Review by Booklist Review
The only place that Asher Sullivan can be himself--a queer teenage boy--is in his dreams. Closeted Asher, who goes by Ash and uses she/her pronouns by day, attends Catholic school in his small New Hampshire town, his tuitiion paid by his conservative grandparents. In dreams, he enters the magic Midnight Circus and performs as a trapeze artist alongside the frustrating but beautiful Apollo. He thinks he's only escaping his daytime fate, where he's being primed to take over his grandfather's law firm, and only his best friend, Moira, knows that he's actually trans. Then Apollo shows up as a new student at school and Asher has to reckon with the fact that his second life might be closer than he thinks. This speculative coming-out story dazzles most when it confronts the fears its characters hide behind. Asher and Apollo's budding relationship is endearing and sweet, and Asher's friendship with Moira shines. LeBlanc's debut boasts stunning, evocative writing, and the vibrant settings of both Asher's daytime life and the magic of the circus will transport readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Ash lives two distinct lives: a secret one as a teenage boy since most people misgender him, and the other as his authentic self but only in his dreams at the Midnight Circus. Ash trudges through his daytime hours at a Catholic school with his bestie Moira by his side, dreading nearly every aspect of his waking world. At night, he dreams a full life performing in the Midnight Circus. Suddenly, both lives collide when his supposedly imaginary trapeze partner Apollo walks into his actual classroom as a late transfer student. Things begin to fall apart everywhere. Bigotry and hate pile up in his community while the circus becomes less and less of a perfect escape. College choices, smothering family members, and local politics all collide into an ugly perfect storm that spills into his dream life and Ash can't breathe. The characters' truths crescendo into a massive climax, finally allowing for space to heal and move forward. Debut author LeBlanc does a tremendous job fleshing out believable, fully realized characters that demand to be seen. Strong plot pacing with hints of mystery and a budding romance will keep readers hooked until the end. Most characters are cued white and there are multiple characters with LGBTQIA+ representation. VERDICT A definite purchase for any library serving high schoolers.--Kristen Rademacher
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A high school senior hides his trans identity by day and by night lives in a fantasy circus dream world, where he can be fully himself. Asher Sullivan is a high schooler in conservative, small-town New Hampshire who hides his gender identity from his single mom, his Christian grandparents, and almost everyone else. His grandparents, who use his deadname and force him to wear his Catholic school uniform skirt, can't wait for him to follow in his late father's footsteps by taking over the family law business--which is currently fighting against a transgender girl's right to use the girls' bathroom and locker room at a local public school. At night, Asher dreams of the Midnight Circus, where he's free to be himself and can fly on the trapeze alongside a beguiling--yet frustratingly aloof--boy named Apollo. When Apollo shows up at Asher's school, his lives intersect, and Asher must confront painful feelings. The internal logic of the fantasy world is uneven and works best if it's not scrutinized too closely. The circus provides a sparkling contrast to the straightforward trans self-affirmation story, however, and will appeal to readers who enjoy the dramatic arts. All main characters are white; secondary characters include a broadly diverse range of identities. (This review was updated to correct a character's name.) A trans story of belonging and first love with uneven worldbuilding. (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
