I almost didn’t request The Weight of Air because it seemed to be mostly set in the USA. Kimberley Duffy’s previous novels have both been partly been set in India, and the unique location was one of the strengths.

I also wasn’t engaged by the thought of a circus setting, or the idea of a strong woman as a heroine.

But Kimberley Duffy captured my attention from the first page with her blend of an unusual setting and an intriguing heroine with a unique occupation (although I almost changed my mind when the circus master suggested she be tattooed …). The story was compelling, particularly once Jack and Mabel arrive in New York, and try to join the circus and find Mabel’s mother.

It’s a story that picks up on some issues not commonly seen in fiction: a woman in an unusual job. A woman who is bigger and stronger and earns more than her husband. A woman who struggles with feelings of unworthiness.

A woman searching for her identity.

The story also touches on mental illness, particularly postpartum depression and OCD. Both are dealt with in a realistic yet sympathetic manner, and provide valuable insight into the problems faced by those who suffered rom mental illness in a time before modern medications were available.

The underlying research was a definite strength.

It gave the story a feeling of authenticity, yet Duffy never allowed the research to overwhelm the story. The focus was always on the characters, their relationships, and their predicaments (and there were plenty of predicaments).

Overall, I thought the story was excellent, and certainly met the high standard I’ve come to expect from Kimberley Dufy books.

Recommended for Christian historical fiction fans, especially those who enjoyed The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bishof (and perhaps even those who didn’t).

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Kimberly Duffy

Kimberly Duffy enjoys writing historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books often feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. When not writing or homeschooling her four children, she enjoys taking trips that require a passport and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. A Long Island native, she currently resides in southwest Ohio.

Find Kimberly Duffy online at:

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About The Weight of Air

Two women–bound by blood, torn apart by circumstance–find together that true strength comes in many forms.

In 1911, Mabel MacGinnis is Europe’s strongest woman and has performed beside her father in the Manzo Brothers Circus her entire life. When he dies unexpectedly, she loses everything she’s ever known and sets off in the company of acrobat Jake Cunningham in hope of finding the mother she thought was dead.

Isabella Moreau, America’s most feted aerialist, has given everything to the circus. But age and injury now threaten her security, and Isabella, stalked by old fears, makes a choice that risks everything. Then her daughter Mabel appears alongside the man who never wanted to see Isabella again, and she is forced to face the truth of where, and in what, she derives her worth.

As Mabel and Isabella’s lives become entangled beneath the glittering lights and flying trapeze of Madison Square Garden, their resiliency and resolve are tested as they learn the truth of what it means to be strong.

Find The Weight of Air online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong