Theatre Of Marvels
1840s London. A gaudy theatre in Drury Lane. Star act: the Great Amazonia, Warrior-Queen of Darkest Africa! Playing to sell-out audiences!
But Zillah isn’t coal-black, nor is she African. She’s a woman of color who slathers on black makeup to play “Amazonia”—and gives the audience an act of unbridled savagery. She’s never considered any deeper meaning to her act than getting paid and staying out of the life of the streets; Zillah considers herself very lucky. But her protector—and the owner of the theatre—is always looking for a way to make more money, and he doesn’t care who he hurts in the process. Zillah discovers that while her act is a fraud, there’s another act waiting in the wings; no fraud, but an unfortunate slave whom Zillah vows to save from the horror awaiting her. Zillah’s quest takes her into places she never dreamed existed, and into a voyage of self-discovery that leads her to question the cost of her “harmless” act as the Great Amazonia.
This is a colorful, evocative novel. The narrative voice is strong and sure, and it manages to convey horrors without being graphic. It is an edgy, intriguing look into an unexplored sector of London history, and Zillah’s story is haunting and unforgettable.
