An astonishing debut novel, where enchantment and illusion casually mingle with reality as the Borefsky Brothers Circus makes its way across 1900 American Midwest. Mariana, the fortuneteller, twins Atasha and Anna cling to each other and weep for their home and for their parents. Jakub, the circus manager and husband to Mariana, fears his wife's gifts, grieves his own failures and drinks to forget it all. The closely guarded histories of the troupe of performers interweave until a love affair between Shanghai and Atasha shifts reality. 27/10/2005