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A Girl Made of Air
A lyrical and atmospheric homage to the strange and extraordinary, perfect for fans of Angela Carter and Erin Morgenstern.
This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived...
Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.
Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child... But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?
Beautiful and intoxicating, A Girl Made of Air brings the circus to life in all of its grime and glory; Marina, Manu, Serendipity Wilson, Fausto, Big Gen and Mouse will live long in the hearts of readers. As will this story of loss and reconciliation, of storytelling and truth
This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived...
Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.
Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child... But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?
Beautiful and intoxicating, A Girl Made of Air brings the circus to life in all of its grime and glory; Marina, Manu, Serendipity Wilson, Fausto, Big Gen and Mouse will live long in the hearts of readers. As will this story of loss and reconciliation, of storytelling and truth
376 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2020
About the author
Nydia Hetherington
2 books53 followers Nydia's first memories are of the Isle of Man, where she lived as a small child. When her family relocated to Leeds, she grew up dreaming of fairies and of the sea (she still does). In her early twenties she moved to London to embark on an acting career, then to Paris, where she continued her theatre training before creating a theatre company and becoming a clown (red nose included). Returning to London almost a decade later, she worked in a shoe shop while studying for a creative writing degree at Birkbeck University. To keep the wolf from her door she's had many jobs, including working in shops and cafes and kitchens, sometimes in offices and most recently in an art gallery. These days she lives on the edge of London with her husband and plump (she's got big bones) cat.
Her favourite books often have a touch of the magical about them. At the same time, she loves fierce writing that reaches into the depths of the human experience.
Nydia is also a novelist living with chronic illness. She says:
"The world of the unwell is similar in many ways to the world of the well. In fact, they intersect and intertwine. As someone with an 'invisible illness' you would not at first know that I'm living in that slightly other world. For that is what we are. Other. Or at least, so often, othered. It would be an untruth to say that the disease I have does not define me. It does. I spend so much of my time 'managing' it, in both the physical and emotional sense. It's a part of me and it is me -- alongside so many other things that make up a life, of course. Sometimes my writing is shot through the prism of my pain, reflecting it back onto the page. Other times, like the disease itself, it simply can't be seen in the words and sentences, in the magic and the stories. But one thing is sure. It is always there."
Her favourite books often have a touch of the magical about them. At the same time, she loves fierce writing that reaches into the depths of the human experience.
Nydia is also a novelist living with chronic illness. She says:
"The world of the unwell is similar in many ways to the world of the well. In fact, they intersect and intertwine. As someone with an 'invisible illness' you would not at first know that I'm living in that slightly other world. For that is what we are. Other. Or at least, so often, othered. It would be an untruth to say that the disease I have does not define me. It does. I spend so much of my time 'managing' it, in both the physical and emotional sense. It's a part of me and it is me -- alongside so many other things that make up a life, of course. Sometimes my writing is shot through the prism of my pain, reflecting it back onto the page. Other times, like the disease itself, it simply can't be seen in the words and sentences, in the magic and the stories. But one thing is sure. It is always there."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
March 16, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Mouse is born into the circus life. Though her parents have little time for her she is adopted by Serendipity Wilson, who teaches her the art of tightrope walking.
Told through a series of stories and journal entries, we flick between the protagonists childhood and her present life in New York. We witness her struggles and those of the people around her.
As debut’s go, it was pretty solid. The characters felt real, there were those i loved and those I really couldn’t get behind - like Mouse’s mother.
Overall a good enough tale and I’d like to try more works by this author.
Mouse is born into the circus life. Though her parents have little time for her she is adopted by Serendipity Wilson, who teaches her the art of tightrope walking.
Told through a series of stories and journal entries, we flick between the protagonists childhood and her present life in New York. We witness her struggles and those of the people around her.
As debut’s go, it was pretty solid. The characters felt real, there were those i loved and those I really couldn’t get behind - like Mouse’s mother.
Overall a good enough tale and I’d like to try more works by this author.
March 20, 2021
~I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review!~
Some books surprise you, but not in a good way. This was very much one of those books for me. I requested it based on its blurb, expecting a whimsical, fantastical read reminiscent of The Night Circus or Caraval. But, this is not a magical YA fantasy. It is much darker than that.
A Girl Made of Air is a recollection of an unnamed Funambulist’s life by our protagonist, known as Mouse, told through taped interviews, journals, news articles and letters. Mouse, who was raised in a circus and shunned by her performer parents, Marina and Manu, befriends the enigmatic Serendipity Wilson who shows her the ropes, literally. Now arguably the Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived, she sits down for a newspaper interview to try and unravel the mystery of the lost child: what happened to Serendipity’s daughter, Bunny?
I struggled with the first third of this book. The whispered myths of Marina and Serendipity’s origin stories are overshadowed by the visceral odours of the animals that Mouse sleeps amongst; the sumptuous descriptions of tightrope walking are lost to overly descriptive sexual encounters that left a bad taste in my mouth. Marina’s backstory was the turning point of realisation that this is not a magical, feel-good circus story: it is a story of redemption, dark secrets, and the very bleakest of human nature, set against a backdrop of a circus in all its grime and glory.
I wished there was more focus on the tightrope walking and on the magic of the circus itself. Trauma is weaved into the narrative like a gold thread in a starry sky, and I struggled to find solace in Mouse’s voice, when she herself objectifies other women.
There’s an audience for this book, but sadly, it wasn’t me.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
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Some books surprise you, but not in a good way. This was very much one of those books for me. I requested it based on its blurb, expecting a whimsical, fantastical read reminiscent of The Night Circus or Caraval. But, this is not a magical YA fantasy. It is much darker than that.
A Girl Made of Air is a recollection of an unnamed Funambulist’s life by our protagonist, known as Mouse, told through taped interviews, journals, news articles and letters. Mouse, who was raised in a circus and shunned by her performer parents, Marina and Manu, befriends the enigmatic Serendipity Wilson who shows her the ropes, literally. Now arguably the Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived, she sits down for a newspaper interview to try and unravel the mystery of the lost child: what happened to Serendipity’s daughter, Bunny?
“Being on the high wire is like being in a different world. It’s quieter than the down-below place, the air somehow softer, as if it wants to wrap me up.”
I struggled with the first third of this book. The whispered myths of Marina and Serendipity’s origin stories are overshadowed by the visceral odours of the animals that Mouse sleeps amongst; the sumptuous descriptions of tightrope walking are lost to overly descriptive sexual encounters that left a bad taste in my mouth. Marina’s backstory was the turning point of realisation that this is not a magical, feel-good circus story: it is a story of redemption, dark secrets, and the very bleakest of human nature, set against a backdrop of a circus in all its grime and glory.
“I locked myself deep inside the confines of my mind, where I could pretend to be a spirit, a girl made of air and clouds.”
I wished there was more focus on the tightrope walking and on the magic of the circus itself. Trauma is weaved into the narrative like a gold thread in a starry sky, and I struggled to find solace in Mouse’s voice, when she herself objectifies other women.
There’s an audience for this book, but sadly, it wasn’t me.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
Read more reviews on Velvet Opus
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September 1, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Mouse was born into circus life but neither her mother or father wanted to look after her. Serendipity Wilson takes mouse into her care and teaches her to be a funambulist. This story was based around a lost child, Bunny. She was the daughter of Serendipity.
The story is more about relationships and the hard life Mouse had. By using the narrator's journals, old postcards, letters and memories, we get to know the background of the girl who went on to become "The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived". You're completely immersed in the ways of circus lives. The book is descriptively written. It's also quite dark. It took me a little while to get into the book. The pace is slow.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #QuercusBooks and the author #NydiaHetherington for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mouse was born into circus life but neither her mother or father wanted to look after her. Serendipity Wilson takes mouse into her care and teaches her to be a funambulist. This story was based around a lost child, Bunny. She was the daughter of Serendipity.
The story is more about relationships and the hard life Mouse had. By using the narrator's journals, old postcards, letters and memories, we get to know the background of the girl who went on to become "The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived". You're completely immersed in the ways of circus lives. The book is descriptively written. It's also quite dark. It took me a little while to get into the book. The pace is slow.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #QuercusBooks and the author #NydiaHetherington for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2021
I literally can't get over how little reviews there are of this book!! I just LOVED it. If you love books with a bit of folklore, mystery, the circus, even Lemony Snicket vibes (which I got more towards the end) then you have to read this.
The book centers around the protagonist Mouse, the greatest funambulist (wire walker) who ever lived. At the beginning of the book Mouse is being interviewed and she recollects her past through diary entries. She is invisible to her mother as a child and is left to fend for herself at the circus until she meets Serendipity Wilson who takes her in like her own child. Serendipity eventually has a baby of her own, Bunny, who we later find out has gone missing. The second half of the book focuses on Mouse trying to find the child.
