Laugh, Clown Laugh 

Paperback – ebook

August 13, 2018

by Penny N. Haavig (Author)

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: BookBaby
• ISBN-13: 978-1543940329

Violet hides her insecurities. grief and mental illness by playing characters on the vaudeville stage in Brooklyn. After her mother tragically dies, the 13 year-old Violet becomes the class clown. The mask covers the anguish in her heart. Her Italian father dreams of seeing her on the big stages on Broadway, while Violet is torn between being a prima ballerina or disappearing in the crowd. Can she find peace and happiness before tragedy strikes again?

My thoughts (reviewed by Marilyn Ridgway): 

What an astonishing story! Laugh, Clown Laugh, the debut book by Penny N. Haavig will have your emotions in so many places as you read about the life of Violet Pearl Moretti. The book is divided into time periods with Violet as she went through childhood to adulthood, sadness to happiness, defeat to victory, and misunderstanding to acceptance. Haavig vivid picturesque words and the masterful touching way she captured the true to life story of her mother kept the pages turning. There were times tears flowed, moments of laughter and then smiles along with an overwhelming joyfulness with the remarkable ending. I would never know this was Penny N. Haavig debut novel without having read it was her debut with the compassion, skillful and heartwarming story about Violet. I highly recommend this book to readers who want to gain insight into a life that found a fulfilling answer despite a life that endured multiple traumas.

Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required or compensated for a review; however, I have expressed my sincere thoughts. I would like to see more wonderful stories by this author in the future.