The Show woman by Emma Cowing was a book I devoured in two days!
This story is about a wonderful character called Lena, a traveller in the early 1900’s, who has had a pretty traumatic life. Her mother goes missing when she is a young child, and then her father dies when she is a young woman. Luckily as is the way with travelling families, she was loved and supported by others, but she has to decide what to do now. It’s scary for her.
It’s at this point in her life that her best friend Violet, a girl who is full of life and lives life as she wants to, breezes in after leaving another circus under a cloud, and they decide to put together a women only travelling circus. This is where Rosie and Carmen come in. Their auditions prove to be the start of the four women working together to make the most unique circus of their time.
I loved the women, they were all such wonderful people, with stories of their own.
I really felt such amazement at their bravery, and how they must have stood out..
There are many other characters, too many to mention, but together, they really make this story absolutely brilliant!!
Many thanks to Hodder And Stoughton for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley, My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HodderAndStoughton, #EmmaCowing.

An entertaining book but a bit slow. The book starts with a death but then the story jumps back to give the history effectively reading a book when you know the ending. The latter half of the book progresses after the death. Although the characters are well drawn I never really engaged with them. I'm sure many readers will really enjoy this book.

What a beautiful heartbreaking story!

The imagery created of the circus, the roads and the acts were done so well! I was transported into the world of the book.

It took me a little while to get into the story but was intrigued from the first page. By 15% I was in and super intrigued to where this tale was going to take me.

The characters were well thought out and I felt like I could connect with them. The character arcs were so lovely, believable and well rounded.

I can't wait for everyone to read this book!

Set in 1910, the Show Woman is the story of four women whose individual and collective struggles to stay safe and solvent in the male dominated world of travelling circuses. There’s no safety net socially or for the trapeze artist and the constant threat of penury or worse is ever present. There are plenty of pitfalls and acts of sabotage to negotiate. The secrets of the past are also a threat. An unusual book which I enjoyed.

I loved the concept of this. The execution left something a little wanting for me.
I loved the setting, atmosphere and the world that the author has created, however the storyline felt a little fragmented and some of the characters could do with more depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read before publishing.

As a professional circus artist myself I am so happy to have been able to read this book before publication thanks to Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley.
The descriptions of the circus fairgrounds are what I remember from childhood (they didn't change much over time until very recently) so very much nostalgic.
The writing style was a joy to read and flowed very well, with one narrator POV being used to follow all the characters.
A few content warnings might be needed, they are topics that are not broached in detail for long but note difficult themes are dealt with.
Also thank you so much for the author note it really added another level and was lovely to read 😊

The Show Woman
Emma Cowling
UK release date 1st May 2025

This brilliant debut novel is set in Scotland in 1910 and is an absolute must for lovers of Historical, tales of the travelling Circus and Carnivals, and any readers who enjoy stories of strong, powerful and resilient women. Based on the authors Great Aunt Violet's life as a trapeze artist and bareback horse rider this story features four unconventional women brought together by tragic circumstances.

The authors personal connection gives this book an authenticity not often found and a emotional edge that made me connect with this story on a deeper level. Some of the scenes, although written very simply and very matter of fact, were among some of the most upsetting and tragic i have ever read and others were among some of the most uplifting and happy moments that I have ever read. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions which I found to be very clever and very original.

It is a tale of high adventure, excitement, mystery, love, friendship, bravery, resilience and triumph in the face of adversity. Full of heartfelt love stories and deeply woven family secrets I felt I was part of the showground and part of this group of women. I could smell its smells. I could feel it's excitement. I became immersed in its suspense, it's tension and it's energy.

I really cannot recommend this book enough. If I could make just one criticism it's that I would like to know more about each of these women... I think every one of them is deserving of their own book ...but apart from that it's absolutely brilliant ....🌟🌟🌟🌟

Set in 1910, The Show Woman tells the story of Lena, who loses her security within the circus after the disappearance of her mother and the sudden death of her father. Advised to sell the carousel her father cherished and seek a husband or factory job, Lena's life takes a turn when Violet, a flame-haired trapeze artist, suggests they start their own all-female act. Violet, known as 'the greatest trapeze artist that ever lived,' is as much an outcast as Lena, refusing to marry and speaking her mind.

Together, they recruit new performers: Rosie, a bareback horse-rider fleeing her abusive father, and Carmen, whose rainbow ribbons conceal a dark past. The four women form an unbreakable bond as they navigate a harsh and dangerous world that treats them with suspicion, disdain, and violence. Their journey is one of forging their own path in search of freedom, security, and love.

