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The Mesmerist #2
The Circus of Ghosts
In the mid 1840s, lurid newspaper reports of a scandalous society murder force the main protagonist - a lady mesmerist - to leave London, despite being cleared of blame by a jury. Together with her family, she heads to America, and soon the country becomes infatuated with 'table-tapping', a phenomenon fanned by the press.
520 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
13 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Ewing
26 books57 followersBarbara Ewing is a UK-based actress, playwright and novelist. Born in New Zealand, she graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA in English and Maori before moving to Britain in 1965 to train as an actress at RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London.
She made her film debut in the horror film 'Torture Garden' (1967) for Amicus Productions, followed by 'Dracula Has Risen from the Grave' (1968) with Christopher Lee for Hammer Films. Both movies were directed by Freddie Francis. Her other films included 'The Reckoning' (1969), 'Eye of the Needle' (1981), 'Haunters of the Deep' (1984) and 'When the Whales Came' (1989).
The television role for which she is best known is that of Bradley Hardacre's mistress Agnes Fairchild in the Granada Television comedy series 'Brass', alongside Timothy West (1982–84). In 1986, she played Treen Dudgeon in the short-lived BBC series 'Comrade Dad', alongside George Cole and Doris Hare. In 1978 she had appeared in an episode of Euston Films' The Sweeney (S4-E7 'Bait').
Her 1989 one-woman show, 'Alexandra Kollontai', about the only woman in Lenin's cabinet in 1917 was a great hit in London, and at the Edinburgh and Sydney Festivals.
More recent TV appearances have included episodes of 'Casualty', 'Doctors' and 'Holby City' on the BBC, and 'The Bill and Peak Practice' on ITV, as well as appearances in various adaptations of Ruth Rendell mysteries.
She made her film debut in the horror film 'Torture Garden' (1967) for Amicus Productions, followed by 'Dracula Has Risen from the Grave' (1968) with Christopher Lee for Hammer Films. Both movies were directed by Freddie Francis. Her other films included 'The Reckoning' (1969), 'Eye of the Needle' (1981), 'Haunters of the Deep' (1984) and 'When the Whales Came' (1989).
The television role for which she is best known is that of Bradley Hardacre's mistress Agnes Fairchild in the Granada Television comedy series 'Brass', alongside Timothy West (1982–84). In 1986, she played Treen Dudgeon in the short-lived BBC series 'Comrade Dad', alongside George Cole and Doris Hare. In 1978 she had appeared in an episode of Euston Films' The Sweeney (S4-E7 'Bait').
Her 1989 one-woman show, 'Alexandra Kollontai', about the only woman in Lenin's cabinet in 1917 was a great hit in London, and at the Edinburgh and Sydney Festivals.
More recent TV appearances have included episodes of 'Casualty', 'Doctors' and 'Holby City' on the BBC, and 'The Bill and Peak Practice' on ITV, as well as appearances in various adaptations of Ruth Rendell mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 14, 2011
Due for UK release on 28th July, this is Barbara Ewing's eighth novel but it's my first encounter with this extremely talented novelist. The Circus of Ghosts is a sequel to The Mesmerist (published in 2007) but can also be read as a stand-alone novel in which we leave behind Victorian London for the challenges of the New World.
Cordelia Preston is the headline act of Silas P Swift's circus, still performing acts of mesmerism although seances and clairvoyance are becoming de rigueur. Her daughter, Gwenlliam, is also part of the circus troupe, and they have surrounded themselves with an array of wild and wonderful characters who act as a sort of extended family. Their story is a veritable smorgasbord of American life in the 1840s, including such treats as the Californian Gold Rush, the Gangs of New York, the development of the daguerrotype, racial tensions and the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace - all packed into 416 pages!
With so much going on, there is little room for fleshing out all of the characters but I was so focussed on the story, the spectacle, the show that I didn't really mind. Yes, it's a bit OTT at times (tis the circus after all) and yes, there are a quite a few coincidences but it's a fabulous romp across America, a real page-turner through which you will get both the smell of the greasepaint and the whiff of the crowd, most of whom seem intent on redecorating the interior of the Big Top with their tobacco spit...
Highly recommended for fans of entertaining historical fiction.
