A very odd idea for a book but it does actually work. I found myself drawn into Juliet's story. It's confusing in parts although if you carry on it does sort itself out. It's set in an alternate London in the Theatre District and follows her trying to discover the truth of her birth in those labyrinthine streets. I did actually enjoy it and would recommend but you need to be patient to get into the story.

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett

3 STARS.

An intriguing if not entirely new concept (similar in vein to books such as Caraval). This sounds better than the execution, unfortunately. Something was missing for me. The world building was good enough but felt flat. Worth a read but keep your expectations in check.

Thank you so much for the opportunity in reading this one! This was really imaginative and I loved the descriptions in this book - really setting the magical scene!

Ooh, I kept this on my netgalley shelf for far too long long! I ended up listening to this via borrowbox and fell in love with the audiobook.

This is such an atmospheric book, I throughly enjoyed the parts were flipped and Juliet became a part of the show, especially when the plot became darker.

This is a story that engulfs you and makes you feel a part of the theatre.

There's a brief mention of Shakespeare in The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, where we learn his fate proved to be quite different in this alternate England. Nevertheless, his 'All the world's a stage' line is still quoted by one character and they're fitting words for a book where the adage, 'The Show must go on' becomes a much darker phrase as Juliet's attempts to uncover the mystery of her birth leads her into mortal danger.
Anne Corlett balances the familiar with the incredible in this compulsively engaging novel, and it's easy to picture Juliet's stultified upbringing in a house where she has never felt wanted by her father or stepmother. When her father dies, however, his final words to her, followed by a puzzling visit by two policemen, goad her into action and when she learns that her birth was registered in London's Theatre District, she leaves everything she knows in pursuit of the truth.
The walled District, complete with its Brunel-designed great glass dome, is sumptuously brought to life and as Juliet experiences all its wonders – from its labyrinthine streets and alleys with their irregular shops and dwellings, to the mysterious performers who bestow private performances and charms on selected lucky punters – it's little wonder that both Juliet and the readers should be beguiled by this strange, entrancing world. Meanwhile, there are extracts from articles written about the District which further add to the sense of authenticity engendered.
However, it's not just the fantastical House of Doors with its immersive show which attracts scores of casual and more dedicated fans – the Followers – at the centre of the Theatre District which is concealing secrets. Anne Corlett's vivid descriptions here don't just evoke the captivating allure of the District; she also gradually elicits a dark sense of foreboding as Juliet's starry-eyed hopes give way to fear and despair. Juliet is undoubtedly naïve but she is still only nineteen and clearly led a sheltered life until this point and so, despite her often imprudent behaviour, it's difficult not to sympathise with her. She is almost rent asunder by the terrible discoveries she makes and the portrayal of her confused state of mind is both tense and heartrending. The secondary characters are fascinating, too, whether they are charming, obsessive, vainglorious or wickedly mendacious, and they complement the growth of Juliet's character superbly.
Richly descriptive from start to finish, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is an exciting, intriguing and poignant read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a captivating blend of mystery and dark fantasy. After the death of her father, Juliet, who has always been in the dark about her origins, sets out to uncover the truth about her mother and her past. Her quest leads her to the enigmatic Theatre District, where a perpetual show hides secrets of its own.

When Juliet becomes part of the show, she must keep her involvement a secret and navigate a world full of intrigue and danger. As she delves deeper, she suspects something sinister behind the façade of the theatre, turning her search for truth into a tense game of deception.

The novel's atmospheric setting and richly woven mystery make for a compelling read. The characters and their secrets add depth to the narrative, and the ending hints at more to come in this intriguing world. Fans of the genre will eagerly anticipate the next installment.

4/5.

I love books about the world of theatre and this is super magical and beautifully written.

The Show has been running for hundreds of years, and is a permanent and full time exhibit within London's Theatre District. Pay extortionately to get in, or be lucky enough to win a ticket in the lottery - either way you'll get a magical and mysterious experience unlike any of your fellow audience members, and perhaps you'll get the chance of being noticed by the performers.

