A Girl Made of Air, Nydia Hetherington
A Girl Made of Air, Nydia Hetherington
List: $28.99 | Sale: $20.29
Club: $14.49

A Girl Made of Air
a mesmerising read perfect for fans of Angela Carter

Author: Nydia Hetherington

Narrator: Natalie Pela

Unabridged: 12 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Quercus

Published: 09/03/2020

Synopsis

A lyrical and atmospheric homage to the strange and extraordinary, perfect for fans of Angela Carter and Erin Morgenstern.

This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived...

Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. Until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.

Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child... But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?

Beautiful and intoxicating, A Girl Made of Air brings the circus to life in all of its grime and glory; Marina, Manu, Serendipity Wilson, Fausto, Big Gen and Mouse will live long in the hearts of readers. As will this story of loss and reconciliation, of storytelling and truth.

(P)2020 Quercus Editions Limited

About Nydia Hetherington

Growing up in Leeds, Nydia Hetherington moved to London in her early twenties to embark on an acting career. At thirty she moved to Paris where she continued her theatre training before setting up a theatre company. Returning to London almost a decade later, she worked in a shoe shop while studying for a Creative Writing degree. During this time, she was diagnosed with the systemic autoimmune disease Rheumatoid Arthritis. Sycorax is her second novel. It was shortlisted for The Wilbur Smith 2025 Adventure Writing Prize. Nydia now lives in Kent with her husband and large, aged cat (or familiar).

Reviews

Goodreads review by Charlotte on March 16, 2022

3.5 ⭐️ Mouse is born into the circus life. Though her parents have little time for her she is adopted by Serendipity Wilson, who teaches her the art of tightrope walking. Told through a series of stories and journal entries, we flick between the protagonists childhood and her present life in New Yor......more

Goodreads review by rebecca | velvet opus on March 20, 2021

~I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review!~ Some books surprise you, but not in a good way. This was very much one of those books for me. I requested it based on its blurb, expecting a whimsical, fantastical read reminiscent of The Night Circus or Caraval. But,this is not a magical YA fant......more

Goodreads review by Louise on September 01, 2020

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 Mouse was born into circus life but neither her mother or father wanted to look after her. Serendipity Wilson takes mouse into her care and teaches her to be a funambulist. This story was based around a lost child, Bunny. She was the daughter of Serendipity. The story is mor......more

Goodreads review by Tash on January 27, 2021

I literally can't get over how little reviews there are of this book!! I just LOVED it. If you love books with a bit of folklore, mystery, the circus, even Lemony Snicket vibes (which I got more towards the end) then you have to read this. The book centers around the protagonist Mouse, the greatest f......more

Goodreads review by Emma on August 30, 2020

A blend of historical fiction and magical realism in a circus setting. I should have loved this, but really didn’t! I couldn’t connect to the main character despite the terrible story of her conception. We learn very little about her life as a tightrope walker even though it is what she is supposedl......more

Quotes

A captivating tale of love and loss and finding connection in the most unexpected places Nikki Marmery, author of ON WILDER SEAS

Hetherington tells her captivating tale from deep within the sequinned heart of the circus, with characters as darkly flawed as they are brilliantly talented. A Girl Made of Air is a poignant story of regret and redemption, brilliantly interlaced with magic and folklore Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry & Wild Rose

Tells a story about stories in rich, lyrical magic realism . . . the language is elegant and beautiful and an atmospheric success in itself Starburst

An
enchanting tale
steeped in circus
legend - a truly
magical debut! My Weekly

Fantasy, folklore and funambulism tread an impressive line in this richly imagined debut. Hetherington spins a kaleidoscopic patchwork of memory and magic, secrets and lies, ideal for fans of The Night Circus Emma Stonex, author of THE LAMPLIGHTERS

This novel had me under its spell from start to finish, each page conjuring up such vivid imagery that I was utterly captivated. Breathtaking Emma Cooper, author of IF I COULD SAY GOODBYE

Spellbinding! Candis

There's a glamour and grimness in this captivating novel . . . a vivid tale of regret and redemption Psychologies

Several fairy tales intertwined into one, this captivating novel tells the story of love and loss . . . A pacey and entirely enthralling read Independent online

For fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and The Binding by Bridget Collins, this magical debut from actress-turned-writer Nydia Hetherington is just the kind of book to curl up and escape to as the days get shorter Huffington Post, Super Thursday round-up

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