Cordelia Preston is the headline act of Silas P Swift's circus, still performing acts of mesmerism although seances and clairvoyance are becoming de rigueur. Her daughter, Gwenlliam, is also part of the circus troupe, and they have surrounded themselves with an array of wild and wonderful characters who act as a sort of extended family. Their story is a veritable smorgasbord of American life in the 1840s, including such treats as the Californian Gold Rush, the Gangs of New York, the development of the daguerrotype, racial tensions and the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace - all packed into 416 pages!
With so much going on, there is little room for fleshing out all of the characters but I was so focussed on the story, the spectacle, the show that I didn't really mind. Yes, it's a bit OTT at times (tis the circus after all) and yes, there are a quite a few coincidences but it's a fabulous romp across America, a real page-turner through which you will get both the smell of the greasepaint and the whiff of the crowd, most of whom seem intent on redecorating the interior of the Big Top with their tobacco spit...
Highly recommended for fans of entertaining historical fiction.
March 16, 2017
Novela que se mueve entre lo historico y el folletin, un tanto dificil de clasificar: no llega a ser novela romantica, pero a veces tiene tintes de tal. Al menos, se deja leer perfectamente como novela independiente, incluso tratandose de una secuela.
Los personajes secundarios ganan en interes a los principales (probablemente porque son estos los que se ven envueltos en la trama folletinesca) y la ambientacion en la Nueva York del S. XIX, el departamento de Policia y el mundo del circo aportan encanto adicional al conjunto.
Entretenida, pero no va mas alla de las tres estrellas.
Los personajes secundarios ganan en interes a los principales (probablemente porque son estos los que se ven envueltos en la trama folletinesca) y la ambientacion en la Nueva York del S. XIX, el departamento de Policia y el mundo del circo aportan encanto adicional al conjunto.
Entretenida, pero no va mas alla de las tres estrellas.
June 14, 2021
Un romanzo storico molto interessante, ambientato a metà del XIX secolo, che spazia dal circo, con la sua vita nomade, che unisce i suoi membri come se fossero una famiglia, al mesmerismo che, con l'avvento dell'etere prima e del cloroformio poi, ormai viene considerato come un'arte inutile, obsoleta ai fini della chirurgia, dove era stata utilizzata fino a quel momento, anche perché fino a quel momento era stata guardata con sospetto in quanto priva di basi scientifiche.
Cordelia Preston, la nota mesmerista (che è stata protagonista anche del precedente libro della serie - mai tradotto in italiano a quanto mi risulta, e che pertanto non avevo letto), si deve reinventare, anche perché le varie chiese considerano il mesmerismo una diavoleria.
Per poi parlare della corsa all'oro - il circo si trasferisce a San Francisco per approfittare del desiderio di distrarsi dei cercatori d'oro - del passaggio dall'est all'ovest dell'America che avveniva via nave attorno a Capo Horn, nell'estremità meridionale dell'America del Sud o percorrendo l'istmo di Panama, che non era ancora stato tagliato, e presentava un paesaggio e un ambiente piuttosto spaventoso per chi doveva attraversarlo.
Ma naturalmente, buona parte della storia si svolge a New York e nei suoi quartieri malfamati, con lotte tra le varie gang cittadine, anche perché Cordelia è stanca di dover recitare il ruolo di acrobata fantasma per ovviare al fatto che non può più servirsi delle proprie capacità di mesmerista, e manda in California solo sua figlia Gwenlliam. Con Cordelia rimane anche il marito, Arthur Rivers, il poliziotto inglese che si è innamorato di lei nel corso del precedente romanzo, mentre indagava per la morte di cui Cordelia era stata accusata, quella dell'uomo con cui credeva di essere sposata (e da cui ha avuto tre figli), il figlio del Duca di Llannefydd, che ha rapito e tenuto in ostaggio i suoi figli. L'unica figlia che le è rimasta, Gwenlliam, però, è ormai anche l'unica erede del duca, che manda dunque in America un giovane avvocato, Mr. Doveribbon, a rintracciarla per riportargliela in Galles a ogni costo.
Fortunatamente, malgrado la grande quantità di personaggi e di spostamenti, e il fatto che si trattasse di un secondo volume, l'autrice è stata molto brava a riassumere quel che era accaduto nel precedente romanzo all'interno della storia, quando Cordelia confida a Peggy Walker il suo passato in modo da proteggere Gwenllian in California, visto che lei non ci sarà; quindi non mi sono trovata completamente spaesata nel bel mezzo di una serie sconosciuta.
