The Ringmaster's Daughter

A Beautiful and Heartbreaking World War 2 Love Story

By: Carly Schabowski

Narrated by: Joe Leat

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Paris, 1940. The city of lights has gone dark.

Twenty-year-old Michel Bonnet lives on the edge of the law, finding work where he can breaking in horses on the outskirts of Paris. But when the Nazis invade, Michel takes refuge as a stowaway on a rickety train bound for the rural South of France. It’s a journey that will change his life forever.

The train is property of Le Cirque Neumann - a travelling circus owned by the troubled and irritable showman Werner Neumann. Neumann offers Michel a job caring for the company’s horses - a lucky break, but with an unusual condition attached. Michel must keep to himself and never speak of what he sees behind the glittering curtain of the big top.

But as Michel finds himself pulled into the strange and wondrous world of the great spectacular, it becomes more difficult to keep his promise. Why does the man with the performing monkey never speak and the sword swallower turn his face away? Who are the silent, shadowy figures who flit like moths between the wagons when the sun is down? It’s clear that Neumann is keeping his performers hidden away...but why? And how can Michel win the love of the beautiful and exotic trapeze artist Freida - the graceful, green-eyed star of Neuman’s spectacular - when he’s been forbidden to even meet her gaze?

An emotional and uplifting wartime novel - perfect for fans of Water for Elephants, The Nightingale, and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

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The Ringmaster's Daughter by Cary Schabowski

Very good. So very sad how everything was hard for so many. Just wanting to make sure for themselves and family. The ending is a cliffhanger. Thank-you.

I really enjoyed the story.

I thought the story was great. Heartbreaking but great. I wish there was another chapter at the end to explain what happened next though. You can't just rip two people apart and then years later bring them back together then end it. Not fan of that. Really great story though.

did not love this

I don't know how a book with so many characters and location changes could be slow and boring- but it was a snooze. I probably should have returned it, but the "Watchmaker" book by the same author was so good that I kept thinking it would get better. The characters did not grab me, the settings were a little vague and so were the war details. Might be one of those books that is better in print- that way you can see the names and words. Great Narration loved the pronunciation.

The Ringmaster's Daughter

I really enjoyed listening! the narration was amazing, very soothing to listen to. the story was great. it was captivating! the ending was not my favorite.... but that's ok. it took a turn, then it got better.....I suppose it just didn't end quite the way I wanted it to. but overall, a great story and a good read.

Well written and read!

I will be reading the series following this book. It was so well written and read !

Only just Okay

While the narration was wonderful, the story was rushed, lacked investment into the characters or history, and the ending wanted to be tragic and happy all at once far too badly. The author seems to be trying to cram in all of the buzzword categories to draw in readers yet makes no investment into the story parts to stay committed long enough for them to be meaningful.

Beautiful!

This book is beautifully written and very well narrated. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

great story great narrator

great story great narrator
first in a series
that was a disappointment
wrapped up well enough to be complete-ish.

I almost returned this book several times

Hard to get into. Boring didn’t see the point . But so glad I stayed with it. What a great love story against all odds. I found the circus characters so interesting. I’ll look for more from this author

WWII fact-based story

It began slowly for me, trying to sort out characters but grew on me. Great surprise ending!