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The Candlelit Menagerie
For fans of The Greatest Showman and Water for Elephants, The Candlelit Menagerie grabs hold and pulls readers into the dim halls of the exotic animal world of London, three hundred years ago.
Set in late eighteenth-century London, this haunting debut novel features Lillian, a freakishly tall woman who struggles to fit into society because of her size and desire to wear trousers. Each morning, she wakes in her tiny maid's room in a too-small bed to the sound of a lion roaring nearby, on the Strand. One day, she investigates the sound and discovers a candlelit exotic animal emporium. When she meets the lion, there is an instant bond. At first, Lillian is repulsed by the stench and squalor, but there, in the menagerie, Lillian finds her natural home taking care of and befriending wild animals brought from around the world, stolen from their habitats, misfits like her. The British empire had become the dominate colonial power, plundering resources across the ocean, including humans and animals, and bringing them to England's shores for the first time to the amusement of the public. The menagerie, under Lillian's management, becomes a successful attraction. It is her life's mission. She even marries the veterinarian's single-minded apprentice. But when her unborn baby dies in an accident, she is given a chimpanzee to raise as her own child, upending the order of even Lillian's unusual existence.
Told in a simple, mesmerizing voice, The Candlelit Menagerie is intensely atmospheric and transporting. This stunning debut will put Caraline Brown at the forefront of the list of new novelists to watch.
Set in late eighteenth-century London, this haunting debut novel features Lillian, a freakishly tall woman who struggles to fit into society because of her size and desire to wear trousers. Each morning, she wakes in her tiny maid's room in a too-small bed to the sound of a lion roaring nearby, on the Strand. One day, she investigates the sound and discovers a candlelit exotic animal emporium. When she meets the lion, there is an instant bond. At first, Lillian is repulsed by the stench and squalor, but there, in the menagerie, Lillian finds her natural home taking care of and befriending wild animals brought from around the world, stolen from their habitats, misfits like her. The British empire had become the dominate colonial power, plundering resources across the ocean, including humans and animals, and bringing them to England's shores for the first time to the amusement of the public. The menagerie, under Lillian's management, becomes a successful attraction. It is her life's mission. She even marries the veterinarian's single-minded apprentice. But when her unborn baby dies in an accident, she is given a chimpanzee to raise as her own child, upending the order of even Lillian's unusual existence.
Told in a simple, mesmerizing voice, The Candlelit Menagerie is intensely atmospheric and transporting. This stunning debut will put Caraline Brown at the forefront of the list of new novelists to watch.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2020
62 people are currently reading
580 people want to read
About the author
Caraline Brown
11 books10 followersIn 1995 Caraline founded the UK's first ever PR company to specialise in the internet with nothing more than a £2K overdraft and a strong belief that online would grow and flourish. Along the way Midnight Communications collected an array of industry awards, including PR Week's national Consultancy of the Year, and Best International PR Campaign.
With three lifetime achievement awards under her belt Caraline has featured in many business titles, including Management Today, the Sunday Times and Platinum Business and PR Week named her as one of the most influential people in PR.
She holds the rare distinction of selling her company twice - in 2001 to the AIM-listed BV group - of which she became CEO in 2002 - before successfully conducting an MBO and once more becoming the principal shareholder in Midnight.
In December 2017 she sold the company to the management team to focus on her writing.
The Candlelit Menagerie is her first novel.
With three lifetime achievement awards under her belt Caraline has featured in many business titles, including Management Today, the Sunday Times and Platinum Business and PR Week named her as one of the most influential people in PR.
She holds the rare distinction of selling her company twice - in 2001 to the AIM-listed BV group - of which she became CEO in 2002 - before successfully conducting an MBO and once more becoming the principal shareholder in Midnight.
In December 2017 she sold the company to the management team to focus on her writing.
The Candlelit Menagerie is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 16, 2020
Set in late 18th century London. This story brings a time when the British Empire was a dominating colonial power, bringing exotic animals from around the world for the first time to the amusement of the public. The animals are out of place as much as its protagonist, a six-feet tall woman, who prefers short hair and wearing pants. So much out of place that they create a special bond.
Lillian has been working as a maid for almost twenty years and feels her life dull and her being so out of place. When she sees an advertisement for Grady’s Menagerie, something inside her stirs. The world gains colors all of a sudden.
Grady, the owner of the menagerie, needs help. When he sees a very tall woman visiting his menagerie every Sunday afternoon, he sees the right person to help him out. She says yes and becomes his help. He also suggests for her to cut her hair and wear pants.
Henry Featherstone, the animal doctor, holds a fascination for the cockfight. At one such event, he notices a new man named John Button, who shows unexpected emotions. He sees the right person and offers him an apprenticeship.
When they are called to tend a lion at the menagerie, Lillian meets John. He is as tall as she is. They look at each other’s eyes and there is a spark.
