For eighteen year old Cassandra, The Golden Circus is everything. It's where she was born, it's where she grew up, it's where she belongs. When she and her father lose their jobs, she can't accept the fact she is no longer relevant for the show.

When they come across Magnificent Circus, Cassandra believes she has found her new home. But there is something odd about this circus. They have almost no idea how to talk, their acts are dreadful, and even those who grew tired of running refuse to leave. What at first seems like an amateur choice, turns out to be a calculated plan. Are Cassandra’s decisions are going to cost her those she loves?