Cordelia Preston, la nota mesmerista (che è stata protagonista anche del precedente libro della serie - mai tradotto in italiano a quanto mi risulta, e che pertanto non avevo letto), si deve reinventare, anche perché le varie chiese considerano il mesmerismo una diavoleria.
Per poi parlare della corsa all'oro - il circo si trasferisce a San Francisco per approfittare del desiderio di distrarsi dei cercatori d'oro - del passaggio dall'est all'ovest dell'America che avveniva via nave attorno a Capo Horn, nell'estremità meridionale dell'America del Sud o percorrendo l'istmo di Panama, che non era ancora stato tagliato, e presentava un paesaggio e un ambiente piuttosto spaventoso per chi doveva attraversarlo.
Ma naturalmente, buona parte della storia si svolge a New York e nei suoi quartieri malfamati, con lotte tra le varie gang cittadine, anche perché Cordelia è stanca di dover recitare il ruolo di acrobata fantasma per ovviare al fatto che non può più servirsi delle proprie capacità di mesmerista, e manda in California solo sua figlia Gwenlliam. Con Cordelia rimane anche il marito, Arthur Rivers, il poliziotto inglese che si è innamorato di lei nel corso del precedente romanzo, mentre indagava per la morte di cui Cordelia era stata accusata, quella dell'uomo con cui credeva di essere sposata (e da cui ha avuto tre figli), il figlio del Duca di Llannefydd, che ha rapito e tenuto in ostaggio i suoi figli. L'unica figlia che le è rimasta, Gwenlliam, però, è ormai anche l'unica erede del duca, che manda dunque in America un giovane avvocato, Mr. Doveribbon, a rintracciarla per riportargliela in Galles a ogni costo.
Fortunatamente, malgrado la grande quantità di personaggi e di spostamenti, e il fatto che si trattasse di un secondo volume, l'autrice è stata molto brava a riassumere quel che era accaduto nel precedente romanzo all'interno della storia, quando Cordelia confida a Peggy Walker il suo passato in modo da proteggere Gwenllian in California, visto che lei non ci sarà; quindi non mi sono trovata completamente spaesata nel bel mezzo di una serie sconosciuta.
February 21, 2018
I was so looking forward to reading this as I loved 'The Mesmerist' - but sequels are always a gamble, and I must agree with other reviewers that the first third of the book was very hard to plough through, although it did include lots of fascinating detail about 1840s New York and the hazards of the Gold Rush to California. The second half really takes off with a nail-biting tail of abduction, corruption and redemption, and it was lovely to meet all the dear characters again in their vivid, three-dimensional, funny and vulnerable glory. I so love Cordelia Preston's ever-expanding, unconventional 'family', and was tearful when one of them was lost. So I'm giving this one three stars, because I love the characters and the happy ending, but I do think it falls short of the standards set by 'The Mesmerist'. Also I thought the copying and pasting of passages from The Mesmerist where flashbacks are needed to explain the past to a new reader was rather lazy, and could have been done better.
March 22, 2022
I really enjoyed this unusual story. This book is a sequel to The Mesmerist which I failed to notice so did not read it but like most sequels, can be read alone nonetheless. It speaks of friendship and love, dangerous travels and greed for money, social class and companionship. I loved the setting of New York, the California gold rush and at the end of the book, London. Though I abhor circuses the life of the performers has always intrigued me and this book recounts some of the bonds that can undoubtedly form through such a life. Will definitely seek out more books from this author.
January 28, 2023
Loved this second part just as much as the mesmerist.
September 12, 2013
Another ripping yarn from Barbara Ewiing. I didn't like it quite as much as The Mesmerist, as I found it overly long. A very enjoyable read though, and a good 3.5 stars.
January 25, 2021
This book follows on the heels of The Mesmerist, but since the salient points crop up at relevant points you don’t need to have read this book first.
The story is interesting, and allows you to walk the streets of early 19th century New York, San Francisco and London. This is probably the most interesting parts of the books and it is clear that the writer has done her research to grab both ends of the social spectrum and their associated cultures. I could see the places, but I could not smell them, something important to me as a reader.
The story is fun and involve a series of startling coincidences to aid itself to get out of narrative corners. The characters... I don’t know. They were ok, but there was, I felt, little distinctiveness about them in terms of how they spoke or inflected. The only exception is the arch villain, the wonderful and evil Shakespeare quoting Gallus Mag, who stands out beautifully.
So, a fun read, and an easy read, and perfect thing for lock down teaching.
The story is interesting, and allows you to walk the streets of early 19th century New York, San Francisco and London. This is probably the most interesting parts of the books and it is clear that the writer has done her research to grab both ends of the social spectrum and their associated cultures. I could see the places, but I could not smell them, something important to me as a reader.
The story is fun and involve a series of startling coincidences to aid itself to get out of narrative corners. The characters... I don’t know. They were ok, but there was, I felt, little distinctiveness about them in terms of how they spoke or inflected. The only exception is the arch villain, the wonderful and evil Shakespeare quoting Gallus Mag, who stands out beautifully.
So, a fun read, and an easy read, and perfect thing for lock down teaching.
December 3, 2022
La mesmerista Cordelia vive negli Stati Uniti dopo gli eventi del primo libro in cui era stata accusata di aver ucciso il marito. Dall'Inghilterra salpa per il nuovo mondo,un'America appena nata ma già problematica e contorta. In più deve trovarsi un altro lavoro perché con il progresso della medicina non è più necessario il mesmerismo/ipnotismo; non è più così stupefacente. La vita precedente le riserva altri guai perché il padre del defunto marito è sulle tracce di Cordelia e di sua figlia per fargliela pagare.
Venduto come thriller, la Ewig ci regala invece un bel romanzo storico in cui comprendiamo la società americana dell'Ottocento. La scrittura in certe parti è ripetitiva (proprio copia incolla di frasi) ma comunque molto bella. Non è necessario leggere il primo libro per capire questo seguito perché si regge benissimo da solo. Un peccato la copertina oscena.
7,5/10
Venduto come thriller, la Ewig ci regala invece un bel romanzo storico in cui comprendiamo la società americana dell'Ottocento. La scrittura in certe parti è ripetitiva (proprio copia incolla di frasi) ma comunque molto bella. Non è necessario leggere il primo libro per capire questo seguito perché si regge benissimo da solo. Un peccato la copertina oscena.
7,5/10
January 17, 2018
In order to enjoy this hunk of a book I would advise two things:
1.) Read The Mesmerist first, The Circus of Ghosts is the sequel and although it will stand up in its own right there is a lot of background to know about and also it gets you invested in the fantastic characters that Ewing creates, especially the amazing Cordelia Preston
2.) Keep reading! It will be worth it! As other reviewers have noted the book doesn’t really get going until...ooh...about page 350. Personally I enjoyed all the scene setting and build up even though nothing much truly happens, but then all of a sudden it does and I read that third of the book in a day. Great stuff just a slow start.
1.) Read The Mesmerist first, The Circus of Ghosts is the sequel and although it will stand up in its own right there is a lot of background to know about and also it gets you invested in the fantastic characters that Ewing creates, especially the amazing Cordelia Preston
2.) Keep reading! It will be worth it! As other reviewers have noted the book doesn’t really get going until...ooh...about page 350. Personally I enjoyed all the scene setting and build up even though nothing much truly happens, but then all of a sudden it does and I read that third of the book in a day. Great stuff just a slow start.
December 27, 2019
La storia è scritta molto bene. Mi è davvero piaciuto lo sile dell'autrice. Il grande, vero problema di questo libro è che per i primi 2/3 succede pochissimo e, soprattutto, il ritmo è oltremodo lento... davvero una fatica continuare la lettura. È un peccato perchè nell'ultima parte l'autrice dimostra di saperci fare: ritmo incalzante, azioni e descrizioni ben scritte. Non ho proprio capito il perchè di queste due parti così diverse tra di loro. Avrebbe potuto essere un gran bel libro.
January 15, 2019
In the mid 1840s, lurid newspaper reports of a scandalous society murder force the main protagonist - a lady mesmerist - to leave London, despite being cleared of blame by a jury. Together with her family, she heads to America, and soon the country becomes infatuated with 'table-tapping', a phenomenon fanned by the press.
January 10, 2022
I have become drawn to circus stories lately, and this one did not disappoint. The story is a good historical story, solidly set in 1840s America. It did take me a while to get into the style of writing which had lots of asides and descriptive passages, but once I did, I was involved in the story of Cordelia and her daughter Gwenllian who are mesmerists and find their way into circus life.