While the story is compelling and delves into dark and thought-provoking topics, the characters didn't quite hit the mark for me. Despite the intriguing plot and the promise of a unique all-female act, the characters lacked the depth and magic needed to truly captivate. The narrative is engaging, but the characters fell a bit flat, preventing the show from being a standout.

Interesting, concept - I’m not sure it was for me, but thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

Great execution of a unique concept! This was so different from other historical fiction books that I’ve read, in a very good way, even though “running away to join the circus” is an age-old concept.

But running away to join an all woman circus in Scotland? At the start of the twentieth century? With this particular group of fabulous women? Yes, sign me up!

I loved the two main female characters, Lena and Violet, from the very beginning-they were instantly dynamic and well developed, which had me rooting for them to succeed the entire time. Then we met Rosie and Carmen, and they were all even better together as a group.

The story progression took an unexpectedly dark turn, which is saying a lot considering the dark subject matter that was introduced in the first half of the book, but flowed so naturally and seamlessly. There was no point that I was bored or uninterested.

The setting, the characters, the mysteries and twists, the writing- this was such a great read! I can’t wait to see what Emma Cowing writes next.

In Edwardian Scotland, Lena Loveridge starts a circus comprising four talented young woman. The Show Woman begins with a shocking incident, which we work towards in the first half of the novel, as the female characters, the circus and the novel find their feet.
This first half is much lighter and brighter but takes a dark turn in the second part as calamity falls on the women who have become our friends.
Some lovely descriptions and historical settings, a great premise for a novel and maybe a film or television series.
But, for me,.The Show Woman seemed to be missing something in pace, motivation and character development, hence me giving it only three stars.
I wanted to finish it to find out what happened in the end - there's a twist, which you sort of might see coming, although it was difficult for me to get my head around.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the advance review copy of this debut novel.

I enjoyed this book it was like I was in a circus

1910. With the disappearance of her mother and the sudden death of her father, Lena instantly loses any security she has within the circus she has known all her life. She is advised to sell the carousel her father cared for like a child and look for a husband, or a job in a factory.

Until flame-haired Violet, known to all in the fairgrounds as 'the greatest trapeze artist that ever lived', suggests they go it alone with their own, all-female act. With her outspoken ways and her refusal to marry, Violet is as much an outcast as Lena. What do they have to lose? Recruiting new performers including bareback horse-rider Rosie, on the run from her abusive father, and Carmen whose rainbow ribbons hide the darkness in her past, the four women form an unbreakable bond.

Thrust into a harsh and dangerous world that treats them with suspicion, disdain and even violence, they must forge their own path in search of freedom, security, and love.

This was a book that seemingly incorporated a bit of everything - edwardian and circus history, strong women, love, grief and everything in between. And I really enjoyed being sucked into the lives of the characters and wanting to know what happened to them all.
I feel sure Ms Cowing's relatives would be proud of her
Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book.

This is a wonderful large hearted novel that creates a whole world for the reader to join. I absolutely loved the setting, the characters and the story. This is one of those books that give you a ‘hangover’ when you finish it, as you wish to remain in the story for longer.

Liked it . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved this unusual tale of a fairground family. Lena was so brave, determined to keep the act going. Violet joined her and their fame took off. It's a story that encompasses grief, sadness but also hope. Thank you for the chance to read this book which I enjoyed.

I loved this book, it felt like a very unique and interesting read that had powerful female characters and dealt with difficult topics in a great way.

Thanks to Emma Cowing and NetGalley for this ARC!

I love a book that can use a circus setting well. Despite being historical fiction, this book felt very contemporary in the way it was written and drew me in right away. This book meets some really dark topics and at no point did it feel like it was mishandled, though anyone going into this expecting all smiles will be looking at the wrong book. Really enjoyed this and I think it is a really interesting concept and shows a level of craftsmanship that you don’t always see in debut novels.

I had no idea what to expect of this book when I started it but the story quickly drew me in. Knowing the author has used her own family history as the inspiration for the book only makes it more special.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Inspired by the authors own ancestor, this story takes place in the early 1900s, in the Scottish circus'. It follows the life of 4 woman and their journeys. Beautifully written, a powerful story of the highs and lows of the lives of these four circus woman. Suspenseful.

Please note this book does mention sexual assault and murder, which can be triggering for some people.