Circus of Mirrors set in Berlin

Submitted: 2nd September 2024

Circus of Mirrors – Julie Owen Moylan

A fine novel for you today.

A tale of two sisters and a city. A story of a cabaret. A story of so much more.

Map of locations in A Circus of Mirrors

BOARDING PASS INFORMATION

Destination : Berlin

Author guide: Julie Owen Moylan

Genre: fiction

Food and drink to accompany:cocktails and drama!

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A novel to transport you to a Berlin cabaret

Map of literary locations in Circus of Mirrors

This had a very interesting timeline – Two sisters do their best to survive 1930s Germany and then WWII Germany. Then we meet them in the 1950s as the Berlin Wall is going up. A pivotal time in history and a story of sisterhood alongside is something I was very interested in reading.

This is a slow burn and I think all the better for it. Leni and Annette are two very interesting characters and their story is one filled with emotion and heart. There is real sadness here, poignant moments and so much more. I still remember one scene – a sense of panic filled my throat. Just as well it was fairly close to the end otherwise I would have had to read this lying down.

What I loved about this book was the setting of the seedy and notorious cabaret club known as the Babylon Circus. A few chapters in, I was wearing my fictional bustier and feather bower with the best of them. I realise this was seedy and bad in many ways, but I had a blast! Fascinating to read about this and go behind the scenes. It was so much in contrast to the war and devastation in the rest of the novel’s location. Why this club existed, who paid a visit, who danced here and what it gave to the city was rather fascinating to find out. By the time I met Dieter, the story took on a whole new level. His wears a mask in more ways than one – and this brought home to me the full devastation of war in the most poignant of ways.

A very clever novel. One expertly crafted and woven. This insight into a Berlin cabaret and lives affected is one I would recommend!