The Carnivale of Curiosities -- Amiee Gibbs, Hardcover

"Unique and emotionally engaging" (Booklist, Starred Review), a dazzling gothic tale of Faustian bargains, jealousy, and murder set in a spectacular circus, where star-crossed lovers' destinies are forged at an unexpected price: "A wonderfully imagined and fiendishly clever debut" (Colson Whitehead).

In Victorian London, where traveling sideshows are the very pinnacle of entertainment, there is no more coveted ticket than Ashe and Pretorius' Carnivale of Curiosities. Each performance is a limited engagement, and London's elite boldly dare the dangerous streets of Southwark to witness the Carnivale's astounding assemblage of marvels. For a select few, however, the real show begins behind the curtain. Rumors abound that the show's proprietor, Aurelius Ashe, is more than an average magician. It's said that for the right price, he can make any wish come true. No one knows the truth of this claim better than Lucien the Lucifer, the Carnivale's star attraction. Born with the ability to create fire, he's dazzled spectators since he was a boy.

When Odilon Rose, one of the most notorious men in London, comes calling with a proposition regarding his young and beautiful charge, Charlotte, Ashe is tempted to refuse. After revealing, however, that Rose holds a secret that threatens the security of the troupe's most vulnerable members, Ashe has no choice but to sign an insidious contract.

The stakes grow higher as Lucien finds himself drawn to Charlotte and her to him, an attraction that spurs a perilous course of events. Grave secrets, recovered horrors, and what it means to be family come to a head in this vividly imagined spectacle--with the lives of all those involved suspended in the balance.

Author: Amiee Gibbs
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 07/11/2023
Pages: 448
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.44lbs
Size: 9.22h x 6.38w x 1.43d
ISBN: 9781538723937

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 02/01/2023 pg. 6
Library Journal 04/01/2023 pg. 88
Publishers Weekly 05/08/2023
Booklist 05/15/2023 pg. 28
Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2023

About the Author
Amiee Gibbs grew up in rural Maryland, where she still lives on an allegedly haunted road, but has dreams of running away to Ireland. She has worked for Penguin Random House for 13 years as a Sales Manager for Independent bookstores across New England, New York, and the West Coast. Prior to that she was an Assistant Sales Manager at Waldenbooks and Borders. She holds an MLA degree with a focus on world literature and creative writing and is currently teaching herself Gaeilge.