Twenty-year-old Michel Bonnet lives on the edge of the law, finding work where he can breaking in horses on the outskirts of Paris. But when the Nazis invade, Michel takes refuge as a stowaway on a rickety train bound for the rural south of France. It’s a journey that will change his life forever.
The train is property of Le Cirque Neumann – a travelling circus owned by the troubled and irritable showman Werner Neumann. Neumann offers Michel a job caring for the company’s horses – a lucky break, but with an unusual condition attached. Michel must keep to himself and never speak of what he sees behind the glittering curtain of the big top.
But as Michel finds himself pulled into the strange and wondrous world of the great spectacular it becomes more difficult to keep his promise. Why does the man with the performing monkey never speak, and the sword swallower turn his face away? Who are the silent, shadowy figures who flit like moths between the wagons when the sun is down? It’s clear that Neumann is keeping his performers hidden away… but why? And how can Michel win the love of the beautiful and exotic trapeze artist Freida – the graceful, green-eyed star of Neuman’s spectacular – when he’s been forbidden to even meet her gaze?
As soon as I see the cover for The Ringmasters Daughter, I was intrigued to read the synopsis as I haven’t read many novels to do with circus folk and after reading the synopsis I was looking forward to what sounded like a spectacular read.
The storyline is set in France beginning in Paris in WW11, our leading character Michel was encouraged by a dear old friend to flee Paris as the Germans began to take over. As Michel tries to keep a hold of his freedom, we watch him on his travels which by chance lead him to a travelling circus. Struggling to find his place amongst the circus folk he wonders if he should leave but there is someone who has captured his heart giving him reason to stay.
I was captivated by this storyline, I found the historical background of the events and effects of WW11 on France interesting and this gave a prefect platform for the storyline and made everything feel a little more realistic. The circus theme is not something I have read about much in books which just made me more inquisitive and eager to learn more of their day to day lives and the circus folks struggles and this is certainly something that comes across in this storyline it shows a how hard life is in the circus.
Michel was a young likeable character who hasn’t had the easiest starts in life but he was such a kind, caring and hard working man who we see grow through this storyline and its not long before I found myself hoping for a happy ending for him. There were a vast and varied amount of supporting characters in this novel all who were well developed and many of whom become friends of Michel’s and showed that in times of hardship community spirit is still strong with people going above and beyond to help and protect in any way they can.
I was entertained all the way through this novel and the gentle romance that is woven through this storyline was beautiful and honest although personally the big surprise to Michel was not a surprise to the reader considering the title!
I would definitely recommend this book and it is one that will stick in my mind thanks to its vast lovable characters and entertaining storyline my only criticism was I found the ending felt really rushed to me. The rest of the storyline flowed at a continual pace and was quite in depth but the ending felt rushed and almost like the author had run out of time, it was clear she knew what the outcome was that she wanted for her characters so it wasn’t that she didn’t know how to end the novel but it was just done in a rushed and brief way which let the novel down a little for me because the ending did reveal something that if told in more depth and feeling could have made this book spectacular.
This is a wonderful novel of friendship, survival, romance and traditional entertainment and this is certainly an author whose books I will look out for in the future.
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