A review by liseyp
Theatre of Marvels by Lianne Dillsworth

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Thank you to the author, publishers Hutchinson Heinemann and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

 

The title and the cover made me think this might be some kind of fantasy story. But, actually it’s very much grounded in reality and is all the better for it.

 

Zillah is happy headlining on the stage pretending to be an African princess warrior and in love with the wealthy Lord Woodward who claims to love her back. The daughter of a former slave and an unknown father, she tries not to think about her heritage. But, after meeting Lucien Winter her eyes gradually open to the reality as she learns that while she’s happy to pretend for the show, her act is the thin edge of a wedge which is treating people like animals for entertainment.

 

I really enjoyed getting to know Zillah through this story. She’s a great mixture of being self-aware while also being naïve enough to initially feel protected from the realities of the age in which she lives. Her awakening comes gradually and isn’t heavily politicised, but grounded in a care for her fellow human beings and a strong sense of justice.

 

A compelling plot, which got me doing lots of side research about the Sierra Leone resettlement project developed to respond to the challenges of a British political class who didn’t want to deal with the cultural crisis of a post-slavery world. The book walks a fine line between suggesting a darker experience for people without taking a voyeuristic look at the abuse of vulnerable people. Seeing things through the eyes of British born Zillah makes them both more shocking and less threatening than if the main character had been one of the less empowered characters in the story.

 

A fascinating and compelling read.