- reclusive artist
- historical elements
- pandora's box
- music and art
- speculative literary fiction
- mental illness rep
- Paris & Amsterdam

I went into this genre-blend blindly, only intrigued by the Music Theatre in the title, and that cover -- and I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. It is a short and easy read sprinkled with horror, chaos, and dark humour from the protagonist Eli, who recieved a Pandora's box from his grandmother. However, the only world this box unleashes an outburst of atrocities is Eli's, and now he is faced with a screeching doll who aspires to be reunited with her lover.

You follow Eli to Paris to discover his grandmother's heritage, and are enraptured by the descriptions of the city, the museums, and the side characters. The ending felt slightly rushed, however, apart from that, this book met exactly the kind of absurdity I look for. And learning about barrel organs was the most random piece of knowledge I never knew I needed!

I can see that Eli isn't exactly a likable character, which can dampen the reading experience for those who don't like being in his head for the duration of the book. I am by no means as reclusive as Eli, however, I could see where he was coming for, and his struggles with his mental health, haphephobia, and bipolar disorder felt so real and added another dimension to Suze Leonie's storytelling.

(I received an ARC from the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Eli is a successful artist who is also bipolar going on and off his meds. When his grandmother dies, she leaves him a crate with a case inside it with instructions to never open it. Disregarding these instructions, Eli opens the case and discovers Devorah, a talking doll searching for Yonah, her long, lost love. When her lamentations overwhelm Eli, he agrees to help find Yonah just to shut her up. But Devorah takes that as a promise and will do everything in her power to hold Eli to it.

This is largely a book about mental illness, all from Eli's distorted POV. I will say that after a while his voice grated on me as he reacts to events using metaphors related to destroying his body. It was unclear to me why the author gave everyone Jewish names but made Eli's family Catholic without any explanation.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

This novel is a symphony of emotion, blending music, history, and self-discovery into a story that lingers long after the final page. Suze Leonie’s prose is immersive and lyrical, crafting a world where music isn’t just heard—it’s felt, shaping identities and forging unbreakable bonds. With rich storytelling and a deep sense of atmosphere, this book is a powerful exploration of passion, belonging, and the echoes of the past.

This read took a long time to really get going—I personally did not enjoy the attitude of the main character, which felt excessively pessimistic and insecure! The pacing threw me off, as there was a tremendous amount of build up at the start, then the ending accelerated so quickly that it felt rushed.

While it was kind of sweet/tender to see Eli warming to Devorah, his generally hateful outlook really overshadowed the "good" in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Yonah and Devorah's Travelling Music Theater!

This book is a heartfelt and beautifully written story that blends music, history, and self-discovery into a captivating journey. Suze Leonie’s prose is lyrical, evoking a deep sense of atmosphere and emotion. The novel transports readers into a world where music is not just performance—it’s a lifeline, a means of connection, and a way to navigate the complexities of identity and belonging.

The characters are richly drawn, and their relationships feel authentic, layered with both tenderness and tension. Yonah and Devorah’s dynamic is particularly compelling, with moments of quiet understanding and unspoken longing that pull at the heart. Some of my favourite lines included:

✨ "Music carries us forward, even when the world tells us to stand still."
✨ "Every note was a promise, every song a story waiting to be told."

While the novel shines in its poetic storytelling and emotional depth, the pacing occasionally felt uneven, with certain sections lingering longer than necessary. However, the immersive writing and moving themes more than made up for it.

Overall, Yonah and Devorah’s Travelling Music Theater is a beautifully composed novel that will resonate with readers who love historical fiction infused with artistry and heart. A truly memorable read!

When antihero Eli makes a seemingly innocent drunken mistake, it leaves him with a loudly grieving doll named Devorah, and he must choose: hide her away, or overcome his fear and help Devorah find Yonah, the doll’s long-lost love? Eli’s mental illness, insecurity, and general disdain for other human beings result in some strong character flaws: selfishness, cynicism, awkwardness, pretentiousness, countless phobias, and even cruelty at times. Yet, Eli is Devorah’s only hope in finding Yonah. But how can someone who already dislikes humans so much go out of his way to help, not even another human, but a doll?

Eli’s resistance and Devorah’s creepy insistence get things moving, but then I found the last third of the book super rushed. It wrapped up so quickly that it felt almost unnecessary to have so much build-up in the beginning for how and if Eli will help Devorah. That said, this is still a solid read and it’s a quick one, too! I liked learning about barrel organs and imagining Eli’s pieces of artwork that are described really well in the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Fidessa Literary for the read!

Read this courtesy of Net Galley

Found the story took a while to get its legs but once it did I was glued to the page
While I did hate the main character's attitude, I still felt compelled to find what would happen to Eli next, especially since I found Devorah just as frustrating due to the fact I too value my personal space.
Eli gradually warming up to Devorah was exceptionally entertaining.
I loved Eli and Alain's relationship, I particularly enjoyed Eli being forced to the Montmartre club by his gran's chosen family.
The message to not forget about the people who love you, that is not to take your family for granted, which is something I think we could all do with remembering more often.
The end was the best part, the way it mirrored the beginning but instead of Eli hiding from his problems he asks for help.
All in all the book grew on me

This was unexpected ... somewhat delightful, but more so off-putting.

I thought this was a fantasy, but the story boils down to mental illness, the tired "is it magic or is it a hallucination?" kind. The lead character is so unlikable: hates everyone for no reason, is rabidly bipolar, a total stereotype but also triggering for me, as it got me thinking about the few people I've known who've suffered from this illness, including one that was an admitted sociopath ... and with Eli's thought patterns here, it was a bit too close to reality for me, even while I recognized that it was an overwrought caricature. I was hoping for growth by the end of it, but since Eli's so disconnected from himself, and doesn't make much headway without the intervention of others, I found the ending unsatisfying. I can imagine him going back to his habits the next day.

I'm not sure what story was being told here, either. Two star-crossed dolls of Eli's imagination ... both as overwrought as Eli, crying and moaning hysterically ... and Eli must reunite them. But since this is all in Eli's head, the real point of the story is ... is ... what? Mentally ill people are worthy and creative, no matter how badly they('re portrayed as) treat(ing) others, no matter how much they're (portrayed as being) self-centred ... I guess?

The only empathy I had was for the supporting cast, notably Eli's handler and sister, who Eli barely acknowledges and regularly complains about.

Sorry, but this just made me angry more than anything. I rushed to get through it. I felt letdown.