Post contributed by Catherine Lowe
Readers who love the twists and turns of a mystery and the magical elements of a fantasy epic will find the best of both worlds in Constance Sayers’ The Ladies of the Secret Circus. With the perfect mix of magic and suspense, Sayers proves that this novel is not another predictable mystery—it is dark and twisted enough to entangle readers between its pages.
The Ladies of the Secret Circus follows the story of Lara Barnes, a young woman living in Kerrigan Falls who finds herself just days away from marrying the love of her life Todd Sutton. However, as Lara and her mother use their magic to alter Lara’s wedding dress to look perfect on her wedding day, tragedy strikes when Todd doesn’t arrive to the wedding. Panic strikes Lara and she begins what seems like an eternal search for the man she loves. After almost a year of Todd being missing, Lara and her mother go to a local circus where Lara meets a young psychic and is told that Todd is not her destiny and is given a journal that was written by her long-dead great-grandmother, Cecile Cabot. To Lara’s shock, she realises that the journal depicts the story of her family’s famous production Le Cirque Secret which mesmerised the Paris public in the 1920’s. However, the more Lara reads into her family’s legacy, she realises there are more secrets to her family than she could ever realise.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the novel is the storytelling that comes from Cecile Cabot’s journals. The world of Le Cirque Secret is dynamic, interesting, and it keeps readers questing whether or not this world is real or just an illusion conjured by its magical inhabitants. One of these inhabitants, the daemon Althacazur, brings some much-needed sarcastic humour to scenes where the tone is dark. His nonchalant way of demeaning everyone around him and talking like no one is listening is one of the most enjoyable things this novel has to offer. Additionally, the drama between Cecile, her sister Esme, and Emile urge the readers to keep turning the pages, waiting for their fates to be revealed.
Readers who are looking for a dynamic and quick read with some fantastical elements will find what they want within the pages of this novel. Lara Barnes is a strong lead character and proves time and time again that she is a woman that readers want and will root for throughout the novel. Additionally, watching Lara grow from the beginning to the end of The Ladies of the Secret Circus shows that in the midst of difficult times one can persevere and become an even greater version of themselves.
An aspect of this novel that would be really helpful for readers to understand is the dynamic of Lara and Todd’s relationship. Readers are only given a peek of what their relationship seems to be like in the beginning of the novel and as Ben is developed more as a character, Todd fades into the background. Since Todd’s disappearance is the catalyst that starts Lara and Ben on their adventure, it would be really helpful to have some insight in order to make Todd a character to remember and to root for.
Overall, The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a thrilling read with important themes like family, love, and inner strength throughout. Between the witty humour, interesting characters, and vibrant storytelling, this novel will entangle readers within its pages.
The Ladies of the Secret Circus is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
From the author of A Witch in Time comes a magical story set in Jazz Age Paris and modern-day America of family secrets and lost love set against the backdrop of an extraordinary circus.
Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder-a world where women tame magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. But each daring feat has a cost. Bound to her family’s strange and magical circus, it’s the only world Cecile Cabot knows-until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate love affair that could cost her everything.
Virginia, 2005: Lara Barnes is on top of the world-until her fiancé disappears on their wedding day. Desperate, her search for answers unexpectedly leads to her great-grandmother’s journals and sweeps her into the story of a dark circus and a generational curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations.
