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The Disappearance Boy
A man. A woman. A disappearance boy. This is the story of Reggie, an illusionist’s assistant, and the performances that come to define him.
Reggie Rainbow got his name at the orphanage. He had polio as a child, and seventeen years of using crutches have given him strong hands and nimble fingers. It is this dexterity, perfect for illusions, which first led Mr. Brookes to hire him for the act. Reggie has been a disappearance boy for years now, making a long string of alluring assistants vanish while Mr. Brookes tricks and misdirects the audience.
But in the spring of 1953, the public no longer seem interested in illusionists. Bookings are slim, even in London. When Mr. Brookes gets a new slot at the down-at-the-heel Brighton Grand, Reggie finds himself in a strange town, one full of dark and unexplored corners. And it is the arrival of Pamela Rose, a beautiful new assistant, that truly turns his life upside down. As the Grand’s spectacular Coronation show nears, Reggie begins to wonder how much of his own life has been an act—and sets out to find somebody who disappeared from his life long ago.
Masterful and heartfelt, The Disappearance Boy is the tale of one young man coming into adulthood amidst the smoke-and-mirrors backstage world; a story of love, tears, and illusion—of all that stays behind the curtain.
Reggie Rainbow got his name at the orphanage. He had polio as a child, and seventeen years of using crutches have given him strong hands and nimble fingers. It is this dexterity, perfect for illusions, which first led Mr. Brookes to hire him for the act. Reggie has been a disappearance boy for years now, making a long string of alluring assistants vanish while Mr. Brookes tricks and misdirects the audience.
But in the spring of 1953, the public no longer seem interested in illusionists. Bookings are slim, even in London. When Mr. Brookes gets a new slot at the down-at-the-heel Brighton Grand, Reggie finds himself in a strange town, one full of dark and unexplored corners. And it is the arrival of Pamela Rose, a beautiful new assistant, that truly turns his life upside down. As the Grand’s spectacular Coronation show nears, Reggie begins to wonder how much of his own life has been an act—and sets out to find somebody who disappeared from his life long ago.
Masterful and heartfelt, The Disappearance Boy is the tale of one young man coming into adulthood amidst the smoke-and-mirrors backstage world; a story of love, tears, and illusion—of all that stays behind the curtain.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2014
About the author
Neil Bartlett
68 books82 followersBorn in 1958, Neil Bartlett has spent twenty-five years at the cutting edge of British gay culture. His ground-breaking study of Oscar Wilde, Who Was That Man? paved the way for a queer re-imagining of history ; his first novel, Ready To Catch Him Should He Fall, was voted Capital Gay Book of The Year; his second, Mr Clive and Mr Page, was nominated for the Whitbread Prize. Both have since been translated into five European languages. Listing him as one of the country's fifty most significant gay cultural figures, the Independent said "Brilliant,beautiful, mischievous; few men can match Bartlett for the breadth of his exploration of gay sensibility".
He also works as a director, and in 2000 was awarded an OBE for services to the theatre. He founded his first theatre company in 1982 and is now an "independent theatre-maker and freelance director", continuing to write novels and work as an activist for gay rights.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He also works as a director, and in 2000 was awarded an OBE for services to the theatre. He founded his first theatre company in 1982 and is now an "independent theatre-maker and freelance director", continuing to write novels and work as an activist for gay rights.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 20, 2016
“And he still thinks of sweetness as something you have to steal when nobody’s looking”It’s the beautifully told story of Reggie finding himself, looking up, opening up himself and getting ready for life, for love.
At first I found the voice over style of writing a bit peculiar then it became familiar. Part of the story itself like I had a sort of magician (Bartlett) there to make sure that I saw our Disappearance Boy - Reggie and I did see him. He, who was so skilled in keeping his head down, becoming unseen, I saw.