I found this book super gripping and vivid, throughout the book there are chapters where Mouse recollects a folklore tale from Serendipity Wilson. I adored them!! I know for a fact that when my daughter is older I will read them to her as they have valuable lessons!
It is packed full of character development, we see alot of characters histories which connects alot of the plot together. At some points it is truly heartbreaking, focusing on isolation and loneliness, love and loss.
I loved Nydias writing, it is lyrical and atmospheric, not too dense or descriptive but I constantly found myself there at the circus! If you love fairy tales, historical fiction, magical realism then this one is for you!
Thanks to Hachette NZ for my gifted copy!
The book centers around the protagonist Mouse, the greatest funambulist (wire walker) who ever lived. At the beginning of the book Mouse is being interviewed and she recollects her past through diary entries. She is invisible to her mother as a child and is left to fend for herself at the circus until she meets Serendipity Wilson who takes her in like her own child. Serendipity eventually has a baby of her own, Bunny, who we later find out has gone missing. The second half of the book focuses on Mouse trying to find the child.
I found this book super gripping and vivid, throughout the book there are chapters where Mouse recollects a folklore tale from Serendipity Wilson. I adored them!! I know for a fact that when my daughter is older I will read them to her as they have valuable lessons!
It is packed full of character development, we see alot of characters histories which connects alot of the plot together. At some points it is truly heartbreaking, focusing on isolation and loneliness, love and loss.
I loved Nydias writing, it is lyrical and atmospheric, not too dense or descriptive but I constantly found myself there at the circus! If you love fairy tales, historical fiction, magical realism then this one is for you!
Thanks to Hachette NZ for my gifted copy!
August 30, 2020
A blend of historical fiction and magical realism in a circus setting. I should have loved this, but really didn’t! I couldn’t connect to the main character despite the terrible story of her conception. We learn very little about her life as a tightrope walker even though it is what she is supposedly famed for. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
July 25, 2020
Born unwanted into a post-war circus family, Mouse is abandoned to grow up alone in the shadows of the big top.
Until a mysterious stranger with glowing flame-coloured hair joins the troupe.
Serendipity Wilson turns Mouse’s life upside down and turns her into the worlds greatest Funambulist.
But that’s just the beginning....
The story starts out with Mouse retelling her childhood through to present day in the form of a confessional to someone wanting to know more about her past.
What unfolds is something so magical, lyrical and spellbindingly breathtaking you will be convinced you are there with Mouse having to navigate her way through many trials which are far greater than balancing on the High wire! 🎪
Mouse is shunned by her mother, the main attraction of the circus and through being taken in by someone she once could only dream of even talking to, she soon casts a shadow that even leaves her estranged family shivering.
But surely this new found fame cannot last... Serendipity, her biggest fan and adopted family isn’t as flawless or pure as she seems and when an incident takes place in this charming, albeit dated circus, Mouse has no choice but to branch out and take matters into her own hands.
Will she ever find true happiness with those who care for her or will she break free and follow her dreams to become much more than a mere side-show attraction?
I cannot recommend this book enough. Seriously this book craves, wants, needs and deserves your undivided attention.
With life lesson fairy tales and gorgeously dark folklore sprinkled throughout, this story will leave you day dreaming of candy floss, fire-eaters, hook-a-duck and that one Funambulist you see dancing with such ease on that high wire.
🎪But be careful, no one can have their head in the clouds forever.🎪
Until a mysterious stranger with glowing flame-coloured hair joins the troupe.
Serendipity Wilson turns Mouse’s life upside down and turns her into the worlds greatest Funambulist.
But that’s just the beginning....
The story starts out with Mouse retelling her childhood through to present day in the form of a confessional to someone wanting to know more about her past.
What unfolds is something so magical, lyrical and spellbindingly breathtaking you will be convinced you are there with Mouse having to navigate her way through many trials which are far greater than balancing on the High wire! 🎪
Mouse is shunned by her mother, the main attraction of the circus and through being taken in by someone she once could only dream of even talking to, she soon casts a shadow that even leaves her estranged family shivering.
But surely this new found fame cannot last... Serendipity, her biggest fan and adopted family isn’t as flawless or pure as she seems and when an incident takes place in this charming, albeit dated circus, Mouse has no choice but to branch out and take matters into her own hands.
Will she ever find true happiness with those who care for her or will she break free and follow her dreams to become much more than a mere side-show attraction?
I cannot recommend this book enough. Seriously this book craves, wants, needs and deserves your undivided attention.
With life lesson fairy tales and gorgeously dark folklore sprinkled throughout, this story will leave you day dreaming of candy floss, fire-eaters, hook-a-duck and that one Funambulist you see dancing with such ease on that high wire.
🎪But be careful, no one can have their head in the clouds forever.🎪
September 11, 2021
Unfortunately I didn’t like this as much as I thought I would. Told in a disjointed way, it never really came together for me, the flow didn’t work. I loved Mouse, the narrator and the wonderfully named Serendipity Wilson, a foundling from the Isle of Mann. Her adaptations of traditional Manx tales were my favourite bits of the book. Some of the back stories of the various characters are very dark and certainly added depth to the stories.
August 25, 2020
Reviewed for Books and livres
I was browsing Netgalley when this gorgeous cover caught my eye. I read the summary and it looked unusual and interesting, so I requested it, began to read it... felt blocked from the start and had a hard time finishing it. Of course, almost everybody on Goodreads seems to love it !
To be honest, it might be a case of "it's not the book, it's me" because when I reached the second part of the story, I liked it better, began to appreciate the style. Unfortunately, I didn't care much about the characters, so even if I finally liked the writing, I still hard a hard time reading about them.
The book opens with the age-old trick of the interview of a celebrity. I've read it before, I'll probably read it again, but it felt contrived, the questions/answers and the supposed chemistry between journalist and artist felt unnatural. I was told, not shown. Then we read about the childhood of Mouse and it hardly kept my interest until we reached Marina's letter... The story she told was awful and you understood many things, saw her under a different light, but it was a sort of story I've read before. And the rhythm of the whole book was slow. I don't mind slow, usually, when it's interesting, but there I wasn't riveted.
I finally reached the end with a sigh of relief and of course, there was a twist that everybody is supposed to gasp at : I was just happy to have finished.
If this author writes anything else, I'll probably give it a try because there was definitely something in her style and her stories of ghosts, legends and all that. But just now, I need to read something completely different.
I was browsing Netgalley when this gorgeous cover caught my eye. I read the summary and it looked unusual and interesting, so I requested it, began to read it... felt blocked from the start and had a hard time finishing it. Of course, almost everybody on Goodreads seems to love it !
To be honest, it might be a case of "it's not the book, it's me" because when I reached the second part of the story, I liked it better, began to appreciate the style. Unfortunately, I didn't care much about the characters, so even if I finally liked the writing, I still hard a hard time reading about them.
The book opens with the age-old trick of the interview of a celebrity. I've read it before, I'll probably read it again, but it felt contrived, the questions/answers and the supposed chemistry between journalist and artist felt unnatural. I was told, not shown. Then we read about the childhood of Mouse and it hardly kept my interest until we reached Marina's letter... The story she told was awful and you understood many things, saw her under a different light, but it was a sort of story I've read before. And the rhythm of the whole book was slow. I don't mind slow, usually, when it's interesting, but there I wasn't riveted.
I finally reached the end with a sigh of relief and of course, there was a twist that everybody is supposed to gasp at : I was just happy to have finished.
If this author writes anything else, I'll probably give it a try because there was definitely something in her style and her stories of ghosts, legends and all that. But just now, I need to read something completely different.
July 28, 2020
This review was originally posted on RockStarlit BookAsylum!
Actual rating: 3.5*
I received an ARC from Quercus Books through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
A Girl Made of Air is the debut novel of Nydia Hetherington. As such, I had no idea what to expect and so didn’t have too high expectations either. Which is a good thing. I can’t say that I’ve read many books/stories with a circus setting, but it’s definitely something that captures my imagination. I just recently watched The Greatest Showman for example. I also have many memories regarding the circus – as a kid, there was hardly a year when I haven’t been at least once each summer. I remember that one time I was lucky enough to attend a Cirque du Soleil show a couple of years back – I was awestruck and deeply inspired when it was over. Anyway. I enjoy attending these events, not least because these artists make it seem so easy, so magical. And it’s anything but that.
As someone who is into rock and roll, and generally are interested in behind the scenes stories, I long left behind the illusions that life as an artist – be it any kind of art – is hardly ever about rainbows and happyness only. Sure, there are the lucky few who get everything and manage to keep their life together, but let’s face it, there are more than who do not.
