I Am Reading: The Girl Who Walked On Air by Emma Carroll
The Girl Who Walked On Air by Emma Carroll 👉
| Publisher: | Faber & Faber |
|---|---|
| Publish date: | 7th August 2014 |
Louie loves the circus, and dreams of being the showstopper act. She's desperate to prove her worth, for she was left there as a baby and has never known if she belonged. But Mr Chipchase keeps her hidden, and is strangely horrified when he discovers that she is a natural tightrope walker. He's not the only one who knows, either – the mysterious Mr Wellbeloved, owner of the rival circus, is very interested. But why does he seem to know her? Who is the strange boy Gideon, who turns up one day? And just exactly who was Louie's mother?
I didn't get a chance to read The Girl Who Walked On Air when it first came out in 2014, so it was a delight to pick it up now. It's a quick-moving, easy to read book, with short chapters and constant surprises, dangers or mysterious clues that pull the reader on. And it has great atmosphere, too – Louie, Gideon, and the other members of the circus all have their own stories, challenges, and idiosyncracies. It doesn't shy away from the desperate dangers that performers were expected to go through in those days, and has just enough historical detail to create the world around you as you read. And the descriptions of Louie tightrope walking will keep readers turning the page for sure – your heart will be in your mouth as she steps out onto the wire!
A warm, exciting adventure that's easy to pick up and keeps pulling you along – it's a real showstopper from Emma Carroll, and it's no surprise she's been called the queen of historical fiction.