Everything You Came to See: A Novel | Elizabeth Schulte Martin
Set just before the millennium in the dusty world of fire-eaters, tightrope walkers, and contortionists, Everything You Came to See follows Henry Bell, a talented new performer with a small traveling circus. Henry left behind the only family he ever knew, but among the other performersand on the stagehes found a new home. Though the circus was once a larger attraction, audiences have grown sparse and Caleb Baratucci, the shows manager, knows they are on the verge of bankruptcy. Still, hes determined to revive the circusif only for the sake of the performersand provide for his wife, Adrienne, a retired giantess facing a dangerous surgery. Recovering at home and no longer a headlining act, Adrienne finds herself longing for the comfort of her circus family. When Henry strikes up a friendship with her, Adriennes loneliness eases, but Caleb senses that Henrys feelings run deeper, and if not managed wisely, they could set off a chain of events that will threaten everyoneand everythingthey hold dear. Alternating between these three perspectives, Everything You Came to See is a sophisticated, touching novel exploring the families were born with, the families we create, and the tightrope we must walk between the two.