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A Novel
by Lianne Dillsworth
Book Reviewed by:Set amid the bustle of Victorian London, an irresistible story of an ambitious young Black actress, an orphan from the slums who has finally achieved a dubious stardom as "The Great Amazonia, a savage African queen" - but everything she has fought for depends on hiding the secret of her own identity.
As an orphan in the slums of St. Giles, Zillah was determined never to become part of the notorious Blackbird gang. With nothing to rely on but her own wit, she convinces infamous producer Marcus Stratton to hire her for his variety show in nineteenth-century London. But the act Stratton has in mind for Zillah is as The Great Amazonia, "a savage queen from darkest Africa." His drunken audience laps this up, and as Zillah's star rises, Stratton makes clear, in no uncertain terms, that her survival depends on her true identity staying secret. This careful planning is upended when Zillah finds herself caught between the attention of a mysterious Black gentleman and Stratton's Viscount friend, who promises her the world. When another young Black woman in Stratton's employ goes missing, Zillah realizes she'll have to make a choice: follow her ambitions, or stay true to herself.
Theatre of Marvels is a thrilling love story, a piercing commentary on a brutal racial history, and a delicious Victorian adventure.
The novel is effectively evocative of the Victorian era and rich in period detail. Despite this, it always remains pacey, keeping readers on their toes with a good dose of intrigue and plenty of twists. A few threads feel somewhat rushed towards the end, as the narrative skirts on the edge of melodrama, but on the whole, Dillsworth balances the various characters and plot points well by always keeping her spirited heroine at the story's heart...continued
Full Review
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(Reviewed by Callum McLaughlin).
In Lianne Dillsworth's novel Theatre of Marvels, a settlement plan resembling the Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme comes to represent the possibility of a fresh start, freedom and community for the story's heroine, Zillah, and fellow Black people living in Victorian Britain who are struggling to feel like they belong.
Located on the west coast of Africa, Sierra Leone was used as a location for British trade from the mid-17th century onward, including the slave trade, before eventually being colonized. Following the abolition of slavery in Britain in 1772, the African country was soon earmarked as a potential destination for former slaves and their descendants. The Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme was put into action in the late 18th ...
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Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
Theatre of Marvels is a fascinating, empowering story of a young woman's search for identity and justice in Victorian London, a world which Lianne Dillsworth evokes so richly.
