Circus of Mirrors

Julie Owen Moylan writes about mid-20th century women like no-one else' Laura Price

The dazzlingly compulsive new novel from Julie Owen Moylan – perfect for fans of Cabaret and The Whalebone Theatre

'A tale of two sisters and a city, all three of them so vividly drawn, I felt I knew them. An almost unbearably poignant story of missed chances, long-hidden lies and women fighting the odds to grab happiness where they can. Superbly atmospheric, with convincingly flawed characters that just leap off the page' Frances Quinn

'An all-singing, all-dancing, moving and masterful book about two complex sisters living in incredibly complex times. Mid-twentieth century Berlin and the glittering world of Babylon Circus are brilliantly evoked and the characters live with us long after we've closed the book. Brilliant.' Anna Mazzola

BERLIN, 1926: After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other. Dreaming of better days, but desperate, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus.

From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, to the glimmering mirrors that cover the walls, the Babylon Circus is a place where reality and fantasy merge. For Leni, it’s an overwhelming new world, and she’s happiest hiding in the shadows.

Until she meets the cabaret’s resident pianist, Paul.

And so begins a love affair that will shape the lives of Leni and Annette, as they navigate the next forty years in the dark and dazzling city they call home. . .