January 1, 2018
I'm a big fan of Ewing and this was as good as her other books. A mesmerist is forced to leave London under a cloud but soon finds a new and exciting life for herself in America where her gifts are more appreciated.
June 21, 2021
I read this as a standalone book, not knowing it was #2. But it read fine like that. It took quite a while to really get into the story and I found the first half to be quite slow. Overall I enjoyed it once the story got moving. It had a fairly satisfying ending too
February 26, 2023
I loved this. A gorgeous story with lots of interesting characters. I didn't realize it was a sequel but still read so well as a stand alone!
September 8, 2024
I enjoyed this more than the first book, The mesmerist.
It was interesting to read about New York, the enterprise, the confidence of the people and the underworld.
It was interesting to read about New York, the enterprise, the confidence of the people and the underworld.
February 16, 2025
I’ve rated several of this author’s books very highly, but this was full of so many anachronisms it was a struggle to get around them to focus on the plot. Very disappointing.
May 1, 2015
So, when I first picked up this book, I had no idea that this was actually a sequel. However, it is not necessary to read The Mesmerist before reading this one.
When I started reading, I thought this would probably be a 3 star book at most. For the first 300ish pages, there was barely any plot and it was really slow. However, when we finally got to the plot, it got good and I did not want to put the book down. So while it took me a month and a half to read the first 300 pages, I finished the rest of the book within a night. Honestly, I was expecting more of the circus setting, so I was a little disappointed as most of the book is set in New York. We get a glimpse of the West through Gwenlliam's letters and eventually we see London briefly. While the book is told from different perspectives, Cordelia is the main character, which was fine, but I do wish more had been told from her daughter's pov and maybe less from other side characters.
Parts of Cordelia's past was told in flashback, which I found to be sort of annoying. Without having read the first book, it was still very easy to figure out what had happened, so I'd rather have just had Cordelia summarize the events rather than told in flashback (and it seemed like the flashbacks had just been copy and pasted, but I wouldn't know).
The writing itself is very descriptive, which enables the reader to visualize the scenes, however the descriptions did tend to go on too long. Which is probably why it took so long to actually get to the plot. I found the explanation of mesmerism to be interesting, and I liked that the bits history of New York were included, it certainly made the book more realistic.
Would I read the first book or other books by the author? I'm not sure. I did end up enjoying this book by the end, but in the beginning it was a bit tedious to read through. The writing style isn't bad, but I'm not a fan of how the book is written. It will probably be a while before I come back to reread this book.
When I started reading, I thought this would probably be a 3 star book at most. For the first 300ish pages, there was barely any plot and it was really slow. However, when we finally got to the plot, it got good and I did not want to put the book down. So while it took me a month and a half to read the first 300 pages, I finished the rest of the book within a night. Honestly, I was expecting more of the circus setting, so I was a little disappointed as most of the book is set in New York. We get a glimpse of the West through Gwenlliam's letters and eventually we see London briefly. While the book is told from different perspectives, Cordelia is the main character, which was fine, but I do wish more had been told from her daughter's pov and maybe less from other side characters.
Parts of Cordelia's past was told in flashback, which I found to be sort of annoying. Without having read the first book, it was still very easy to figure out what had happened, so I'd rather have just had Cordelia summarize the events rather than told in flashback (and it seemed like the flashbacks had just been copy and pasted, but I wouldn't know).
The writing itself is very descriptive, which enables the reader to visualize the scenes, however the descriptions did tend to go on too long. Which is probably why it took so long to actually get to the plot. I found the explanation of mesmerism to be interesting, and I liked that the bits history of New York were included, it certainly made the book more realistic.
Would I read the first book or other books by the author? I'm not sure. I did end up enjoying this book by the end, but in the beginning it was a bit tedious to read through. The writing style isn't bad, but I'm not a fan of how the book is written. It will probably be a while before I come back to reread this book.
May 28, 2017
Barbara Ewing's The Circus of Ghosts is a sequel to one of her earlier novels, The Mesmerist. I read The Mesmerist last year, together with two of her novels that also fall in the 'neo-Victorian' genre, books that critically interact with the nineteenth century (The Trespass and The Petticoat Men). Just like the other novels, The Circus of Ghosts is a well-written and well-crafted novel.
