'Mountebank' Summary

Andrew Lackaday, born into a life of spectacle and wonder, is a master of illusion. Raised in a French circus, he learns the art of mimicry and juggling, becoming a celebrated performer. His life takes a dramatic turn with the outbreak of the Great War. Drawn into the conflict, Andrew rises through the ranks, his talent for deception proving valuable in the treacherous world of warfare. He emerges from the war a decorated officer, a Brigadier General. But the war has scarred him, and he finds himself adrift in a world forever altered. The circus, his refuge, has been replaced by a world of change and uncertainty. As Andrew attempts to rebuild his life, he grapples with the loss of his past and the challenges of his newfound identity. The story unfolds through the lens of his struggle to adapt to a world he barely recognizes, tracing his changing fortunes and the impact of the war on his once carefree existence.