The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman

My wish was granted by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley when they allowed me to read this ARC and I would like to thank them and also say this is my honest review.

When I first started reading I wondered if I would enjoy the book. The story was being “told” of Lilly, her life in the attic, her thoughts as she looked forward to her tenth birthday. When her mother swept in, took her to the circus and sold her it was heartbreaking and from that point on her life, though in some ways better, wasn’t filled with happiness and light.

From that introduction to Lilly I was then introduced to Julia. Again, I had trouble relating to her and her situation but picked up that both Lilly and Julia were raised by and called the same woman mother. And, Mother did not treat either of her daughters well. In fact, she was abusive and a horrible person with a husband that was rather weak and unlikable, too.

Lilly’s story begins in 1931 and unfolds in chapters that alternate with those of Julia’s that begins in 1956. The two women’s life stories eventually interconnect with a twist that I am not sure I was expecting. And, I felt sad for both of them in more ways than one.

Some of the words that came to mind while reading include:
* Thought provoking
* Informative
* Sad
* Dark
* Twisted
* Unsettling
* Disturbing

Did I like the story in the end? Yes

Would I recommend it? Yes – BUT I will caution you that this is not a romance though there is a bit of romance AND the life in the circus is not a happy story for the animals or the people. SO, if you are interested in a book that may make you think and wonder and be grateful you are who you are as you explore the lives of two women you will be glad you are not then…definitely pick up this riveting read and settle in for a while because the book is definitely worth reading.

4-5 Stars

Fantastic book! I was really looking forward to this one and I finally got a copy of the ARC through the publisher and NetGalley, I was not disappointed at all. It was a very engaging story that made me hate to put the book down to do things one must do in life. If it had been possible, I would have loved to read this in a couple sittings, but that's not realistic for me unfortunately. The characters are well-developed and the plot is told in two points of view from Lilly in the 1930s and Julia in the 1950s. There is a brief instance of animal cruelty, but it is an integral part of the story. I highly recommend this book and although, I have read one of her previous books and gave that one also 5 stars and I look forward to getting a chance to red her other 2 as well. I will look forward to any of her future books

. I don't want to say too much, as I believe a clean reading of this book is the best one. I will say that it is an absolute page-turner from start to end, and will threaten to crush anyone who has a heart. While it is not literary in its writing, it is nonetheless an excellent piece of historical fiction.

This book was suspenseful, but a bit unbelievable. If Julia hadn't inherited millions, It would have been more realistic to me. But, the storyline of Lilly and the circus, the cruelty of her parents was a good story and one I would recommend.

Set in the 20th century, this very emotional tale weaves together the stories of two women. Alternately we follow Lilly Blackwood, a young albino girl who has been kept in a secret attic room most of her life till one day her mom sold her to a traveling circus freak show. Once there we are in the circus world, with all the good and bad. We jump two decades later, with Julia Blackwood returning to the family farm where she will soon discover the attic’s dark secrets ….

The story is very touching as we slowly discover the disturbing and frightening things done to Lilly and the kind of life she had hidden away in an attic for years and how she must have felt to be sold by someone she loved to an unscrupulous man running a circus. Undeniably Ms. Wiseman did extensive research to recreate the circus life, its slang, performers and their superstitions, animals training and shows, their behaviours including noises and most of all, how the freak shows was run and how important and lucrative this sideshow was, not forgetting the presence of fraudulent medium star performer who was the highlight in many ways. In graphic scenes, the story also explores how the circus animals were treated or mistreated.

The story overlaps with Julia taking over her family’s horse business and slowly the secret that binds the two lies at the heart of the tragedy…..Moving between Lilly’s and Julia stories the authors has portrayed two extraordinary and very different women with exceptional life filled with family secrets, tragedy, hope and joy. Their stories displayed a mix of emotions that can possibly drain some readers. Both characters are compelling as well as the myriad of vivid secondary players even the evil ones. All roles were played perfectly.

This engrossing tale is written in short chapters using contemporary language and keeps a steady pace throughout. “The Life She Was Given” is a page tuner almost impossible to put down.

