The Life She Was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman

This multigenerational historical novel gives us a poignant view of the early days of the American circus as well as the cruelty and lack of understanding for anyone who was different in the freak shows. As in "Water For Elephants", performers and circus animals were subjected to a total lack of humane care. The story is told in two parts - one an albino girl who is sold into slavery at a freak show by her family and the other is a modern descendant of that same family who has just inherited the estate house. Julia finds some puzzling documents and pictures hidden in her father's home office and tries to understand not only her troubled relationship with her parents but also secrets that they hid from her and the rest of the world. Julia and Lilly are bound together by their connection to the old house but also by hatred of cruelty to animals and their ability to relate to animals much easier than people. Brilliant and brutal, this is the star attraction under the literary big top.