The reason why I went into this lenghty intro is because A Girl Made of Air shows you the uglier side of the circus in a way. We are after WWII, things aren’t that bright to begin with. Money is hard to come by. The MC, whose real name we never learn, but who is called Mouse by her only friend, borns into this world. Her father is the animal tamer Manu, her mother is the star of the show, Marina, who swims with crocodiles. Her life should be full of wonder and adventure, but it’s not. Her parents doesn’t love her, the others pretty much ignore her, so it’s not much of a wonder she ends up being a socially awkward, shy child and person.
Her only friend is Serendipity Wilson – who weirdly is only referred to with her full name – a funambulist, who takes Mouse under her wings and teaches her what she knows. Be it funambulism, folk tales of Isle of Man or simply love.
Without going into spoilers much, A Girl Made of Air is mainly the life story of Mouse, although we also learn about the life of the others around her – her parents, the circus folks (Fausto the owner, Big Gen, Stella, Serendipity, John Frazer, etc.). It focuses more on personal relationships and hardships rather than the circus life which here is only just the stage to Mouse’s spotlight.
A Girl Made of Air is an interesting mix of diary entries, rememberings and present narratives. It creates an atmosphere which draws you in, but it also can be a hit or miss for people. I personally liked the writing style and Mouse’s story, but I’m not sure at all if I liked any of the characters and that’s what confuses me. Sympathized with them, was shocked by their actions, maybe even felt sorry for them, but never truly liked them. Maybe Serendipity and Cubby came the closest to that.
What I did like about them was that none of them were only good or bad. They all had their flaws, their good traits. They were all (painfully) human. Their personalities, decisions, lives formed by their experiences, not many of them good. Giving the more important side characters a background was also a nice touch, one I really appreciated because we got to understand them more in general and in relation to Mouse. Let’s take Marina’s past for example, that definitely was something I didn’t see coming and which very well affected their later relationship.
As for the MC, Mouse herself, she is a character I can’t puzzle out. She is that kind of MC who is very relatable but somehow you still can’t really like her. Or it might be just me. Her life in the circus is definitely not an easy one as I mentioned above until Serendipity enters her life to brighten it up. Not having any other friends, it’s not surprising she is attached to Serendipity and that wants to do everything in her power to make her happy, and that she makes somewhat naive decisions in the process. And then later some irrational ones which stands quite in contrast to her personality. At one hand I could very well relate to her – her awkwardness around people, the way she rather hid under wagons and tried not to have eye contact with anyone. I understood what was going on in her head. But then the second half of the book came around and I struggled to understand the sudden change in her personality upon meeting a person.
While I overall enjoyed A Girl Made of Air, I couldn’t help feeling that a different balance in the storytelling regarding the stages of her life would have worked better. The first half is mostly about her childhood, her life in the circus and how her legend as the The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Live started. Then we have about 45% of the second half reading about her life in Coney Island and the hight of her career, when she really became famous is just being told with big strokes, we only get the main facts, but personally I would have been much more interested in this period of her life than the rather lenghty part of her Coney Island life. Don’t get me wrong, it was interesting, but it really didn’t add too much overall. I can’t help leaving the book behind feeling like I wanted more out of it than I initially got.
Now that I got to this point in my review, I’m starting to realize that what makes me unable to decide how I feel about A Girl Made of Air is that I’m not sure what exactly the main point of it was. To tell the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived? Or to tell the story of her search for someone while also telling the story how she became a legend? She is telling her story to someone who is aware of the later part of her career but we, the readers aren’t really let into that part and I feel like that was a missed opportunity. As well as using more the era’s historical background, of which almost nothing seeps through.
On the other hand, A Girl Made of Air deals with heavy topics such as holocaust, suicide, child birth, rape, depression, grief, loss. Not very in details and sometimes only touching them, but they are there. Weighing heavily on our conscience all along.
Nydia Hetherington‘s A Girl Made of Air is a thought provoking debut, one that’s hard to put in a box or even describe. It needs a specific frame of mind to really enjoy and appreciate the complexity of the characters and the beauty of the writing. It definitely won’t be for everyone and that’s fine. I still urge you to give it a go if you like circus settings and a story about walking on a tight rope. Sometimes literally.
Actual rating: 3.5*
I received an ARC from Quercus Books through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
“The dream seems so real. That’s the power of dreams, the power of films, or books, of words. They deceive us, make us believe their lies, until the lights come up, we close the book, we open our eyes, and once again, we’re confined to our drudgery.”
A Girl Made of Air is the debut novel of Nydia Hetherington. As such, I had no idea what to expect and so didn’t have too high expectations either. Which is a good thing. I can’t say that I’ve read many books/stories with a circus setting, but it’s definitely something that captures my imagination. I just recently watched The Greatest Showman for example. I also have many memories regarding the circus – as a kid, there was hardly a year when I haven’t been at least once each summer. I remember that one time I was lucky enough to attend a Cirque du Soleil show a couple of years back – I was awestruck and deeply inspired when it was over. Anyway. I enjoy attending these events, not least because these artists make it seem so easy, so magical. And it’s anything but that.
As someone who is into rock and roll, and generally are interested in behind the scenes stories, I long left behind the illusions that life as an artist – be it any kind of art – is hardly ever about rainbows and happyness only. Sure, there are the lucky few who get everything and manage to keep their life together, but let’s face it, there are more than who do not.
The reason why I went into this lenghty intro is because A Girl Made of Air shows you the uglier side of the circus in a way. We are after WWII, things aren’t that bright to begin with. Money is hard to come by. The MC, whose real name we never learn, but who is called Mouse by her only friend, borns into this world. Her father is the animal tamer Manu, her mother is the star of the show, Marina, who swims with crocodiles. Her life should be full of wonder and adventure, but it’s not. Her parents doesn’t love her, the others pretty much ignore her, so it’s not much of a wonder she ends up being a socially awkward, shy child and person.
Her only friend is Serendipity Wilson – who weirdly is only referred to with her full name – a funambulist, who takes Mouse under her wings and teaches her what she knows. Be it funambulism, folk tales of Isle of Man or simply love.
“We must always have an equal voice. That1s why you must find yours, Mouse, in the end, good sense is what must be heard, no matter who speaks it.”
Without going into spoilers much, A Girl Made of Air is mainly the life story of Mouse, although we also learn about the life of the others around her – her parents, the circus folks (Fausto the owner, Big Gen, Stella, Serendipity, John Frazer, etc.). It focuses more on personal relationships and hardships rather than the circus life which here is only just the stage to Mouse’s spotlight.
A Girl Made of Air is an interesting mix of diary entries, rememberings and present narratives. It creates an atmosphere which draws you in, but it also can be a hit or miss for people. I personally liked the writing style and Mouse’s story, but I’m not sure at all if I liked any of the characters and that’s what confuses me. Sympathized with them, was shocked by their actions, maybe even felt sorry for them, but never truly liked them. Maybe Serendipity and Cubby came the closest to that.
What I did like about them was that none of them were only good or bad. They all had their flaws, their good traits. They were all (painfully) human. Their personalities, decisions, lives formed by their experiences, not many of them good. Giving the more important side characters a background was also a nice touch, one I really appreciated because we got to understand them more in general and in relation to Mouse. Let’s take Marina’s past for example, that definitely was something I didn’t see coming and which very well affected their later relationship.
As for the MC, Mouse herself, she is a character I can’t puzzle out. She is that kind of MC who is very relatable but somehow you still can’t really like her. Or it might be just me. Her life in the circus is definitely not an easy one as I mentioned above until Serendipity enters her life to brighten it up. Not having any other friends, it’s not surprising she is attached to Serendipity and that wants to do everything in her power to make her happy, and that she makes somewhat naive decisions in the process. And then later some irrational ones which stands quite in contrast to her personality. At one hand I could very well relate to her – her awkwardness around people, the way she rather hid under wagons and tried not to have eye contact with anyone. I understood what was going on in her head. But then the second half of the book came around and I struggled to understand the sudden change in her personality upon meeting a person.
“Being on the high wire is like being in a different world. It’s quieter than the down-below place, the air somehow softer, as if it wants to wrap me up.”
While I overall enjoyed A Girl Made of Air, I couldn’t help feeling that a different balance in the storytelling regarding the stages of her life would have worked better. The first half is mostly about her childhood, her life in the circus and how her legend as the The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Live started. Then we have about 45% of the second half reading about her life in Coney Island and the hight of her career, when she really became famous is just being told with big strokes, we only get the main facts, but personally I would have been much more interested in this period of her life than the rather lenghty part of her Coney Island life. Don’t get me wrong, it was interesting, but it really didn’t add too much overall. I can’t help leaving the book behind feeling like I wanted more out of it than I initially got.
Now that I got to this point in my review, I’m starting to realize that what makes me unable to decide how I feel about A Girl Made of Air is that I’m not sure what exactly the main point of it was. To tell the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived? Or to tell the story of her search for someone while also telling the story how she became a legend? She is telling her story to someone who is aware of the later part of her career but we, the readers aren’t really let into that part and I feel like that was a missed opportunity. As well as using more the era’s historical background, of which almost nothing seeps through.