I received this review copy from the publisher via Netgalleys

Blackwood Manor is a chilling place, hiding family secrets in its locked rooms and forbidden spaces. Lilly and Julia both live in the house, 19 years apart. One shut in the attic as an abomination until she is sold to a passing traveling circus as a freak. And the other growing up with no love from her parents, an ignored outcast until she runs away. Years later, when Julia inherits the manor and surrounding horse farm, she will discover the horrible truth.

I found this story mesmerizing and disturbing at the same time. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop...but I still found it difficult to continue. The life Lilly and Julia face in Blackwood Manor at the hands of horrific parents is bleak. The father is weak and the mother is clearly mental. I found myself wishing I could jump into the story, throttle both of them and take the girls out of their horrible lives. But, the story does end with hope -- good does come out of the bad. So, in the end, there is peace and renewal for one of the girls.

The story does depict child and animal abuse as necessary parts of the story. If that would be too disturbing, then it might be best to pass this book by. For me, the hope at the conclusion of the story made up for all the duress. There is one scene with a circus elephant though that I found particularly disturbing. I refuse to attend circus performances because I feel the animals are abused, and this scene shows the worst sort of abuse that early 1900s circus animals faced. The scene is painful to read, but an important and necessary part of the plot. The abuse of the animals and performers in the circus just brings home the difficult lives that those with defects or differences of any sort faced only decades ago -- and, in many cases, still face today. More horrific though was the abuse and neglect of two girls, years apart, in Blackwood Manor.

The Life She Was Given -- the title has two distinct meanings in this beautiful, yet haunting, tale. This is a book that will keep you thinking and feeling for days after you finish reading.

Ellen Marie Wiseman is the author of several books including Coal River and The Plum Tree. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.ellenmariewiseman.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I love this book!! The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman is a well-written, heart-wrenching book about two girls who were raised in the same house two decades apart. Each grew up in exceedingly restrictive environments and neither felt loved. It is told from the points of view of the girls - Lilly, who grew up in the 1930's living in the family's attic because she was told she would frighten normal people; and Julia, who had to start living on her own as a young teenager.

Yet this book is so much more than the wonderful and interesting story of these two girls, who, despite their backgrounds grew into amazingly strong, compassionate and loving women. It is also a societal tale of how lies can grow to not only ruin the life of the liar, but also the lives of those around him/her and even the generations that follow and that redemption may not always be possible, no matter how much it is hoped for. It's also a lesson on how cruel and horrid people can be to those they think are "less than" or different from themselves, and how often the one they scorn, be it human or animal, has more understanding of and adds more value to life than the cruel person.

Ms. Wiseman is quite a craftsman! She makes each time period and character come to life for the reader. She engaged me right at the beginning and kept me rapt until well after the last page. This book had moments that surprised me, angered me, startled me, made me joyous, made me sad. It has it all. When the last page was turned, I sat quietly for some time just savoring the experience and joy of a great read and of the artfulness of this author.

This should be one of the year's best books - it would make a great book-club selection, and should be on everyone's To Be Read pile. Five stars from me!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher Kensington Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved the book What she left behind , so I was very happy to get my hands on this ARC! This story alternates POV' s between Lilly and Julia. Lilly is a young albino girl that is locked away in the attic of her home, by her parents in the early 1930's. She is secretly sold to a traveling circus side show and through the years, tries to build a new life there. Julia, who moves into that same home decades later, finds a secret door leading to the unknown room in the attic & searches for answers to the connections it holds to her family. Although I enjoyed the book, I did find it to be a little predictable and I was able to guess the connection well before it was revealed. Thanks again to Netgalley and the publisher.

Wow. This book was intensely sad and heartbreaking. At times it was incredibly difficult to read. I'm going to warn all animal lovers: there's one scene that was awful. Necessary, but just so painful to read. I really really loved Lilly, and was rooting for her the whole time. This is by no means a lighthearted fluffy read, but it's still worth it. Highly recommend.

THIS BOOK, OMG!

