I have to admit, I was on the fence about this one. While I really enjoyed the author's debut, I couldn't help but wonder if a book about a circus was really for me. Well, if you're feeling the same way, let me go ahead and stop you right there. This book is absolutely, unequivocally for you. And now, I shall explain why.
- • Harley is beyond relatable. And I think there are components of her that nearly everyone will be able to see themselves in. If nothing else, we at least all have (or will) come of age and need to figure out what we really want to do with our lives. I mean, I'm 37 and still have no idea, so frankly I was impressed that Harley knew what her dreams were. But she had a lot to overcome to get to her dreams, and part of it is finding out what your dreams will cost you. More on that later. But Harley exhibits such tremendous growth and self-actualization during the course at the story, which makes it not only relatable, but inspiring.
- • Family dynamics play a huge role in Harley's story. There are two things you need to know here. One, Harley's parents are fabulous and love her immensely. Two, they think they know what is best for her, and they don't think it's the circus. Harley also loves them a great deal, and has to come to terms with her dreams clashing with theirs for her. This too I found so incredibly relatable. Harley knows that her parents love her, and she doesn't want to disappoint them, and she also understands how much she relies on them. And they're all going to have to come to terms with the ever-changing dynamics of their relationship.
- • Also a huge focus on friendship. Harley has one really close best friend who she kind of doesn't always treat fabulously in her quest for circus stardom. And they too will have to navigate this new type of friendship where they won't always be in the same town- which is another huge, huge part of growing up that, frankly, sucks.
- • The circus camaraderie was everything! Look, I don't know a ton about circuses, but the cool nomadic lifestyle and the way they (well, mostly) treat each other as family was so great to see! Plus it was just fun to see the intricacies of their daily lives as a travelling circus!
- • A delightful romance! I absolutely will not ruin this for you, so I will just say that I enjoyed it, and thought it was a very sweet one that didn't take away from the focus of the book. Win.
- • Big focus on mental health, as well as a highlight on cultural responses to mental illness. This is something that the author also explored in her first book, and I was so pleased to see it again in this one! Obviously, many people still consider mental illness to have a stigma surrounding it, and even Harley had to come to terms with it internally. But there's also discussion of the cultural impact on seeking treatment, which I thought was fabulous.
Bottom Line: I fell in love with this book, and that's really all you need to know. Read it.