“Everyone is the star of their own show, performing for the passing, faceless crowds. We are all clowns.”
On the other hand, A Girl Made of Air deals with heavy topics such as holocaust, suicide, child birth, rape, depression, grief, loss. Not very in details and sometimes only touching them, but they are there. Weighing heavily on our conscience all along.
Nydia Hetherington‘s A Girl Made of Air is a thought provoking debut, one that’s hard to put in a box or even describe. It needs a specific frame of mind to really enjoy and appreciate the complexity of the characters and the beauty of the writing. It definitely won’t be for everyone and that’s fine. I still urge you to give it a go if you like circus settings and a story about walking on a tight rope. Sometimes literally.
November 9, 2020
Roll up for a magical mystical tour with the travelling circus! The unusual hybrid of genres reflects the mix of weird and wonderful circus acts and the dual life of the performing artistes. Dickensian melodrama blends with Gothic fable, myth and folklore. However, under the glamour of the Big Top and the spell of the dreamlike prose - a fine rendition by the reader on the audio version - lie nightmare topics such as suicide, sexual abuse and childhood neglect - so best not to read or listen before bedtime.
Read and reviewed for Whichbook.net
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC via NetGalley
Read and reviewed for Whichbook.net
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC via NetGalley
June 5, 2020
A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington
As soon as I heard of this book, I knew I had to read it. Being a fan of historical and circus-themed storylines, I was hooked from the get-go.
Now, this book doesn’t heavily focus on the ins and outs of circus life, that isn’t the crux of the story. It focuses on the life of an unnamed funambulist (we’ll call her Mouse), who was known as The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived. She is plagued with regret. The story goes back and forth between times. After meeting with a journalist, the protagonist decides to explain her life by rewriting her old journal entries, sharing old letters and memories. Many of the events are horrifying and tainted with melancholy, one being the reason for Mouse writing her life story in the first place. Others are so wonderfully beautiful, like how she remembers the feeling being in the big top: “Being on the high wire is like being in a different world. It’s quieter than the down-below place, the air somehow softer as if it wants to wrap me up.”
An aspect of the book that I adored was the chapters dedicated to Serendipity Wilson, Mouse’s mentor. They mostly contained folklores, which I found absolutely fascinating and magical. I had to research them, to see if they were real tales. They are. True, Manx myths which Serendipity Wilson loved regaling due to her mysterious heritage.
Nydia is an exceptional storyteller, her beautifully lyrical writing style captivated me throughout. I’m in disbelief that this is her debut novel. I am in no doubt that any stories to come will be equally as wonderful.
This book gets 4.5 stars from me.
Thank you to Quercus Books for my gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I heard of this book, I knew I had to read it. Being a fan of historical and circus-themed storylines, I was hooked from the get-go.
Now, this book doesn’t heavily focus on the ins and outs of circus life, that isn’t the crux of the story. It focuses on the life of an unnamed funambulist (we’ll call her Mouse), who was known as The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived. She is plagued with regret. The story goes back and forth between times. After meeting with a journalist, the protagonist decides to explain her life by rewriting her old journal entries, sharing old letters and memories. Many of the events are horrifying and tainted with melancholy, one being the reason for Mouse writing her life story in the first place. Others are so wonderfully beautiful, like how she remembers the feeling being in the big top: “Being on the high wire is like being in a different world. It’s quieter than the down-below place, the air somehow softer as if it wants to wrap me up.”
An aspect of the book that I adored was the chapters dedicated to Serendipity Wilson, Mouse’s mentor. They mostly contained folklores, which I found absolutely fascinating and magical. I had to research them, to see if they were real tales. They are. True, Manx myths which Serendipity Wilson loved regaling due to her mysterious heritage.
Nydia is an exceptional storyteller, her beautifully lyrical writing style captivated me throughout. I’m in disbelief that this is her debut novel. I am in no doubt that any stories to come will be equally as wonderful.
This book gets 4.5 stars from me.
Thank you to Quercus Books for my gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2021
my Discover the locations in the novel
Oh a novel about a circus, set in England and Coney island, featuring a funambulist by the name of Mouse? They were the first three reasons to read this book. The cover was another one. There were many more, believe me.
Mouse is the leading figure in this showstopper of a story. How she got that name is both sad and interesting, but we meet her as as adult as she remembers and indeed, recovers from her childhood. There’s lots of stories to come out of this one but be aware there are some dark and very sad, poignant moments too.
Mouse isn’t the only one with a great name however. Serendipity, the tightrope queen with hair as red as rubies takes Mouse under her wing and gets her into the spotlight so to speak. Their friendship is fascinating to see how it develops and the characters are drawn so vividly that I’m sure I would recognise either of them in the street. The tightrope walking scenes will make the hairs on the back of your neck stick up!
The story of The Girl Made of Air is told y Mouse who corresponds with a journalist in New York and through letters and other things, we learn of Mouse’s story. How she joins and loves the circus, then how she is forced to leave it and find her own way in life. Tragedy is always waiting in the wings but Mouse seeks the spotlight as a street performer in Coney Island for now. She has come here for one reason and one reason only. That is the story we see threaded and woven throughout the novel. Like a circus performer yourself, you as the reader will swing back and forth from happiness to sadness, elation to sorrow and wonderment to shock.
This is a novel of light and dark. Dark shadows as you wait for the bright lights of the main scene to come on. There are dark shadows floating all around you, behind you and beside you. This is a circus tent where shadows and corners of darkness are the norm. What this author does however, is weave a magical world – yet this is a dangerous and dank world of behind the scenes of a circus. Think Grim Fairy Tales and stories of fables and surreal worlds. Then roll up for a spectacular of a show you will never forget. But bring your hankies and your candles for when the darkness gets too much.
July 15, 2020
When I read the read the blurb for A girl made of air, I was expecting a book like The Night Circus. But it was quite different. This is several fairy tales intwined in a magical tale. It is quite unusual.
This is the tale is Mouse as she is called. She is a funambulist or a tight rope walker to you and me. She is the best of her craft. It tells us the story of her birth and the relationships between her mother, nor did her father take any notice of her and their lives in the circus. Her mother did not love her and let her roam the circus grounds. The only one that took notice of her is Serendipity Walker with her bright orange hair, who taught her to walk the rope and her daughter Bunny. Then Serendipity having a serious illness they decide that Bunny goes to stay with her estranged father. But they are never seen again. “Mouse” goes on the search to find them leaving the circus behind forever.
Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for a copy of A Girl made of Air. This is a mystical story which at first was quite hard to get into. But then it told the story of Mouse and her family and the tale of folklore and mystical creatures. To be honest I preferred the little folklore stories than the “big picture” and I thought it just went on a bit far too long.
This is the tale is Mouse as she is called. She is a funambulist or a tight rope walker to you and me. She is the best of her craft. It tells us the story of her birth and the relationships between her mother, nor did her father take any notice of her and their lives in the circus. Her mother did not love her and let her roam the circus grounds. The only one that took notice of her is Serendipity Walker with her bright orange hair, who taught her to walk the rope and her daughter Bunny. Then Serendipity having a serious illness they decide that Bunny goes to stay with her estranged father. But they are never seen again. “Mouse” goes on the search to find them leaving the circus behind forever.
Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for a copy of A Girl made of Air. This is a mystical story which at first was quite hard to get into. But then it told the story of Mouse and her family and the tale of folklore and mystical creatures. To be honest I preferred the little folklore stories than the “big picture” and I thought it just went on a bit far too long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2021
I was so excited for this one. Ever since reading The Night Circus I have loved books about the circus, and the cover for this one really caught my eye.
I struggled a lot with this one however. I found the narrator selfish and as a result I really could not care about what happened to her. The author is a really good writer and this had all the makings of a great novel, but the depressing storyline and characters sadly made it a miss for me.
I struggled a lot with this one however. I found the narrator selfish and as a result I really could not care about what happened to her. The author is a really good writer and this had all the makings of a great novel, but the depressing storyline and characters sadly made it a miss for me.
May 21, 2021
3.5 stars. I’m really not quite sure what I made of this book. So many things I liked and didn’t like. I liked the myths interwoven with the story. I didn’t like the main character. I liked the fact that it featured both a British circus, and an act in Coney Island. I didn’t like that the timeline was so unclear - how much time passed during each stage of the narrator’s story. I liked the subtle bits of magical realism. Hmm... an interesting one!
March 31, 2020
Roll up, roll up for a magical circus adventure! A beguiling tale of a life less ordinary. Beautifully written.
Pure escapist fiction.
Pure escapist fiction.
January 2, 2021
Novel set in the circus CONEY ISLAND/ENGLAND
Our protagonist, known only by her nickname “mouse” throughout the novel, was born into a post-war circus family and was almost totally neglected and forgotten, left to creep about at the feet of the circus people, spying on the events in the big top and finding what nourishment and comfort she could. Aptly nicknamed. And then Serendipity Wilson, fabulous, surreal funambulist with flaming red hair, takes her under her wing, nurtures her and draws her out of the shadows into the light (and indeed the limelight).
The novel commences with Mouse as an adult, haunted by the events of her childhood generally and specifically by the loss of a child from the circus. It is through her eyes that we follow the events of the novel, as she narrates the story of her life in a series of correspondence to a New York Times journalist. We learn how she, under the tutelage of Serendipity, learns the art of the funambulist, eventually becoming the star of the circus and how she, for a while, becomes part of a family with Serendipity and her baby, Bunny. But tragedy is always lurking in the wings and, following a series of dreadful events, Mouse leaves the unconventional life of the circus to flee to New York and begin a life as a Coney Island Street performer, finally achieving fame. She is driven, however, not by ambition but by guilt, guilt for the loss of the child from the circus, for which she feels responsible and by the need to hunt her down.
The narrative is interspersed with dark and magical traditional Manx fables, which add to the sense of unreality in the novel. It is difficult to distinguish between illusion and reality, artifice and openness. The reader is often in the same place as poor Mouse, not understanding the world around them. The characterisation in A Girl Made of Air is nothing short of a tour de force. These are vivid creatures of light and shade (granted more shade than light) who appear briefly in the narrative then move off into the wings, from Manu and Marina, Mouse’s neglectful parents, who are more obsessed with their own lives and issues to care for her, to Serendipity, part earth-mother, part disturbing spirit. It is only when she reaches New York that Mouse finds some people who are really there for her, although we need to see beneath the grotesque surface to find their true worth.
A Girl Made of Air brings its twin settings of an English circus and New York’s Coney Island to life in all of their grime and glitter, although it has to be said that, overall, we see much more of the dirt, the depravity and the grotesque than we do of magic and wonder. The novel is skilfully crafted, packed with powerful imagery and description, which stays in the reader’s mind. It’s not a cheerful read but it feels extremely powerful and truthful.
Our protagonist, known only by her nickname “mouse” throughout the novel, was born into a post-war circus family and was almost totally neglected and forgotten, left to creep about at the feet of the circus people, spying on the events in the big top and finding what nourishment and comfort she could. Aptly nicknamed. And then Serendipity Wilson, fabulous, surreal funambulist with flaming red hair, takes her under her wing, nurtures her and draws her out of the shadows into the light (and indeed the limelight).
The novel commences with Mouse as an adult, haunted by the events of her childhood generally and specifically by the loss of a child from the circus. It is through her eyes that we follow the events of the novel, as she narrates the story of her life in a series of correspondence to a New York Times journalist. We learn how she, under the tutelage of Serendipity, learns the art of the funambulist, eventually becoming the star of the circus and how she, for a while, becomes part of a family with Serendipity and her baby, Bunny. But tragedy is always lurking in the wings and, following a series of dreadful events, Mouse leaves the unconventional life of the circus to flee to New York and begin a life as a Coney Island Street performer, finally achieving fame. She is driven, however, not by ambition but by guilt, guilt for the loss of the child from the circus, for which she feels responsible and by the need to hunt her down.
The narrative is interspersed with dark and magical traditional Manx fables, which add to the sense of unreality in the novel. It is difficult to distinguish between illusion and reality, artifice and openness. The reader is often in the same place as poor Mouse, not understanding the world around them. The characterisation in A Girl Made of Air is nothing short of a tour de force. These are vivid creatures of light and shade (granted more shade than light) who appear briefly in the narrative then move off into the wings, from Manu and Marina, Mouse’s neglectful parents, who are more obsessed with their own lives and issues to care for her, to Serendipity, part earth-mother, part disturbing spirit. It is only when she reaches New York that Mouse finds some people who are really there for her, although we need to see beneath the grotesque surface to find their true worth.
A Girl Made of Air brings its twin settings of an English circus and New York’s Coney Island to life in all of their grime and glitter, although it has to be said that, overall, we see much more of the dirt, the depravity and the grotesque than we do of magic and wonder. The novel is skilfully crafted, packed with powerful imagery and description, which stays in the reader’s mind. It’s not a cheerful read but it feels extremely powerful and truthful.
June 6, 2021
Thank you Netgalley for this arc
I was torn on the rating for this one, between a 3 and 4. It qas darker and more sad than expected, but I likes the story and the writing. It reminded me, in a way, of rhe Night Circus, though much darker even with its whimsical feeling.
Our main character, Mouse, is telling her life story, writing it down to share with a reporter. Through the story I struggled to place her current age though I assume 30s or 40s, not too old but qith a life that has seen a lot.
I enjoyed the story, and the stories within the story were a nice touch.
This was very much a character driven story with a little mystery thrown in. I did like how it ended, with hope but not happy.
Be warned there are a lot of content warnings for sexual assault, death, child abuse and neglect, suicide, and genocide.
All in all I am still torn on this book but have to say it was a good book
I was torn on the rating for this one, between a 3 and 4. It qas darker and more sad than expected, but I likes the story and the writing. It reminded me, in a way, of rhe Night Circus, though much darker even with its whimsical feeling.
Our main character, Mouse, is telling her life story, writing it down to share with a reporter. Through the story I struggled to place her current age though I assume 30s or 40s, not too old but qith a life that has seen a lot.
I enjoyed the story, and the stories within the story were a nice touch.
This was very much a character driven story with a little mystery thrown in. I did like how it ended, with hope but not happy.
Be warned there are a lot of content warnings for sexual assault, death, child abuse and neglect, suicide, and genocide.
All in all I am still torn on this book but have to say it was a good book
September 3, 2020
My thanks to Quercus Books for granting my wish to receive an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Girl Made of Air’ by Nydia Hetherington. Also, to Hachette Audio U.K./Quercus Audio for its companion audiobook also via NetGalley, narrated by Natalie Pela.
I try to approach novels with few expectations but the prepublication buzz comparing this debut novel with the writings of Angela Carter and Erin Morgenstern did catch my eye and heightened my feelings of anticipation.
However, it was quickly clear that this novel was not a work of fantasy or magical realism in strict terms. Yes, there are mentions of faeries and a number of fantastical tales, based on Manx folklore, that are incorporated into the narrative. Yet these on their own don’t equate to fantasy in my view.
Rather I class this as a work of literary historical fiction with elements of folklore. It is set after WWII and chronicles the life of a woman described as The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived. I had never heard this term before and had to look it up - it’s the formal term for a tightrope walker. I have a fear of heights so even the thought of tightrope walking makes me nervous. I tried to read through my chills.
We never learn our narrator’s name, only the nickname given to her by members of the circus family that she was born into - Mouse. Her mother, Marina, was the star of the show yet she never wanted Mouse and basically ignores her existence. Mouse grows up unloved in the shadows.
Then the flamboyant, flame haired, Serendipity Wilson, a talented tightrope artist joins the circus. Serendipity Wilson becomes a mentor to Mouse and trains her to walk the high wire. Events happen, some tragic. There are horrific revelations. Later, as an adult, Mouse leaves the U.K. and relocates to the USA becoming part of the Coney Island community of boardwalk performers. Still, Mouse is haunted by the memory of the child, named Bunny, who was lost to the circus.
In the present of the novel, following her retirement from public life, she is reaching out through an interview weaving together her memories of the circus with stories of earthy magic and folklore, in the hope of finding Bunny.
This was a beautifully written, fascinating tale. As noted above, I quickly set aside my prior expectations and just settled in and enjoyed the novel for what it was.
I would have loved to learn more of Mouse’s later career as a cabaret star and her celebrity exploits that were only mentioned in passing as these were apparently well known to her audience. Not to us, Mouse!
It is a novel that is quite bleak in places though Nydia Hetherington’s lyrical prose elevated even these darker aspects. Her descriptions throughout were very vivid bringing the novel’s characters and setting to life, including the circus animals Mouse loves. I was especially fond of Solomon, the llama.
I likely will be recommending it to my reading group as a future selection as well as obtaining my own hardback copy, which is exquisitely presented.
In terms of its audiobook edition, Natalie Pela has a lovely voice and was well suited to narrate Mouse’s story. It made for a rich listening experience that complimented my reading of the text.
Following this impressive debut, I certainly will be looking forward to Nydia Hetherington’s future projects.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
I try to approach novels with few expectations but the prepublication buzz comparing this debut novel with the writings of Angela Carter and Erin Morgenstern did catch my eye and heightened my feelings of anticipation.
However, it was quickly clear that this novel was not a work of fantasy or magical realism in strict terms. Yes, there are mentions of faeries and a number of fantastical tales, based on Manx folklore, that are incorporated into the narrative. Yet these on their own don’t equate to fantasy in my view.
