I adore this book. from the Prologue, I was engaged and wanted to find out more about the events described and what lead up to them and what happened after.
It's well written with each of the characters slowly fleshed out in a believable way. The author spins a magical weave of circus history, folklore and he own story. Turns out the book has a Biblical foundation with Jacob's story mirroring the Biblical Jacob's life ever so faintly.
Now I have to find that passage and coonect the dots.

BTW, the ending is also quite wonderfully written and not disappointing at all.