When Lillian loses her own baby, she is given a baby chimp to help her heal. The bond and the skills they develop in communicating is very lovable. And I couldn’t help but mention that it reminds me of the great Jane Goodall, who has dedicated her life to studying wild chimpanzees.
Lillian’s heart is as big as she is. She cares for the animals deeply. Even with the owner being driven by profits, she finds ways to sway him to better treat the animals. The bond between Lillian and animals is so special, creating a very warm story. I love this kind of character, who is very caring and recognizes what makes her happy. She grabs for those happy stars and changes her life for better. She is also open-minded. She listens and discusses new ideas.
I enjoyed the historical background, capturing the excitement of the public by seeing exotic animals for the first time. And the passion of two people sharing conversations about books and articles involving great thinkers of the time. You can feel it, it’s contagious. You want to be part of it.
Descriptions are so real and interesting, including Brighton city by the sea. So much that I wanted to be there and experience it myself.
At first I hesitated to pick this book as I thought the storyline would be overwhelmed by animals. But it’s not. And the bond between Lillian and the animals is so endearing that I couldn’t get enough of that. When a highwayman enters the story for a moment, I missed that bond and wanted him out of the story. At the same time, I understand if the intention of his presence was to reinforce the time period.
Fully enjoyed this beautifully written, heart-warming story, and atmospheric in its depiction.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lillian has been working as a maid for almost twenty years and feels her life dull and her being so out of place. When she sees an advertisement for Grady’s Menagerie, something inside her stirs. The world gains colors all of a sudden.
Grady, the owner of the menagerie, needs help. When he sees a very tall woman visiting his menagerie every Sunday afternoon, he sees the right person to help him out. She says yes and becomes his help. He also suggests for her to cut her hair and wear pants.
Henry Featherstone, the animal doctor, holds a fascination for the cockfight. At one such event, he notices a new man named John Button, who shows unexpected emotions. He sees the right person and offers him an apprenticeship.
When they are called to tend a lion at the menagerie, Lillian meets John. He is as tall as she is. They look at each other’s eyes and there is a spark.
When Lillian loses her own baby, she is given a baby chimp to help her heal. The bond and the skills they develop in communicating is very lovable. And I couldn’t help but mention that it reminds me of the great Jane Goodall, who has dedicated her life to studying wild chimpanzees.
Lillian’s heart is as big as she is. She cares for the animals deeply. Even with the owner being driven by profits, she finds ways to sway him to better treat the animals. The bond between Lillian and animals is so special, creating a very warm story. I love this kind of character, who is very caring and recognizes what makes her happy. She grabs for those happy stars and changes her life for better. She is also open-minded. She listens and discusses new ideas.
I enjoyed the historical background, capturing the excitement of the public by seeing exotic animals for the first time. And the passion of two people sharing conversations about books and articles involving great thinkers of the time. You can feel it, it’s contagious. You want to be part of it.
Descriptions are so real and interesting, including Brighton city by the sea. So much that I wanted to be there and experience it myself.
At first I hesitated to pick this book as I thought the storyline would be overwhelmed by animals. But it’s not. And the bond between Lillian and the animals is so endearing that I couldn’t get enough of that. When a highwayman enters the story for a moment, I missed that bond and wanted him out of the story. At the same time, I understand if the intention of his presence was to reinforce the time period.
Fully enjoyed this beautifully written, heart-warming story, and atmospheric in its depiction.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2020
What a fantastic story! The story of a menagerie in the Strand in the late 18th century. Lilian has a special gift working with animals and is taken on to care for the animals by Grady. We travel from London to Brighton and the setting up of a menagerie for the Prince Regent. There is a wonderful cast of animals too. A very refreshing look at a period of history very saturated in the historical fiction market. It would have been better with some historical footnotes as I would like to know the fact from the fiction and plan to look into it myself. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
August 16, 2020
2.75 actual stars.
This one was a mixed bag for me, I initially enjoyed the beginning of this book with it's unusual heroine Lillian, who was practically an oddity for being 6 feet tall and for her gift of seemingly able to forge a kinship with animals in a menagerie of creatures she was hired to care for. Lillian in herself was a woman of strong character and I liked the way she forged a path for her life, but the treatment of the animals that popped up here and there in the story line just made me wince at times, the cruelty of how these creatures were procured just didn't sit well with me. This wasn't a fairy tale read I know, but for me it just left me with haunting images I would have rather not envisioned.
This one was a mixed bag for me, I initially enjoyed the beginning of this book with it's unusual heroine Lillian, who was practically an oddity for being 6 feet tall and for her gift of seemingly able to forge a kinship with animals in a menagerie of creatures she was hired to care for. Lillian in herself was a woman of strong character and I liked the way she forged a path for her life, but the treatment of the animals that popped up here and there in the story line just made me wince at times, the cruelty of how these creatures were procured just didn't sit well with me. This wasn't a fairy tale read I know, but for me it just left me with haunting images I would have rather not envisioned.
