Review: Marlon Foundling and the Circus of Lost Children

When an earthquake destroys Gryllum House, the only home that fourteen-year-old Marlon Foundling has ever known, his survival brings him to the attention of the Circus of Lost Children. Made up of children who have been forgotten or abandoned by society, the circus offers Marlon something he has never known: a place where he belongs. But beneath its dazzling lights lurks a dangerous secret, and Marlon soon discovers that his new home is under threat.

In his latest young adult novel, author James Russell creates a fun, fast-paced adventure filled with magic and mystery. The circus is an imaginative setting for the story, complemented by a wonderfully strange cast of characters who bring its colourful world to life.

Marlon’s unfamiliarity with friendship and family makes him an interesting protagonist. He is used to being overlooked, so his gradual realisation that the other children genuinely care about him gives his journey real emotional weight. Béatrice, the novel’s other major young character, brings her own experience of loss to the story. She is more determined and independent than Marlon, and the contrast between the two works particularly well as they are drawn deeper and deeper into the circus’s secrets.

Russell balances the mystery and suspense with humour and heart, without losing sight of his characters. Both Marlon and Béatrice are searching for answers about where they come from and where they belong. Full of adventure, Marlon Foundling and the Circus of Lost Children has something meaningful to say about family, friendship, and finding a place to call home.