Shadowplay by Joseph O’Connor -2019- 307 Pages
Bram Stoker
Born: November 8, 1847, Dublin
Dracula - Published 1897
Died: April 20, 1912, London
Shadowplay is fourth novel by Joseph O’Connor I have had the pleasure of reading.
Shadowplay, much of the work is set in London, tells a story centered upon Bram Stoker’s work as a theater manager. Stoker’s relationship to two of the most important figures of the Late Victorian Stage is a central part of plot, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats (described as resembling a silver back gorrila) and George Bernard Shaw strut upon the stage. Under it all, we see developing in Stoker’s mind Dracula.
Henry Irving was a famous Shakespearian actor, owner of the theater and Stoker’s employer. He is volatile, wealthy, given to insulting Stoker, he called him “Auntie”, but he totally depended on Stoker to run the theater. Managing the finances was a serious challenge. Shadowplay was an education in Victorian Theater management for me.
Stoker’s wife does not entirely approve of the atmosphere of the theater. Young actresses in scanty outfits, heavy drinking, late hours. To compound it all Jack the Ripper is killing young women, terrorizing London. Irving and Stoker make sure all the women of the theater make it home safely.
The novel is also about long friendships, aging, marriage and physical decay. The prose is exquisite.
“Irish novelist Joseph O’Connor is the author of 18 books, including the bestselling Star of the Sea. His most recent, Shadowplay, won novel of the year at the Irish Book awards for 2019 and is also on the shortlist for the Costa novel . He is currently adapting the book for film.” From The Guardian
Mel Ulm
5 comments:
You mention that the prose is exquisite. That really intrigues me in a novel which seems to have so much attention paid to the story!
How do you get the books that you read if you don't have libraries? Are you able to use online libraries such as Internet Archive?
Eliza LiberAmans. Because I have been blogging over 12 years I get offered lots of review books, I only read E books and I watch for flash sales. As I the Philippines I cannot use internet archives library. I am often offered 100 plus review books a month out of which I might review maybe five at most. I use NetGalley and Edelweiss and I get offers from publishers as well as agents and authors .
I think that's really wonderful that you get offered so many books to review!
I thought this sounded familiar. I have read it and liked it very much. I used it for a book beginning and page 56 memes: https://thecontentreader.blogspot.com/2019/10/book-beginnings-on-fridays-and-friday-56_25.html
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