11.10.10
A thriller, yes, but oddly the plot got in the way of the exuberant re-creation of stage magic in the days before television robbed us of our wonder. A compelling hero, unusually feisty heroines, vivid historical detail and, on another level, an encyclopedic portrayal of the life of early-twentieth century showmen. You can sit and think about the complexities (life versus art; show versus reality; what magic really means) or you can sit and gasp in the audience and just go with the flow.
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ReplyDeleteI may have to read this, had heard of this book but not picked one up. In fact I'm off to Kindle store now.
ReplyDeleteHave you read any Mark Gatiss?
Hi there! Yes, I read "The Vesuvius Club" a couple of years ago, which was, as you'd expect from him, slightly eccentric, slightly disturbing fun. "Carter Beats the Devil" is less of a parody than that and dark comedy of a meatier kind.
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