January 18, 2022
The candlelit menagerie was atmospheric and beautiful written, it was easy getting emersed into. But the cruelty in it towards the animals was hard to read and some of the characters have me an icky feeling although I found it authentic for the time period. Very intrigued to read more by Caraline Brown in the future
July 14, 2020
The Candlelit Menagerie provides a vivid and sensory exploration of a victorian menagerie, seen through the eyes of Lillian, a tall, imaginative woman who becomes enamored by the animals and culture at the "zoo" and leaps at a chance to work there.
The book takes us through Lillian's time at the menagerie, her quick romance and eventual heartbreak, and her unconventional attachment to a baby chimpanzee.
Though this book is, ostensibly, about Lillian, it is definitely more about the animals than the people it follows. The animal descriptions and interactions are some of the strongest in the book, especially in regard to the lion who initially is what causes Lillian to visit the menagerie. The author never shies away from realistic descriptions of the treatment of the animals and the state of the place, so potential readers be warned if they are particularly sensitive to animal welfare.
What I really liked about this book was that it had an unflinching description and exploration of the impacts of colonialism and the British empire. The author clearly didn't set out to tell a story romanticizing the zoo, and yet the honest depiction doesn't take away from the magic of the story.
For fans of historical fiction, this will be an excellent book to pick up.
*Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*
The book takes us through Lillian's time at the menagerie, her quick romance and eventual heartbreak, and her unconventional attachment to a baby chimpanzee.
Though this book is, ostensibly, about Lillian, it is definitely more about the animals than the people it follows. The animal descriptions and interactions are some of the strongest in the book, especially in regard to the lion who initially is what causes Lillian to visit the menagerie. The author never shies away from realistic descriptions of the treatment of the animals and the state of the place, so potential readers be warned if they are particularly sensitive to animal welfare.
What I really liked about this book was that it had an unflinching description and exploration of the impacts of colonialism and the British empire. The author clearly didn't set out to tell a story romanticizing the zoo, and yet the honest depiction doesn't take away from the magic of the story.
For fans of historical fiction, this will be an excellent book to pick up.
*Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*
July 10, 2020
Caraline Brown summons an evocative setting in The Candelit Menagerie, bringing late 18th century London to life through impressionable characters, vivid sensory descriptions, and (of course) said menagerie's many, many animals.
We follow the six-foot tall Lillian as she wanders into the eccentric Grady's Emporium, drawn to the menagerie lion's roars like a moth to a flame. She cannot keep away, and the eponymous Grady offers her work. Deeply connected to these animals, she meets veterinary apprentice John Button when he is called in as a consultant. The two make an instant match, but a miscarriage soon shatters their happiness. The quick-thinking Grady procures a baby chimpanzee for the grieving Lillian, and the two form a familial bond that triumphs despite society gossip and John's resistance to the unconventional pair.
(4/5: A unique novel that conjures a hidden world of man and beast in a bustling Georgian metropolis. Interesting characters, though the relationships between Lillian, Grady, and John could be more fleshed out. There are depictions of abusive conditions for animals, but it reflects the reality of these European colonial-era 'zoos.' A prime example of historical fiction.)
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. Copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
We follow the six-foot tall Lillian as she wanders into the eccentric Grady's Emporium, drawn to the menagerie lion's roars like a moth to a flame. She cannot keep away, and the eponymous Grady offers her work. Deeply connected to these animals, she meets veterinary apprentice John Button when he is called in as a consultant. The two make an instant match, but a miscarriage soon shatters their happiness. The quick-thinking Grady procures a baby chimpanzee for the grieving Lillian, and the two form a familial bond that triumphs despite society gossip and John's resistance to the unconventional pair.
(4/5: A unique novel that conjures a hidden world of man and beast in a bustling Georgian metropolis. Interesting characters, though the relationships between Lillian, Grady, and John could be more fleshed out. There are depictions of abusive conditions for animals, but it reflects the reality of these European colonial-era 'zoos.' A prime example of historical fiction.)
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. Copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2020
My thanks to Caraline Brown, Skyhorse Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of THE CANDLELIT MENAGERIE. I have read some wonderful novels this year and this is one of them. So very unusual, and well researched, this story is unique in it's premise and characterisation. Brilliant!
July 19, 2020
Vivid, pacy, and memorable. This is an impressive debut from a promising author.
July 20, 2020
An original historical fiction with a great female main character. I've loved Lilian, her passion, her love for the animals at the menagerie.
The setting and the writing are really good, I couldn't put it down and finished in two days, but at the same time, there were things I didn't like it, like the non-existent background of all the characters, and the constantly changing of attitude (towards the animal) of the male characters.
It was an emotional reading, with really sad scenes and scenes full of hope.
And I love the cover so much.
Thanks to Edelweiss for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
The setting and the writing are really good, I couldn't put it down and finished in two days, but at the same time, there were things I didn't like it, like the non-existent background of all the characters, and the constantly changing of attitude (towards the animal) of the male characters.
It was an emotional reading, with really sad scenes and scenes full of hope.