Lilly was born an albino in the early 1930s during the depression to a family that was fairly well off during that time, the family owned Blackwood Manor and horse farm. Lilly’s mother kept her locked up in the attic until Lilly was ten years old before selling her to the Circus where she became a member of the “freak show”. All the time Lilly was locked up in the attic, hidden away from the outside world, her mother told her she was a monster and an abomination. Her mother was a religious fanatic and kept Bibles in Lilly’s tiny attic room and made her pray and read scripture devoutly. It’s hard to say if her mother was always this way with religion, or if she became that way after Lily was born, it doesn’t really say in the book, i’m guessing maybe after the birth of Lily, because, after having eight miscarriages, her mother vowed to sell her soul to the devil for a baby, and after Lilly was born with her condition, her mother believed it was because of the deal she made with the devil. Through the happenings of Lilly’s tragic and sad life it would seem like Lilly was absolutely a cursed child no doubt.

In the second chapter we meet Julia an eighteen year old girl in the 1950s. She is a struggling, barely getting by waitress in a little diner, she is not sure if she is going to have a meal that night or be able to pay her rent for the apartment she and her abusive boyfriend are living in. A private investigator shows up to the diner one night with a letter, informing Julia that she has inherited her childhood home, the home that she ran away from two years prior, is now hers. Her mother has passed and left the Blackwood Manor to her. Arriving at the creepy and possibly haunted manor, she discovers a disturbing secret that she is determined to get to the bottom of. From here bombshell after bombshell is dropped, right to the very last page. A few times I actually gasped and whispered “oh my gosh.”

I enjoyed this book immensely, this story has stuck in my mind, it really had an impact on me. The author really did a wonderful job with her research of that time period, and took some actual true events from history and weaved them into this unique skin crawling story. Knowing that a lot of the story was inspired by actual events makes this story that much more gripping. I saved this book to read at the end of my day, which for me is when I save the best books to read, it is the quietest and the time when everyone is unwinding themselves or already in bed. This is my me time. Unfortunately, this is when i’m in my bed, before going to sleep. Unfortunate because this book was too good to put down and two nights in a row I stayed up all night reading. This is a must read!

Oooh, this is one good book! A little 'Flowers in the Attic' crossed with 'Water for Elephants, and let me tell you, I loved it!' I think this could be my book of the Summer! The story follows the lives of two young women; one, Lilly, has been locked away in the attic of her family home from birth, because she is different. Then her Mother wakes her one night and takes her outside for the very first time, only to sell her to the circus. Thus begins a new life for Lilly, strange, violent but also exciting and loving.
Meanwhile, several years later we meet Julia, who ran away from her strange upbringing. The story follows the lives of both young women, as Julia learns of Lilly's existence and searches to find out and understand who Lilly is to her. Fascinating writing, I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of circus life and the hardships suffered by the people employed there. An enthralling story, that ensures you don't put your book down until you reach the very end. A great read!

Let me start by saying I truly loved this book. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. It kept me glued to my kindle into the wee hours of the night because I HAD to finish reading it. This amazing book tells the story of Lilly and Julia who both lived at Blackwood Manor more than 2 decades apart. Lilly was considered a "monster" by her parents and kept in an attic hidden from the world. In 1931, when she was 9 years old, she saw the lights of the carnival through her attic window. Little did Lilly know that night would change her life forever. Julia had ran away from her unloving and strict parents when she was 15 years old. While supporting her no good boyfriend a lawyer comes into the diner she works and informs her that her mother died and she is now the owner of Blackwood Manor. Julia goes home and there she finds many family secrets that she needs to uncover the truth about. It is an amazing story of 2 strong women who after devastating childhoods become strong, independent, and extraordinary women. I loved this book and the characters are ones that will stay with you forever. Thank you so very much to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for providing me an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book drew me in from the very start. I loved the characters and the writing. I would have loved to know more about Julia. Can I be the first to request a sequel to revisit these characters?

Secrets, elephants, true love, and albinos. This book is the ultimate 1930's circus read. I absolutely loved this story.

Right off the bat you know that something is a miss. The whole book takes you on a ride as Lilly Blackwood struggles to survive the life of a freak in the traveling circus. We also follow the story of Julia Blackwood as she finds out that her parents have been keeping a dark secret from her. The two stories collide at the end of the book in a heartbreaking twist you wont see coming.

I read this book in one day. It was that good. Read it. You won't be disappointed.

The Life She Was Given was a surprising mystery read with a twist. I felt it was a bit rough but that added to the gritty feel of the story. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.

