Reviews

The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman

Only show reviews with written explanations

thepaperbackboo's review

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

ally_mad01's review

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Boring. Couldn't get into the characters or the plot

featherface's review

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I wanted more about the mystical bird worshipping people, less about minors being sexually abused.

Content Warnings

kalypsowolf's review against another edition

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3.25

3.25

The writing in this book is stunning. The words chosen and the phrasing is just dripping in lyricism and poetry. Very fitting for a novel centered on the theatre. And the nature of birds lends itself so well to this style of writing, too.

However, due to just how much of this is written in that lyrical, artistic and very descriptive style, it took me absolutely forever to get through. I found myself skimming frequently, especially during times where it was just paragraphs of descriptions. Usually a book this length would take me three days max, but this took me nearly six to get through.

There is a plot, but for like a third of this book I was convinced it was going to be just all vibes no plot. I kinda wish it just fully committed to that or at least fleshed out the Aviscultans more because I feel I would have enjoyed it more.

Regardless it is a beautiful reading experience.

hjrey's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

One either hunts or is hunted; there are no bystanders.

About: Shay lives between two worlds. In one she's had to take on the leadership of an outskirts religious community, in another, she flits from rooftop to rooftop longing to be part of the magic that is London. When she meets Nonesuch, a charismatic boy with a mysterious past, she is swept up in entirely new world - that of the theatre. There's a power to being on stage she's never known, both thrilling and dangerous.

Thoughts
This is a book that, as time passes, I think I will rate a lot higher as there were some really stunning scenes and the overall themes were strong. There is definite magic here. Devana, Shay, Nonesuch and Trussell are all characters I will remember, with many sweet, tragic and theatrical moments attached to each.

That said, the book was a bit of a mismatch for me. The story is strongly YA in terms of character development and plot, but the actual prose felt far older. Chunky paragraphs, abstract descriptions and a relatively slow pace fitted more to adult literary or historical fiction but its missing some depth. The villains in this story roll into one (there's little separating Gilmour, Evans or The Jagger), Shay and Nonesuch's importance to the Queen of England felt sudden and blown out of proportion, and the plague is swept aside as a mere backdrop to events instead of actually impacting anyone.

Overall, I enjoyed a lot of this book. The scenes on stage are completely captivating, I loved Shay's relationships with the people (and birds) around her, and the themes of captivity and taking ownership of your own path were parts of the book that I found really engrossing and beautiful to read. But I wanted a bit more. A faster pace perhaps or a plot that engaged more with the world around them. Once Shay became part of the theatre group, London became the audience instead of part of the story.