In "Nights at the Circus," Angela Carter weaves a fantastical tale of the indomitable Fevvers, a winged trapeze artist with a mysterious past. Set against the backdrop of a traveling circus, her story unfolds through the eyes of a skeptical journalist eager to uncover the truth. As Fevvers navigates the surreal world of performance and illusion, she challenges societal norms and explores themes of gender and identity. With rich, poetic language, Carter invites readers to question reality and embrace the extraordinary. Will you dare to enter the magical realm of the circus and uncover the wonders that lie within?
By Angela Carter
Published: 1986
""I am a woman, and I will not be trapped by others' expectations, for my spirit is as wild and untamed as the night itself.""
Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction From the master of the literary supernatural and author of The Bloody Chamber, her acclaimed novel about the exploits of a circus performer who is part-woman, part-swan Sophi Fevvers—the toast of Europe's capitals, courted by the Prince of Wales, painted by Toulouse-Lautrec—is an aerialiste extraordinaire, star of Colonel Kearney's circus. She is also part woman, part swan. Jack Walser, an American journalist, is on a quest to discover Fevvers's true identity: Is she part swan or all fake? Dazzled by his love for Fevvers, and desperate for the scoop of a lifetime, Walser joins the circus on its tour. The journey takes him—and the reader—on an intoxicating trip through turn-of-the-century London, St. Petersburg, and Siberia—a tour so magical that only Angela Carter could have created it.
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“"I am a woman, and I will not be trapped by others' expectations, for my spirit is as wild and untamed as the night itself."”
Nights at the Circus
By Angela Carter
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Angela Carter (1940–1992) was a renowned British author known for her groundbreaking contributions to feminist literature and magical realism. Her notable works include 'The Bloody Chamber,' a collection of reimagined fairy tales that explore themes of sexuality and power, and 'Nights at the Circus,' which blends fantasy and realism through the story of a circus performer with wings. Carter's writing is characterized by rich, poetic language and an exploration of the grotesque, often subverting traditional narratives to challenge societal norms.
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