Theatre of Marvels: A thrilling and absorbing tale set in Victorian London

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Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. Vivacious, provocative, and compelling, Theatre of Marvels comes with a standing ovation stamp of approval from me. Caught in a labyrinth of dangerous truths, will Zillah face ruin - or will she be the maker of her fate? For me Victorian England is the perfect setting for a novel and premise of this book seemed right up my street. She brings the poverty and the contrasting wealth into sharp focus, yet clearly shows the subtleties in the strata of the rich, too.

Theatre of Marvels by Lianne Dillsworth | Waterstones Theatre of Marvels by Lianne Dillsworth | Waterstones

And when the theatre's owner introduces an even more shocking act into his troupe, Zillah is horrified to stand by and watch - particularly when the new act mysteriously disappears.

They needn't know this warrior is in fact Zillah, a mixed-race actress from the East End fooling them each night with her thrilling performance. She is smart, talented and loyal, but does what she needs to do in her job and relationship with a weak aristocrat. I was gripped from the opening pages - highly recommended for anyone who loves mystery, drama and Victorian London. There are rivalries with fellow actresses, and well-meaning Quakers who work toward a better society.

Theatre of Marvels | Goldsboro Books Theatre of Marvels | Goldsboro Books

The premise appealed to me, but I struggled to read it for various reasons, many of which you already know about. I am white but this book did not stray from the topics and conversations and thoughts that White Europeans (honestly westerns) had for black people after slavery had ended. And Ashley is a young, very-much-in-love bakery owner specializing in muffins who devotes herself to giving back to the community through a nonprofit that helps community members develop skills and find jobs. For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.With it, he examines the connections between language, identity and our perceptions of the world, regressing from early adulthood through adolescence, childhood and infancy to prenatal existence, in a quest for a primitive consciousness existing before language. It's easy to be swept up in Victorian London and hear the chime of Big Ben or smell the different foods described. She's also beginning to spend time with a freed slave who has risen to become a merchant and who is active in the movement to establish a colony of free blacks in Sierra Leone.

Theatre of Marvels: A thrilling and absorbing tale set in Theatre of Marvels: A thrilling and absorbing tale set in

Set in Victorian London, Zillah, a black British performer, has become the headline act at Crillick's Variety Theatre, performing each night as a wild woman, playing into the stereotypes of the colour of her skin. He however lives in the house of the ambitious Crillick and it is where she comes face to face with the horrors of The Victoria society's fascination with anybody that looks different than the norm. Overall I think this story delves into the world of the West after slavery was demolished in Europe and America and how prejudices and discrimination don't just end when a law is passed and that more needs to be done to fix institutionalized racism. But something is amiss, and when Crillick’s new act goes missing Zillah feels compelled to investigate, knowing the fates that can befall women in Victorian London.The writing felt a little too simple for my tastes, but if that's what you're looking for, then this is a solid option.