Another book I “wished” for on Net Galley – and was lucky enough to receive! – was THE LIFE SHE WAS GIVEN by Ellen Marie Wiseman. I had been hearing good things about this story of a girl who joins the circus. This was a really memorable read, interesting yet disturbing, and eventually I felt haunted by the ending. But – it was soooo good! If you like historical fiction, and can handle the disturbing child neglect/abuse, then you should check out this novel!
Some readers may find the alternating points of view confusing, but each story was moving along a tangent where you know they would eventually converge.
If I had one issue, it’s that I like a happy ending that is neat and tidy.
This one still haunts me…
Thank you for my review copy!

It’s 1931 and Lilly Blackwood dreams of visiting the circus that she has glimpsed from the window of the attic. Lilly has been locked in the attic all her life, promised by her Momma that it’s for her own safety. That other people would be afraid of her. But one night Momma comes for Lilly, having dreamt of venturing beyond her lofty room for such a long-time Lilly is excited, but nervous of Momma’s sudden change of heart. Until all becomes clear, when they reach the circus all is in darkness and Lilly knows that something is not right. It soon becomes clear that she is to be sold to the circus sideshow.
 
Over two decades later, Julia Blackwood has inherited her parents’ estate and with it the sadness and mysteries of her childhood. Hoping to start a fresh and erase the unpleasant memories Julia quickly becomes embroiled in unravelling the secrets Blackwood Manor holds, involving a hidden attic room and photographs of a striking circus performer.
 
Can Lilly find a place for herself within the circus community, or has she swapped one prison for another? And will Julia ever learn the truth her parents fought so hard to conceal?
 
Wow! Just, wow!
 
Having loved “What She Left Behind” I was eager to get my hands on a copy of Wisemans’ latest novel. I find her writing to be so engaging and can easily lose a whole day within the worlds she creates.

Firstly, Wiseman’s character development is, as always, is top notch. Everything that Julia and Lilly felt or thought was beautifully described and really helps the reader to flesh out a character and make them believable. The secondary characters were just the right amount of likeable to not overshadow the main protagonists. I often find, as an avid reader, getting distracted by the supporting characters in a lot of novels and usually liking them more. Even the down right nasty pieces of work had me absorbed.

Written in dual narrative the story moves effortlessly between both of the girls points of view, intertwining at a mutual crossover point rather than finishing bluntly and changing voice. I did have, possibly what was meant tone a plot twist, figured out from very early on in the story, but this neither influenced my overall opinion or diminish my enjoyment.

I have but only one critique and that would be the lack of feeling for the era in Julia’s parts. It is supposed to be the 1950’s but apart from one music reference I did keep finding myself believing it could be the modern day.

I simply can’t enthuse enough about this book and since finishing it last night have already told so many people they need to look out for it as a must read! I look forward to reading much more from Ellen Marie Wiseman in the future.

To be published in numerous magazines in September:Lily knows she’s different. After all, her parents have kept her locked away for all of her nine years, in case she scares people. But then one day, in 1931, her mother drags her away from Blackwood Manor, and sells her to the circus. Fast forward to 1956 and Julia returns back to the home she ran away from. Two women, one house, 25 years apart. Will the secret of Lily finally come to light? Well researched, with believable characters and a story that really draws you in, this is a must for fans of historical fiction.

Bringing to mind "Like Water for Elephants" and "The Museum of Ordinary Things," this touching story of difference and disability will almost certainly end up on the movie screen. Lilly is treated by her parents as a freak and a monster because she is born with albinism. Locked in an attic, she never sees light of day and is treated as a punishment from God by her mother. One day, while her father is away on business, Lilly's mother sells her to a traveling circus as a sideshow oddity, an alien from space. A mere child, Lilly mourns her lost home, even the cruelty of imprisonment, However, among the freaks and side show oddities, Lilly finds acceptance and a family of sorts. She also discovers her greatest talent as an animal whisperer, especially with the elephants. Her relationship with an elephant, Pepper, in particular, makes her a circus star and also brings her into the sphere of Cole who overlooks her differences and finds the beauty that lies within Lilly. Together, Cole and Lilly form a family, giving Lilly a daughter to finally form a family bond with her child. However, in a freak disaster based on the real death of a circus elephant, Lilly and Cole die and their daughter is returned to the hateful family that rejected Lilly. This is a heart-rending story, not just of love, acceptance, and what makes a family, but also the very current issue of the treatment of animals in circuses and zoos. While the similarities to the earlier books are unmistakable, this book stands on its own as a strong read. Recommended.