Tricks - secrets - illusions - reveals are not just on stage but in our daily lives as well. That’s how we live, with personas, stories, adapted to different parts of our lives, work, family, friends, intimate ones. Then sometimes we look up and in the seeing look of someone else we are able to show our naked selves. How, we finding ourselves, loving ourselves makes us ready to accept the love of others. But we do have the plunge and not remain behind the mask
Eagerly read
Sad that it finished
Highlighting galore
May 29, 2019
"The future, eh? Here's how it's done;" - the suspended last sentence in Neil Bartlett's wonderful novel made me feel like I was leaping into space. There's a breathtaking sense of freedom and possibility that runs under the surface of Reggie's (and Pam's) story.
From the very first page in the novel when we , his character became a vivid and powerful presence in my mind. Reggie is a dodger, he keeps himself to himself while shuffling along with his one-two step but there is a deep sense of humanity and will to connect with others emanating from him. His story is far from being a happy one - it's one of abandonment, solitude and difference but I really loved how the author never turns Reggie into a pitiful figure and then offers him and Pamela an uncertain but hopeful ending.
Misdirection and substitution are at the core of the narrative and, like with a successful magic trick, I've found myself smiling all the way through the last three chapters while I was slowly discovering what really happened on the fateful Coronation Day.
Bartlett's writing style is beautifully engrossing and his quirky way of suddenly addressing the reader was effective in dragging me even deeper into the story.
Bewitching and compelling, I cannot wait now to read more by this author.
From the very first page in the novel when we , his character became a vivid and powerful presence in my mind. Reggie is a dodger, he keeps himself to himself while shuffling along with his one-two step but there is a deep sense of humanity and will to connect with others emanating from him. His story is far from being a happy one - it's one of abandonment, solitude and difference but I really loved how the author never turns Reggie into a pitiful figure and then offers him and Pamela an uncertain but hopeful ending.
Misdirection and substitution are at the core of the narrative and, like with a successful magic trick, I've found myself smiling all the way through the last three chapters while I was slowly discovering what really happened on the fateful Coronation Day.
Bartlett's writing style is beautifully engrossing and his quirky way of suddenly addressing the reader was effective in dragging me even deeper into the story.
Bewitching and compelling, I cannot wait now to read more by this author.
August 26, 2016
I read "Skin Lane", an earlier Neil Bartlett novel, in June 2016 and absolutely loved it. Click here to read my review. "Skin Lane" captures vividly the atmosphere of the changing London of the 1960s, and Neil Bartlett's descriptions of the City of London itself - the churches, the markets, the dark alleyways - felt very accurate and tallied with my own knowledge of the area.
When I discovered that "The Disappearance Boy" was set in Brighton (one of my favourite places) in the 1950s (one of my favourite literary eras), I was completely sold. Reggie Rainbow is "the disappearance boy" of the title. Reggie is a bitter young man, stunted by childhood polio, who works for an illusionist called Mr Brookes. Both Reggie and Mr Brookes are wonderful literary creations, hero and villain respectively, and the sleazy Brookes is sorely in need of getting his comeuppance.
The story takes place in Brighton, in 1953, against the backdrop of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Brookes, Reggie, and Pam, the latest in a long line of glamorous assistants, develop a new act to celebrate the coronation. Pam and Reggie instantly understand each other and quickly form a strong bond. Beyond that set up, the less you know about the plot the better.
As with "Skin Lane", this book drips with atmosphere. Again, Neil Bartlett must have rigorously researched this book, and uses this research to evoke the tawdry, faded glamour of the last years of variety theatre, and also the city of Brighton and Hove.
Secrets are at the heart of this book: deconstructing the illusionists act, and the secrets we prefer to keep hidden from others, including Reggie's homosexuality which, given the intolerance of the era, he barely even acknowledges to himself.
There is lots to admire and enjoy in "The Disappearance Boy" and whilst not quite as good as "Skin Lane" it is well worth reading if any of what I have written strikes a chord with you.