And I love the cover so much.
Thanks to Edelweiss for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
October 7, 2020
We all have our place we feel we belong. Where we feel we can let our guards down and show our true selves. For Lillian her place was Grady's Emporium. The Candlelit Menagerie opens with Lillian being a lady's maid in late 1700's London. She is described as an oddity because she is around six feet tall and being a lady's maid she stuck out like a sore thumb in high society. Her clothes never fit correctly, her feet always hung off the bed, and she was constantly bumping into things to the disapproval of her mistress. She felt out of place in high society and the only joy she found day to day was being woken every morning by the roar of a lion. Lillian's Mistress's house was located in the vicinity of Grady's Emporium, a house of exotic animals, and Lillian promised herself on her next evening off she just had to see his lion.
Lillian's next day off she stays true to herself and visits the Emporium where she meets Grady. He is the epitome of a grand ringmaster. He greets his customers calling them in and welcoming them to see his amazing wild animals. Lillian cannot wait to get inside so she can finally put her eyes on the lion that wakes her daily. To her horror she finds the lion, Leonidas, in a cramped cage with only enough room to take three steps and turn around over and over. Lillian is appalled and conveys her distaste of the way Mr. Grady keeps his animals, in too small cages and dirty ones at that.
Lillian soon found herself coming to Grady's Emporium on her day off every week. Checking in on the animals much to Mr. Grady's delight. Mr. Grady,always the opportunist, saw Lillian as a feature entertainment in and of herself, with her tallness and the way she could communicate with his lion without words. Grady's wheels began turning and he decided to let Lillian come to "take charge" of the care of Leonidas the lion to the joy of Lillian. Grady, ever the opportunist, also saw an opportunity to exploit her as well.
Grady and Lillian's relationship goes back and forth from being a healthy relationship to a toxic relationship throughout the entirety of the novel. At times the reader thinks that Mr. Grady is compassionate and cares very much for Lillian and even his animals, but ultimately you see him in the next chapter taking care of them because they are his means of making a living. Lillian's relationship with Leonidas is heart warming. She can relate to him on many levels because she at one time was like him, feeling trapped in a cage with no room to move. Lillian cares very much for her animal charges and corrects Grady's treatment of them throughout the whole story. She becomes the voice that the animals never had.
Lillian eventually convinces Grady that the Emporium is too small for a lot of the animals he houses. Grady being the salesman/opportunist he is finds someone to purchase his animals and sends Lillian to inspect their new homes. While Lillian is gone Grady hatches a plan to purchase the one animal that Lillian begged him not to bring to the Emporium. From the purchase of the new exhibit forward Grady's Emporium begins to fall apart, but his new oddity teaches him to love and empathize with someone besides himself.
The Candlelit Menagerie was a very moving, light-hearted read. I greatly enjoyed the comparison of some of the characters to the animals that they took care of. It was also an interesting picture into 1700's London and the wonder people had by the things we now take for granted.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster publishing for an advanced copy for an honest review!
Lillian's next day off she stays true to herself and visits the Emporium where she meets Grady. He is the epitome of a grand ringmaster. He greets his customers calling them in and welcoming them to see his amazing wild animals. Lillian cannot wait to get inside so she can finally put her eyes on the lion that wakes her daily. To her horror she finds the lion, Leonidas, in a cramped cage with only enough room to take three steps and turn around over and over. Lillian is appalled and conveys her distaste of the way Mr. Grady keeps his animals, in too small cages and dirty ones at that.
Lillian soon found herself coming to Grady's Emporium on her day off every week. Checking in on the animals much to Mr. Grady's delight. Mr. Grady,always the opportunist, saw Lillian as a feature entertainment in and of herself, with her tallness and the way she could communicate with his lion without words. Grady's wheels began turning and he decided to let Lillian come to "take charge" of the care of Leonidas the lion to the joy of Lillian. Grady, ever the opportunist, also saw an opportunity to exploit her as well.
Grady and Lillian's relationship goes back and forth from being a healthy relationship to a toxic relationship throughout the entirety of the novel. At times the reader thinks that Mr. Grady is compassionate and cares very much for Lillian and even his animals, but ultimately you see him in the next chapter taking care of them because they are his means of making a living. Lillian's relationship with Leonidas is heart warming. She can relate to him on many levels because she at one time was like him, feeling trapped in a cage with no room to move. Lillian cares very much for her animal charges and corrects Grady's treatment of them throughout the whole story. She becomes the voice that the animals never had.
Lillian eventually convinces Grady that the Emporium is too small for a lot of the animals he houses. Grady being the salesman/opportunist he is finds someone to purchase his animals and sends Lillian to inspect their new homes. While Lillian is gone Grady hatches a plan to purchase the one animal that Lillian begged him not to bring to the Emporium. From the purchase of the new exhibit forward Grady's Emporium begins to fall apart, but his new oddity teaches him to love and empathize with someone besides himself.
