REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"Will you come along, Lily? Will you run away to the circus with a fellow you hardly know?"
When Lily Mae Dodge slipped into the night, she never imagined a future with a traveling circus, she was just trying to escape a suffocating placement with a family that wasn't even hers. Sent by her widowed mother to an orphanage at a young age, Lily was then transported by train to a foster home in Wyoming where she was expected to work like a hired hand without any pay. Lily dreamed of more. Would a chance encounter on a train, traversing back towards the only place she remembered as almost home, change the trajectory of her life forever?
Francis Basnett, whose severe eye condition prevented him from serving in the Great War, has been working as a roustabout for the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus for years. When he chooses the seat beside Lily on the train to Chicago and uses their time together to draw out a few details, his generous heart cannot help but offer her whatever measure of kindness she chooses to accept. Could it be more?
The story that follows is nothing short of remarkable.
With exceptional depth of character and story, this novel explores not only the history surrounding the lives spent among the tents of a traveling circus, but the unspeakable tragedy that killed so many members of the renowned Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Visiting numerous cities along the railways of America and through the view of these "tomorrow's towns", Lily and Francis' experiences mirror those of the circus itself; perfecting new skills, overcoming insurmountable obstacles, and journeying from fear to faith one loving road stop at a time, inviting love to join them softly and surely.
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing, the opinions stated above are entirely my own.
4.5 stars
WINNIE'S REVIEW:
I'm always amazed at the things I can learn from reading historical fiction. I knew about the orphan train programs that ran from the 1850s to the 1920s, placing hundreds of thousands of orphans with different families, with differing results for the children. I didn't know, however, about the horrific train crash that killed so many members of the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus family.
Naomi Musch has penned a fascinating tale about two people meeting by chance and developing a friendship that changes both their lives. Orphaned Lily May Dodge escaped her life of hardship with a foster family in Wyoming and headed back east to try to find her mother and brother. When circus roustabout Francis Basnett finds a seat beside her on the train, they strike up a conversation. His failing vision has left him with insecurities, but he invites Lily to join up with the circus. When a terrible train crash devastates the circus, their lives change once again, and they find themselves facing new challenges.
I was impressed with the depth of the characters and the growth in them that the author portrayed. The plot was engrossing and kept my interest, and I enjoyed reading the author's notes at the back of the book, detailing more about the historical aspects of the story. Themes of hope, faith, and overcoming adversity add depth and inspiration to it.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing. All opinions are my own.
BackCover Blurb:
Past and Present Collide on the Railway
When life seems weighed down by challenges, there are always pillars of enduring hope and love to be discovered.
Lily Mae Dodge flees Wyoming by night to find her mother, who sent her
west on an orphan train ten years ago. After she's arrested in Chicago,
help comes from a man with a rare vision impairment whom she only just
met on a train. Francis Basnett is a roustabout for the famous
Hagenbeck-Wallace circus, where he helps Lily gain employment. Their
friendship grows into more, and it seems Lily is closer than ever to
finding her mother. . .until the night a rogue troop train slams into
the stalled circus train, killing dozens and splintering hope.
More from the Enduring Hope Series:
The Angel of Second Street by Barbara Tifft Blakey
The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn
The Caregiver at Wounded Knee by Debby Lee
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