kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Lush in the period detail of the Victorian era, the point of view changes throughout the novel. It follows the story of a theatre launching itself into a new identity, and the people who are involved in that transition. The characters are well-developed and unforgettable.
shuofthewind's review against another edition
3.0
Though the original premise of the novel is incredibly promising, the followthrough was disappointing. There seemed to be no overarching plot or purpose, only a trail through the lives of those associated with the Palmyra Theatre. A number of promising subplots were aborted or canceled at the most inopportune of moments. The characters were, however, quite charming, and the magic of illusion is woven quite lovingly throughout.
marycullen's review against another edition
1.0
i did not enjoy this book at all i found the plot boring and slow and it took me forever to read and put me into a reading slump to be completely honest
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
3.0
Booktrail of the Ilusionists
Take a magical mystery tour around Victorian London and to the characters who perform each night at the Palmyra theatre. Everything and everyone has a dark side – even magic.
Story in a tophat
London 1885
Along the Strand in the centre of London stands a small theatre called the Palmyra. It’s run down, has little success and should really probably close but then that’s before the illusionists take the stage.
Devil Wix is a master of illusion and drama, running as he is from a dark and secret past. Ideal for his tricks of contortion, he joins forces with Carlo Boldoni, a dwarf, and together their act becomes one of legend.
Drawing in the crowds can cause its own set of problems however as as they become more noted, so too do their enemies.
And then one day, young miss Eliza comes to see the show and her fate becomes entangled with the illusion and darkness of all that she sees in front of her.
The world of the illusionists awaits…..
The world of the illusionists is a dark stage and the workings behind the scenes normally out of bounds. But this novel takes you backstage, along the corridors, beneath the trapdoor and really gets you involved with how the world of magic is a tricky and difficult one. I had no idea of how magicians fought to get their acts headlining at certain theatres etc or the work and pain involved with perfecting their act, but this novel really took me there!
It really does have a dark side and the underbelly of London and the magic scene is definitely a major character. The book is a long one and although I think it could have been shorter, the ambience it immerses you in is another world entirely. It’s an historical romance with a difference too although for me it was the setting and the illusion of it all which makes the book’s premise so intriguing.
We’ve been to Kashmir and now behind the stage in London – wonder what Rosie Thomas’ next trick is going to be?
Take a magical mystery tour around Victorian London and to the characters who perform each night at the Palmyra theatre. Everything and everyone has a dark side – even magic.
Story in a tophat
London 1885
Along the Strand in the centre of London stands a small theatre called the Palmyra. It’s run down, has little success and should really probably close but then that’s before the illusionists take the stage.
Devil Wix is a master of illusion and drama, running as he is from a dark and secret past. Ideal for his tricks of contortion, he joins forces with Carlo Boldoni, a dwarf, and together their act becomes one of legend.
Drawing in the crowds can cause its own set of problems however as as they become more noted, so too do their enemies.
And then one day, young miss Eliza comes to see the show and her fate becomes entangled with the illusion and darkness of all that she sees in front of her.
The world of the illusionists awaits…..
The world of the illusionists is a dark stage and the workings behind the scenes normally out of bounds. But this novel takes you backstage, along the corridors, beneath the trapdoor and really gets you involved with how the world of magic is a tricky and difficult one. I had no idea of how magicians fought to get their acts headlining at certain theatres etc or the work and pain involved with perfecting their act, but this novel really took me there!
It really does have a dark side and the underbelly of London and the magic scene is definitely a major character. The book is a long one and although I think it could have been shorter, the ambience it immerses you in is another world entirely. It’s an historical romance with a difference too although for me it was the setting and the illusion of it all which makes the book’s premise so intriguing.
We’ve been to Kashmir and now behind the stage in London – wonder what Rosie Thomas’ next trick is going to be?
siborg237's review against another edition
3.0
Quite an enjoyable book with interesting characters, beautifully described, set in Victorian London. The story was engaging but I felt it lacked a climax, there is a definite summit to the narrative but the arrival of this point seemed telegraphed and left the remainder of the story a little flat.
Do read for the author's quite brilliant atmospheric description of the London theatre world but probably not for you if you're after a punchy, pacy tale.
Do read for the author's quite brilliant atmospheric description of the London theatre world but probably not for you if you're after a punchy, pacy tale.
surfybridge's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
alicihonest's review against another edition
1.0
What a slog this was. I tried to read this book in 2015 and gave up because it was truly tedious. I tried again now because I feel obligated to read all fiction about stage magicians, and succeeded, but at what cost? This is a singularly boring book. Even when things that should be exciting happen, they're written about boringly. Time also passes very strangely in this book. It either takes 100 pages for something to happen, drawn out to the point where you do not care if it happens or not, or something changes drastically within a sentence with no indication of why or how or if it's plausible. None of the character motivations make sense in this book, and the motivations don't match the actions taken. Also, absolutely all the male characters are in love with the main female protagonist, with no indication of anything special or interesting about her, which leads me to believe that Rosie Thomas fancies herself as Eliza. This isn't a novel, this is some woman's fantasies about how nice it would be to work in a theatre and hook up with a man named Devil.