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Nydia Hetherington
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A Girl Made of Air: a mesmerising read perfect for fans of Angela Carter Kindle Edition

by Nydia Hetherington (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 316 ratings

This is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived . . .

Born into a post-war circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned in the shadows of the big top. Until the bright light of Serendipity Wilson threw her into focus.

Now an adult, haunted by an incident in which a child was lost from the circus, our narrator, a tightrope artiste, weaves together her spellbinding tales of circus legends, earthy magic and folklore, all in the hope of finding the child . . . But will her story be enough to bring the pair together again?

Beautiful and intoxicating, A Girl Made of Air brings the circus to life in all of its grime and glory; Marina, Manu, Serendipity Wilson, Fausto, Big Gen and Mouse will live long in the hearts of readers. As will this story of loss and reconciliation, of storytelling and truth.

READERS LOVE A GIRL MADE OF AIR

'Spellbinding and luminous' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A tantalizing mystery' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'So immersive and magical and precious' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A beautiful book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A captivating tale of love and loss and finding connection in the most unexpected places' Nikki Marmery, author of On Wilder Seas

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  1. Print length
    332 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Quercus
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    September 3, 2020
  6. File size
    2.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A captivating tale of love and loss and finding connection in the most unexpected places"
―Nikki Marmery, author of On Wilder Seas

"Hetherington tells her captivating tale from deep within the sequinned heart of the circus, with characters as darkly flawed as they are brilliantly talented. A Girl Made of Airis a poignant story of regret and redemption, brilliantly interlaced with magic and folklore"
―Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry & Wild Rose

"Tells a story about stories in rich, lyrical magic realism . . . the language is elegant and beautiful and an atmospheric success in itself"

―Starburst

"An enchanting tale steeped in circus legend -a truly magical debut!"

―My Weekly

"She weaves together tales of circus legends, magic and folklore, in the hope of finding the child... Spellbinding!"―Candis

"Page-turners, gut-punchers and eye-openers"―Irish Tatler

"An enchanting, lyrical and atmospheric tale that brings the circus to life"―Publishing Post newsletter

"A dreamlike delight."―Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

About the Author



Originally from Leeds, Nydia Hetheringtonmoved to London in her twenties to embark on an acting career. Later she moved to Paris where she studied at the Jacques Lecoq theatre school before creating her own theatre company. When she returned to London, she completed a creative writing degree at Birkbeck.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0828N1RTJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quercus
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 3, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 332 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529408898
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 316 ratings

About the author

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Nydia Hetherington

Nydia Hetherington

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From Leeds -- although born on Merseyside and spending the first few years of life on the Isle of Man -- Nydia Hetherington moved to London in her early twenties to embark on an acting career. Later she moved to Paris where she created her own theatre company. When she returned to London a decade later, she completed a creative writing degree graduating with first class honours.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
316 global ratings

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4 out of 5 stars
Lovely book
“I’ve always loved storms. They’re a primordial reminder that we’re not in control.” This book was completely consuming. It snatches you up immediately and throws you violently into a world of secrets, mystery, and drama. The intoxicating world of the circus post WWII. Nydia Hetherington weaves a tale that reads like no other book I’ve read. And I absolutely loved it. Synopsis: this is the story of The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived.... Born into a legendary circus family, our nameless star was unwanted and forgotten, abandoned to grow up in the shadows of the big top. Until a woman with flaming red hair arrives at the circus and teaches her how to perform on the wire. Now to the nitty gritty. This book was deep. Deeper than most fantasy books in the terms of the real world. Nydia touches on several deeply traumatic situations and scenarios that while necessary to the story, could be jolting for some readers. There were chapters in the book I found myself having to go back a few pages to make sure I hadn’t missed a page or two. It always tied up and made sense but in the throes of reading it can be confusing. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who love fantasy based in reality. Anyone who enjoys the musings of faerie myths and the coming of age of a relatable and likable mc. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read A Girl Made of Air in exchange for my Honest review. TW: Abandonment, child neglect, death, suicide, rape, child kidnapping.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • VD
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great
    Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2024
    Great writing. Great story. One reviewer said depressing from start to finish….I’d disagree
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  • Steph Warren
    4.0 out of 5 stars A story of envy and isolation; a haunting blend of magic realism with the mundane and sordid
    Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2020
    *I received a free ARC of this novel, with thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

    A Girl Made of Air is a devastating tribute to loneliness and isolation, and a haunting blend of magic realism with the mundane and sordid – the grime beneath the glamour of a circus life.

