Sometimes the greatest spectacle hides the darkest secrets . . .
In an alternate London, the city's Theatre District is a walled area south of the river where an immersive production - the Show - has been running for centuries, growing ever bigger, more sprawling and lavish. The Show is open to anyone who can afford a ticket but the District itself is a closed world; even the police have no jurisdiction within its walls.
Juliet's mother died when she was a baby. Brought up by her emotionally distant father and even more distant stepmother, she has never felt wanted. It's only when her father passes away that Juliet - now nineteen - learns her birth was registered in the District. Desperate to belong somewhere at last, she travels to London where she hopes to unearth the truth about her identity, her mother's death and her father's years of silence - and claim her birthright.
But in the District, there is only one central truth: the Show must go on. And in a world where illusions abound, and powerful men control the narrative, Juliet has no idea of just how far some will go to ensure certain stories are never told . . .
I'm delighted to be hosting the blog tour for The Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett today. Many thanks to Bonnier Books and Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers blog tours for inviting me and for my advance digital copy of the novel.
The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is published by Black & White Publishing, an imprint of Bonnier Books. It can be purchased from bookshop.org, Hive, Waterstones, Kobo, Amazon or ordered from your favourite independent bookshop.
There's a brief mention of Shakespeare in The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, where we learn his fate proved to be quite different in this alternate England. Nevertheless, his 'All the world's a stage' line is still quoted by one character and they're fitting words for a book where the adage, 'The Show must go on' becomes a much darker phrase as Juliet's attempts to uncover the mystery of her birth leads her into mortal danger.
Anne Corlett balances the familiar with the incredible in this compulsively engaging novel, and it's easy to picture Juliet's stultified upbringing in a house where she has never felt wanted by her father or stepmother. When her father dies, however, his final words to her, followed by a puzzling visit by two policemen, goad her into action and when she learns that her birth was registered in London's Theatre District, she leaves everything she knows in pursuit of the truth.
The walled District, complete with its Brunel-designed great glass dome, is sumptuously brought to life and as Juliet experiences all its wonders – from its labyrinthine streets and alleys with their irregular shops and dwellings, to the mysterious performers who bestow private performances and charms on selected lucky punters – it's little wonder that both Juliet and the readers should be beguiled by this strange, entrancing world. Meanwhile, there are extracts from articles written about the District which further add to the sense of authenticity engendered.
However, it's not just the fantastical House of Doors with its immersive show which attracts scores of casual and more dedicated fans – the Followers – at the centre of the Theatre District which is concealing secrets. Anne Corlett's vivid descriptions here don't just evoke the captivating allure of the District; she also gradually elicits a dark sense of foreboding as Juliet's starry-eyed hopes give way to fear and despair. Juliet is undoubtedly naïve but she is still only nineteen and clearly led a sheltered life until this point and so, despite her often imprudent behaviour, it's difficult not to sympathise with her. She is almost rent asunder by the terrible discoveries she makes and the portrayal of her confused state of mind is both tense and heartrending. The secondary characters are fascinating, too, whether they are charming, obsessive, vainglorious or wickedly mendacious, and they complement the growth of Juliet's character superbly.
Richly descriptive from start to finish, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is an exciting, intriguing and poignant read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Follow the blog tour, details are below.
Anne is originally from the north-east, but somehow slid down the map and finished up in a small village near Bath, where she lives with her partner and three sons. She has an MA in English Language and Linguistics from Edinburgh University, and an MSt in Linguistics from Oxford University. During her postgraduate studies, she worked as an etymologist and proofreader for a dictionary, carrying out research at the Bodleian Library.
Armed with her linguistics-related degrees and work experience, Anne took the somewhat illogical next step and became a criminal lawyer. In 2011, after several years spent working in the London courts and police stations, Anne remembered that she’d actually planned to be a writer, and commenced work on her first novel. This was slightly unfortunate timing, given that she was right in the middle of relocating to Somerset with her family, who seemed to feel that a little less novel-writing and a little more packing might be warranted. They probably had a point.
Over the next couple of years Anne fitted writing work around her day job as a solicitor. Her writing has appeared in various newspapers, magazines and anthologies, and has won various awards.
In 2016, The Space Between the Stars was published by Pan Macmillan in the UK and Random House in the US. She wrote most of this novel while studying for a Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University. Her second novel, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, will be published in May 2024 by Bonnier.
Anne enjoys working with other writers, through editing, mentoring and teaching.
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