The day that Devil Wix, illusionist extraordinaire, meets Carlo Boldoni, a bad-tempered but magnificently theatrical dwarf, is a lucky one for both of them. They soon cobble together a spectacular illusion, and the team of Boldoni & Wix is born. Victorian London is eager for such amusements, and as the duo's reputation grows, their company soon expands. They're joined by Devil's childhood friend Jasper, a talented artist, along with Heinrich, a bizarre performer who is in love with the automated woman he created. But their strange little group isn't complete until a young model named Eliza joins it. Both Jasper and Carlo love Eliza, but Eliza has eyes only for Devil.
The Illusionists follows the unlikely quintet over many years, as their fortunes wax and wane. Attempting to balance their respective affections for each other and their individual desperation for the limelight creates ever-growing tensions, which ultimately lead to violence, brilliance, love and even death.
Rosie Thomas (The Kashmir Shawl; The Potter's House) ably captures the magic of Victorian London--including its spectacular advancements in technology, such as the phonograph, electric lighting and automata--yet she does not neglect the seamy, hardscrabble life so prevalent among theatrical performers. The descriptions of the illusionists' struggles to survive are gripping, providing an insider's peek into a rare world. Much like Water for Elephants or The Night Circus, The Illusionists quite literally pulls back the curtain, revealing the mundane reality behind the magic. --Jessica Howard, blogger at Quirky Bookworm