Read this one if you like historical fiction, especially France circa WWII.

This book is the story of Michel, a young man from Paris who flees the German invasion in 1940. He hitchhikes and ends up on a train with a traveling circus. The backstories of the side characters are so well detailed and I wish we got to see more of them. However, this book was A LOT of dialogue and was kind of boring at times. Also, it took almost 60% of the book for the "Ringmaster's Daughter" to be confirmed/clarified. Which just seems like way too long IMO.
Also, the ending was a little far-fetched and I thought it should have ended differently.

Over the years my reading habits have changed and I no longer reach for historical fiction as much since my brain can't seem to follow along with all of the variety of characters. I do no feel like I can give a fair review for this book because of this so I am just going to move it onto my "in the future when life slows down" tbr.

This is a historical fiction book that takes place in Paris, France in 1940's. Michel Bonnet hinds away on a train to get out of Paris when the war started to head to Paris, and the train turn out to be a circus train. I have read many historical book with circus as the plot, but this one I really could not get into. It is was just ok I think. I want my historical fiction book to really touch my heart, or to move me in some way. This book did not do that. It was a good story overall. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

The Ringmaster's Daughter was ultimately an interesting and good read, but I struggled to really get into it and to connect to the characters at the beginning. The premise was wonderful. I loved mixing the circus dynamic with that of occupied France. I think the beginning of the story didn't really capture for me a sense of dread or seriousness that it seemed to be going for. For Michel and all those leaving their homes, it felt a little like they were not connecting with their own stories and like it was a little surreal almost. I do think the writing was lovely and the overall story was well worth a read. This just did not draw me in like other historical fiction of its type. I wanted either something more grounded in the historical side or more mystical and fanciful, and this kind of landed in the middle of everything for me.

A World War II historical fiction, but a different take than one I've read before. This time centering on a circus on those performers and workers who put the show on and how it all relates to what's going on during WWII.

It was a good story from the historical aspect to the love story that was also woven into the plot.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Underwhelming in my opinion, even though it sounded and looked like a great book (I know covers can be deceiving but look at it!). But I just struggled with getting into it and wasn’t a fan a

I requested this book as it sounded incredible but when it came to it., I just couldn’t get into it. It’s been so long since I put it down that I can’t even remember why but it just didn’t tick the boxes for me. I know people who absolutely loved it though so maybe I’ll pick it back up one day

When a young man jumps a train to get away from the invasion that is headed toward Paris, he has no idea it's a circus train. He finds a new family in the circus and its people. I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It reminded me too much of Like Water for Elephants, with the notable difference of the addition of WWII. The cover is beautiful. I felt like the characters lacked a bit of depth and I wanted more details of their feelings while they moved through the tragic and powerful events of the book. Overall, this felt familiar and the comparisons lessened my enjoyment of this book.

I wasn’t able to read this before it was archived but wanted to leave a few words. This is an enchanting story that follows a circus as they try to escape the horrors of WWII. It’s a very atmospheric read and I enjoyed the blossoming of romance. I was expecting a bit more action but it was good as a light read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a book I had great hopes for but unfortunately it ended up being very disappointing. Michel stows away on a train to escape as the news of German occupation reaches Paris. He finds himself in the company of a circus troupe and joins them.
The writing was beautiful but that’s about it. There was no plot and the characters were flat and unlikeable. I was bored for most of it and ended up dnfing after the 50% mark.

The story begins with a trip to Paris in the 1940's where we meet a young man called Michel. Michel is persuaded to flee Paris by his elderly neighbour, Bertrand before the Germans occupy their village.

Soon Michel finds himself in the company of a travelling circus made up of colourful and eccentric characters.

This was definitely a book of two halves for me. It was beautifully written but contained no plot for the first 80%, it just meandered along. I thought it was quite emotional in some parts but that didn't make up for the fact that Michel was just... not very likeable? He was very devoid of character. However, many of the other characters were bursting with life and I loved them. It just lacked consistency for me.

I would recommend this book if you care more about the characters than you do the plot. It isn't amazing but it definitely is not terrible.