4/5
When I discovered that "The Disappearance Boy" was set in Brighton (one of my favourite places) in the 1950s (one of my favourite literary eras), I was completely sold. Reggie Rainbow is "the disappearance boy" of the title. Reggie is a bitter young man, stunted by childhood polio, who works for an illusionist called Mr Brookes. Both Reggie and Mr Brookes are wonderful literary creations, hero and villain respectively, and the sleazy Brookes is sorely in need of getting his comeuppance.
The story takes place in Brighton, in 1953, against the backdrop of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Brookes, Reggie, and Pam, the latest in a long line of glamorous assistants, develop a new act to celebrate the coronation. Pam and Reggie instantly understand each other and quickly form a strong bond. Beyond that set up, the less you know about the plot the better.
As with "Skin Lane", this book drips with atmosphere. Again, Neil Bartlett must have rigorously researched this book, and uses this research to evoke the tawdry, faded glamour of the last years of variety theatre, and also the city of Brighton and Hove.
Secrets are at the heart of this book: deconstructing the illusionists act, and the secrets we prefer to keep hidden from others, including Reggie's homosexuality which, given the intolerance of the era, he barely even acknowledges to himself.
There is lots to admire and enjoy in "The Disappearance Boy" and whilst not quite as good as "Skin Lane" it is well worth reading if any of what I have written strikes a chord with you.
4/5
November 16, 2014
Sometimes random book selections don't quite work out. Despite the striking cover and an intriguing summary, this one just didn't sing for me. It's actually the sort of book that didn't work in spite of all it's positive qualities. I mean it had historic London of 1953, it had magic (as in magician style magic, not supernatural), the writing was quite good, but overall it fell flat. Mainly due to the heavy relentless presence of an omniscient narrator. It's a story that is told to readers as oppose to a story readers get to experience unfold. It's an equivalent of describing an image instead of showing the image and as such provides a constant remoteness that prevents any sort of proper engagement in a story. Homosexual audience might get more out of this. Out of the three main characters, one is a one dimensional professional slimeball and one (the female lead) is impossible to really pin down, both are dramatically underdeveloped. Possibly the first boring book about magic and magicians that I've come across. Quick enough read, decent, but not the sort of thing to make me set off finding author's other works.
March 1, 2026
Back in 2000 a fine collection of short stories was published by The Gay Times (long defunct) in which the editor P-P Hartnett castigated "...all that over-rated professionalised product by long-serving heavy-weight homos such as Allan Hollinghurst, Patrick Gale and Neil bleedin' Bartlett. Sorry boyz, the time for a shift in focus has come." That in the quarter century since it is the likes of P-P Hartnett that have been silenced while Hollinghurst, Gale and Bartlett continue to be published doesn't mean Hartnett wasn't right. In many ways this novel of an example of everything that is wrong with the product produced by Britain's top 'gay' writers.
What do I mean by that? Hollinghurst, Gale and Bartlett in all their 21st century novels have retreated into 'historical' fiction, in particular setting stories in the 1950s and 60s. This retreat from the contemporary couldn't be in greater contrast to 'gay' American writers like Edmund White. This lack of engagement has made Bartlett a writer of etoilated prose that made the reading of this and his previous novel 'Skin Lane' a wearisome business. Only 250 pages and I was desparate to finish it, though I remember it took ages.
There is nothing wrong with historical fiction, you want to see what a great writer does with history? read 'A signal Victory' by David Stacton. If you read real novels like that the fraudulence of works like this will become apparent.
I have given this novel only one star not because it is badly written but because it is a bad, pointless novel.
What do I mean by that? Hollinghurst, Gale and Bartlett in all their 21st century novels have retreated into 'historical' fiction, in particular setting stories in the 1950s and 60s. This retreat from the contemporary couldn't be in greater contrast to 'gay' American writers like Edmund White. This lack of engagement has made Bartlett a writer of etoilated prose that made the reading of this and his previous novel 'Skin Lane' a wearisome business. Only 250 pages and I was desparate to finish it, though I remember it took ages.
There is nothing wrong with historical fiction, you want to see what a great writer does with history? read 'A signal Victory' by David Stacton. If you read real novels like that the fraudulence of works like this will become apparent.