The Candlelit Menagerie was a very moving, light-hearted read. I greatly enjoyed the comparison of some of the characters to the animals that they took care of. It was also an interesting picture into 1700's London and the wonder people had by the things we now take for granted.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster publishing for an advanced copy for an honest review!
June 30, 2020
Grady's Menagerie on the Strand -- the greatest place in all London to see magnificent animals under the auspices of Edward Grady, Dealer in Exotic Birds and Beasts. A shilling to see all the animals of the world. Lillian, a maid in Tottenham Court Road, is enamored by the animals, especially Leonidas, the lion. This fascination soon turns to love, and Lillian soon quits her job with Miss Mary Unsworth to come work at the Menagerie.
This, then, is a journey through the world of unusual animals: their acquisition, their care, their value, and those who care for them. A most enchanting pilgrimage.
I read this EARC courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Arcade and Edelweiss. pub date 10/06/20
This, then, is a journey through the world of unusual animals: their acquisition, their care, their value, and those who care for them. A most enchanting pilgrimage.
I read this EARC courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Arcade and Edelweiss. pub date 10/06/20
April 13, 2021
I inhaled this redemptive story of life in late 18th century London in four sittings and can't wait to read Caraline Brown's next novel. The central conceit is of a societal outsider who finds common cause with the other misfits inside an urban menagerie – a lion, a rhino, an elephant and many other animals who have been brought traumatically to this cold, dark place from warm and colourful lands. Improbably, she helps them find happiness with a rub of a belly here and a brush of a mane there. She nurses them from sickness, cleans their confines, finds them water to splash happily in and chats with them in signs and song. You imagine that they are gradually learning to love and to laugh after months, maybe years, of misery.
Yet it is the humans who are really being shown a better way. The odd-jobbing urchins learn respect and admiration for an artisan diligently plying her craft. When tragedy strikes, her paramour, Button, slowly sets aside his own selfish expectations and grows to empathise with the grief of the woman he loves. Even self-centred, cruel old Grady, the menagerie owner, finally learns kindness in his interactions with Lillian. The protagonist herself, a six-foot she-giant, is on the most poignant narrative arc as she finds, through her animals and the people she has brought close to them, a way to see herself as a woman.
As a history-junkie, I think what I loved most about The Candlelit Menagerie was the breathtaking detail. The Georgian English patter, the late 18th century manners, customs and classism, the accelerating progress of pre-Darwinian science, the clothing, the food, the long lost London vistas and the early iterations of architecture that still exists today. The mind boggles at the level of research the author must have done. But what will stay with me about this debut novel is the way the prose kidnaps the senses; I wasn't just reading about the journey deep into the murky, dank, cobbled depths of the menagerie, out of view of the passing public. I was *there* briefly, among the urine-soaked hay and the mournful breathing of the lion Lillian dotes on.
Caraline Brown makes few, if any, of the common mistakes of debut novelist, such as deployment clichés, pointless characters or lack of conflict. Instead, she has delivered a story that is engrossing, memorable and, ultimately, uplifting.
Yet it is the humans who are really being shown a better way. The odd-jobbing urchins learn respect and admiration for an artisan diligently plying her craft. When tragedy strikes, her paramour, Button, slowly sets aside his own selfish expectations and grows to empathise with the grief of the woman he loves. Even self-centred, cruel old Grady, the menagerie owner, finally learns kindness in his interactions with Lillian. The protagonist herself, a six-foot she-giant, is on the most poignant narrative arc as she finds, through her animals and the people she has brought close to them, a way to see herself as a woman.
As a history-junkie, I think what I loved most about The Candlelit Menagerie was the breathtaking detail. The Georgian English patter, the late 18th century manners, customs and classism, the accelerating progress of pre-Darwinian science, the clothing, the food, the long lost London vistas and the early iterations of architecture that still exists today. The mind boggles at the level of research the author must have done. But what will stay with me about this debut novel is the way the prose kidnaps the senses; I wasn't just reading about the journey deep into the murky, dank, cobbled depths of the menagerie, out of view of the passing public. I was *there* briefly, among the urine-soaked hay and the mournful breathing of the lion Lillian dotes on.
Caraline Brown makes few, if any, of the common mistakes of debut novelist, such as deployment clichés, pointless characters or lack of conflict. Instead, she has delivered a story that is engrossing, memorable and, ultimately, uplifting.
October 18, 2020
I adored this book. Animal lovers should know, in advance, that there are some difficult passages so steel yourself. On the immensely positive side, Lillian, a woman who has never felt at home in herself, lies in bed at night listening to a lion and then one day seeks it out, starting a relationship that becomes her life. It's 18th century London so the animals of Grady's Emporium are a sight to be sold and Grady does just that. Button, a young man with an affinity for birds, is an apprentice vet who falls in love, much to both of their surprise, with Lillian but they struggle with one another and, especially, Lillian's commitment to the animals (including especially a chimp named Samson). There's tragedy here, real tragedy, but also hope. Brown made me hear the sounds, smell the smells (not so good btw) and feel the different parts of the animals- the rhino's skin, the lion's breath. She also wrapped me up in the story to the extent that I was grief stricken several times. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A wonderful read, a terrific debut, and I look forward to more from Brown.