    The story is told by Mouse, the main character, in a letter to an unnamed interviewer, and spans from her earliest remembered memories right up to her current, retirement years. Mouse’s tale of life as a circus child, and later performer, encompasses the folklorish magic of hair that glows like a beacon and the ability to call from mind to mind; myths and legends of mermaids and sirens, and faerie changelings; and the mud, gin and animalistic ruttings that happen in the shadows of the circus wagons. From the heights of her tightrope – dazzling and ethereal – to crawling around, eavesdropping and envying, in the muck, Mouse holds nothing back, combining the intimacy of her confessions with the detachment of a true performer, who isn’t sure where the persona ends and the personality begins.

    What comes through most in the story is the aching sadness of it all. Mouse is rejected and isolated, her mother is bitter and burnt out, and even the glorious, glowing Serendipity Wilson isn’t wholly immune to the dragging effect of real life on her fairytale. There is camaraderie aplenty, as the circus folk close around their own like any extended family, but this is a circle of damaged people unwittingly – or sometimes, deliberately – perpetuating the patterns of damage and damaging each other further in the process.

    There is love and hope, but Mouse seems unable to grasp or understand them, holding herself taut and stepping her wire lightly through her life, while people love, grieve, laugh and gasp far beneath her. Her story is one of missed chances, poor decisions and regret after regret. And yet, ever the performer, still her show goes on as she weaves her story and presents her greatest performance yet for her smallest audience.

    Not a happy, joyful story, but one that stays with the reader, leaving a smell of greasepaint, candyfloss and animal dung, and the vision of a sparkling, solitary figure dancing delicately through the air, forever.

    Above everything, this correspondence is a cry for help. You seemed so alive to my stories. Even if you can’t publish everything I write here, even if it’s a long shot. Will you help me?
    I’ve little to offer in return, only the story of my life, and the promise of truth.
    Let’s begin with hope, then. My words are a labyrinth into which we can wander. AS I write these tales, I can follow each path, each fallen leaf, in the hope they might take me to the person I seek. I’m grateful to have a companion, again.

    – Nydia Hetherington, A Girl Made of Air

    Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
    3 people found this helpful
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  • H. Ward
    3.0 out of 5 stars Depressing from start to finish.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2021
    I decided to read this book since people said it was similar to the Night Circus. Nope. The only thing alike is a lot of the story takes place in a circus. I kept thinking the story would become more upbeat, but it is honestly one of the most depressing fiction books I’ve ever read. So if you enjoy feeling depressed this story line is for you.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Discerning Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite Writing
    Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2021
    Literary books often leave me cold, dwelling more on style than story, but this one deserves a round of applause. The writing is exquisite, the story full, if dark at times, but the characterisation is wonderful. One can hate a character, come to understand why they are like that, and feel empathy at the same time. If you like well-written novels rather than quick reads, this will hold your attention. As a mainstream published author myself, I am sincerely envious of this author's ability. I received an advance copy for review, and rarely have I been provided with one that lives up to the expectations provided by blurbs and reviews. This one exceeded them.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting Story
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2021
    Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

    I love this cover and was enchanted by the idea of a book that would harken to Morgenstern's Night Circus. To me, A Girl Made of Air is less magic and more mystery. The storytelling style is mesmerizing. Gritty and ethereal. To embark on such a difficult story as a debut novel is amazing.

    The story opens with the "Greatest Funambulist" getting interviewed. I haven't read a story with this structure for a while and thought it worked well for Mouse to go over her past and try to make peace with her demons. And she certainly has demons with parents who neglected her to the point of not even talking to her most of the time.

    It took me longer to read this book than most books. I think this was because of the language. I slowed down to taste the words. Books can bespell me with their language, and Hetherington is one of those authors with this gift. The stories within the story told by Serendipity are delightful with morals and lessons for Mouse if she will only listen.

