The Magician's Lie: A Novel

Three things that often influence my selection of a book to read are - the first (or first two) sentences, the book cover and the title.

First sentence of this book -
Tonight, I will do the impossible.
That definitely got my interest.

Book Cover - good one.

Title - also interesting. I have to admit that after reading the book, I’m not sure what lie the author is referring to. I wish that had been more clear.

I enjoyed the book. It’s classified as historical fiction. A few of the characters in the book actually existed and the author did a great job of weaving them into the story. It appears that the author did excellent research into the time period and also into the history of magic shows and the theaters that they played in.

Some reviewers compare it to Water for Elephants. I agreed that it had some of that feel to it. It’s the story of one small-town girl’s flight from danger to an exciting life as The Amazing Arden sawing men in half.

All of the storytelling was a misdirection in-and-of-itself. True to an magician's act, —the truth of an illusion is mechanical— the Magican's Lie lacks both magic and authenticity. Read this book if you want insight on how a trick is done, but not if you want to know why.

A single dimension in 'star' rating isn't enough for this book. It's got some great elements to it, and some that I didn't like as much, so 3 stars is more of a "mean" than a true rating!

Things I liked:

The book is well-written, with prose that flows very nicely, good dialogue, and some great word choices. The descriptions of scenes were evocative, and the costumes and illusions in the magic show are extremely deft. The author explains what you need to know about how the tricks work with just a few, well-chosen words when I'm sure some would have slogged on for pages.

The timing of the book is fun, at the end of the 19th century and just across into the 20th. Settings include Biltmore, the newly-built New York Public Library and the theatres of the various Vaudeville circuits, as well as the private train cars of the magic show and it's clear that the author has done a great deal of research to capture the look and feel of such places at that point in time.

Things I didn't like:

The story is described as "Water for Elephants" meets "The Night Circus," but I thought it was more like "Flowers in the Attic" meets "The Burning Bed." Stripped of the glamour of the magic show, it's a disturbing story without much actual plot.

There isn't any character development to speak of. The characters grow older and change physically, but, by and large, they continue to act the same way and do the same things all their lives. There was not much depth to any of them, even the Magician, whom we hear about the most. Her costumes and her stage routine seemed more real than she did as a person.

While the dialog sounds "natural," it doesn't feel right for the period, nor do many of the character interactions. It is a very difficult period to capture, no question, but the truth is that women were still extremely restricted in terms of dress, relationship and movement. The author sometimes gives brief nods to the conventions of the time, but never really points up the contrast when her characters flout them. The whole story feels much too contemporary.

Lastly, I think it's a bad title. I'm really not even sure just what it references.

I have never written a review but felt compelled to write one. Unbelievable and boring. Main character is extremely self- absorbed. I too was waiting for a punch line. I hate to said puerile, but this was just a dumb book.

In 1905, America’s most famous female magician is the Amazing Arden. One night in Waterloo, Iowa, Deputy Sherriff Virgil Holt watches her cut a man in half with a fire ax, and then the man reappears unhurt. After she leaves, her husband is found dead under the stage. After leaving for home, Virgil apprehends Arden near his station 20 miles from Waterloo. He chooses to question her and to decide whether he should release her or return her to Waterloo.

Arden repeatedly says she did not murder her husband but will not answer what she saw that night until she tells him about her life. So, chapters about her home, why she had to run away, and what jobs she had, are interleaved with chapters in Virgil’s station where he asks additional questions.

Her story includes becoming a ballerina student, fleeing home to save her parents, working at Cornelius Vanderbilt’s gigantic Biltmore house, and periods of danger. A magician works by making people believe what isn’t true. Virgil does not know if he can believe any part of her story. But as he learns more, his plans and motives become more complicated. And the reader has to keep trying to find out what is the “magician’s lie”.

Readers need to be aware that the story includes a period of systematic spousal abuse.