining’
Daniel Mason, New York Times bestselling author of The Piano Tuner
‘Utterly captivating. Circus of Wonders is rich with historical detail that will transport readers into the grittiness of Victorian England, and teeming with the very best and worst of humanity.’
Molly Greeley, author of The Clergyman’s Wife and The Heiress
‘A tremendous read. Richly imagined, vividly rendered, each scene is like an old painting in which light gleams off the detail…The story is full-bodied and addictive from the outset, told with pace and verve but never compromising style.’
Emma Stonex, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamplighters
‘You can’t help but be drawn into the exciting and sometimes macabre world of the circus, with its colourful cast of characters.’
Good Housekeeping
‘An absolute triumph. Exquisitely written, intensely satisfying.’
Stacey Halls, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Familiars and The Foundling
‘Expansive and tender . . . it really pulls you into this fascinating world.’
Beth Underdown, author of The Witchfinders Sister
We can’t wait to welcome readers to the circus…
Step up, step up! In 1860s England, circus mania is sweeping the nation. Crowds jostle for a glimpse of the lion tamers, the dazzling trapeze artists, and, most thrilling of all, the so-called “human wonders.”
When Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders pitches its tent in a poor coastal town, the life of one young girl changes forever. Sold to the ring-master as a “leopard girl” because of the birthmarks that cover her body, Nell is utterly devastated. But as she grows close to the other performers, she finds herself enchanted by the astonishing freedom of the circus, and by her own role as the Queen of the Moon and Stars.
Nell’s fortune very quickly begins to glitter – and with it, a chance for Jasper to realize his dreams of world renown. But what happens when her fame eclipses his, when even Jasper’s loyal brother, Toby, becomes captivated by Nell? No longer the quiet flower-picker, Nell knows her own place in the world, and she will fight for it.
A gorgeously wrought exploration of celebrity, power, and belonging, this is a historical novel unlike any other, with an unforgettable heroine at its heart.
US readers can purchase their copy here, and UK readers will find it here.
A huge congratulations, Elizabeth, on the US publication of Circus of Wonders!