Juliet discovers that she was born in the Theatre District, and suddenly parts of her character start to make more sense to her - but the drama becomes more than just a story.

Really enjoyed this.

Anne Corlett has created an entire alternate universe within the theatre, which to an extent, the theatre world actually is for those of us who work, play and live within it! For me, reading this book was a reminder of the magical world that lies within the realms of the theatre world.

Rich with atmospheric intrigue and mystery, the author leads her reader into Juliet’s world and allows us to join her on her journey of discovery. Her path is not only one where she will discover who she is, which is what she initially sets out to do, but she will also discover where she came from and who she was actually meant to be – someone she never could have imagined.

When Juliet’s father dies (having already lost her mother, who isn’t even a memory to her), she discovers that her birth was registered in the Theatre District, a murky world that seems distant and dark, somewhere ‘other-worldly’ that she’s always understood is not a place to venture near. But now, it beckons and she cannot ignore its pull.

And so she decides that her cold and unkind step-mother no longer has any influence over her and that she will make her own way … towards the Theatre District and to finding out who her mother (who nobody ever speaks about) was. Because if you know where you came from, then you’ll have a clearer idea of where you’re going!

Almost as soon as she arrives she becomes enchanted with the magic of The Show that has been performed continuously for years and years, and regardless of circumstances, The Show must go on! And when she is told the story of The Moonshine Girl, she becomes intrigued, knowing that someone here must hold the key to the mystery of who her mother was. But although Juliet is naive, she knows that she should play her cards close to her chest and shouldn’t reveal all about herself too quickly to these new acquaintances she’s meeting, even though she secretly hopes that this is where she will find her place in the world. She’s well aware that the District has both a light and a dark side and that the people there are most certainly not always what or who they first appear to be.

The characterization is detailed and fascinating, and the concept of everyone in the district needing to wear masks (although I found this a little disturbing at first), plays such a major role in the perception of facade, truth and lies in theatre and in performance.

The plot is complex and intricate and is by no means a light read. It’s absorbing and draws you into another realm that is fantastical and beautifully imaginative. I can’t wait to return … yes, I’m waiting for a sequel!

I am always looking for something different and quirky in a book and was grateful for the opportunity from Black & White Publishing
and Tracy Fenton to be part of the blog tour for the wonderful The Theatre of Glass and Shadows. Set in an alternate London, where there is a separate theatre district, a place the outside world has no jurisdiction and offers a life of magic and enchantment. Juliet escapes to the District after the death of her father, seeking answers about her mother and herself, but once in she realises she has to be careful who she trusts.

I have lost my reading mojo recently, I just can’t seem to concentrate so books are taking me a long time to read. However, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows seems to have perked me up a bit with its enchanting world of The Show and the secrets within. The story focuses on Juliet, at nearly twenty her father has just died, and her stepmother has paid her to stay out of their lives. Searching her father’s study a she finds clues to her past and most importantly who her mother was. Juliet is fairly naive for twenty, leading a pretty closeted life, but with her father’s death she sees an opportunity to find out who she is. I loved being a voyeur as she went to the Theatre District, the enchantment of the show and those who follow it, and her own dream of being part of it like her mother. I felt that the Theatre District and The Show are an allegory for Juliet’s life; she is trying to find out who she is, searching for herself in the streets of the District and behind the many doors of the Theatre, meeting many dead ends until all the secrets and truths are revealed.

Reading The Theatre of Glass and Shadows was as enhanting and mystical as the Theatre itself. Anne Corlett has written an amazing layered plot, taking the reader on a journey with Juliet that tells not only her story, but the history of the Theatre and its architecture and the story of a murderer who leaves his victim in the river Thames. The writing was utterly compelling and it was this that helped get my mojo back, I found myself picking up the book more frequently, needing to find out what would be revealed next. I thought the combination of the magical juxtaposed with the murder investigations worked well, showing that no where and no one could completely keep away the reality of the world; it also gave an added frisson to the plot.

