An addictive novel about power, fame, and a love that is threatened by a terrible secret. Step up, step up! In 1860s England, circus mania is sweeping the nation. Crowds jostle for a glimpse of the lion tamers, the dazzling trapeze artists, and, most thrilling of all, the so-called "human wonders." When Jasper Jupiter's Circus of Wonders pitches its tent in a poor coastal town, the life of one young girl changes forever. Sold to the ringmaster as a "leopard girl" because of the birthmarks that cover her body, Nell is utterly devastated. But as she grows close to the other performers, she finds herself enchanted by the astonishing freedom of the circus, and by her own role as the Queen of the Moon and Stars. Nell's fortune very quickly begins to glitter - and with it, a chance for Jasper to realize his dreams of world renown. But what happens when her fame eclipses his, when even Jasper's loyal brother, Toby, becomes captivated by Nell? No longer the quiet flower-picker, Nell knows her own place in the world, and she will fight for it. A gorgeously wrought exploration of celebrity, power, and belonging, this is a historical novel unlike any other, with an unforgettable heroine at its heart.