PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Amita Parikh received an honours BSc from the University of Toronto before moving to London, England, where she completed the Curtis Brown creative writing course and the Royal Court Theatre's writers' program. She works in the tech industry and produces and hosts a podcast dedicated to women in sports. The Circus Train is her first novel.
A spellbinding tale of illusions, family secrets, courage, and devotion, as a circus train tours European cities under threat of war and persecution. Amita Parikh's skills as a storyteller will enthrall the reader. In Lena Papadopoulos she has created an irresistible and memorable young heroine. -- Carol Windley, author of 'Midnight Train to Prague' The Circus Train is a lush, luminous story of outsiders, those disadvantaged by accidents of birth or menacing political regimes. Amita Parikh's prose shimmers; get ready to be immersed in its rich textures and breathtaking illusions - fire jugglers, mermaid-acrobats, and more. But the real magic is human connection, a sense of belonging, self-fulfillment. I cheered until the final page for Parikh's characters who strive to beat the odds in a world of turmoil, characters drawn with great love by their creator, in this novel so generous in scope and heart. -- Jeanette Lynes, author of 'The Small Things that End the World' Sit back and enjoy as this magical story transports you through war-torn Europe, demonstrating how family can be found in the most unconventional ways. -- Shilpi Somaya Gowda, author of The Shape of Family The Circus Train is a dazzling and delightful debut. Amita Parikh plunges us into a mesmerizing tale of colourful acts and characters, who must elicit truth from illusion as they face dark forces and seek out their places in a changing world. I thoroughly enjoyed this read -- Ellen Keith, bestselling author of 'The Dutch Wife' Set against the vivid and original backdrop of a traveling circus in World War II Europe, The Circus Train is . . . a powerful reminder that to live is not just to survive, but to be seen and known for ourselves -- Pam Jenoff, author of THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR Magic, love, destiny, and illusion combine with the glitter of 20th century circus life and the heartbreak of war in The Circus Train, Amita Parikh's masterful first novel . . .. A powerful tale of hope in the face of tragedy and great love in the face of staggering loss. An extraordinary debut. -- KRISTIN HARMEL, author of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES A poignant story of a young woman's strive for independence, overcoming disability, the atrocities of WWII, and betrayal. Heartbreak, romance and love filter throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending offering hope -- Glynis Peters, author of THE SECRET ORPHAN I fell head and heart into the pages of The Circus Train. The triumphant spirit of the characters shines brightly as they navigate the extravagance of the World of Wonders circus and a challenging historical landscape. This is a book readers will carry with them, in the best of ways, for a long time to come -- Lorelei Savaryn, author of THE CIRCUS OF STOLEN DEEAMS
