On a summer night in 1931, Lilly Blackwood glimpses circus lights from the window of her attic bedroom. She's not allowed outside, ever, and Momma insists it's for her own protection because people would be afraid if they ever saw her. She's an abomination, after all. However, on this night, Lilly is taken outside for the very first time, by Momma, and sold to the circus sideshow.
More than 20 years later, 19 year-old Julia Blackwood has inherited her parents' estate and horse farm. Hoping that her return will erase her childhood memories of an unhappy home, Julia becomes immersed in the care of the horses. However, her attention soon turns to her family's history when she discovers a hidden attic room and photos of circus scenes and notes featuring a striking young woman.
This book gives two perspectives, so you have Lilly's story from 1931 and beyond, and then Julia's story as she's in the present but also digging into her family's past. Lilly's introduction to circus life is pretty brutal and while she eventually makes friends and then becomes the circus' main attraction, her life has a lot of difficult and tragic moments. The author gives a lot of realistic details about circus and sideshow life at the time, and I appreciated that there was this realism; there's no candy-coated dream here of running away to join the circus and having it all be spangles and spotlights. Realistically, as well, is what one of the circus proprietors points out to Lilly: the way that she is, her life would either be one of being locked in an attic and abused (or worse, put in an asylum) or it could be traveling with the sideshow, where she would be among other "different" people. I think it's difficult for people today to think about what sideshow life was like, but in 1931, people who were different didn't always have a lot of choices. Sideshow life could give them an opportunity to work and have some control over their own lives (at least, that was the best-case scenario. Sadly, it wasn't always like that for many of the sideshow performers). The author also gives heartbreakingly accurate details about what life was like for many of the animals in the traveling circuses of the time, so if you're sensitive to sad animal stories, maybe skip this book.
The dual perspectives and timelines made this an interesting read. You're learning about Lilly's life through her perspective, but also discovering things about her as Julia delves into her family's past and discovers the connection. I know you're wondering what makes Lilly different -- but no spoilers here. You'll have to read the book!
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