A richly compelling story about sympathetic, queer, and remarkable carny folks that consistently delivers earnest and heartfelt camp. Eager’s punchy, funny prose never falters, and Avita’s relatable development—sexual and otherwise—alongside her siblings’ pursuit of some semblance of independence from the large, looming figure of their father cleverly reshapes concepts of beauty, seduction, and coming-of-age. Readers will want to grab tickets to this thoughtful, provocative read.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
Eagar (The Patron Thief of Bread) presents a resplendent family saga set against the backdrop of a traveling circus. . . . By combining a beguiling premise with sinister ambiance, complex characterizations, and arresting, literary-leaning language, Eagar presents an absorbing read that examines the effect of familial pressures and conflict on one’s mental health and self-perception.
—Publishers Weekly
In her YA debut, Eagar (The Patron Thief of Bread, 2022) conjures up a fantastical historical novel featuring the Family Fortuna traveling circus, famed “from Texas to Tacoma. . . . Rich language envelops the reader in layers of sensory detail. At times nearly poetic, it can also be crass, anachronistic, and even funny.
—Booklist
Full of gorgeous monsters and fallen angels, rich language and deep longing, The Family Fortuna is a feast of a book. I swallowed it whole.
—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times best-selling author
Eagar perfectly balances both the sublime and the wretched in this talon-sharp look at what it means to be a performer—and a family. The Family Fortuna will linger in your heart long after you leave their circus.
—Kiersten White, #1 New York Times best-selling author
Heartbreaking, irreverent, hilarious, grotesquely gorgeous (or is it gorgeously grotesque?), and ultimately triumphant—The Family Fortuna paints an unforgettable picture of a dazzling circus, a messy family bursting with equal parts love and resentment, and most beautifully of all, a girl finding the courage to accept, embrace, and celebrate her true self. Words aren’t enough to describe how much I loved this weird, fantastical, exquisitely crafted book. It has my whole heart.
—Claire Legrand, New York Times best-selling author
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