The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

Kimberly Duffy’s latest novel The Weight of Air provides a poignant look into mother-daughter relationships and the beauty of God’s presence.

Book Blurb

In 1911, Mabel MacGinnis is Europe’s strongest woman and has performed beside her father in the Manzo Brothers Circus her entire life. But at his unexpected death, she loses everything she’s ever known and sets off in the company of acrobat Jake Cunningham for America in hope of finding the mother she’s just discovered is still alive.

Isabella Moreau, the nation’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. When her daughter Mabel appears alongside the man who never wanted to see Isabella again, Isabella is forced to face the truth of where, and in what, she derives her worth.

My Thoughts

The Weight of Air is Kimberly Duffy’s best novel yet, in my humble opinion.

The characters are just so real. They’re flawed and complicated and so well-developed. It’s interesting to me that the characters who work in a circus and are often gawked at are so normal. And the reason I find that interesting is because it’s so true to life because at the end of the day, people are people.

Because people are people, I had my favorites and not-so-favorite characters from the beginning. For example, I loved Mabel from the get-go. Isabella took me a bit. But that’s what made Isabella’s arc so powerful. While Mabel’s insecurities mirrored my own to the point that I immediately connected with her, l had to learn more about Isabella to understand her. Though she made decisions I couldn’t understand and didn’t agree with, the more time I spent with her, the more I realized the truth: Isabella is broken, just like the rest of us.

So while I loved Mabel’s arc and Jake’s arc and the romance, Isabella’s arc was my favorite. Because while Mabel and Jake both had faith arcs, theirs were more subtle. Isabella’s was big and almost in-your-face in such a way that you can’t help but appreciate it. Because the more Isabella grows, the more the reader can see that Isabella struggles with her worth. And so do we.

Add that to the rich descriptions, the supporting characters, and the plot’s twists and turns, and Duffy has a winner with this one.

Overall, The Weight of Air is a beautiful and poignant novel that historical romance fans will love.

(Note: I received a complimentary copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.)

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