One of my fondest memories of childhood is going to the circus with my family and being utterly dazzled by the shimmering lights and the incredible acrobatic feats of the trapeze artists. That saccharine smell of cotton candy and caramel-coated popcorn still conjures up visions of charismatic magicians, painted clowns and tightrope dancers in glittery costumes—all weaving impossible illusions together. It was the closest thing to magic and wonder, and as I grew older, I searched for that elusive feeling in books of fantasy and magic realism.
If the strange and glamorous world of circuses and carnivals have always fascinated you, or you’re desperately hoping to add a bit of whimsy to your mundane life, or if you secretly regret not running away with an itinerant troupe as a kid (don’t we all?), then these enchanting fantasy novels are sure to sweep you away.
Come and witness the greatest show on earth!
The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern brings the evocatively-titled “Cirque des Rêves” (The Circus of Dreams) to life in her phantasmagorical debut novel, The Night Circus. Told in a non-linear format with multiple viewpoints, the story traces the rivalry between two magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained by their masters to face off against one another in a strange, years-long contest, but instead fall hopelessly in love. You, dear reader, will also fall in love with this novel—filled with illusionists, fortune tellers and spectacular displays of magic—rendered in the most entrancing prose.
The First Bright Thing
“Windy Van Hooten’s Circus of Fantasticals” in J.R. Dawson’s The First Bright Thing is so magical that it can move through space as well as time—its troupe performing astounding feats, bringing joy and delight to its audiences. The story follows Rin and her band of misfits—who make up the heart and soul of the circus—as they’re on the run from her villainous ex-husband who also runs a circus of his own, reveling in fears and nightmares. With a strong focus on found family and trauma healing, The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson is quite the charming read.
Nightmare Carnival
All of Ellen Datlow’s horror anthologies are bangers, and Nightmare Carnival is no different, filled with darkly fantastical tales by the genre’s best writers, such as Stephen Graham Jones, Priya Sharma, A.C. Wise, Nathan Ballingrud and more. There’s a deliciously creepy vibe to every tale, all featuring macabre carnivals, creepy clowns and strange creatures with bloodthirsty desires.
Menagerie
“Metzger's Menagerie” is a famous traveling carnival in Rachel Vincent’s Menangerie that hides its fair share of secrets behind a rather glamorous facade. The story follows the relatively ordinary Delilah Marlow who is captured and forced to “perform” as the carnival travels from town to town. And as Delilah strives to break free, she discovers new friends also in captivity, who happen to be mermaids, kelpies, gryphons, and the like. Darkly wondrous with a memorable cast of characters, Menagerie by Rachel Vincent makes for an engaging adventure.
Caraval
If you grew up rewatching The Labyrinth (1986) or get a thrill out of solving difficult escape rooms, Stephanie Garber’s Caraval will provide a richly immersive experience, plunging you in the heart of a magical competition where audience members take part in carnival-esque games. The mastermind behind this is a man called “Legend” who invites the two sisters, Scarlett and Tella, as well as Tella’s fiancé to his island. But when Tella is kidnapped, Scarlett must take part in Legend’s game and win it. With dreamy prose and plenty of romance, the Caraval series will definitely keep you enthralled.
The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death
Helen Marshall’s new novel, The Lady, The Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death is probably one of my most-anticipated titles of 2025. Playing around with stories within stories, this literary fantasy novel follows two women across generations, as they navigate a war-torn landscape and a magical circus that blurs the lines between reality and performance. If you love gorgeous prose, layered narratives, and a blend of folklore with the modern, you’ll certainly enjoy this book.
The Gracekeepers: A Novel
Kirsty Logan’s Gracekeepers is a soft, lyrical and poignant novel, unfolding in a world covered by water. The book follows Callanish who tends to shoreside burials and North, who works with “Excalibur,” a floating troupe of performers, sailing from one island to the next, entertaining audiences to survive. The watery landscape is evocatively portrayed and a sad sort of loneliness haunts the prose, making it a rather atmospheric and spellbinding reading experience.
Station Eleven
Like The Gracekeepers, the story of Station Eleven unravels in a strange, surreal, post-apocalyptic landscape where a mysterious pandemic has wiped off most of humanity, and follows the few survivors struggling to make sense of their lives. This elegantly-written narrative features a nomadic group of actors and musicians that call themselves “The Traveling Symphony” touring across the settlements, keeping stories of humanity alive.
From torn comic book pages that tell an unfinished story to incomplete stage productions, the book grapples with the remnants of “art” and “artefacts” and how it falls upon us to fill in the blanks and find meaning through these unreal times.
Circus of Wonders: A Novel
Those who enjoy historical fiction tinged with magic realism might check out British author Elizabeth Macneal’s Circus of Wonders. Set in 1886, it focuses on nineteen-year-old Nell who picks violets for a living, till she is cruelly kidnapped and sold by her father to “Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders” as a leopard girl. Nell ends up becoming the star of the show and finds new people to love, but life isn’t smooth-sailing. Packed with intrigue, betrayal and quaint Victoriana, Circus of Wonders is a curious and captivating read.