I don't have nearly enough words to express my love for this latest novel by Ellen Marie Wiseman.The Life She Was Given, is a dark, brutal portrayal of family life, with a few glimmers of hope shining through when the reader least expects it. It's a book I sped through and then wished I had taken more slowly so as to savor the gorgeous writing, engaging characters, and richly imagined plot.

It's the summer of 1931, and young Lilly Blackwood spies circus lights from the window of her attic bedroom. She's never set foot outside her room, and only recognizes the circus because of the pictures she's seen in books brought to her by her guilt-ridden father. She longs to see the circus, but is sure her parents will not permit her to do so. After all, her mother tells her almost daily how frightened people in the outside world would be if they caught even the most fleeting of glimpses of her. But then, much to Lilly's surprise, her mother enters the room late at night and whisks Lilly outside for what the child believes is a private showing of some of the circus's acts, but Lilly's mother has other, much more sinister ideas. Lilly is sold to the circus sideshow. She's thrust into what she believes is just another prison, one populated with countless strangers.

At first, Lilly isn't sure what to make of her new life. She wonders why she's been sent away from home and cries herself to sleep at night, hoping her father will come and save her. But Lilly is quite resilient, and, over the coming months, she makes a place for herself in the Barlow Brothers traveling circus. She's one of the sideshow's greatest attractions, and she finally comes to the realization that her albino appearance is not the curse her mother always claimed it to be.

Lilly also discovers she has a great affinity for animals, especially elephants. She befriends Cole, the young son of the chief elephant trainer, and forms a bond with mother elephant Pepper and her calf Jojo. Circus life can be quite brutal, and there are times when Lilly longs for something more. She detests the gawking, jeering crowds and the cruel circus overseers. Cole knows Lilly is capable of so much more than she's allowed to do, and together, they come up with a plan they hope will get Lilly out of the sideshow forever.

Over twenty years later, nineteen-year-old Julia Blackwood returns home to her family's estate after an absence of nearly three years. Home was never a happy place for her; her mother was overly strict, and her father seemed to care about nothing save his horses and his whisky, so Julia ran away. Now though, her parents are dead and the Blackwood estate and its prosperous horse farm have been left to Julia, who isn't certain what to do with any of it. At first, she plans to sell it, but, after getting to know the horses, the cranky farm manager, and the exceedingly handsome veterinarian who cares for them, she begins to think she might be able to keep the farm going after all.

As Julia goes through her parents' possessions, she stumbles upon several clues to what seems to be a long-buried family secret. Who slept in the well-hidden attic bedroom, and what reason could her father possibly have for saving numerous newspaper clippings dealing with a traveling circus in the 1930's?

Ellen Marie Wiseman tells a fascinating story of two very different women with a hidden connection. The focus switches seamlessly between Lilly and Julia, bringing both periods of American history to life very vividly and I felt sorry for both women, neither of whom feels she belongs in the life she was born into. Both are incredibly courageous and daring, though these traits manifest in each woman very differently. Lilly endures some horrific abuse at the hands of the men in charge of the circus, and Julia is forced to come to terms with a secret that will shatter everything she thought she knew about her family and herself. Still, neither of our heroines gives up in the face of overwhelming adversity; each strives to come out on top of circumstances that sometimes seem insurmountable.

If you're looking for a light beach read, The Life She Was Given isn't the book for you. I cried several times while reading, and I had to take some pretty deep breaths as I read through some horrifying scenes of cruelty toward both animals and marginalized human beings. Ms. Wiseman's writing is both stark and evocative, making me feel almost as if I was living through the experiences of our heroines. But don't think this book is a total downer - in fact, it's anything but that. The author pays tribute to the ability of the human spirit to keep on living, hoping and loving even when life seems bent on keeping a person down.

Fans of Water for Elephants, The Tumbling Turner Sisters, and The Orphan's Tale should definitely give this book a try. It's obvious the author did a great deal of research into both the glamorous and the seedy aspects of life lived on a circus train. She doesn't shy away from the brutality, but neither does she short-change the camaraderie and love the performers feel for one another. This truly is well-written historical fiction at its best.

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