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A review by moomin333
The Magnetic Girl by Jessica Handler
3.0
The real Lulu Hurst (“Georgia Wonder”) had a brief stage career of mesmerizing volunteers from 1884 to 1885, starting in rural Georgia. Volunteers, even full grown men, would fly out of a chair or fall over from just a touch of superhuman strength that she supposedly developed after a lightning storm. This was a time in history when there were many mesmerists, séance specialists, charlatans, snake oil salesmen, and vaudeville acts… it must have been something to pay a quarter a show and see a variety act such as hers!
This book is a fictionalized account of how her family life influenced and motivated her desire to be a traveling act. It also was a treat to read how incredibly exciting it was for her and the rest of society at that time to witness the birth of electricity. I found myself actually more interested in the details surrounding everyone’s way of life and the environment around them. I also loved that time and time again it was proven that yes, people do just want permission to suspend their disbelief and instead believe in magic or the impossible.
There were some beautiful passages to this book; Jessica Handler has an empathetic way with words, and I’d gladly read more of her work.
This book is a fictionalized account of how her family life influenced and motivated her desire to be a traveling act. It also was a treat to read how incredibly exciting it was for her and the rest of society at that time to witness the birth of electricity. I found myself actually more interested in the details surrounding everyone’s way of life and the environment around them. I also loved that time and time again it was proven that yes, people do just want permission to suspend their disbelief and instead believe in magic or the impossible.
There were some beautiful passages to this book; Jessica Handler has an empathetic way with words, and I’d gladly read more of her work.