I had no idea that this was a YA novel, but wasn’t phased at all, as I have read and thoroughly enjoyed YA books in the past.

However, whilst this book may be a useful tool for an educator, for me it missed the mark. The writing was definitely dumbed down for the younger market, so much so that the language and experiences used were totally out of keeping for the period. The narrative was slow and the repetition spoilt the flow of the story.

When such important issues are the main focus of a story, it is important to be true to the era.

Not one for me I’m afraid. From reading other reviews it does appear that I am in the minority, so maybe it was my expectations at fault, my apologies to the author if this is so.

Thank you NetGalley.

This great Victorian vaudeville set novel is a story of race and class in London with a great cast of characters and actress Zillah as a main strong and likeable protagonist. Set not long after abolition, the book explores the mistreatment of people of colour at that time and doesn’t shy away from difficult themes such as the exploitation of people in freak shows. A really good read, and a lot packed into a short novel.

Theatre of Marvels is a real delight, a compelling, big-hearted story that whips the reader along. I loved seeing Victorian London through the eyes of its strong female protagonist and raced through this absorbing and original book.

I was drawn into this world from the beginning and totally loved it. Such an amazing atmospheric read I could almost feel as if I were there. Great cast of characters and an interesting storyline. Such a great escapism read. I loved it

Unsettling and fascinating, "Theatre of Marvels" is spectacular. It delved into deep (important!) topics while staying accessible and, again, completely fascinating. I didn't realise this was YA, but I think there are some valuable discussion points here and I'd highly recommend it, even if YA isn't someone's usual genre. Thank you for this ARC!

This book, oh my gosh this book, it was well written, the characters were good and I felt like I was back in Victorian London. It was a great story and I was hooked and I didnt want it to end.

This dramatic, pacy glimpse into the backstage lives of small-theatre performers in Victorian London shines a light on issues of race, class, identity and the importance of action.

It centres on Zillah, a mixed-race actress who, at the request of her sketchy employer, has been fooling audiences into thinking she is 'The Great Amazonia', a tribal African queen. Her act is a gross distortion of the African culture, and yet she is led to believe it is merely entertainment, harming no one.

Zillah is strong willed and defiant, yet her ambition has driven her straight into the arms of the society's elite, who exploit her differences and turn a blind eye when she voices her discomfort. It takes bumping into Lucien Winters, an ex-slave who now runs his own business and spends his time helping other, less fortunate people, for Zillah to begin to learn more about her heritage and form her own opinions.

I enjoyed Zillah's character development as she faced numerous shocks and realisations, and I liked that the characters had to actively work to understand each other if they had any hope of moving forward. The narrative voice is chatty and engaging, and the Victorian setting is also well-researched, highlighting the stark differences between classes and races at that time.

All in all, this is a quick, powerful read with a strong message and memorable characters.

Found this an easy read
You lose yourself in the different storyline
Characters are intriguing
Wasn't what I was expecting
Good read

Thank you netgalley, Lianne Dulsworth and Random House

I wanted to like this book, but although the story was gripping, it gave me no sense of the period. I felt that all the characters had been parachuted into the 19th century from 2021, so I failed to be engrossed in this book. It would probably make a good TV series.

I enjoyed this novel immensely. Zillah performs at Crillick's theatre but soon realises that this is not all she wants, and even more, when she encounters a prisoner in trouble, realises that she desires much more than the life she has been given, by circumstances beyond her control, as a child. An amazing historical novel, and I would highly recommend it. Exciting adventures all the way through, in fact a real page turner.

Theatre of Marvels by Lianne Dillsworth

Crowds gather at Crillick's Variety Theatre, where curiosity is satisfied with displays of intrigue and fear. They're here for the star of the show - the Great Amazonia warrior. 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.

In Victorian times you had what was terribly called ' Freak shows ' where people would pay their penny and gain access to the circus freak show , which in reality were just ordinary people in the main with perhaps something seemed odd about them be it extra short , large , thin or tall.
This is the story of Zillah - the Amazonian woman , but Zilliah was using her ' uniqueness ' in a positive way and for her own benefit , not a lot of difference to today then !
I loved the way Zillah had no worries going about her business to solve the disappearance of the Crillicks Variety Theatre's newest act , be it in the back streets of Victorian London , or the palours of the higher classes.
I found the characters enchanting and intriguing and easily lost myself in the pages of the book.