If you loved the strange, layered magic and the meticulously imagined world of Abalone in The Circus of Dr. Lao, you'll be swept away by the uncanny, dreamlike setting of Little, Big. Crowley's masterpiece weaves together the lives of the Drinkwater family and their connection to a hidden world of faerie, with settings so richly described and full of mythic resonance that every page feels like stepping into another realm.

If the absurd, winking humor and sly satire of Dr. Lao’s circus delighted you, you’ll find The Master and Margarita offers a similarly biting wit. Bulgakov’s tale of the Devil visiting Moscow is packed with surreal comic set-pieces, clever commentary on human folly, and a cast of unforgettable, often ridiculous characters.

If you were charmed by the enigmatic, inexplicable magic of Dr. Lao’s circus—where wonders defy explanation and rules—Something Wicked This Way Comes will enthrall you. Bradbury’s strange carnival, led by the sinister Mr. Dark, brings a sense of awe and dread, with magic that is as much about mood and mystery as about logic or systems.

If the allegorical creatures and philosophical undertones of The Circus of Dr. Lao lingered with you, The Lathe of Heaven will provoke your mind. Le Guin’s novel follows George Orr, whose dreams alter reality itself, raising questions about power, ethics, and the nature of existence—much as Dr. Lao’s circus uses its marvels to comment on the world.

If you found joy in the symbolic riddles and allegorical creatures of Dr. Lao’s traveling menagerie, The Hearing Trumpet offers a similarly surreal journey. Carrington’s elderly protagonist, Marian Leatherby, is swept into a bizarre, mystical conspiracy at a home for old ladies, where every event and character is steeped in strange meaning and hidden allegory.