The Grand Scheme of Things
The bold new novel about prejudice in the theatre world
by Warona Jay
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Pub Date 17 Jul 2025 | Archive Date 17 Jul 2025
Bonnier Books UK | Footnote Press
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Description
Meet Relebogile Naledi Mpho Moruakgomo. Or, for short, Eddie: an aspiring playwright who dreams of making it big in London's theatre world. But after repeated rejections from white talent agents, Eddie suspects her non-white sounding name might be the problem.
Enter Hugo Lawrence Smith: good looking, well-connected, charismatic and . . . very white. Stifled by his law degree and looking for a way out of the corporate world, he finds a kindred spirit in Eddie after a chance encounter at a cafe.
Together they devise a plan which will see Eddie's play on stage and Hugo's name in lights and expose the theatre world for its racism and hollow clout-chasing. But as their plan spins wildly out of control, Eddie and Hugo find themselves wondering if their reputations, and their friendship, can survive.
Advance Praise
'This blistering story puts you in mind of last year's blockbuster hit, YELLOWFACE . . . Enjoyable, riotously mischievous and gleefully direct, without losing nuance or lapsing into caricature' - Daily Mail
'Explosive from the first page, THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS gleefully lays bare the lengths artists will go to in order to achieve their dreams, as well as the hypocrisy of gatekeepers who espouse the myth of meritocracy. Never shying away from complexity while also giving readers much to delight in, Warona Jay makes an unforgettable entrance to the world of literature. Layered, hyperaware, and as entertaining as it is incendiary, Jay's debut is a hit.' - Mateo Askaripour, author of BLACK BUCK
'AMERICAN FICTION meets QUEENIE: THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS skewers racism in the arts, while humorously and honestly exploring the importance of community, and what we'll do for love and success. I couldn't put it down' - Jenna Clake, author of DISTURBANCE
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781804441299 |
| PRICE | |
