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Laura Lam

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Pantomime: Micah Grey, Book 1 Paperback – Feb. 5 2013

by Laura Lam (Author)

263 ratings

3.9 on Goodreads

3,243 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Micah Grey Trilogy

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2014 Bisexual Book Award Winner for Speculative Fiction
2014 Rainbow List Selection

R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass – remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone – are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimeras is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

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Review

"Pantomime by Laura Lam took me to an exotic and detailed world, peopled by characters that I'd love to be friends with...and some I'd never want to cross paths with."
-Robin Hobb, author of the Farseer Trilogy

“Set in a vividly imagined world with wonderful steampunk touches, Pantomimeis a fable-like story as beautifully unique as its main character.”
– Malinda Lo, author of Ash, Huntress, and Adaptation

“Micah is the most wonderful, complex, brave and contemporary teenage hero I’ve read, facing issues of identity and responsibility that will resound with any reader who has felt like an outsider. Pantomime is loving in its detail but hints at so much scope to come, it feels like the set up for an epic sequel. I raced through this book, desperate to know what happens next. ‘Look out behind you’ Robin Hobb…”
- Bryony Pearce, author of Angel’s Fury and winner of the 2012 Leeds Book Award

“Welcome to a world of shills and showmen, fading tech and circus freaks, where nothing and no-one is what it appears. An absorbing, accomplished debut.”
- Elspeth Cooper, author of the Wild Hunt series

“Who hasn’t dreamed off running off and joining the circus? Laura Lam’s Micah does just that, discovering a world of clowns and acrobats, con men and tricksters, corruption and incompetent doctors, and maybe more about himself. I look forward to more from this author.”
- Brian Katcher, author of Almost Perfect and winner of the 2011 Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award

“In PANTOMIME, Laura Lam has created a world which will take your breath away, and characters you will never want to leave. Enchanting.”
- Lou Morgan, author of Blood and Feathers

“A lyrical, stunningly written debut novel, which set my heart racing with every lift of the trapeze. In Micah we have one of the most original – and likeable – protagonists I’ve read in a long time. An author to watch, without a doubt.”
- Amy McCulloch, author of The Oathbreaker’s Shadow

Nominated for the 2014 ALA Rainbow list.

About the Author

Laura Lam was raised near San Francisco, CA by two former Haight-Ashbury hippies. Both of them encouraged her to finger-paint to her heart's desire, color outside of the lines, and consider the library a second home. This led to an overabundance of daydreams.

She relocated to Scotland to be with her husband, whom she met on the internet when he insulted her taste in books. She almost blocked him but is glad she didn't. At times she misses the sunshine. The author lives in Scotland, UK.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Strange Chemistry
Publication date ‏ : ‎ Feb. 5 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 190884437X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1908844378
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 159 g
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.98 x 2.77 x 19.66 cm
Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ Micah Grey Trilogy

Best Sellers Rank: #338,130 in Genre Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
263 ratings

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Laura Lam

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LR Lam (who has also written as Laura Lam) was raised near San Francisco, California, by two former Haight-Ashbury hippies. Both of them encouraged Lam to colour outside of the lines and consider the library a second home. They moved to Scotland in 2009 and at times they miss the sunshine.

They are the Sunday Times Bestselling author of Dragonfall, Goldilocks, Seven Devils and Seven Mercies (co-written with Elizabeth May) False Hearts (a BBC radio 2 book club selection), Shattered Minds (an Amazon editor's book of the month), and the award-winning Micah Grey trilogy (Pantomime, Shadowplay, Masquerade). They also write geeky f/f romance under the name Laura Ambrose.

They currently live in Edinburgh and work as a book coach and lecturer in addition to writing.

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Kate
Amazing read!
Reviewed in Canada on April 24, 2013

I could not put this novel down. It is extremely well written, and has excellent character development. I am really looking forward to the sequel!

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law
Well Written
Reviewed in Canada on April 16, 2016
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This is the only book I've read with an intersex protagonist. It's obviously a large driving force in the plot, but Micah is far more then his physical characteristics - there are deeper mysterious about who he is. Every other chapter is a flashback, and the slow reveal worked very well.

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Pixiecatasaurus
Meh
Reviewed in Canada on October 31, 2018
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Meh

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Christa Seeley
A fascinating look into a travelling circus
Reviewed in Canada on August 9, 2013
I need to start this post out with a note about the back cover copy you see above. Some may consider this a spoiler. I don’t think it is because you find out about it within the first few chapters and I think they do this book a disservice by hiding this bit of information from potential readers.