At the start of the book, protagonists Cordelia Preston and her daughter Gwenlliam live in New York where they work in Silas P. Swift's circus. Setting up the details of their lives and work as well as those of their odd extended family takes up about half the book. While this was certainly a good story to read, someone familiar with The Mesmerist will keep waiting for more to happen. About mid-way through, this expectation was satisfied, as a new plot (linked to the previous book) arises. From here on, the book lost much of its scene-setting and descriptiveness and became more exciting to read. Although the story is to some extent predictable, the details certainly are not, and you even remain unsure whether the good ending you do kind of expect will be a completely good one.
I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend readers to read The Mesmerist first, though - while this book could probably be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel, you would get more out of it having read the prequel first.
At the start of the book, protagonists Cordelia Preston and her daughter Gwenlliam live in New York where they work in Silas P. Swift's circus. Setting up the details of their lives and work as well as those of their odd extended family takes up about half the book. While this was certainly a good story to read, someone familiar with The Mesmerist will keep waiting for more to happen. About mid-way through, this expectation was satisfied, as a new plot (linked to the previous book) arises. From here on, the book lost much of its scene-setting and descriptiveness and became more exciting to read. Although the story is to some extent predictable, the details certainly are not, and you even remain unsure whether the good ending you do kind of expect will be a completely good one.
I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend readers to read The Mesmerist first, though - while this book could probably be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel, you would get more out of it having read the prequel first.
October 18, 2014
After reading The Mesmerist again recently, and discovering since I’d first acquired it that Ms Ewing had written a sequel, I had to read that too. And The Circus of Ghosts didn’t disappoint me. It’s a worthy follow up to the tale of Cordelia Parsons and her friend Rilly Spoons, late of Bloomsbury, London, now resident in New York.
From Victorian Britain the location has shifted across the Atlantic to the brash bustle of New York with its violent docklands and competing criminal gangs. Meantime, the discovery of gold in California is generating a mass exodus of individuals from the east coast, all headed for San Francisco and Sacramento to strike it rich one way or another.
Cordelia and her daughter Gwenlliam work in the circus of Silas P Swift, Cordelia as a mesmerising (literally) aerialist, and Gwenlliam on the trapeze – though she is obviously destined for a grander role than this.
But the past is about to catch up with them and their little family of friends and hangers-on. Gwenlliam’s grandfather wants an heir for his lands in Wales, and being a Duke, he is used to getting what he wants – no matter the cost.
The Circus of Ghosts is wonderfully atmospheric and I learned more than a thing or two about the era and locations in which the story takes place. I’m certainly ready to explore Ms Ewing’s other novels via my local library.
Kerry Hennigan
18 Oct 2014
From Victorian Britain the location has shifted across the Atlantic to the brash bustle of New York with its violent docklands and competing criminal gangs. Meantime, the discovery of gold in California is generating a mass exodus of individuals from the east coast, all headed for San Francisco and Sacramento to strike it rich one way or another.
Cordelia and her daughter Gwenlliam work in the circus of Silas P Swift, Cordelia as a mesmerising (literally) aerialist, and Gwenlliam on the trapeze – though she is obviously destined for a grander role than this.
But the past is about to catch up with them and their little family of friends and hangers-on. Gwenlliam’s grandfather wants an heir for his lands in Wales, and being a Duke, he is used to getting what he wants – no matter the cost.
The Circus of Ghosts is wonderfully atmospheric and I learned more than a thing or two about the era and locations in which the story takes place. I’m certainly ready to explore Ms Ewing’s other novels via my local library.
Kerry Hennigan
18 Oct 2014
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October 27, 2012This is a sequel to The Mesmerist, in which we leave behind Victorian London for the challenges of the New World.
Cordelia Preston is the head act of Silas P Swift's circus, still performing acts of mesmerism. Her daughter, Gwenlliam, is also part of the troupe, and they have surrounded themselves with an array of wild and wonderful characters who act as a sort of extended family. Their story is of American life in the 1840s, including the Californian Gold Rush, the Gangs of New York, the development of the daguerrotype, racial tensions and the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace - all packed into 416 pages!
Alot going on in this book, with little room for fleshing out all of the characters, but I was so focussed on the story, and the fabulous romp across America, a real page-turner through which you will get both the smell of the greasepaint and the whiff of the crowd, most of whom seem intent on redecorating the interior of the Big Top with their tobacco spit...
Highly recommended for fans of entertaining historical fiction.
