Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

I thought this book would be more about the Circus of Mirrors itself and what went on there through the years. The blurb says it is like Cabaret, one of my favourite films but it is like it only in the sense that it is set in Berlin and there is a nightclub. There is no decadence, no seedy glamour, no mention of the Nazis or the political views of ordinary people.

Instead it is a book about Leni, her sister and her niece, and their hard, hard lives and struggles in Berlin from the 1920s to the 1960s. I quite enjoyed the book and felt for Leni although I was not able to summon up much liking for manipulative, selfish and lying Annette even after we found out the what happened to her when Leni was ill. And it appears that in Thea nature will win out over nurture. Quite depressing really.

The dreadful drudgery, suppression of themselves and sacrifices made by many women in their lives, (relevant even in these days) is very well described and quite heart breaking to read. Women are indeed unsung heroes and always seem to get the fuzzy end of the lollipop..

This is a well paced and interesting read, the characters are recognisable and the dialogue and situations seem authentic. For me, it was not a particularly quick read or a real page turner but I was involved in Leni's story and wanted to see how everything turned out. It is not, however, a book I would read again.

I would have liked to have found out more about what happened to Dieter and I think I might have missed the point of the scene on the plane and the gift for his friend the pianist.

Another opportunity to become immersed in a world created by Julie Owen Moylan.
The characters were believable, though not always likeable. Sympathies swayed between the sisters and, at times, their circumstances seemed so unbearable..
Sometimes in the UK, I think it is forgotten that there were also terrible losses in other countries. The author reminds us that Germans were human beings too.
Thanks to Netgalley.

4.5 rounded up

Berlin, August 1961
Annette needs to explain things to her sister Leni and the answers to this lie in the past. It all starts nearly forty years ago in 1926 at the Whalebone Theatre which features the Babylon Circus cabaret act. Leni works there as a cigarette girl, desperate to scrape a living to support her much younger sister Annette, after the death of their parents. Here, the extravagantly exotic mixes with fantasy and more, although the reality for most who work there is to pay their bills. Initially, Leni is a fish out of water but meeting handsome Paul, the theatre pianist will eventually change the course of their lives. The sisters have always depended on each other, even more so by 1961 with secrets being kept and desperate to keep it that way.

Julie Owen Moylan is a gifted writer and this is a saga in the best possible way spanning nearly four tumultuous decades. There are so many strong elements to the storytelling but maybe the standout feature is the evocative Berlin setting with the Babylon Circus mirroring the hope of the 20’s, offering signs of what’s to come and later is a symbol in more ways than one. There are vivid descriptions, it shimmers, glitters and shines but what lurks behind the glossy surface? Some scenes are so unusual they jump off the pages in full technicolour making me gasp, smile or my eyes boggle! Yet the building and its occupants will experience much over the next few decades…. what will its and their fates be?

The storytelling is excellent, it’s part Historical Fiction with the meteoric events woven organically into the plot, part romance, part character driven and part domestic drama. At its core is the sisters relationship which evolves into a novel of jealousy, sacrifice, guilt, survival and the need for forgiveness. It’s beautifully written, the characters are complex and well portrayed. It’s moving, packing an emotional punch which is poignant and thought provoking.

Overall, a stunning and gripping page turner from beginning to end and a novel I can happily recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Simply stunning. Berlin 1926, following the death of their parents sisters Leni and Annette are on the streets. Desperate and hungry, older sister Leni tries to find work eventually ending up as a cigarette girl at Berlins Babylon Circus, a cabaret thats glitzy and glamourous on the surface but beyond the spotlights as tired and worn as the exotic dancers who night after night donned their skimpy costumes to entertain.

Spanning decades this compelling novel told of two sisters who both wanted a better life but against the backdrop of a city that was embroiled in politics and war nothing came easy. I loved this novel. A vivid portrayal of a city, two sisters and survival.

My thanks to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the advance review copy

Often, where a woman is born can determine the course of her entire life.

This compelling story starts in glittering and menacing 1926 Berlin, with Leni falling deeply in love with Paul at the cabaret nightclub where they both work, vividly capturing both time and place.

Julie Owen Moylan's poignant story of courage, sacrifice missed chances, long-hidden lies and women fighting the odds to grab happiness where they can deals with complex issues, (in particular violence against women, both sexual and emotional and abandoned children) which some readers will find triggering.

This is an epic novel, spanning decades as it explores with compassion and humanity the relationship of two sisters, Leni and Nette, torn between the love and obligation they feel towards one another, and their desire for freedom and independence.

Possible spoilers


4 +


Another absolute winner from Moylan.
It packs an emotional punch with every chapter.
As much as I know circumstances made Anette the person she is, she did drive me slightly mad!
I loved the opening chapter, the glitz, the glamour, the decadence of the Circus, so we'll described , I felt I could be there.
Then the war and its aftermath, and the rubble that Berlin became.

All so very very good, just what I've come to expect.

Once again, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this. Julie Owen Moylan can do no wrong. She has a way with words that get me completely lost in her books, and this one was no exception.

I really enjoyed getting to know Leni, Annette and Thea - I laughed and cried along with them and I was really rooting for each of them. The romance between Leni and Paul is particularly beautiful, and I so wanted them to find their happy ending through their struggles.

In true Julie Owen Moylan style, some difficult topics are included throughout the book, so please be aware of this before picking it up. (❗️TW: rape, war violence)

Circus of Mirrors is out on 12th September 2024 and is available to pre-order now. I can't wait to hold my physical copy in my hands - the cover is gorgeous!

If you still haven't read any of Julie Owen Moylan's books, then I strongly urge you to do so. She has become one of my most favourite auto-buy authors, and I'm already very excited for book 4!