I was completely enhanted by The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, with its maze of streets and the magical Show itself. Juliet was a compelling character, a young woman trying to find out the truth about her mother and her own place in thw world. As well as the light of the magic, there was the darkness of the murders and the machinations of those behind the show, the backers and director. This is a captivating and bewitching novel, you can’t help but be drawn into this world of smoke and mirrors, and I didn’t want to leave. Simply stunning.

A book set in an alternate London where an immersive and mysterious theatre production has taken over half of London, partially inspired by the brilliant theatre company Punchdrunk? Of course I wanted to read this! I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed following this story through its many twists and turns - although sometimes our protagonist could be a little too naïve, which tested my suspension of disbelief. But hey, she’s a dreamer. I’d love this to turn in to a series so that I could go back to the world of The Show.

I received an advance copy in return for an honest review - thank you to Netgalley and the publishers.

Many thanks to Anne Corlett, the publishers, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, which was published on 24th May.

Juliet has never fitted in with her family. Her father, Stephen, is extremely withdrawn and distant; her stepmother Claire focuses on Juliet's stepsisters and has nixed Juliet's dreams of dancing professionally in favour of a secretarial course. Following Stephen's death, Juliet uncovers some mysterious objects and a partial birth certificate that leads her to believe that she was born in the Theatre District. The District is known for its sprawing, never-ending, fantastical Show that attracts obessive Followers who speculate on the meaning of every detail. Juliet believes that she just needs to bring herself to the attention of the Show's Director, and the District will welcome her back with open arms to the life that should rightfully have been hers.

I thought that I would love this book, and there were elements that I really liked, but overall, I was disappointed. The descriptions of the Show, the District's unexpected architecture, and the theories conjured up by the Show's Followers were all really entertaining and reminded me of the magical elements in Erin Morgernstern's works. The plot was also filled with unexpected twists and turns, and it kept me guessing.

However, I didn't really like the reveal towards the end and the resolution of the plot – it was overblown, and gave one character the quality and power of an evil genius (although it was difficult to see how they could have manipulated everything). Also, while I don't normally mind unlikable characters, Juliet grated on me. She's both insecure and narcissistic, and much of her interior monologue revolves around hoping that someone will recognise how special she is. The novel is also very slow-moving at the start, although the narrative picks up speed as it progresses.

If you like Erin Morgenstern's work, you may enjoy this, but I'm not sure that I would recommend it widely.

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a magical otherworldly book full of mystery and intrigue. The Theatre District was fabulous and interesting and mysterious and very very strange .I loved all the characters especially Juliet who just wanted to belong .The ending was excellent .Many thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Black and White Publishing for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: parental abuse, neglect, murder

Set in an alternate London where a section of the city was turned into an independent area called the Theatre District centuries ago, a performance named The Show never truly ends- but it’s only accessible to those with a ticket and the laws of London mean nothing there. Her distant father and cruel stepmother have raised Juliet and she knows nothing about her dead mother. When she is nineteen, her father passes away and things about Juliet’s early life come to light, including that she was born in the Theatre District. Determined to find out where she came from, how her mother died and the secrets her father kept hidden, Juliet travels to London and visits the Show. She hopes to find a place where she belongs and it soon becomes apparent that her mother was a performer and that Juliet might have been a short-lived star too. Juliet- whose dreams have been crushed by her stepmother in favour of her half-sisters- is convinced she can take her mother’s place. In the District, however, there are no clear answers as the Show is constantly being performed, and the secretive performers and illusion keep the past well hidden in the labyrinth of actors, dancers and weaving walkways. Juliet discovers that the District, and those who live within, are subject to the whims of powerful men known as the Director, the Shadow Man and the Choreographer- men who don’t want the past to come out and will do anything to suppress it.