Cordelia Preston is the head act of Silas P Swift's circus, still performing acts of mesmerism. Her daughter, Gwenlliam, is also part of the troupe, and they have surrounded themselves with an array of wild and wonderful characters who act as a sort of extended family. Their story is of American life in the 1840s, including the Californian Gold Rush, the Gangs of New York, the development of the daguerrotype, racial tensions and the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace - all packed into 416 pages!
Alot going on in this book, with little room for fleshing out all of the characters, but I was so focussed on the story, and the fabulous romp across America, a real page-turner through which you will get both the smell of the greasepaint and the whiff of the crowd, most of whom seem intent on redecorating the interior of the Big Top with their tobacco spit...
Highly recommended for fans of entertaining historical fiction.
September 11, 2012
The first book I have read by this author and am now totally hooked and an enormous fan. A look into the world of mesmerism and the circus with the accompanying changes that should be made in order for it to be sustainable. The characters are rich and the storyline is superb. The effect long lasting trauma has on a family is a major theme. Money and the important role it plays in survival, not to mention greed in the gold rush era is handled with a subliminal empathy. To leave the characters behind is to wave them farewell with a feeling of having been part of their lives and experiences. An altogether wonderful read. Please buy any of her books I am now going to do just that.....bye off to the book store.
August 24, 2019
Review - The description of the setting and the circus itself was excellent. It was vivid and you could believe you were there. The storyline was promising, but not as well executed. It could have been accomplished in less words. I felt that the characterisation was dry, particularly of Cordelia and Gwenlliam. Arthur came across as a more 3D character, which lent some credibility to the story. The others all seemed like background characters, which was a shame.
Genre? - Historical Fiction / Drama
Characters? - Madame Celine / Silas P Swift / Cordelia Preston / Arthur Rivers / Mrs Spoons / Rillie / Gwenlliam Preston
Setting? - New York (U.S.A.) and London (England)
Series? - Mesmerist #2
Recommend? - No
Rating - 9/20
Genre? - Historical Fiction / Drama
Characters? - Madame Celine / Silas P Swift / Cordelia Preston / Arthur Rivers / Mrs Spoons / Rillie / Gwenlliam Preston
Setting? - New York (U.S.A.) and London (England)
Series? - Mesmerist #2
Recommend? - No
Rating - 9/20
July 28, 2015
Finished this for book club.
I didn't know that this novel was a sequel to The Mesmerist when it was picked. Reading it first was not necessary. It was an interesting read but started off slow. The first 200 pages was a lost of description and background detail. The final 300+ pages moved a little faster, but not by much. I am pretty happy that it was chosen, this is not something that I would have picked up on my own. I will be adding the Mesmerist to my ever growing TBR pile.
I didn't know that this novel was a sequel to The Mesmerist when it was picked. Reading it first was not necessary. It was an interesting read but started off slow. The first 200 pages was a lost of description and background detail. The final 300+ pages moved a little faster, but not by much. I am pretty happy that it was chosen, this is not something that I would have picked up on my own. I will be adding the Mesmerist to my ever growing TBR pile.
December 5, 2022
Sequel to The Mesmerist. Cordelia Preston and her family move from London to New York, shifting the mesmerism of the first book to the flashier showmanship of a circus bigtop. As other reviewers have noted, there's a lot going on--the action shifts from rival gangs in New York, to the Californian Wild West (as seen through the letters from Cordelia's daughter; to London's Crystal Palace--but Ewing brings all the strands together at the end for a very satisfactory conclusion.
August 22, 2011
I classify this under 'close but no cigar'.
The idea was good but the execution lacking and sloppy. I had a hard time keeping the characters apart for the first 50 or so pages. the middle was good and interesting, but by the end I lost my interest in the characters and felt it was overwrought and tear-jerky.
The idea was good but the execution lacking and sloppy. I had a hard time keeping the characters apart for the first 50 or so pages. the middle was good and interesting, but by the end I lost my interest in the characters and felt it was overwrought and tear-jerky.
June 18, 2014
I liked the world the author built for this book, and the characters who inhabited it were often vivid and imaginative, but the plot fell completely short for me. Nothing seemed to happen at all until the last 5th of the book, and up to that point it made for very slow reading without much incentive to continue. A shame for a well-imagined world to be let down by a lacklustre plot.
October 22, 2011
Really enjoyable read, good characters and bit of an exciting romp with lots going on. And of course I live the historical genre! Just wish I'd read the mesmerist first as didn't realise this was a follow on
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