    As an alert, there was more sexual content and description than I usually read. The magical veneer of the circus is removed, leaving us with a tale of sadness and loneliness.

    Mouse really didn't have much of a life or people who cared for her. Yes, she had Serendipity Wilson for a season, but she is alone and seeking human interaction. The story made me think about how we all want validation that our story matters, that we are worthwhile, and needed. Mouse remains a little bit distant and untouchable for as much as she longs to be loved.

    In the end, I would say Mouse's story is thought-provoking. And I recommend it for people ready to dive deeply into a world unlike what they know.
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  • M. Heckman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Don’t miss this Circus tale!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
    The Girl Made of Air is a story for all of the circus fans. The girl is unseen and neglected by her parents but taken under the wing of a glowing red head. She is insecure and afraid but becomes the greatest funambulist in the world. The story has many twists and a bit of a mystery. I really enjoyed this book.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Letitia Bean
    4.0 out of 5 stars Such a beautifully written story!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    As soon as I saw this cover, I knew I’d have to read it! Circus related storylines as such a hit with me 🎪

    The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived? Well. That sounds like a person I’d want to read about ♥️

    In the form of interviews, diaries, memories, letters and postcards, Mouse tells us about her life at the circus, after the circus and her relationships.

    This books is so beautifully descriptive, dark in places and completely captivating. A magically described and completely wonderful story - the folklores from Serendipity Wilson are just fantastic!

    This is such a fantastic debut book and such a wonderful way to read such wonderfully diverse stories!
    Customer image
    Letitia Bean
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Such a beautifully written story!

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2021
    As soon as I saw this cover, I knew I’d have to read it! Circus related storylines as such a hit with me 🎪

    The Greatest Funambulist Who Ever Lived? Well. That sounds like a person I’d want to read about ♥️

    In the form of interviews, diaries, memories, letters and postcards, Mouse tells us about her life at the circus, after the circus and her relationships.

    This books is so beautifully descriptive, dark in places and completely captivating. A magically described and completely wonderful story - the folklores from Serendipity Wilson are just fantastic!

    This is such a fantastic debut book and such a wonderful way to read such wonderfully diverse stories!
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  • pikey
    3.0 out of 5 stars Story of neglect and hope
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The writer was very descriptive, so your imagination could get to work quite quickly imagining the circus environment. It opened my eyes to the living conditions of the performers. The book didn't set me on fire but it was a good read with a good ending.
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  • Hayley Westwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Girl Made Of Air
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐? 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚆𝚎 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛
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    Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for approving me to read this fantastic book, and thank you to Quercus, Nydia Hetherington and Milly Reid for sending me a physical copy of the final book. I feel so lucky as I loved 𝙰 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝙾𝚏 𝙰𝚒𝚛 so much.
    -
    𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎'𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜? 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗, 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚊𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚗
    -
    The story was truly like a fairy story, paralleled with the gruesome realities of life. It was magical, and poetic, and moving. It follows Mouse as an unwanted child, through her adoption of sorts by the ethereal Seredipity Wilson who trains her as a funambulist, and on through her life as she searches for something very dear that has been lost.
    -
    𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚒𝚛, 𝚗𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝
    -
    The snippets of Mouse's life are revealed through portions of interviews, extracts relayed from her diaries, and memories. It is an emotional tale intertwined with myths and lore, and is incredibly absorbing.
    -
    𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚊 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚝𝚢𝚙𝚎, 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖, 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚒𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍
    -
    There was so much tenderness as the hidden lives of the characters was revealed. There is always a temptation to believe in the fantastical tales people tell, and ignore or not recognise the truth for what it really is. I felt that some characters were almost absolved of our initial judgements when we learned about the things that really happened to them.
    -
    𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙳𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜... 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛, 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐
    -
    I particularly liked the stories from Serendipity Wilson that Mouse relays to us. They have morals, and heroines, and feminist undertones that anyone who sees themselves in young Mouse can benefit from.
    -
    𝙱𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚝 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚜, 𝙼𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎, 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗. 𝚄𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝
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    There is so much I could say about this book, but I don't want to spoil any of its secrets for anyone who does wish to read it. It has been my favourite read of 2020 so far and I would encourage everyone to read it. It felt so immersive and magical and precious, much like the locket that Mouse carries with her 🧡
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    𝙸'𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚠, 𝚠𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔, 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚗𝚘𝚠. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝚆𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍
    Customer image
    Hayley Westwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    A Girl Made Of Air

