Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond

Girl on a Wire
Author: Gwenda Bond
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: October 1, 2014
Goodreads ♥ Amazon ♥ BookOutlet

Review:
Reading this book I realized that I know way more about circus life then I thought I did. Since Water For Elephants I have noticed a lot of books are using the circus as a whimsical setting for their novels and this knowledge seems to be rubbing off on me. I think that’s one of the reasons that, although I enjoyed this book, I found myself comparing it to a lot of other stories and it ended up losing some its magic.

Jules Maroni is a high-wire walker just like her father. She’s been performing for as long as she could stand on the wire and Jules wants to be just like her high-wire walking hero, Bird Millman. Early in the novel Jules convinces her family to join the Cirque American despite the presence of the Maroni’s rival family, The Flying Garcia’s.

Bird Millman

I liked this old family rivalry and all the secrets that it held. It gave the story a fantastical feel. I’m also a total sucker for curses, tarot cards, and other sorts of magi. Initially the mystery and the secrets behind the rivalry of the Marioni’s and Garcia’s drew me in. But I was able to figure out everything around 60% in to the story. So the ending felt very drawn out and I found myself getting a little bored.

Luckily, the relationship between Remy and Jules kept me reading. I liked their late night training rendezvous’. It was a sort of forbidden love, although the only characters that really cared were grandparents so it didn’t feel all that forbidden. Still, I liked both of these characters and it was the slow-burn kind of romance you can’t help but root for.

Overall, Girl on a Wire was a fun, although rather predictable novel. I enjoyed the setting and characters and plan on reading more of Gwenda Bond’s writing. I’ve heard good things about her other YA novel Blackwoood.

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond