Published 23rd May 2024 by Black and White Publishing.
From the cover of the book:
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 . . .
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In an alternate London, the mysterious Theatre District on the south bank of the Thames has been captivating audiences for centuries with its never-ending Show. Demand for tickets to gain entry to the ever more elaborate event never waivers, despite the expense, and its Followers long to be party to what goes on behind the scenes. But the walled-in District keeps its secrets close - even from London's police force.
Ninteen-year-old Juliet has never known her mother. Brought up by her distant father, who refused to tell her about the woman who gave birth to her, she has always felt unwanted. When he dies, Juliet discovers by chance from her cold step-mother that she was born in the District, and she heads to London for a new start, hopeful she will finally find a place to belong. But while Juliet manages to gain entrance to the world the public never sees, things are not quite as she thought in the District. The Show must go on, and some are expected to sacrifice more than others to keep its dark secrets.
In The Theatre Of Glass And Shadows, Anne Corlett takes the concept of immersive theatre and weaves a spellbinding story that draws you deep into the underbelly of a mid-twentieth century London subtly, but distinctly, different to our own. Corlett's London is one deprived of the influence of Shakespeare, whose brilliance was stifled in the shadow of the extravagant Show in Lambeth. The south bank of the river is now dominated by the enclave of the Theatre District, that has grown to epic proportions underneath the expansive glass dome that looks across the Thames towards a war-scarred St. Paul's Cathedral.
The story follows Juliet's search for the truth about her origins, and Corlett incorporates delicious themes of family, friendship, romance and belonging into her quest. And this is not the only mystery to be solved, as there are multiple threads of shocking secrets to be uncovered about the District, and the shady bargains that have been made to ensure its survival, all fed by the murky motivations of ambition, passion, and jealousy - including a beautifully wrought storyline about murdered young women that recalls the grisly history of Jack the Ripper.
The District oozes Gothic vibes, and is so vividly imagined that you can almost taste it. As Juliet moves within its multiple levels, negotiating winding passageways, secret rooms, and halting dead ends front of house and behind the scenes, Corlett uses symmetry and reflection to brilliant effect both within the setting, and in the layers of the story. Juliet is pulled in two directions, torn between a life within the District and one outside, and there are many illusions to be shattered before she can find her true path.
I loved this book from compelling start to gripping finish, absolutely enthralled by Corlett's writing and imagination. There is intriguing scope for a sequel, which I really hope she decides to write, because I am nowhere near ready to let go of this world and these characters yet. The Show must go on!
The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats.
Thank you to Black and White Publishing for giving me a proof in return for an honest review.
About the author:
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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