This is a slow-burn mystery set in a world that feels like something from a fairytale, even in its darkest moments. The atmosphere reminded me so much of ‘The Night Circus’ but it gradually grew into something larger, filling centuries from the aftermath of the 1666 Great Fire of London up to the modern day. I like Juliet as a character even if she is a little naive and too trusting once she gets inside. The gradual reveals were really well written, the suspicion of the outside world and the intense, almost frightening secrecy of the performers added an excellent atmosphere. You genuinely do feel lost in another world, the descriptions are so vivid even if in some aspects the characters outside of roles weren't deeply developed. I enjoyed this book, it was original and very different.

This book takes you into the secretive theatre district in post war London
What’s real and what’s part of the show - there’s only one central truth - the show must go on
Loved following the main character Juliet’s journey
Such an immersive and magical read
Thanks @consummatechaos @bwpublishing & @netgalley for the magical read

Filled with intrigue, tension and theatre magic, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

Juliet arrives at the secretive, yet spectacular Theatre District with only a letter claiming her birth was registered in its exclusive walls. While anyone can enter the District and watch a show - for a price - only those born within it can live and work there. For Juliet, who has always loved to dance, and feels adrift following the death of her father, it offers a sanctuary, a home, and answers to questions she has about her birth and the death of her mother. But nothing inside the District is straightforward, with every moment scripted and stage managed to cater for its paying audience, and Juliet quickly discovers that the homecoming she seeks might not fit the script.

The Theatre District is full of intricate world building, dazzling stories, and dark secrets. I loved how immersive this story was, Juliet is both a member of the District, and given a tantalising glimpse of its backstage world, but also on the outside, surrounded by friends trying to piece the storyline together, and questioned by police offers who believe the District is using its unique legal position to hide its involvement in local crimes.

Just like the Show itself, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is filled with tension, twists and misdirects, with a dazzling cast of characters I was disappointed to leave behind.

Just like the Theatre, this book can be described as full of shadows and mysteries.

I liked the book and I think it has a lot of potential, but something just wasn't right for me, and I didn't feel as immersed in the story as I hoped. However, the story itself is very interesting, following Juliet, a 20-years old girl (because she's really childish at times), trying to discover more about her past as well as to become a part of the theater district. She manages to sneak to London after her father's death, and then meets the Followers, a group that's so passionate about finding all about how the show runs and the district many attractions. I liked this group so much and they felt so authentic, for me they were the best characters in this book. Now, Juliet isn't there to be just a simple, amazed spectator, she wants to be part of the show. She wants to feel like she belongs somewhere. And so, she'll begin searching for a way in, but when she finds it, she also discovers that the things may not be as they seem.

I was quite intrigued and finished the book pretty fast, so while it didn't feel as magical as I hoped, it is still a very good book.

In tempered glass and smoky shadows lies the Theatre District where things are not as they seem and where truth and lies merge. This immersive theatre complex has been beguiling visitors for centuries but once its secrets are uncovered there’s no going back and yet for Juliet Grace her time there has only just begun.

A life filled with indifference has made Juliet wary but deep down she knows that, with her father’s death, the life she has known is over and as the overwhelming lure of the theatre calls her into its depths so she hopes for answers to her questions and that her heart’s desire will be fulfilled. Beautifully immersive, this view of an altogether different London emerges, and as the story starts to pull so the fragments of your imagination get carried along until you’re part of the scenery, watching as the dance unfolds and as each character emerges so you begin to question where the truth ends and the lies begin.

It’s been a long time since I was gorgeously immersed in an alternate world of a clever author’s imagination but The Theatre of Glass and Shadows fulfilled a need I didn’t know I had and I absorbed every word with as much anticipation as if I was a voyeur in this land of shimmering glass and deep, dark shadows. Richly atmospheric, and utterly absorbing, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a beautifully imagined world which I hope we can visit again.