Rather I class this as a work of literary historical fiction with elements of folklore. It is set after WWII and chronicles the life of a woman described as The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived. I had never heard this term before and had to look it up - it’s the formal term for a tightrope walker. I have a fear of heights so even the thought of tightrope walking makes me nervous. I tried to read through my chills.
We never learn our narrator’s name, only the nickname given to her by members of the circus family that she was born into - Mouse. Her mother, Marina, was the star of the show yet she never wanted Mouse and basically ignores her existence. Mouse grows up unloved in the shadows.
Then the flamboyant, flame haired, Serendipity Wilson, a talented tightrope artist joins the circus. Serendipity Wilson becomes a mentor to Mouse and trains her to walk the high wire. Events happen, some tragic. There are horrific revelations. Later, as an adult, Mouse leaves the U.K. and relocates to the USA becoming part of the Coney Island community of boardwalk performers. Still, Mouse is haunted by the memory of the child, named Bunny, who was lost to the circus.
In the present of the novel, following her retirement from public life, she is reaching out through an interview weaving together her memories of the circus with stories of earthy magic and folklore, in the hope of finding Bunny.
This was a beautifully written, fascinating tale. As noted above, I quickly set aside my prior expectations and just settled in and enjoyed the novel for what it was.
I would have loved to learn more of Mouse’s later career as a cabaret star and her celebrity exploits that were only mentioned in passing as these were apparently well known to her audience. Not to us, Mouse!
It is a novel that is quite bleak in places though Nydia Hetherington’s lyrical prose elevated even these darker aspects. Her descriptions throughout were very vivid bringing the novel’s characters and setting to life, including the circus animals Mouse loves. I was especially fond of Solomon, the llama.
I likely will be recommending it to my reading group as a future selection as well as obtaining my own hardback copy, which is exquisitely presented.
In terms of its audiobook edition, Natalie Pela has a lovely voice and was well suited to narrate Mouse’s story. It made for a rich listening experience that complimented my reading of the text.
Following this impressive debut, I certainly will be looking forward to Nydia Hetherington’s future projects.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
September 7, 2020
04/09/2020
Whoa. Full review to come.
--
07/09/2020
This book was provided to me by Hachette Aus in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington is the story of the Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived. Mouse was born into a circus life where neither her mother nor father desired to look after her. Serendipity Wilson, another circus member, becomes Mouse’s carer and guardian as she teaches her how to become a funambulist. This story explores the desperate need to right wrongs of the past, in particular in trying to find Serendipity’s lost child Bunny.
This book opens with a dream giving us insight into Mouse’s trauma and state of mind. It felt like a piece of a fairytale story being intertwined with the rest of the novel. The real entry point of the novel is when Mouse is sitting down, being interviewed by a New York Times reporter about her ‘retirement’ from being a funambulist. After the interview, Mouse takes it upon herself to write up her life story to give to this journalist. Using a series of old journals, letters, and perfect recollection, Mouse recalls her life and who she was before she earned the title of ‘The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived.’
A Girl Made of Air gives off the vibe of being a fantasy novel set in our own world, much like another famous circus story ‘Night Circus’ by Erin Morgenstern. Unlike Night Circus which has real magic blooming in the universe, A Girl Made of Air is actually a historical fiction infused with magical realism that allows it to feel like a world where fairies and magic truly strive in.
The beauty of this book comes from the fact that it reads like an autobiography with fairytale life lessons inserted between significant plot points. These fairytale-like stories actually stories handed down to Mouse from Serendipity Wilson’s childhood fables. This fragmentation of diary and legends gave the tale its magical elemental.
This story is dazzling, but it also had tragedy and grief spilling from the seams. Each twist and turn is unexpected, and there are moments that you may lose yourself in the mystical world, forgetting that there is no real magic but just tales we say to see the world a bit more enchanting than it actually is.
Whoa. Full review to come.
--
07/09/2020
This book was provided to me by Hachette Aus in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington is the story of the Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived. Mouse was born into a circus life where neither her mother nor father desired to look after her. Serendipity Wilson, another circus member, becomes Mouse’s carer and guardian as she teaches her how to become a funambulist. This story explores the desperate need to right wrongs of the past, in particular in trying to find Serendipity’s lost child Bunny.
This book opens with a dream giving us insight into Mouse’s trauma and state of mind. It felt like a piece of a fairytale story being intertwined with the rest of the novel. The real entry point of the novel is when Mouse is sitting down, being interviewed by a New York Times reporter about her ‘retirement’ from being a funambulist. After the interview, Mouse takes it upon herself to write up her life story to give to this journalist. Using a series of old journals, letters, and perfect recollection, Mouse recalls her life and who she was before she earned the title of ‘The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived.’
A Girl Made of Air gives off the vibe of being a fantasy novel set in our own world, much like another famous circus story ‘Night Circus’ by Erin Morgenstern. Unlike Night Circus which has real magic blooming in the universe, A Girl Made of Air is actually a historical fiction infused with magical realism that allows it to feel like a world where fairies and magic truly strive in.
The beauty of this book comes from the fact that it reads like an autobiography with fairytale life lessons inserted between significant plot points. These fairytale-like stories actually stories handed down to Mouse from Serendipity Wilson’s childhood fables. This fragmentation of diary and legends gave the tale its magical elemental.
This story is dazzling, but it also had tragedy and grief spilling from the seams. Each twist and turn is unexpected, and there are moments that you may lose yourself in the mystical world, forgetting that there is no real magic but just tales we say to see the world a bit more enchanting than it actually is.
November 11, 2020
With one of the most attractive cover designs of the year, A Girl Made of Air is the debut novel by Nydia Hetherington. Beginning as an interview for the New York Times, our narrator slowly begins to share her life story. The reader learns upfront she was the The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived and now finds herself searching for a lost child. (Fun fact: A funambulist is a tightrope walker).
Mouse was born into a circus family but remained an outcast within the unusual circus community. Her mother and father didn't take an interest in her upbringing and Mouse was left to her own devices and withdrew into herself. When Serendipity Wilson came along, Mouse's entire world changed.
This story is told by Mouse in her later years as she reflects on her life and shares details that build towards her search for a person lost in time. In order to piece together her history, Mouse shares her memories, letters and journal entries in an attempt to pull together the story of her life. She also includes stories within stories that were felt like fables, myths and folklore. The style put me in mind of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings; both read earlier this year.
The narrator gives us the impression of a table covered with snippets that she is crafting into a cohesive story but I found it was too piecemeal for me. I didn't find this method particularly effective and it felt a little disjointed for my liking. It'd be interesting to know if the story was 'carved up' into this style to suit the narrative or whether it was written in this style and the narrative grew up around the content to explain the various 'entries' and insertion of different material.
Adding to the disrupted flow was the lack of dialogue punctuation and the use of italics to indicate when certain characters were speaking. I know this is a popular literary device, however I'm one of those readers who struggles without punctuation for speech.
Given the circus setting, I'm sure comparisons will be made between A Girl Made of Air and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, but I haven't read The Night Circus so it didn't influence my reading experience of this novel in any way; positive or negative.
A Girl Made of Air is an historical fiction fantasy novel touched by magical realism with characters you will remember. The narrator often addresses the reader (or interviewer for whom this text is intended) directly, and I'll leave you with an example from page 318:
'Are you wondering if there's to be a happy ending? I wish I could tell you. We must find the answer together.' Page 318
If you enjoyed The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, I think you'll love this.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
Mouse was born into a circus family but remained an outcast within the unusual circus community. Her mother and father didn't take an interest in her upbringing and Mouse was left to her own devices and withdrew into herself. When Serendipity Wilson came along, Mouse's entire world changed.
This story is told by Mouse in her later years as she reflects on her life and shares details that build towards her search for a person lost in time. In order to piece together her history, Mouse shares her memories, letters and journal entries in an attempt to pull together the story of her life. She also includes stories within stories that were felt like fables, myths and folklore. The style put me in mind of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings; both read earlier this year.
The narrator gives us the impression of a table covered with snippets that she is crafting into a cohesive story but I found it was too piecemeal for me. I didn't find this method particularly effective and it felt a little disjointed for my liking. It'd be interesting to know if the story was 'carved up' into this style to suit the narrative or whether it was written in this style and the narrative grew up around the content to explain the various 'entries' and insertion of different material.
Adding to the disrupted flow was the lack of dialogue punctuation and the use of italics to indicate when certain characters were speaking. I know this is a popular literary device, however I'm one of those readers who struggles without punctuation for speech.
Given the circus setting, I'm sure comparisons will be made between A Girl Made of Air and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, but I haven't read The Night Circus so it didn't influence my reading experience of this novel in any way; positive or negative.
