Reviews

Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett

reddhead16's review

mysterious medium-paced

4.0

When I first started reading this book, I got very strong Night Circus vibes. I love that book so I was eager to see how this one would go with the mysterious Theatre District where the Show has been going on for centuries, and how Juliet goes on an adventure there to find the truth about her mother, father, and own past that she can't quite remember. Sadly, among the magic of the Show, there is also darkness and shadows. It was very intriguing, especially when Juliet got to the Theatre area and met the Followers that help her find the answers about the Moonshine Girl and other performers that were larger than life and lived in the hidden side. I liked all the searching for secrets and hidden doors to the stage in the district. Add in a murderer who may or may not be killing girls that mysteriously turn up alive again, and it was a good story. The ending was a bit rushed with all the revelations of what was going on with the deaths and Director and Juliet's past. I think I would have enjoyed more in depth history of the Theatre District and the deals made so long ago. I want to know if there is really a bit of magic involved or if it was all illusions and dark secrets. 

thewhisperingpages's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 

I liked this book but I wanted to love it. I felt like it should have enchanted me more than it did. It reminded me of books like the Night Circus and Caraval, but it didn’t quite capture the magic in the same way those books did.

I felt a big part of this was that I just didn’t believe in the character. She came up with this big stories about where she came from but I just didn’t believe them. It felt like she was being swept up by her own imagination whereas in books that do this well, I would have been swept along with her.

I did like the idea of the theatre district and an everlasting play though. I really loved the way everything was secretive and complex and how the fans in the book were shown to really be following it and trying to track it all. I could see how fun it would be to follow along and discuss it endlessly.

I wanted to love this more than I did, but it was still a really good story. 

I received this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk

jen_prouvaire's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

I loved the premise for this book and was so excited to have a proof copy! I thought the Theatre District had such a rich feeling of place, it was a very intriguing location that kept me reading, especially as we meet the characters in The Shipping News who were as interested in working out the mysteries as me. The descriptions of the theatres and performances were also a highlight, but it was the history of the district that interested me the most. I really enjoy books that are set in an alternate past like this, where we can imagine how history might have changed with one or two small additions (like Shakespeare being virtually unheard of). 

I did find that our main character Juliet felt quite bland throughout, and some of the more interesting figures I wanted to learn more about seemed to fade out of the story. I also wasn't a fan of the dialogue which seemed a bit unnatural and cliched, as were some of the more introspective portions from Juliet. I also found that the plot felt slightly underdeveloped, the twist was very good but came up all of a sudden and from there it felt like everything happened quite quickly whereas the before this the plot progression had been very slow. 
Overall I loved the setting and the concept of the novel and think they were very strong, but unfortunately the writing felt underdeveloped in places. I think the core idea was there and it's clear the author did a lot of research which really enhanced their worldbuilding, so I would recommend this to people who love interactive theatre and the world of theatre. I would be interested to see where Anne Corlett goes next but unfortunately this one didn't entirely do it for me. 
Thank you to NetGalley for the proof copy.

bookishsamsch's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I adored this. An exciting storyline with lots of twists and turns. You can't help but root for Juliet as she tries to get answers about her past. I loved the idea of the theatre district, with the mystery surrounding the performers, the audience in their masks, the whole thing was beautifully written and so well thought out. Visually, it's stunning and it would be good to read more about it. I'm not sure if the author is planning on writing any more in this universe, but I would certainly read it. It's quite gothic and dark and feels a little Victoriana, even though it's an alternative London and no real timescale is given. This is a  clever move on Corlett's part as it removes any constraints a set time and place would have on the narrative. 

If you love books with music, dance and theatre, you will definitely enjoy this one.

amothersmusings1's review

3.5

“The Theatre of Glass and Shadows” is set in an alternative post war London and is a quirky, contemporary historical fantasy novel, written by Anne Corlett, author of ‘The Space Between the Stars’ which is about a plague ravished universe. 

 

The minute Juliet set foot in the ‘Theatre District’ I felt like I physically did too. For some reason I endeared to the place instantly, not sure whether it was the magic realism of the environment or the sinister feeling of mystery and suspense of the unknown. The author has a terrific imagination and at times, I felt I was either in a ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Charles Dickens’ or ‘Alice in Wonderland’ world. The district itself was built from ‘hopes and dreams, wishes and beliefs of everyone who ever walked through the gates and held the memory of everyone who performed there’. This in itself was an ingenious story but it also included the death of numerous young girls over the years and with a police investigation on the outside of the district but hampered by upper echelon restrictions, the reader was also privy to a crime element. 

 

The book is based on the real life atmospheric and innovative art of ‘immersive theatre’. This is where the audience participates and interacts in hugely detailed environments, together with free roaming rooms following the actors or discovering the action for themselves. This encourages the integral part of the performance ensuring the maximum enjoyment of this unusual, theatre experience.  As well as all members of audience being disguised with a theatrical mask, this adds to the mystery of the performance and similarly to the ‘followers’ in the story, the actors aren’t aware of who is actually watching the show. 

 

With a tense and fast paced denouement, this book was a very enjoyable read and if you’re open to a story set just that somewhere different and with wonderful and diverse characters, then “The Theatre of Glass and Mirrors” is for you. 

 

bookeygirl's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

ambersbakesandbooks's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Murder

anonymousreader's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

kim_expeditionthroughpages's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows tells the story of a young woman who is trying to find the place she belongs and get some answers about her past. The setting feels magical and as soon as we got to the theatre district, the labyrinthine 24hr immersive theatre show, I was drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down. It isn’t all fantastical though, at its heart there is a mystery which I found intriguing and the way the theatre district has been imagined, I could completely believe that a place like that could exist - maybe with a little suspending disbelief that there would be a part of London where the police have no control! I liked Juliet, the main character, and although she seemed naive or even selfish at times, I could really empathise with her and understand why she made some of the decisions she did. I thought the plotting of the book was well paced, and when I picked it up I found myself reading ‘just one more chapter…’, which is not something I feel often.
 
 I was given the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is my first ARC, so I am glad I enjoyed it so much!! Many thanks to the publishers.

books_by_your_bedside's review

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5