I have given this novel only one star not because it is badly written but because it is a bad, pointless novel.
August 16, 2015
An excellent novel. Neil Bartlett's world often appears a little different from our own, but that is only at the outset of his stories. Once we immerse ourselves in the lives of his characters it all begins to seem quite familiar. Especially so if you happen to be an illusionist or one of his assistants, in this case.
Reggie is the assistant to Mr Brookes, an unseen part of the act, costume supervisor and general dogsbody. Sandra is currently the girl who 'disappears' during the act, but she is soon to be replaced by Pamela, and the three performers make the journey to Brighton when a last-minute opportunity comes their way. It is 1953, the country is preparing for the coronation, and Mr Brookes is determined to create an astounding and mind-boggling illusion with a royal twist. An attractive but domineering man, he likes to be in control, on and off the stage. Will his new act succeed? Read and find out.
Always impressive and magical prose, Neil Bartlett's novels may not come along too often, but they are well worth waiting for. He is a true craftsman, and I just wish he was more widely read.
Reggie is the assistant to Mr Brookes, an unseen part of the act, costume supervisor and general dogsbody. Sandra is currently the girl who 'disappears' during the act, but she is soon to be replaced by Pamela, and the three performers make the journey to Brighton when a last-minute opportunity comes their way. It is 1953, the country is preparing for the coronation, and Mr Brookes is determined to create an astounding and mind-boggling illusion with a royal twist. An attractive but domineering man, he likes to be in control, on and off the stage. Will his new act succeed? Read and find out.
Always impressive and magical prose, Neil Bartlett's novels may not come along too often, but they are well worth waiting for. He is a true craftsman, and I just wish he was more widely read.
November 11, 2017
Neil Bartlett is a genius. If only he wrote more. This is more of a novella than the meatier "Skin and Bones," but it was still a splendid read.
The empathy and ties that bring people together under duress and abuse ultimately speak to the arc of the universe toward justice. But that doesn't make reading about oppression any easier.
The empathy and ties that bring people together under duress and abuse ultimately speak to the arc of the universe toward justice. But that doesn't make reading about oppression any easier.
May 3, 2018
I can't understand why Neil Bartlett isn't a more appreciated writer, I've never read a bad book by him yet, 3 of the 4 are 5 stars, the other a 4 star read.
This is the book of a master of his craft. A stage illusionist, two glamorous assistants and casual bed mates) and his invisible-in-the-dark male stage assistant Reggie, who Bartlett inflects with real emotions as they dance around one another in a very strange virtual/alternative family unit - alternative for 1953. For we are on the eve of the new Queen's coronation and the illusionist manages to wangle his way on to a Variety bill to celebrate the nation's latest incarnation under it's young new queen. But the Variety bill is a deeply cynical one, offering patriotism and sex, and all the performers, agents and impresarios know it. They are selling the forbidden glimpse of flesh long before advertisers made it an every day thing. The genius of this book is in dissecting 1953 attitudes to sex, both hetero- and homo- the deception practised by the illusionist applies to the whole of society in their attitude towards sex; prudish and prim on the surface, raging and expedited on the inside. It points up the exaggerated and uncontrolled passions that emerge from repression and hypocrisy. There is a brilliant short scene of Reggie, the stage hand, attempting to score some anonymous gay sex under the cover of a thick fog under Brighton pier. This is a masterful depiction.
Further on the metaphorical level, Reggie the eponymous "Disappearance Boy" so called because he helps women disappear in the magic act. His own mother has disappeared early in his childhood as he is whipped off to a seaside home for thalassic treatment of various disabilities such as his own polio. He is told his mother is dead. So on his Sunday off from working at theatres, he visits whichever cemetery in the town he is working at seems to offer the best range of timescales for him to address the headstone of a woman who died on the day of his birth, so he can commune with his absent mother. And the novel builds up to the final act of his contributing to a disappearing woman, as he seeks to finally assert his independence from his illusionist master-cum-father.