A Girl Made of Air is an historical fiction fantasy novel touched by magical realism with characters you will remember. The narrator often addresses the reader (or interviewer for whom this text is intended) directly, and I'll leave you with an example from page 318:
'Are you wondering if there's to be a happy ending? I wish I could tell you. We must find the answer together.' Page 318
If you enjoyed The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, I think you'll love this.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
June 20, 2023
A child was born in the circus but was unloved. That changed when Serendipity Wilson arrived, but that relationship was all but ruined when Serendipity has a daughter of her own and becomes deathly ill. The baby has to leave, but she takes Serendipity's heart and soul with her, and when she disappears, the protagonist realizes she must do everything she can to find the child once more.
Dear readers, I fell in love with this stunning cover, and I was imagining breathtaking magic, based on the title. I was told this book is perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern, a bit of high praise indeed!
Friends, I was sorely misled.
While the Night Circus is a swirling miasma of enchantment and unexpected cruelty and love, A Girl Made of Air is a look at all the ways someone can be broken. Sure, we manage to claw our way back to a hopeful future once more, but there's nothing beautiful about the trauma we go through along the way. I'd be much less disappointed if the cover and title and blurb were not so misleading! As a tale of losing and finding, as a novel with an unreliable narrator, as an unencumbered view of why people do what they do, this is honestly a really well-crafted tale. But it's also dirty and full of the worst sorts of degeneracy. The words are not poetic. There's only the faintest trail of magic here, and we have good reason to believe that the magic only happens because the narrator is slowly going insane. No, there's no glory here, but as long as you walk in knowing that, you might still enjoy this book.
Dear readers, I fell in love with this stunning cover, and I was imagining breathtaking magic, based on the title. I was told this book is perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern, a bit of high praise indeed!
Friends, I was sorely misled.
While the Night Circus is a swirling miasma of enchantment and unexpected cruelty and love, A Girl Made of Air is a look at all the ways someone can be broken. Sure, we manage to claw our way back to a hopeful future once more, but there's nothing beautiful about the trauma we go through along the way. I'd be much less disappointed if the cover and title and blurb were not so misleading! As a tale of losing and finding, as a novel with an unreliable narrator, as an unencumbered view of why people do what they do, this is honestly a really well-crafted tale. But it's also dirty and full of the worst sorts of degeneracy. The words are not poetic. There's only the faintest trail of magic here, and we have good reason to believe that the magic only happens because the narrator is slowly going insane. No, there's no glory here, but as long as you walk in knowing that, you might still enjoy this book.
September 15, 2020
Oh how I wanted to love this book! It promised magic and adventure, mystery and myth and I couldn't wait to open a page and find myself in a circus filled with quirky characters - where the impossible is possible. Unfortunately, like the a certain funambulist, my experience of this book fell a bit short of my expectations.
I listened to the audiobook (very kindly provided by Netgalley) and maybe the narration and delivery just didn't work for me, but I never felt invested in any of the characters. The dialogue was stilted and didn't feel natural. The story dragged in places and involved great detail (like an icky, rather disturbing 'love scene') and other times felt rushed - especially towards to end.
I really enjoyed the myths and stories dispersed between the main plot, and felt the investment I craved when we learned about Marina's past. It was written well - albeit a bit scattered. Maybe if I'd gone into this with lower expectations I would have enjoyed it more.
I listened to the audiobook (very kindly provided by Netgalley) and maybe the narration and delivery just didn't work for me, but I never felt invested in any of the characters. The dialogue was stilted and didn't feel natural. The story dragged in places and involved great detail (like an icky, rather disturbing 'love scene') and other times felt rushed - especially towards to end.
I really enjoyed the myths and stories dispersed between the main plot, and felt the investment I craved when we learned about Marina's past. It was written well - albeit a bit scattered. Maybe if I'd gone into this with lower expectations I would have enjoyed it more.
November 8, 2021
I'm not crying, you are.
Gosh, I absolutely devoured this. It's so painfully, incredibly beautiful that I'm probably going to be thinking about it for the next year. Wow.
Gosh, I absolutely devoured this. It's so painfully, incredibly beautiful that I'm probably going to be thinking about it for the next year. Wow.
Read
May 30, 2022Another review copy I’m DNFing this year after Sally Rooney’s BWWAY. Told in a lyrical manner and cursive writing style is a story of an unnamed girl born in the circus whose been abandoned by her parents her whole life. Serendipity Wilson kind of adopted her and called her Mouse 🤷🏻♀️ later, she becomes the star of the circus as well after discovering her talent of rope walking.
(Malay) legend has it, emak dia duyung 🧜♀️ (one of the fables told by Serendipity) dan emak dia buat show dengan buaya 🐊 really? pastu belum sempat nak empati dengan nasib budak ni, dia macam eh takpe lah ok je. pastu cerita sedih lagi. pastu eh takde lah teruk sangat. pastu kejadian sedih lagi. pastu eh ok je ni. Yang sedihnya lepas Serendipity Wilson hamil anak kepada seorang lelaki tua yang dah beristeri, Mouse mula tarik muka. She’s confused and angry at the same time at Serendipity upon finding out a person so dear to her is with a child. Kesian jugalah dia hilang satu-satunya orang yang sayang dan ambil berat tentang dia.
This book is definitely not for me. I think its boring, with uninteresting plots and tiring to follow narrative.
(Malay) legend has it, emak dia duyung 🧜♀️ (one of the fables told by Serendipity) dan emak dia buat show dengan buaya 🐊 really? pastu belum sempat nak empati dengan nasib budak ni, dia macam eh takpe lah ok je. pastu cerita sedih lagi. pastu eh takde lah teruk sangat. pastu kejadian sedih lagi. pastu eh ok je ni. Yang sedihnya lepas Serendipity Wilson hamil anak kepada seorang lelaki tua yang dah beristeri, Mouse mula tarik muka. She’s confused and angry at the same time at Serendipity upon finding out a person so dear to her is with a child. Kesian jugalah dia hilang satu-satunya orang yang sayang dan ambil berat tentang dia.
This book is definitely not for me. I think its boring, with uninteresting plots and tiring to follow narrative.
May 15, 2020
Having recently been bewitched by books by Erin Morgenstern and Angela Carter, the mention of both in the blurb for 'A Girl Made of Air' raised high expectations – but also the worry that it might be a crushing disappointment if it failed to meet them. Thankfully, it didn't. This book is wonderful.
I suspect every review when it comes out will mention 'The Night Circus' thanks to the circus in which much (not all though) of this story is set. It's no copycat novel though: 'less magic and more myths' would be my flippant way of describing the main difference.
But the style too. 'A Girl Made of Air' is told in a much more fragmented way: 'Mouse' is retelling her life story to a journalist, sometimes with scraps of journals from the time and sometimes looking back from now. There are also some folklore stories told in the voice of Serendipity Wilson, her mentor (which, to add another comparison, reminded me of another wonderful book: Zoe Gilbert's 'Folk').
There are plenty of jagged edges to the story too: bad things happen to good people, and terrible decisions lead to awful consequences sometimes. If I say it feels fairytale-esque, that's very much in the not-censored-for-modern-children sense of the word. Much of the writing is beautiful, but it can be deliciously earthy too – I'm going to struggle to forget the 'like trying to squash a marshmallow into a slot machine' line anytime soon...
'A Girl Made of Air' lived up to my expectations given the comparisons, but it also subverted them too: it's very much its own thing. The backstory of Mouse's mother Marina alone – and its impact on her relationship with her daughter – alone is deeper and darker than anything I've seen in many novels around this genre. This book and its characters are going to linger with me for a long time, I think.
Thank you to Quercus Books for sending me an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book in return for an honest review.
I suspect every review when it comes out will mention 'The Night Circus' thanks to the circus in which much (not all though) of this story is set. It's no copycat novel though: 'less magic and more myths' would be my flippant way of describing the main difference.
But the style too. 'A Girl Made of Air' is told in a much more fragmented way: 'Mouse' is retelling her life story to a journalist, sometimes with scraps of journals from the time and sometimes looking back from now. There are also some folklore stories told in the voice of Serendipity Wilson, her mentor (which, to add another comparison, reminded me of another wonderful book: Zoe Gilbert's 'Folk').
There are plenty of jagged edges to the story too: bad things happen to good people, and terrible decisions lead to awful consequences sometimes. If I say it feels fairytale-esque, that's very much in the not-censored-for-modern-children sense of the word. Much of the writing is beautiful, but it can be deliciously earthy too – I'm going to struggle to forget the 'like trying to squash a marshmallow into a slot machine' line anytime soon...
'A Girl Made of Air' lived up to my expectations given the comparisons, but it also subverted them too: it's very much its own thing. The backstory of Mouse's mother Marina alone – and its impact on her relationship with her daughter – alone is deeper and darker than anything I've seen in many novels around this genre. This book and its characters are going to linger with me for a long time, I think.
