I was fortunate to review Liz Hyder’s novel The Gifts here for My Weekly so when I was sent an early copy of her latest book, The Illusions, I was thrilled. I’m delighted to share my review of The Illusions today.

The Illusions is published by Bonnier imprint Manilla on 22nd June, and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Illusions

At a time of extraordinary change, two women must harness their talents to take control of their own destiny…

Bristol, 1896. Used to scraping a living as the young assistant to an ageing con artist, Cecily Marsden’s life is turned upside down when her master suddenly dies. Believing herself to blame, could young Cec somehow have powers she little understands?

Meanwhile Eadie Carleton, a pioneering early film-maker, struggles for her talent to be taken seriously in a male-dominated world, and a brilliant young magician, George Perris, begins to see the potential in moving pictures. George believes that if he can harness this new technology, it will revolutionise the world of magic forever — but in order to achieve his dreams, he must first win over Miss Carleton…

As a group of illusionists prepare for a grand spectacle, Cec, Eadie and George’s worlds collide. But as Cec falls in love with the bustling realm of theatre and magic, she faces the fight of her life to save the performance from sabotage and harness the element of real magic held deep within her.

The Illusions is the captivating new novel from the much-lauded author of The Gifts. Inspired by real-life illusionists and early film pioneers, this astonishing story of women and talent, magic and power, sweeps you into a world where anything is possible and nothing is quite as it seems…

My Review of The Illusions

Cec’s circumstances are about to change.

What an absolute delight The Illusions is. I thought the Bristol setting was inspired. There’s a real sense of historical place and it’s such a pleasure to be out of London for historical fiction of this kind. If, indeed, The Illusions can be called simply historical fiction. You see, it has its own unique blend; of mystery, fantasy, spiritualism, history, theatre, technology, science, romance and magic that makes it such a fascinating and captivating story. Liz Hyder weaves a magical tale that draws in the reader and holds them spellbound.

As well as the sense of place and history, the cast list (and given the strong theme of theatre, cast is exactly the right term to use) is equally riveting. Skarratt is a delicious villain. His malevolence adds drama and tension that is enhanced by his indignant sense of righteousness. He believes fully that he is wronged. I loved the way he and Cec are drawn together in the narrative. Their interaction is pivotal and compelling. All the characters here are so well drawn. Even the more minor ones like Lewis underpin important concepts like mental and emotional well being and the need to make difficult choices for the greater good. The Illusions is a book that uncovers not just the conjuring tricks of the Professor or George Perris, but it reveals the illusions we tell ourselves to justify or obscure our actions in a humane and sensitive understanding of human nature. 

The plot is a cracker. It romps along with skulduggery and betrayal, love and support, crime and retribution so that there’s something for every reader to find absorbing and entertaining. I was never quite sure what might happen next and found the story hooked me entirely.

The Illusions is indeed a really compelling and engrossing story, but what makes it so very special is the mesmerising blending of themes. I loved the layers of feminism as both Eadie and Ces fight to make their mark in a world entirely dominated by men. There’s grief and betrayal, love and friendship, family and professional rivalry, corruption, charade, mystery and honesty all swirling through the story that is historically fascinating and realistic with a credible touch of the mystical that tantalises and engages the reader completely.

Reading The Illusions is to accept the impossible as if you’ve just glimpsed something from the corner of your eye. There’s magic in The Illusions, but the greatest magic of all is Liz Hyder’s ability to show the crucial importance of friendship, of belonging and of kindness. These features make The Illusions something very special indeed and I absolutely loved it.

About Liz Hyder

Liz is a writer, creative workshop leader and freelance arts PR consultant. In early 2018, she won The Bridge Award/Moniack Mhor’s Emerging Writer Award. Bearmouth, her debut novel for young adults, was published by Pushkin Press and won the Branford Boase Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Award for Older Readers. It is also published in America, France, Norway, Italy and the Czech Republic as well as the UK and Commonwealth. The Gifts was her debut adult novel.

Originally from North-East London, she has lived in South Shropshire for over a decade.

For further information about Liz, visit her website or follow her on Twitter @LondonBessie and Instagram.