The cover copy makes it seem like Pantomime is about two characters – Gene Laurus and Micah Grey. What it is actually about is one intersex teen. Raised as a girl, Gene, has never felt quite right in high class society. So when she hears her parents discussing an upcoming surgery to solve her “problem” she decided to run away. Out in the real world she begins dressing as a boy and joins the travelling circus that’s in town as a trapeze artist in training. The chapters alternate from Micah’s experience in the circus and Gene’s life leading up to her great escape. It’s pretty obvious right away that these two characters are one in the same and by not mentioning that Micah/Gene is intersex this book is ignoring one of its most important themes – to stay true to oneself. None of this is a reflection on Laura Lam’s writing but I thought this was a point that needed to be made.

Now onto the book itself!

Pantomime reminded me of The Night Circus or Water for Elephants. There’s just something about circus novels. They’re mysterious and magical and there’s something unknown or forbidden about them. Pantomime is no exception. Pantomime is an incredibly beautiful, atmospheric read. Especially the circus itself. The imagery is so vivid I could genuinely picture the trapeze act, the carnival, the freak show. All of it.

In addition to the imagery I also loved Gene and Micah – though for very different reasons. I liked Gene because she’s so head strong and independent. There are things society expects of her, but she just doesn’t conform. She likes to climb trees, and play with the boys. But I also liked Micah because he’s so relataeble. He’s not 100% sure who is and what he wants to be and he is terrified being out on his own.

My one complaint about this book is that sometimes the pacing is quite slow. There’s a lot of detail and the revelation could sometimes feel a bit sluggish. Things happen at their own pace and as lovely as the writing is, sometimes you just want to get on with the story. There will be a sequel – Shadowplay – so I’m hoping now that the world and background has been established the story’s pace will pick up.

Recommendation: An beautifully written novel that takes you deep into the mysterious world of a travelling circus. The protagonist is sure to steal your heart – both as Micah and Gene. Highly recommended for fans of The Night Circus and similar novels.

This review originally posted on More Than Just Magic ([...]

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fredamans
Good!
Reviewed in Canada on February 6, 2014
This book is a tale about a person who lives among a travelling circus. It's so much more than that to though. This person has a secret, and one unlike any other. Keeping that secret is part of the story.
There is also amazing characters brought to life in this story. *Swooning over Drystan*
And lastly, some romance bit here and there are thrown in.
All of these elements make for a really interesting story. The only thing negative I felt while reading is not being sure what era it was in, and you really must have some sort of keen interest in the circus to keep your interests. The circus aspect is just so woven into the tale, even though it is centered around this person.
I liked it, but am not loving it.
Will I read Shadowplay? Yes! Especially after the twisty turns at the very end of the story.

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Jana Hollstein
Fantasievoll, ungewöhnlich
Reviewed in Germany on February 2, 2017
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Einer der spannendsten Jugendromane, den ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe. Ich hatte ihn nach 2 Tagen durch & habe mir sofort den 2. Teil geholt, der mich nicht enttäuscht hat.

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Miss K. Southern
... reads while I was away in Italy and I'm pleased to bump it straight up to being my favourite ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2018
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The first of my two reads while I was away in Italy and I'm pleased to bump it straight up to being my favourite read of May! What a fantastic book! I've seen some scathing reviews about how the subject matter is handled in relation to the blurb on this one so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy it or even find it offensive, but it had exactly the right mix of diversity, fantasy and wonder that I expect to read in a book about the Circus! The world-building of a Victorian-esque Ellada was wonderful, giving enough information to keep me interested, but holding back in order to focus on the characterisation and plot development. I look forward to understanding the Vestige and Penglass more in future books!

I think the most exciting aspect of this book was it's handling of an Intersex character. I adore books that contain LGBT themes and it was especially heart-warming to read the main protagonist, Gene, as androgynous because, especially as Lam explored the tumultuous emotions and relationships that come with that experience so thoroughly. Relating it back to the world-building and plot, I love the idea that in the past, Intersex beings were worshipped as 'complete' humans. It's going to lead the plot in a very interesting direction I'm sure, and perhaps open up some very interesting discussion questions.

Despite loving this book, it's weakest point was probably the ending. It felt a little rushed when compared to the rest of the book, and I was uncomfortable to see Domestic Violence take such a back seat throughout the story, only to be exploited for a 'dramatic ending'. In terms of the 'love triangle', it all felt a little too convenient too and I can only hope that things take a turn for the better in Book Two, which I'm really looking forward to reading. Despite being a little disappointed by the end, this book charmed and wowed me in so many ways that I can't sing it's praises enough, and I look forward to reading the whole series!

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Katharine (ventureadlaxre)
Amazing book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2015
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‘Pantomime’ by Laura Lam is a young adult fantasy-steampunk with slight elements of magic, which may grow into a main theme in the next book.

