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The Empire: 'Wonderful. A lifelong love letter to the theatre' Reverend Richard Coles

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A warmly told tale of theatre life, from the owners, behind the scenes crews, the stars of the stage and all the way to the delicious bad guy determined to bring down the curtain for good. Although I found this to be a well written and informative novel about the world of theatre it sadly left me feeling unmoved, failing to hold my interest and I will not be reading the sequel. Don’t let me put you off reading this though, as if you are a fan of Michael Ball and the world of theatre, it will probably appeal to you.

Michael Ball makes his debut with Zaffre - Bonnier Books Michael Ball makes his debut with Zaffre - Bonnier Books

The Empire is the gorgeous debut novel by musical theatre superstar Michael Ball. As someone who has been a huge fan of Michael’s for many years, I jumped at the chance to read and review an advanced copy of his debut novel. But I must admit I did feel a little bit of trepidation going in as I was more than aware that just because Michael is an amazing entertainer and all round nice guy, it didn’t mean he would be able to put pen to paper and write a novel I would want to read. But thankfully I needn’t have worried as The Empire is everything I hoped it would be and more, the story mesmerising as Michael brings the glitz, glamour and romance of the theatre vividly to life.

Not only are many of the themes and characters similar to those of the great Yorkshireman but the setting is in that county when he was in his pomp—the early 1920s. Having enjoyed Michael Ball’s singing and presenting skills for many years, I was excited to hear he had written his first novel and I was eager to read it.

The Empire by Michael Ball | Goodreads

I have been a Michael Ball fan for over thirty years, seen him in many shows and concerts, so when I saw he had written a book I had to read it. But I wanted to read it as if it was by someone I’ve never heard of. Not easy, but just decided I would read it on its own merits I would either like it hate it or live it. So which was it. When I heard that the talented star of musical theatre Michael Ball, was writing a novel as seems to be the thing to do with so many celebrities, I was of course curious. With his lifetime of experience in this world he has sensibly chosen to use his vast knowledge of the theatre to produce this novel. As well as the story of The Empire, this is also a story about certain characters as well. It is the everyday lives and working relationships of those who work in the theatre. They are a family and they have close bonds and therefore loyalties. This is something that I adored, as the author took me through the mazes behind the scenes, to the offices, the foyers, the dressing rooms and the stage. Michael Ball has been a star of musical theatre for over 3 decades; winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical twice!

The large cast of characters is slightly overwhelming, but happily there is a (very long) list to refer to. However, I soon became caught up in the story, following the fortunes of the cast, the theatre and the shows. I did wonder while reading whether Michael Ball had based some characters on people he knows and/or has worked with. I imagine it would have been hard not to do so but regardless, his love for the theatre and its people shines through. This is a fabulous story and one that I really adored. It has the razzmatazz and the glamour, it also has the shady and the undesirable, but all the way through this story the feeling of "the show must go on" is one that resonated with me. No matter what the pitfalls there is always something to work toward, whether it is in the belief of others around you or accepting that you are capable of being successful, there is always a glimmer of the possible.

The Empire by Michael Ball | Goodreads The Empire by Michael Ball | Goodreads

I definitely recommend as an escapist, enjoyable read. Congratulations to the author and thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview. This is just what you’d expect from Michael Ball - warm, light hearted, a bit of romance and a multitude of characters, some goodies, some baddies, a lovely story that might well work if adapted into film or play. We are carried along with all the ‘cast’, getting to know them and enjoying the warm and cozy feeling of belonging. Just when everything appears to be going nicely, a disaster hits The Empire and I galloped to the end of the book with my heart in my mouth! Lots of fun, this historic crime novel has a cast of entertaining characters who you will enjoy meeting. While the criminal elements held no surprises it was still enjoyable to see the threads all unraveling. The added touch of romance was delightfully charming and definitely added to the story.Amy Wadge hs released five solo albums, and co-written for Michael Ball, Camila Cabello, Jonas Brothers, Diana Ross, John Legend, Kasey Musgraves, Lauren Alaina, Lady A, Keith Urban, Joshua Bassett, Mika, Westlife and James Blunt. She also has a long-established writing partnership with Ed Sheeran, with their song Thinking Out Loud winning Grammy awards for “Song of The Year” and “Best Pop Solo Performance”. Michael Ball turns his hand to writing with his fiction debut, The Empire . From the aftermath of the Great War, to the Roaring Twenties, to the Blitz, Michael's brand new series will tell the story of the high notes and low notes of British musical theatre in all its glamour, greasepaint and glory.

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