The Ringmaster's Wife

by Kristy Cambron
Hennepin County Library paperback 340 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Based on real-life John and Mable Ringling and their protégés Colin Keary and Lady Rosamund Easling (fictional), this was a story set in the early 1900s in the circus world. I liked, but didn't love it. I wish I'd been at the book club discussion last week. The book is mostly about Mable and Rosamund and living your dream. It didn't resonate for me . . . and I'm not sure why. I didn't care deeply about any of the characters. I'm not sure if I can even pick a favorite. Perhaps Rosamund's dead brother Hendrik . . .

page 76 - "She'd always spoken from the heart with those whom she loved, and Sally was dear to her. . . . .  'And I certainly don't think that marrying for money is the same as marrying for love.'" Amen, Mable! Speak the truth in love; that's very Scriptural.

pages 156-7 The scene when Mable visits Sally in the hospital on her wedding day . . . that was beautiful. Probably my favorite scene in the entire book. I love when she described the day they met! "I was transfixed - an Ohio farm girl who walked into a Chicago club looking for a job, and instead was taken half-way round the world by a friend's gift of song."

page 226 - The warning bells went off for me like in a slasher movie when the music gets creepy! This was the highest point of suspense for me . . . and it fell flat. Bella coercing Rosamund to her tent with the costume story.

page 299 - "They all had one thing in common: faith that when one has no control, there is One who does. It was comforting that God had sent John Ringling at a time in her life when Mable had really needed him." This made me wonder about the line between fact and fiction. Were the Ringlings Christian? Did they have a strong faith in God?

page 330 - "It wasn't in the initial faith leap to chase a dream; rather, the magic was in the day-to-day living and breathing and choosing to be courageous when common sense told one otherwise." I like the idea that the daily life of a person says a lot more about them than bold, momentous decisions.

I hope I didn't ruin this book for anyone else. Sometimes titles just don't resonate for me . . . and I love hearing others' points of view! So sorry I missed book club.