I so loved "The Watchmaker of Dachau" that I was so looking forward to this book also but alas I could not get into it. I found it rather boring and boorish with mostly unlikeable characters. So completely different from "The Watchmaker of Dachau" which was pure genuis.

This story follows Michel Bonnet who, upon escaping Paris when news of the Germans coming to invade the city, his closest friend Bertrand under the pretense of escaping with him merely lured him to railway and a coming train to jump aboard as it slowed. Michel was bereft at leaving his friend behind but he had promised his mother that he would care for the young man and that he did upon seeing him escape a soon-to-be occupied city.

Little did Michel know but the train he had stowed away on was that of a travelling circus and while many of the troupe were delighted with his sudden arrival, the ringmaster was not. And ordered him to be thrown from the train. Thankfully they stopped the train before they did so. And so Michel found himself alone once again as he made his way into the countryside and away from Paris. But he could not get the black beautied emerald eyed woman from the troupe out of his mind. He found himself dreaming of her constantly.

Alas, I found not how that all ended up because after Michel left the charming Lucien and his wife Isabelle after spending a night at their cottage, I gave up. By then I didn't much care what happened to Michel or if he found true love and how he came to join the circus that dumped him from the train.

While many have raved about THE RINGMASTER'S DAUGHTER, I simply could not connect with the characters or engage with the story, so therefore I gave up. A shame, as like I said, I really loved her following book "The Watchmaker of Dachau" which was phenomenal are a very different wartime story. Sadly, while this one was also different, I didn't find it the least bit as enjoyable or compelling.

I would like to thank #CarlySchabowski, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheRingmastersDaughter in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this story - it is historical fiction at it's finest! An incredible tail of a traveling circus in Nazi-occupied France at the beginning of WW2. It was well-written with the most endearing characters! I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you, Bookouture and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything to do with the circus! This was so good. It has such a great plot and amazing characters.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

I never got the chance to read this one before it was archived. The cover is what immediately caught my eye.
I'm grateful for the publisher giving me a chance to read it, and will be looking for a physical copy in my local bookstore or library.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Can we talk about that cover for a moment, it's absolutely gorgeous! And this was entirely a case of me judging a book by its cover... Historical Fiction and the Circus!? I'm sold!

Sadly this didn't quite live up to expectations for me and took me quite a while to finally finish reading it. It was a decent story, and well written, but it didn't grip me enough to entice me back to it once I'd put it down.

Some tales are entirely compelling, and I think the premise here could have been one of those, but there was something off about its handling for me. The pacing wasn't as solid as I'd like, and I didn't quite connect with the romance, but all that said I do think this has it's audience, it was just a little lack-luster for my tastes.

3 stars

A beautiful tale, I thoroughly enjoyed this story It was a really interesting read to based during the II world war. It had an unexcepted twist at the end. Can't wait for more by this author.

I enjoy historical fiction...particularly centered in this era. I love anything circus related. Naturally I had high hopes for this, and it did not disappoint. The characters were complex and well-developed, without the pace ever slowing. While interwoven with tragedy, this story is a gentle-flowing read that sweeps the reader along. Best I’ve read in quite some time.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exhange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading the "Ringmaster's Daughter" by Carly Schabowski. I thought it was a great WW2 historical fiction book that told the story of a traveling circus that had some secrets. It was beautifully written & I didn't want the story to end.
I would definitely read another book by this author.

Don't judge a book by its cover! Hands up! I did.........The cover to The Ringmaster's Daughter by Carly Schabowski was just beautiful and I fell in love with it, I never read what the book was about. However, I am glad I loved the cover and read it.
WoW what a beautifully written book The Ringmaster's Daughter was.
This book starts in 1940 in Paris.and it's about a travelling circus trying to avoid the Germans throughout the Second World War.. The main character Michel Bonnet, is a young, kind Parisian who joins Le Cirque Neumann. which is a struggling circus as their horse handler. As Michel finds his place among the secretive and odd group of performers and outcasts, at the circus. Michel finds himself fall for an exotic trapeze Freida and is forbidden even to look at her by others at the circus.

How can Michel win her Love that he is forbidden even to try and get?

Just a beautiful Love story with lots of colours. I loved this book and looking forward to read Carly's next book in the future.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange of an honest review