The Ghost Theatre

Mat Osman’s The Ghost Theatre balances precariously between historical fiction and fantasy. Set in Elizabethan London, it features many of the historical hallmarks we know to expect, and inserts many of its own, lending the novel a unique flair. Our main character, Shay, prowls the streets of London by day, interacting with real historical figures such as Elizabeth I and John Dee, before returning home each night to her entirely fictitious bird-worshipping cult, the Aviscultans.

This singular blend of fact and fiction creates a dazzling air which feels like magical realism, yet features very little actual magic. Osman repeatedly stuns throughout the book with lavish descriptions of seeming impossibilities; a mansion made entirely of glass, a river of butterflies, a city that appears from nowhere to shower its guests in bacchic joy. And yet what really sets this book apart is the way Osman repeatedly deconstructs these scenes, forcibly removing the rose-tinted glasses through which the reader is inclined to view these moments.

By showing us the wooden foundations on which the glass house is built, Osman challenges the reader to confront the way art and beauty are used to disguise the more monstrous tendencies of society. What may seem like miracles often come at the expense of the most vulnerable, an idea which resonates within modern society. It should be noted that one grim facet of exploitation explored by this book is child prostitution. This book is a must read for fans of The Night Circus and those who are disillusioned with the spectacles of the rich and famous.