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is a unique and fascinating premise, based in an an alternate London. A long running immersive theatre show which holds dark secrets and a young woman searching for the truth about her identity.

The author has created a captivating story, however I did get a little lost part way through and some of the characters could have been developed a little more.

However, I did love the idea of this book and enjoyed the plot twist.

This was nearly a 4 star read but just fell short for me.

I am very grateful to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for this ARC.

I liked this book but I wanted to love it. I felt like it should have enchanted me more than it did. It reminded me of books like the Night Circus and Caraval, but it didn’t quite capture the magic in the same way those books did.

I felt a big part of this was that I just didn’t believe in the character. She came up with this big stories about where she came from but I just didn’t believe them. It felt like she was being swept up by her own imagination whereas in books that do this well, I would have been swept along with her.

I did like the idea of the theatre district and an everlasting play though. I really loved the way everything was secretive and complex and how the fans in the book were shown to really be following it and trying to track it all. I could see how fun it would be to follow along and discuss it endlessly.

I wanted to love this more than I did, but it was still a really good story.

In The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, by Anne Corlett, we follow 20-year-old Juliet Grace as she gets to know the Theatre District, an independent borough of London bordering Lambeth.

Inside the district’s walls, there’s always entertainment on offer, whether that’s an encounter with a roaming performer, a play at one of the plentiful smaller theatres, or The Show – a never-ending production which runs day and night at the sprawling House of Doors, where actors, dancers, and singers repeat the same scenes in different spaces until the time is ripe for them to move on to the next part of their characters’ stories.

Following her father’s death, Juliet comes to the district to see what she can discover about the mother she never knew, who lived and worked there. A trained ballerina herself, Juliet gains a coveted small part in The Show, but continually runs into dead ends on her fact-finding mission. What’s more, it seems that a serial killer is operating locally, and the police are circling the district despite their lack of jurisdiction.

Not unlike the Theatre District itself, The Theatre of Glass and Shadows has something for all sorts, making for a sophisticated novel with plenty of layers to sink your teeth into.

The mystery of Juliet’s heritage, and the cold indifference of her stepmother, Clare, will appeal to those who like Gothic fairytale vibes – an aspect of this novel I especially appreciated. At the same time, seeing Juliet escape the stultifying life Clare’s planned out for her as a secretary or mother’s help, and experience genuine warmth from people for the first time in her life, is uplifting.

Habitual crime fiction readers have the police investigation into the unsolved murders to pique their interest. Fans of fantasy and/or alternate history are likely to enjoy the detailed world-building, including extracts from a history book that, with an air of authority and authenticity, outlines the area’s development over the course of centuries.

Relatedly, the features of the district, how it operates, and who pulls the strings, are well-described and thought-through, with incidental details contributing to its believability. While aspects such as being picked out of the crowd for a private scene, collecting tokens in pursuit of an unknown prize, and the treasures one might find in the unofficial memorabilia museum (housed by the pub) captured my imagination, the district is far from a utopia unaffected by the world at large.

For instance, the place would grind to a halt without its stagehands or hospitality workers, but of course, they live in the down-at-heel housing of the outer district, unlike the top performers, who live in secure private quarters close to the heart of the action. Additionally, the Second World War sounds like it was much the same in this alternate world, and proved a challenge for the district and The Show.

The idea of The Show enthralled me. I pictured it as a kind of in-person, interactive soap opera, where the same set of scenes played out over and over, until such time as it could be surmised that anyone who wanted to know the latest developments would have got to see them, and anyone who loved particular scenes so much they made repeat visits had had sufficient fill.

I’d have liked to read more details about the storylines – maybe from the mouth of Juliet’s lovely new friend, Show enthusiast Eugene – but then again, this way it retained its aura of mystery, and with all its history and interconnections (both on- and off-stage), even a summary of the most recent, major storylines might well spiral out into a separate book in itself!

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is imaginative, expansive, and full of mystery.