February 7, 2021
In a world of narrative and character tropes this one was like breathing fresh air. Almost defining a new category, the original characters challenge assumptions and take us on a journey into an unusual and brilliantly researched window of time and place. This book is gutsy, fearless and visceral. Can't wait to read her next one.
May 24, 2022
Wonderful...engrossing to the last page. One of my favourites this year so far.
October 3, 2020
What an enticing cover.....What an intriguing title....That’s got me interested!
Kari Brown’s debut novel is such an enjoyable experience. She describes sights and sounds in a way that you can’t help but be transported into this time and place.
The premise of the story is quirky and interesting. I’d never even thought about the evolution of zoos in Britain before! The story contains characters that you begin to care about and that keeps you turning the pages. It’s fun to have a heroine who is her own woman kicking at the restraints society shackles her with, but this is subtle…no feminist diatribe here. The story that binds the characters flows well and makes you keen to know where it’s going and what happens next.
This a rich, complex, well written story and the only downside is you can’t put it down and then… much to your disappointment…you have to leave that world and return to your mundane life.
Kari Brown’s debut novel is such an enjoyable experience. She describes sights and sounds in a way that you can’t help but be transported into this time and place.
The premise of the story is quirky and interesting. I’d never even thought about the evolution of zoos in Britain before! The story contains characters that you begin to care about and that keeps you turning the pages. It’s fun to have a heroine who is her own woman kicking at the restraints society shackles her with, but this is subtle…no feminist diatribe here. The story that binds the characters flows well and makes you keen to know where it’s going and what happens next.
This a rich, complex, well written story and the only downside is you can’t put it down and then… much to your disappointment…you have to leave that world and return to your mundane life.
October 9, 2020
A well written book from start to finish. Thouroughly enjoyed it. The author is a first time writer and she is off to a great start. I will be looking out for more from Caraline Brown.
August 22, 2020
An absorbing and captivating story that transports the reader deep into the gritty, seedier side of 18th Century London. A tale likely to appeal to fans of the Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants or Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, as well as historical fiction enthusiasts.
Thank you to Caraline Brown, Skyhorse Publishing, and NetGalley for providing an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Candlelit Menagerie is the strange and beautiful tale of Lillian, an oddly tall and deeply misunderstood young woman (“I see a woman trapped, caged if you like . . .”) who is irresistibly drawn to Grady’s Menagerie after many nights of hearing the lion’s roaring carry to her on the wind as she lay each evening in her too-short bed.
Plucking up the courage to visit Grady’s, she meets Grady himself, who is quite proud of his namesake menagerie, and who can’t help but notice the natural way Lillian has with the animals. An excellent reader of people, Grady offers Lillian everything she could want in a job (had she been able to ask first): A place to live and a bed that’s perfectly long enough for her frame, a job at the menagerie taking care of the animals, as well as an offer to cut her hair short and to wear trousers if she likes.
Lilllian soon meets John Button, the veterinarian’s apprentice, when he’s called to treat Leonidas (the lion), who has an infected tooth. The two are keen on each other from the start, as Lillian rarely meets men as tall as she, and Button loves that he can look straight into her eyes, without the awkward hovering that normally results when he bends to speak to smaller woman.
A magical and spell-binding yarn from a debuting author that I couldn’t put down, even though at times the storylines made me a bit uncomfortable. It is for this reason I am awarding four stars instead of five, however I simply cannot question that Ms. Brown excellently portrays the tough yet spirited essence of London in the late 1700’s. Brown’s writing style is magnetic and doesn’t strive to sweep the untidy bits of history under the table. To quote Lillian, “I believe it is important that ordinary people can see with their own eyes that we share the earth with extraordinary creatures that live and breathe.” History, like animals trapped in cages, isn’t always pretty, yet it’s important that we listen – and oh what a fantastic way to “listen” this novel is!
#TheCandlelit Menagerie
#CaralineBrown
#SkyhorsePublishing
#GoodReads
Thank you to Caraline Brown, Skyhorse Publishing, and NetGalley for providing an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Candlelit Menagerie is the strange and beautiful tale of Lillian, an oddly tall and deeply misunderstood young woman (“I see a woman trapped, caged if you like . . .”) who is irresistibly drawn to Grady’s Menagerie after many nights of hearing the lion’s roaring carry to her on the wind as she lay each evening in her too-short bed.
Plucking up the courage to visit Grady’s, she meets Grady himself, who is quite proud of his namesake menagerie, and who can’t help but notice the natural way Lillian has with the animals. An excellent reader of people, Grady offers Lillian everything she could want in a job (had she been able to ask first): A place to live and a bed that’s perfectly long enough for her frame, a job at the menagerie taking care of the animals, as well as an offer to cut her hair short and to wear trousers if she likes.
