Over the
years, the two women become as close as sisters, and through Serendipity’s
tutelage, Mouse becomes a great funambulist, and the star of the show. And just
as she thinks that life is starting to look up, Mouse loses Serendipity first to
a lover, and eventually to a baby. As their relationship becomes more strained,
Serendipity seems to be fading away, becoming a shadow of her former self. To rectify
this, Mouse comes up with a brilliant idea, only to have it backfire for her to
lose Serendipity forever.
Determined to
start fresh, Mouse travels to America, where she seeks a new life and fame. Here,
she finds appreciation for her craft, and an audience for her tragic past.
A Girl
Made of Air is not
your average carnival adventure. Instead of circus freaks and romance, we have
dark intrigue and a tragic past. The narrative
is steeped in loss and heartache, and does an excellent job of playing with the
reader’s emotions. As Mouse searches for her own story, and seeks to right her
wrongs, she strings us along an unusual life filled with wonder, loss,
redemption, and finally, peace. If you’re looking for history and myth along
with your magic, look no further.
A
Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington is published by Quercus, A Hachette
company, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.
