Book Review : The Circus by Olivia Levez

 

Book Name: The Circus.

Author: Olivia Levez.

No. of Pages: 288.

Publisher: Rock the Boat.

ISBN-10: 1786070944

ISBN-13: 978-1786070944

Release date: 4 May 2017.

About the Book:

Willow has staged runaways ever since she was a little girl. She has everything a young person should want: a rich daddy, clothes, money, a pony and a place at a prestigious boarding school. In reality, she has everything except the thing she really wants: a father who cares enough to find her.

Aged sixteen, on the eve of her father’s wedding, she ruins the bride’s dress and escapes through a window, determined never to return. Her missing mother was a circus performer, and Willow wants to follow in her footsteps. But the performers she meets don’t want her. When her last bit of money is stolen by Suze, another runaway girl she thought she could trust, Willow becomes really homeless. Then Suze comes tumbling back into her life and a desperate Willow has to decide whether to trust her all over again . . .

So begins their frightening, exhilarating odyssey though hunger, performance, desperation and dreams. Will they both survive and will Willow make it to the circus of her imagining?

Book Review:

Circus is about a teenage runaway named Willow. Apparently Willow has been running away ever since she was a little, she has everything a teenager can ask for a rich dad, a pony and she lives a prestigious boarding school. All she wants is a father who cares enough to come and find her.

Willow has planned everything this time and she runs away on her father’s wedding day. She hitchhikes rides to reach Hastings; she has a year’s savings and her Kit of Happiness with her. Willow wants to become a circus performer just like her mother. Once in Hastings she discovers that the pier got burnt down few years ago, but seems like there are circus auditions in the Art Café in Hastings.

Willow participates in the auditions but fails to qualify. Disappointed while roaming around the street she meets Suze, a street artist who performs tricks with fire. Willow is determined to learn those tricks and asks Suze to teach her thus starts her journey to become a successful circus performer. Suze agrees and they go to celebrate their new beginning to a restaurant, where Suze steals all of the money that was left with Willow. Willow now distressed and without a roof to sleep with no money is homeless and has to sleep on the streets of Hastings. After two days Suze returns just in time to save Willow from the drunkards who are trying to molest her. There and then Willow has to decide if she can trust Suze once again or can choose her own path. Their journey to make Willow a successful circus performer begins, Suze teaches willow the tricks that she knows and as Willow becomes better with every passing day. The journey of their survival and the determination to achieve the sole goal to make Willow a star is heartwarming and the relationship the girls share is commendable.

The Circus where Willow performs is my absolutely favorite part and the writing is brilliant and I felt like I was actually watching Willow right in front of my eyes. Her costumes designed by Suze have apparently become my favorite. I couldn’t keep the book down once I started it and throughout the book I was concerned for Willow when she was in trouble and was happy for her when she got into the circus. It was like I was living my life with Willow and Suze. The circus is a very much different read than the usual YA books and thus stands out.

Note: Thanks to the Publisher for sending me an ARC of the Book. 

Rating: 4/5*

About the Author:

Olivia Levez divides her time between teaching English and binge-writing in her caravan by the sea. Olivia likes hula-hooping, yoga and real ale, but not at the same time. She lives in Worcestershire with her husband, two sons and her real life Dog, Basil.

Connect with the Author:

Olivia Levez | Goodreads | Twitter  | Instagram