Home of the American Circus
By Allison Larkin
Read by Julia Whelan
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Table of Contents
About The Book
The acclaimed author of the “lyrical coming-of-age novel” (Good Morning America) The People We Keep returns with a luminous contemporary women’s fiction story about strong female characters, family estrangement, found family, and the transformative power of redemption.
It’s been ten years since Freya Arnalds left a goodbye note on her parents’ kitchen table and fled her hometown of Somers, New York, driving up the coast to disappear into a lackluster life as a bartender in Maine. But, on the cusp of her thirtieth birthday, when an emergency leaves her short on rent, Freya returns to Somers to live in the derelict house she inherited after her parents’ untimely death, and soon discovers that her fifteen-year-old niece, Aubrey, is secretly living there.
Despite all attempts to lay low in her old town, Freya reunites with childhood friends, encounters familial enemies, and stokes old flames while she fights to stay afloat and give her niece a better life than the one she’s had. As they reconnect, Freya and Aubrey learn to lean on each other, working to restore the house and come to terms with the devastating events that pulled them apart years ago.
Set in the birthplace of the American circus, this deeply moving novel examines the mythology of a broken family, the weight of the past, and the complicated journey of finding home.
It’s been ten years since Freya Arnalds left a goodbye note on her parents’ kitchen table and fled her hometown of Somers, New York, driving up the coast to disappear into a lackluster life as a bartender in Maine. But, on the cusp of her thirtieth birthday, when an emergency leaves her short on rent, Freya returns to Somers to live in the derelict house she inherited after her parents’ untimely death, and soon discovers that her fifteen-year-old niece, Aubrey, is secretly living there.
Despite all attempts to lay low in her old town, Freya reunites with childhood friends, encounters familial enemies, and stokes old flames while she fights to stay afloat and give her niece a better life than the one she’s had. As they reconnect, Freya and Aubrey learn to lean on each other, working to restore the house and come to terms with the devastating events that pulled them apart years ago.
Set in the birthplace of the American circus, this deeply moving novel examines the mythology of a broken family, the weight of the past, and the complicated journey of finding home.
Reading Group Guide
Home of the American Circus Reading Group Guide
By Leighellen Landscov of Momma Leighellen’s Book Nook and Book Friends Book Club
In the Beginning
What was your first impression of Freya? What was your initial reaction to her choice to return home? Did either of those ideas shift as the novel went on? Why?
The House as Metaphor
The house Freya inherits is falling apart and full of painful memories. In what ways does the physical state of the house mirror Freya’s life and relationships? How does the book help broaden or redefine your idea of “home”?
Memory, Trauma, and Nonlinear Narrative
The novel is told through multiple points of view, and Larkin moves back and forth in time, through past memories and events. How does this nonlinear structure affect your reading experience and your understanding of Freya’s trauma and healing? Did it ever feel disorienting? Why do you think the author chose this structure?
Legacy, Inheritance, and Generational Wounds
Freya, Jam, Steena, and Aubrey all inherit different kinds of “legacies.” How do you see generational trauma playing out in their relationships? Which characters succeed in breaking cycles, and which are bound by them?
The Role of Place and Local Myth
Woven throughout the novel’s chapters are tales of the history of Somers, New York, involving the lore of the American circus and Old Bet, the famed elephant. Had you ever heard of Old Bet? Why or why not? How do the historical snippets mirror the journeys of the novel’s characters and their stories?
The Bond Between Freya and Aubrey
“Kids don’t need a life where nothing bad happens. What they need is someone who’s there for them WHEN the bad stuff happens.” Explore the relationship between Freya and Aubrey. Was it healthy? What scenes or interactions did you find most pivotal? Were there times you found yourself rooting for one more than the other? Why?
Steena, Villain or Victim
Steena is a difficult and often antagonistic presence, yet Larkin gives her complexity. How do you interpret Steena’s motivations as a mother and sister? Is she a villain, a victim, or both?
Jam, History or Future?
“I delight in being known.” How do you feel about Freya and Jam’s relationship? Is it empowering or enabling? Could they ever have a future?
Silence and Voice
Many characters in the novel hide painful experiences (abuse, neglect, estrangement). Does silence or omission do more harm than good? How might the story have shifted if certain truths had been revealed sooner?