Split between the present and the past, Lam entices us into Gene’s life, a girl who feels more like a boy and is determined to be known as Gene rather than her official name of Iphigenia, and later takes on the name Micah in an effort to hide when she runs away from her family. We start the novel as she joins a circus with hopes of someday performing on the trapeze, but for now must act as a simple roustabout while she’s in training. Or should I say ‘he’, as she’s ditched the dresses as she’s always wanted to, bound her chest and cut her hair.

Once in the circus he’s lucky to be taken on by the current aerialists who guide him on how to cope through the general hazing the other members of the circus throw at him. With steampunk elements thrown in, we are introduced along with Micah as to how the circus uses items known as ‘Vestige’, elements from an ancient civilisation that are now few as they run out of residual power that can’t be replaced.

As if hazing and a tough training and work regime aren’t enough, Micah also has to deal with secrets he’s left behind, and secrets he reveals in the circus life. Life doesn’t seem ideal for anyone, and all he meet have a dark past to reveal.

The chapters are artfully constructed, first remaining mostly in his past whilst occasionally showing the present life in the circus, until the circus chapters overtake and only show his past in chapters few and far between. We see why he’s on the run, and why he identifies with being male so strongly, as well as elements that make us wonder if there isn’t something about Micah that could unlock so much about the vestige that could change Ellada itself.

Laura Lam has a wonderful way with words, and manages to capture circus life in a way that reveals both the beauty and the grim at once. While the dark backstories of nearly each and every character could be a little depressing, she somehow weaves hope within, as the characters are still making a future for themselves, or escape one way or another.

Micah is a character like none other I’ve read before. Lam manages to capture gender issues perfectly, with the character unsure of what they want in life and who they want it with, yet finding a home within a circus where others with the same questions and answers have also found themselves.

The plot is hard to describe, as it somehow manages to flow back and forth between present and past timelines, remaining simple yet complex – possibly hard to describe simply because it’s written so well that Lam conveys everything that happens and is felt easily, yet descriptive and emotional.

The biggest draw in this novel is that things such as the Vestige and the mysterious Penglass – a substance that a few buildings in each city is made of – and the mysteriously missing Chimera are only hinted at, or briefly seen. The world is incredibly deep – speaking of wars and people past, with poems and mythos revealed at the start of each chapter – and you know that Lam must have many notebooks of worldbuilding ready and waiting to be revealed.

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David Dellman
I loved it but…
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2013
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I fell in love quickly and easily with Pantomime and the characters in the novel. Pantomime is by a wide margin the best book I have read in the last two years and I read constantly. I did have one issue however that I did not see addressed in other reviews and so I thought I would add my voice to the choir. Pantomime ends on what I perceived to be a cliffhanger. Many of the central conflicts of the story are left unresolved. I think there is a tendency in publishing today to try to “build an audience” this way and I will read the sequel if there is one but despite the popularity of this approach I am old fashioned in the sense that I still think a good story needs a begging, a middle, and an end. You build your audience on the strength of your writing not by leaving them wanting. If you are going to end a nearly 400 page novel on a cliffhanger than you should tell your audience first so that they can decide if they want to make an emotional commitment to a story without an end. If the novel had resolved I would have given it five stars. Otherwise the work was brilliant and I am absolutely green with envy over the insanely talented Laura Lam. Well done.

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Jenny
Different, Brave & Very Interesting.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2014
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Pantomime tells the story of Gene, an inter-sex bisexual character who upon discovering her parents lies & plans runs away from home and joins a circus. At first the outsider, Gene has to deal with cruel jokes and the worst jobs before proving that she is an invaluable member of the circus. She makes friends & falls in love all the while keeping her inter-sex identity a secret. Things are complicated however because Gene has an mysterious connection to old technology/inventions that were created by an old race. Plus her parents are looking for her and have hired someone to whisk her away from the circus, the place she now happily calls home.
I refer to Gene as 'her' as she was raised female but once at the circus Gene lives as a boy and this issue of gender identity and sexuality (Gene is attracted to both a male & female at the circus) is what really makes this novel so interesting and refreshing. It really makes you think of identity and just what we define as 'male' or 'female' and 'man' and 'woman'. I especially liked the bisexual element because its just so rare that you read about a character who appreciates both men and women and I think it was a very brave decision for the author to incorporate this into her work. This is definitely the first time I have read about an inter-sex character and I thought it was both interesting & educational and again this is a topic not usually dealt with but which here is treated with such care and understanding that you are left greatly admiring the author. The story is strong and there are questions left unanswered at the novel's end which just make you want to carry on and read book two. Gene is a great character and this novel is a very strong start to a series.

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