A beautifully written, interlinked collection of stories about a small Midwestern town and the traveling circus that defines its past — full of longing, love, and the weight of memory.
 
In The Circus in Winter, Cathy Day masterfully blends history, myth, and emotional realism to create a richly textured portrait of a small town haunted by its past. The novel unfolds through interconnected stories, each revealing another layer of Lima’s collective memory and its ties to the faded glory of the circus.
 
In Lima, Indiana, the Great Porter Circus came to winter long ago — and its legacy still echoes through the generations who live there. From a lovesick elephant trainer to a heartbroken preacher’s daughter, the residents’ lives intertwine through love, loss, and the magic of a vanished world.
 
Day’s lyrical prose and deep compassion for her characters transform the ordinary into something magical — exploring themes of belonging, reinvention, and the passage of time. The result is both an elegy for lost worlds and a celebration of the beauty found in everyday lives.
 
Evocative and haunting, this acclaimed debut captures the heart of the American Midwest and the yearning that drives us all to find where we belong.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
Beautifully crafted, interconnected stories full of heart and nostalgia.
Perfect for readers who love lyrical, small-town fiction.
Blends realism and magical atmosphere with emotional depth.
A moving exploration of memory, love, and identity.
A critically acclaimed debut by an extraordinary storyteller.
 
🌟 Perfect For
Fans of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss.
Readers who enjoy literary fiction with interconnected narratives.
Book clubs exploring memory, heritage, and reinvention.
Anyone drawn to Midwestern settings and character-driven storytelling.
 
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed The Circus in Winter, you might also like:
The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss — rural life and quiet courage.
Plainsong by Kent Haruf — compassion and connection in small-town America.
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard — mystery and memory in the Midwest.