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2020
    𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐? 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚆𝚎 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛
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    Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for approving me to read this fantastic book, and thank you to Quercus, Nydia Hetherington and Milly Reid for sending me a physical copy of the final book. I feel so lucky as I loved 𝙰 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝙾𝚏 𝙰𝚒𝚛 so much.
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    𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎'𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜? 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗, 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚊𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚗
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    The story was truly like a fairy story, paralleled with the gruesome realities of life. It was magical, and poetic, and moving. It follows Mouse as an unwanted child, through her adoption of sorts by the ethereal Seredipity Wilson who trains her as a funambulist, and on through her life as she searches for something very dear that has been lost.
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    𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚒𝚛, 𝚗𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝
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    The snippets of Mouse's life are revealed through portions of interviews, extracts relayed from her diaries, and memories. It is an emotional tale intertwined with myths and lore, and is incredibly absorbing.
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    𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚊 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚝𝚢𝚙𝚎, 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖, 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚒𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍
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    There was so much tenderness as the hidden lives of the characters was revealed. There is always a temptation to believe in the fantastical tales people tell, and ignore or not recognise the truth for what it really is. I felt that some characters were almost absolved of our initial judgements when we learned about the things that really happened to them.
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    𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙳𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜... 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛, 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐
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    I particularly liked the stories from Serendipity Wilson that Mouse relays to us. They have morals, and heroines, and feminist undertones that anyone who sees themselves in young Mouse can benefit from.
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    𝙱𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚝 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚜, 𝙼𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎, 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎. 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗. 𝚄𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝
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    There is so much I could say about this book, but I don't want to spoil any of its secrets for anyone who does wish to read it. It has been my favourite read of 2020 so far and I would encourage everyone to read it. It felt so immersive and magical and precious, much like the locket that Mouse carries with her 🧡
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    𝙸'𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚠, 𝚠𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔, 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚗𝚘𝚠. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝚆𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍
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  • S. Fudge
    5.0 out of 5 stars a crafted and considered novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book, for a variety of reasons, I like magical realism, fairy tales, and have no problem as a male reader with literature that is written with a feminist viewpoint. Good literature is exactly that, just like Ellington said "There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind ... the only yardstick by which the result should be judged is simply that of how it sounds. If it sounds good it's successful; if it doesn't it has failed."
    I apply this to the written word. I am often challenged to list my favourite authors or my top ten books on social media, and I decline to indulge, I did once start to list in a notebook the names of the authors I revered, I got to 58 names then stopped. The list began Marques, Calvino, Carey, Keneally, Rushdie, Tremain, Diski, Winterson, Doctorow, Crace, Atkinson, Carter, Barker, Hesse, Sebald, Hoban, Coetzee, Grass, Auster, Murakami......
    I feel guilty to not list all the names, many of my favourite authors are not there in that short list above.
    So I bought "A Girl Made Of Air" knowing that the author wasn't just scratting out a story, but was intent on crafting together elements of her writings that would form a unified whole.
    This has been done with great success, the individual elements are there and can be discerned but the melding and moulding of these "set pieces" into a narrative arc that stands up to inspection shows great craft and skill. The folklore and location transitions hold the readers attention and the reader is at no point just marking time until the next "event".
    I look forward to reading more by Nydia Hetherington in the future, one book on the shelf is not enough. Another crafted and considered novel is very much desired.
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  • caz
    4.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully clever story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading A Girl Made of Air. Very accomplished writing for a first novel. I loved the folk stories, within the story told by Serendipity Wilson, who seemed like a guardian angel of safety, encouragement, for Mouse. Helping her to step out from the shadows and be seen and find a voice. It is an interwoven tale, sadness, joy, love, strange and wonderful. I was always happy to find out what the next chapter held. I could feel the atmosphere up on that wire in the big top!
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