Love and Found Family
Discuss the way the novel explores love in all forms - familial, parental, sibling, self, even the love within a community. How does the idea of “chosen family” contrast with biological family in this novel? How is it expressed in both healthy and harmful ways?
Redemption in Small Acts
Throughout the novel, the characters experience love and loss. How does the novel depict and define redemption? What are some acts of redemption (big or small) that occur throughout the story, including Bet’s journey? Which felt the most redemptive or meaningful to you?
The Ending and New Beginnings
The novel ends with Freya and Aubrey leaving Somers to hike the Appalachian Trail. What was your reaction to this ending? Do you see it more as an escape, a healing gesture, or a step towards something new? What do you think is next for them?
By Leighellen Landscov of Momma Leighellen’s Book Nook and Book Friends Book Club
In the Beginning
What was your first impression of Freya? What was your initial reaction to her choice to return home? Did either of those ideas shift as the novel went on? Why?
The House as Metaphor
The house Freya inherits is falling apart and full of painful memories. In what ways does the physical state of the house mirror Freya’s life and relationships? How does the book help broaden or redefine your idea of “home”?
Memory, Trauma, and Nonlinear Narrative
The novel is told through multiple points of view, and Larkin moves back and forth in time, through past memories and events. How does this nonlinear structure affect your reading experience and your understanding of Freya’s trauma and healing? Did it ever feel disorienting? Why do you think the author chose this structure?
Legacy, Inheritance, and Generational Wounds
Freya, Jam, Steena, and Aubrey all inherit different kinds of “legacies.” How do you see generational trauma playing out in their relationships? Which characters succeed in breaking cycles, and which are bound by them?
The Role of Place and Local Myth
Woven throughout the novel’s chapters are tales of the history of Somers, New York, involving the lore of the American circus and Old Bet, the famed elephant. Had you ever heard of Old Bet? Why or why not? How do the historical snippets mirror the journeys of the novel’s characters and their stories?
The Bond Between Freya and Aubrey
“Kids don’t need a life where nothing bad happens. What they need is someone who’s there for them WHEN the bad stuff happens.” Explore the relationship between Freya and Aubrey. Was it healthy? What scenes or interactions did you find most pivotal? Were there times you found yourself rooting for one more than the other? Why?
Steena, Villain or Victim
Steena is a difficult and often antagonistic presence, yet Larkin gives her complexity. How do you interpret Steena’s motivations as a mother and sister? Is she a villain, a victim, or both?
Jam, History or Future?
“I delight in being known.” How do you feel about Freya and Jam’s relationship? Is it empowering or enabling? Could they ever have a future?
Silence and Voice
Many characters in the novel hide painful experiences (abuse, neglect, estrangement). Does silence or omission do more harm than good? How might the story have shifted if certain truths had been revealed sooner?
Love and Found Family
Discuss the way the novel explores love in all forms - familial, parental, sibling, self, even the love within a community. How does the idea of “chosen family” contrast with biological family in this novel? How is it expressed in both healthy and harmful ways?
Redemption in Small Acts
Throughout the novel, the characters experience love and loss. How does the novel depict and define redemption? What are some acts of redemption (big or small) that occur throughout the story, including Bet’s journey? Which felt the most redemptive or meaningful to you?
The Ending and New Beginnings
The novel ends with Freya and Aubrey leaving Somers to hike the Appalachian Trail. What was your reaction to this ending? Do you see it more as an escape, a healing gesture, or a step towards something new? What do you think is next for them?
About The Author
Photograph by Helenna Santos
Allison Larkin
Allison Larkin is the internationally bestselling author of the novels The People We Keep, Stay, Why Can’t I Be You, and Swimming for Sunlight. Her short fiction has been published in The Summerset Review and Slice, and nonfiction in Author in Progress, a how-to guide from Writer’s Digest Books, and the dog anthology I’m Not the Biggest Bitch in This Relationship. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Jeremy, and their rescue dog, Roxy.
About The Reader
Julia Whelan
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (May 6, 2025)
- Runtime: 13 hours and 25 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797194745
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Home of the American Circus
Unabridged Audio Download 9781797194745
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Author Photo (jpg): Allison Larkin Photograph by Helenna Santos(0.1 MB)
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