Lilllian soon meets John Button, the veterinarian’s apprentice, when he’s called to treat Leonidas (the lion), who has an infected tooth. The two are keen on each other from the start, as Lillian rarely meets men as tall as she, and Button loves that he can look straight into her eyes, without the awkward hovering that normally results when he bends to speak to smaller woman.
A magical and spell-binding yarn from a debuting author that I couldn’t put down, even though at times the storylines made me a bit uncomfortable. It is for this reason I am awarding four stars instead of five, however I simply cannot question that Ms. Brown excellently portrays the tough yet spirited essence of London in the late 1700’s. Brown’s writing style is magnetic and doesn’t strive to sweep the untidy bits of history under the table. To quote Lillian, “I believe it is important that ordinary people can see with their own eyes that we share the earth with extraordinary creatures that live and breathe.” History, like animals trapped in cages, isn’t always pretty, yet it’s important that we listen – and oh what a fantastic way to “listen” this novel is!
#TheCandlelit Menagerie
#CaralineBrown
#SkyhorsePublishing
#GoodReads
July 14, 2024
About thirty years after the events of Caraline Brown’s The Candlelit Menagerie, the London Zoo would be founded as one of the first scientific zoological parks. As I learned in Isobel Charman’s The Zoo, animals were frequently brought to England for centuries before zoos. The royal and the wealthy would import exotic animals to live in cages or small enclosures on their property, to show off to other royals and rich people. Life for the animals was brutal and short. No one knew—or cared to learn—how to care for these animals. Not only were their accommodations inadequate, they were poorly fed and veterinary (and human) medicine were still in a highly experimental phase. The Candlelit Menagerie takes place in those early days. This is a hard read for animal lovers, but I found it fascinating to watch a woman’s romp through the world of animal menageries and emporia at the end of the eighteenth century...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
August 21, 2020
A fascinating and quirky view into the 18th century life of menageries and mores of the time. It’s so good to read a history based novel that doesn’t have a “beauty” as it’s heroine and one who doesn’t fit the comfortable mould of stereotypical woman. We are all misfits in our own way, and the more we can be encouraged to celebrate the uniqueness of our identity, as this does, the better. I’m really looking forward to reading Caraline Brown’s next novel, wherever she takes us it’s bound to be good.
October 31, 2024
I loved this book. The Candlelit Menagerie is an enthralling read that I didn’t want to put down. I found it very easy to read, with believable characters and the story flowed beautifully. It is also very interesting from a historical point of view for anyone interested in the history of London. It has been impeccably researched and I would recommend this book to anyone. Although it is fiction I found the story to be very believable and I look forward to reading more books from this author.
July 28, 2020
This intoxicating novel drew me instantly in to the thrilling world of the first London menageries, full of the most exotic animals and birds ever seen. And presiding tenderly over them, a woman ahead of her time, the tall crop-haired Lillian, who immediately shot to the top of my list of fascinating, complex literary heroines. What a wonderful, unusual read!
July 28, 2020
Still reading this fantastic and well researched book. A really great yarn. This is one of those books that transports you to a different time and place and keeps you turning the page longing for more. Every night I'm thrilled to think I can pick it up again and read a bit more. Fantastic first novel.
October 25, 2021
This was a fascinating book -- kind of weird, but really interesting. The suspense carried me along so quickly that I read it easily in just a few days. The many evocative sensory details and historical tidbits bring the unusual setting to vivid life. Lillian and her friend Miss Truelove sound like characters I would like to know! A sequel about the two of them would be gratefully received.
August 26, 2020
I instantly loved the unusual Lillian and the exotic animals and flawed but appealing people around her.
November 19, 2020
Lillian was a misfit for 18th century England. Freakishly tall, only wanting to wear breeches, cut her hair short like a boy Lillian was not transgender but just different.
Finding her way to a a owner of a menagerie of animals (all exotic at the time) she found her niche and was for the first time happy. The animals loved her and it seemed almost as if she was a whisperer to them. She kept an eye out for their welfare and knew that the owner could not mistreat his animals with her in charge.
Love also found its way into Lillians life and when subsequently she conceives and bears a child who dies Lillian is heartbroken. When given a baby chimp to mother and care for, Lillian finds a substitute in the baby whom she looks after, nurses and cares for as her own. The story finds its way to the Prince of Wales own menagerie owner who is curious about this strange woman.
The story winds its way from London to Brighton to the Prince of Wales own zoo he wants to set up but over riding it all is Lillian's deep love for the animals in her care, irrespective of their being exotic or expensive. The story is not just about the exotic animals that were so attractive to the British, but also about the history at the time in London including the executions at the Tower. The story of Lillian finding love and contentment in her marriage was another dimension to the story.
Finding her way to a a owner of a menagerie of animals (all exotic at the time) she found her niche and was for the first time happy. The animals loved her and it seemed almost as if she was a whisperer to them. She kept an eye out for their welfare and knew that the owner could not mistreat his animals with her in charge.