Thank you to Quercus Books for sending me an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book in return for an honest review.
September 15, 2020
*I received a free ARC of this novel, with thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
A Girl Made of Air is a devastating tribute to loneliness and isolation, and a haunting blend of magic realism with the mundane and sordid – the grime beneath the glamour of a circus life.
The story is told by Mouse, the main character, in a letter to an unnamed interviewer, and spans from her earliest remembered memories right up to her current, retirement years. Mouse’s tale of life as a circus child, and later performer, encompasses the folklorish magic of hair that glows like a beacon and the ability to call from mind to mind; myths and legends of mermaids and sirens, and faerie changelings; and the mud, gin and animalistic ruttings that happen in the shadows of the circus wagons. From the heights of her tightrope – dazzling and ethereal – to crawling around, eavesdropping and envying, in the muck, Mouse holds nothing back, combining the intimacy of her confessions with the detachment of a true performer, who isn’t sure where the persona ends and the personality begins.
What comes through most in the story is the aching sadness of it all. Mouse is rejected and isolated, her mother is bitter and burnt out, and even the glorious, glowing Serendipity Wilson isn’t wholly immune to the dragging effect of real life on her fairytale. There is camaraderie aplenty, as the circus folk close around their own like any extended family, but this is a circle of damaged people unwittingly – or sometimes, deliberately – perpetuating the patterns of damage and damaging each other further in the process.
There is love and hope, but Mouse seems unable to grasp or understand them, holding herself taut and stepping her wire lightly through her life, while people love, grieve, laugh and gasp far beneath her. Her story is one of missed chances, poor decisions and regret after regret. And yet, ever the performer, still her show goes on as she weaves her story and presents her greatest performance yet for her smallest audience.
Not a happy, joyful story, but one that stays with the reader, leaving a smell of greasepaint, candyfloss and animal dung, and the vision of a sparkling, solitary figure dancing delicately through the air, forever.
Above everything, this correspondence is a cry for help. You seemed so alive to my stories. Even if you can’t publish everything I write here, even if it’s a long shot. Will you help me?
I’ve little to offer in return, only the story of my life, and the promise of truth.
Let’s begin with hope, then. My words are a labyrinth into which we can wander. AS I write these tales, I can follow each path, each fallen leaf, in the hope they might take me to the person I seek. I’m grateful to have a companion, again.
– Nydia Hetherington, A Girl Made of Air
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
A Girl Made of Air is a devastating tribute to loneliness and isolation, and a haunting blend of magic realism with the mundane and sordid – the grime beneath the glamour of a circus life.
The story is told by Mouse, the main character, in a letter to an unnamed interviewer, and spans from her earliest remembered memories right up to her current, retirement years. Mouse’s tale of life as a circus child, and later performer, encompasses the folklorish magic of hair that glows like a beacon and the ability to call from mind to mind; myths and legends of mermaids and sirens, and faerie changelings; and the mud, gin and animalistic ruttings that happen in the shadows of the circus wagons. From the heights of her tightrope – dazzling and ethereal – to crawling around, eavesdropping and envying, in the muck, Mouse holds nothing back, combining the intimacy of her confessions with the detachment of a true performer, who isn’t sure where the persona ends and the personality begins.
What comes through most in the story is the aching sadness of it all. Mouse is rejected and isolated, her mother is bitter and burnt out, and even the glorious, glowing Serendipity Wilson isn’t wholly immune to the dragging effect of real life on her fairytale. There is camaraderie aplenty, as the circus folk close around their own like any extended family, but this is a circle of damaged people unwittingly – or sometimes, deliberately – perpetuating the patterns of damage and damaging each other further in the process.
There is love and hope, but Mouse seems unable to grasp or understand them, holding herself taut and stepping her wire lightly through her life, while people love, grieve, laugh and gasp far beneath her. Her story is one of missed chances, poor decisions and regret after regret. And yet, ever the performer, still her show goes on as she weaves her story and presents her greatest performance yet for her smallest audience.
Not a happy, joyful story, but one that stays with the reader, leaving a smell of greasepaint, candyfloss and animal dung, and the vision of a sparkling, solitary figure dancing delicately through the air, forever.
Above everything, this correspondence is a cry for help. You seemed so alive to my stories. Even if you can’t publish everything I write here, even if it’s a long shot. Will you help me?
I’ve little to offer in return, only the story of my life, and the promise of truth.
Let’s begin with hope, then. My words are a labyrinth into which we can wander. AS I write these tales, I can follow each path, each fallen leaf, in the hope they might take me to the person I seek. I’m grateful to have a companion, again.
– Nydia Hetherington, A Girl Made of Air
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
November 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. A really thought out book, and I learnt a lot. The story was great, but also sad. I felt so sad for the MC.
Also the ending, great! I totally did not expect that. It was amazing and I was entranced the whole time, just wondering what was going to happen next, and what things will befall our nameless main character.
The narrator was also amazing! I loved the fact that it read like the writer reading you a letter, I mean basically, it was, and also a recount of her life.
Also the ending, great! I totally did not expect that. It was amazing and I was entranced the whole time, just wondering what was going to happen next, and what things will befall our nameless main character.
The narrator was also amazing! I loved the fact that it read like the writer reading you a letter, I mean basically, it was, and also a recount of her life.
September 2, 2020
I struggled with this book at first because I was so hung up on it being compared to The Night Circus (which is one of my favourite books) but once I realised it wasn't going to be similar, apart from it being about a circus, I enjoyed it a lot more and would definitely recommend it.
It is a beautiful but dark story with just a touch of magic, myth and fairytale.
Thank you to Quercus Books for my finished proof copy.
It is a beautiful but dark story with just a touch of magic, myth and fairytale.
Thank you to Quercus Books for my finished proof copy.
January 23, 2023
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: A Girl Made of Air
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Nydia Hetherington
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 3rd September 2020
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3/5
themes:
- circus
- family trauma
- set post WW2
"If someone somewhere is reading this notebook, if it is many years into the future and I am long since dead, all I ask, dear reader, is that you pity my ghost."
Goodreads Synopsis:
This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived...
Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.
Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child... But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?
Plot
I really enjoyed the first chapter of the book which was in an interview format between the main character, Mouse, and the anonymous interviewer. Unfortunately, that was all I enjoyed. The plot was good, but took such a long time to be executed that I was left feeling bored.
Characters & Dynamics
Another disappointment for me. The perpetual intense introspection of Mouse was overwhelming. Again, I had to keep putting it down for some air. All that introspection and I'm not sure I learnt anything about the main character except how she is treated in the circus and how she feels about her circus fellows.
Writing
The writing is indeed very atmospheric but extremely slow to the point where I kept losing interest. I did however love the format of the writing which made the story seem more realistic. I see why the writing is compared to Angela Carter and Erin Morgenstern as it is extremely beautiful. I suppose I needed more reason to like the main character to really get invested in the story.
World Building
The descriptions of the circus, those who reside in the circus and perform, the animals, the dirt, the fun moments, the sexual tension, the intrigue, was perfect.
Likes
- The world building
- The first chapter
Dislikes
- The pace
- The overwhelming introspection
Final Thoughts
I hate that I'm disappointed by this book because the premise is so intriguing. I think that I will come back to it in the future and hopefully be able to give a better review.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: A Girl Made of Air
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Nydia Hetherington
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 3rd September 2020
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3/5
themes:
- circus
- family trauma
- set post WW2
"If someone somewhere is reading this notebook, if it is many years into the future and I am long since dead, all I ask, dear reader, is that you pity my ghost."
Goodreads Synopsis:
This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived...
Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.
Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child... But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?
Plot
I really enjoyed the first chapter of the book which was in an interview format between the main character, Mouse, and the anonymous interviewer. Unfortunately, that was all I enjoyed. The plot was good, but took such a long time to be executed that I was left feeling bored.
Characters & Dynamics
Another disappointment for me. The perpetual intense introspection of Mouse was overwhelming. Again, I had to keep putting it down for some air. All that introspection and I'm not sure I learnt anything about the main character except how she is treated in the circus and how she feels about her circus fellows.
Writing
The writing is indeed very atmospheric but extremely slow to the point where I kept losing interest. I did however love the format of the writing which made the story seem more realistic. I see why the writing is compared to Angela Carter and Erin Morgenstern as it is extremely beautiful. I suppose I needed more reason to like the main character to really get invested in the story.
World Building
The descriptions of the circus, those who reside in the circus and perform, the animals, the dirt, the fun moments, the sexual tension, the intrigue, was perfect.
Likes
- The world building
- The first chapter
Dislikes
- The pace
- The overwhelming introspection
Final Thoughts
I hate that I'm disappointed by this book because the premise is so intriguing. I think that I will come back to it in the future and hopefully be able to give a better review.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
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