Maud's Circus

Review\n"Maud's Circus is moving and insightful. It is finely etched and beautifully drawn." - Historical Novel Society\nMaud's Circus by Michelle Rene is historical fiction at its best. Rene takes you on a heartfelt journey that winds through decades of world events. In the end, it is not enough. Maud's Circus is one of those rare books that I held to my heart when I finished and wished for more. I will never forget Maud Wagner and Maud's Circus by Michelle Rene. -Diane Kane with READERS' FAVORITE REVIEWS\n"Rene convinces with her descriptions of the circus atmosphere, and of its appeal to Maud ("There was a deep need to belong here in a world of freedom and color"). Readers will enjoy this fast-paced, witty drama." - Publishers Weekly\nMaxy Award "Best Book of the Year" Winner for 2021\nIn a time when women were restricted in every aspect, Maud Wagner became the first female tattoo artist in North America. Maud ran away to join the circus when she was a teenager. By 1904, she was working as a contortionist at the World’s Fair when she met the famous tattoo artist, Gus Wagner. She struck a deal with him: she’d give him a date if he gave her a tattoo—and a lesson in how to create them. Along with her husband and daughter, for more than fifty years, Maud travelled the country tattooing the masses. Throughout this fictionalized biopic, we see Maud and her family manage their way through life inside the safety of their beloved circus. Each life Maud touches leaves its mark, quite literally. All this through the eyes of a relatively unknown woman... until now.