So this is one I reached out to the publisher about because I love a good circus book! And while the whole story wasn’t set in a circus, it still had a great story to it. But boy was it long! In many ways it somewhat reminded me of The Hunger Games, in that there were champions chosen to participate in events, that would eventually lead to fighting to th death. And it was an elite group of rich people who chose their champion teams. But the story was really so much more than this.

There was a TON of things going on. The main character, Iris, didn’t remember much about her life before a certain moment in time. And so when a man shows up when the circus she works with is performing in London and says he can help her remember she is intrigued. Especially since just seeing him memories spark to life for her of meeting him when he was younger. This book includes ancient civilizations, people with freakish powers, mysterious societies, as well as a corrupt government and the evil doctors it has working and experimenting on the people who have these powers. There’s a bit of romance in it, but only so much as fits in with the action and adventure and backstabbing and fighting for their lives. The main character is a girl that only knows she may once have come from a colony/society in Africa that was discovered by the explorers during the 1800s. So not only does she have this power to deal with, but she is dealing with discrimination for both the color of her skin, as well as her gender, based on the time she is living in.

A heads up that we don’t get a conclusion or everything all wrapped up at the end. At least one main person from the elite society is left, and they really want to get Iris back. Not only that, the final chapter takes place in the US (in Kansas and a mention of MIssouri, where I live!) and it introduces two new characters to us. Although one of the, well the name will sound familiar from what has happened in the story. At almost 500 pages, it is a big read. A good one, but there were times maybe it was a little more to read than I was expecting. But based on the little snippet of the new characters at the end, I really hope there will be a sequel, because I want to see what happens next!

Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.