Love also found its way into Lillians life and when subsequently she conceives and bears a child who dies Lillian is heartbroken. When given a baby chimp to mother and care for, Lillian finds a substitute in the baby whom she looks after, nurses and cares for as her own. The story finds its way to the Prince of Wales own menagerie owner who is curious about this strange woman.
The story winds its way from London to Brighton to the Prince of Wales own zoo he wants to set up but over riding it all is Lillian's deep love for the animals in her care, irrespective of their being exotic or expensive. The story is not just about the exotic animals that were so attractive to the British, but also about the history at the time in London including the executions at the Tower. The story of Lillian finding love and contentment in her marriage was another dimension to the story.
January 17, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable and readable book. I found the descriptions of 18th century London rich and evocative, creating an image of the smells, sounds and challenges of life during that time. Equally the character were well described and consistent in their attitudes and reactions to the events that took place in the book. I enjoyed the cultural references and, being from Brighton, it was great to see the story move there at several points in the book.
I felt the plot moved at a good pace and at times took some shocking turns, in ways that challenged my thinking. This was something I enjoyed. It was great to have a strong female lead, who, at the same time knew her mind and what was important to her, whilst having to work within the misogynistic framework of old. And also there were several interesting male characters that developed well throughout the book.
The topic of the book is not one that I have read about before, so it was really interesting to get a picture of these menageries that existed and how the population of london were blown away by these creatures they had never experienced before.
I felt the plot moved at a good pace and at times took some shocking turns, in ways that challenged my thinking. This was something I enjoyed. It was great to have a strong female lead, who, at the same time knew her mind and what was important to her, whilst having to work within the misogynistic framework of old. And also there were several interesting male characters that developed well throughout the book.
The topic of the book is not one that I have read about before, so it was really interesting to get a picture of these menageries that existed and how the population of london were blown away by these creatures they had never experienced before.
February 25, 2021
Not normally a fan of historical fiction but a friend recommended this to me and I did that usual thing of getting a couple of chapters in and thinking, hmm, have to read it now and then, happily, I was absolutely hooked. The sights, sounds and (especially) smells of late 18th century London and of the titular menagerie (a precursor to the zoological gardens we all know and often feel unsure about) are described so vividly well its as much of an immersive experience as one can get reading a novel. I don't see how anyone could not love central character Lillian and be enchanted by her relationship with the animals (especially the sad and noble lion, Leonidas). There's also a very able supporting cast, though well to do vet Featherstone IS Stephen Fry surely? I appreciated the historical context of the tale. These unfortunate creatures were just more spoils of the British Empire, brought to the capital as a profitable sideline for ship captains to be displayed and sold for profit rather than for scientific study. An excellent debut novel with some set pieces that really stay in the memory (especially the public hangings at Tyburn) and I just loved that a main character's dog is called Teddy Diamond! Highly recommended.
July 28, 2024
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
I didn't expect to like this book so much. It's been a while that I've wondered about characters' motivations and their true personalities. The characters really come to life on the page, acting one way and then another, not villains or saints, but instead like real people, where they make good and bad choices one after another, and there's no moralizing about it. The author doesn't spell it out to you either, the story is just a story, it's what happened at the menagerie. But the real story is what you make of it all, and it's been a while that I was lucky enough to read a book that made me think about it as I was reading, even long after I put it down. What a great read.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
I didn't expect to like this book so much. It's been a while that I've wondered about characters' motivations and their true personalities. The characters really come to life on the page, acting one way and then another, not villains or saints, but instead like real people, where they make good and bad choices one after another, and there's no moralizing about it. The author doesn't spell it out to you either, the story is just a story, it's what happened at the menagerie. But the real story is what you make of it all, and it's been a while that I was lucky enough to read a book that made me think about it as I was reading, even long after I put it down. What a great read.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
January 20, 2021
Lillian's Lion
The notion that a tall woman, not able to sleep comfortably in a regular bed and uncomfortable in over-thick hair and dresses, made for a good story when Lillian was most comfortable among stinking animal cages having shortened her hair and wearing men's clothes in the late 1700's. If it wasn't for the Lion roaring some distance from her sleepless nights, she might never have found her calling as a nurturing somewhat zookeeper. She receives several proposals for marriage despite the circumstances. I found this to be an entertaining story how Lillian tries to balance her personal life with those at the menagerie.
The notion that a tall woman, not able to sleep comfortably in a regular bed and uncomfortable in over-thick hair and dresses, made for a good story when Lillian was most comfortable among stinking animal cages having shortened her hair and wearing men's clothes in the late 1700's. If it wasn't for the Lion roaring some distance from her sleepless nights, she might never have found her calling as a nurturing somewhat zookeeper. She receives several proposals for marriage despite the circumstances. I found this to be an entertaining story how Lillian tries to balance her personal life with those at the menagerie.
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