There are two striking metaphors, the first being a consideration of the magician who makes women disappear and how that resonates about the relationship between the sexes both in 1953 and even today. But there is a very tender scene when Reggie sees one of those please dip a coin into the slot charity sculptures of a boy with polio stood outside a shop, I almost shed a tear at the description of that.
Wonderful stuff.
This is the book of a master of his craft. A stage illusionist, two glamorous assistants and casual bed mates) and his invisible-in-the-dark male stage assistant Reggie, who Bartlett inflects with real emotions as they dance around one another in a very strange virtual/alternative family unit - alternative for 1953. For we are on the eve of the new Queen's coronation and the illusionist manages to wangle his way on to a Variety bill to celebrate the nation's latest incarnation under it's young new queen. But the Variety bill is a deeply cynical one, offering patriotism and sex, and all the performers, agents and impresarios know it. They are selling the forbidden glimpse of flesh long before advertisers made it an every day thing. The genius of this book is in dissecting 1953 attitudes to sex, both hetero- and homo- the deception practised by the illusionist applies to the whole of society in their attitude towards sex; prudish and prim on the surface, raging and expedited on the inside. It points up the exaggerated and uncontrolled passions that emerge from repression and hypocrisy. There is a brilliant short scene of Reggie, the stage hand, attempting to score some anonymous gay sex under the cover of a thick fog under Brighton pier. This is a masterful depiction.
Further on the metaphorical level, Reggie the eponymous "Disappearance Boy" so called because he helps women disappear in the magic act. His own mother has disappeared early in his childhood as he is whipped off to a seaside home for thalassic treatment of various disabilities such as his own polio. He is told his mother is dead. So on his Sunday off from working at theatres, he visits whichever cemetery in the town he is working at seems to offer the best range of timescales for him to address the headstone of a woman who died on the day of his birth, so he can commune with his absent mother. And the novel builds up to the final act of his contributing to a disappearing woman, as he seeks to finally assert his independence from his illusionist master-cum-father.
There are two striking metaphors, the first being a consideration of the magician who makes women disappear and how that resonates about the relationship between the sexes both in 1953 and even today. But there is a very tender scene when Reggie sees one of those please dip a coin into the slot charity sculptures of a boy with polio stood outside a shop, I almost shed a tear at the description of that.
Wonderful stuff.
April 18, 2017
Pretty good. It's the story of an illusionist's assistant in Brighton in the summer of 1953 (it ends the morning after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II). I mostly liked the time period in which the story is set, and the relationship between the protagonist, Reggie, and the female star of the show.
November 20, 2014
Ugh this book. I thought I would breeze through it because the description really caught my attention; but boy was I wrong. Took me over a week to push through it and this is a fairly short book at 250+ pages.
The story is set in the 1950's and revolves around Reggie, who is a strange, young man with a limp due to polio when he was a child. He works with Mr. Brookes, who is a magician, as his back stage assistant. Reggie is really the magician here, since he does all the work the spectators don't see, thus making the illusion work smoothly.
We also have Pam, who is the new assistant on stage for Mr. Brookes. Pam has had her share of bad relationships and just wants to have a stable job and dedicate some time to take care of herself.
Slowly -very slowly- the story unfolds leading us to...nothing. Nothing really ever happens in this book! The story is weak and sometimes downright misleading. It makes us think Reggie is somewhat of a madman, or maybe bipolar, or maybe a murderer...and it turns out he's only gay. So much strange buildup for what? Meh. That's how this book made me feel: meh.
The story is set in the 1950's and revolves around Reggie, who is a strange, young man with a limp due to polio when he was a child. He works with Mr. Brookes, who is a magician, as his back stage assistant. Reggie is really the magician here, since he does all the work the spectators don't see, thus making the illusion work smoothly.
We also have Pam, who is the new assistant on stage for Mr. Brookes. Pam has had her share of bad relationships and just wants to have a stable job and dedicate some time to take care of herself.
Slowly -very slowly- the story unfolds leading us to...nothing. Nothing really ever happens in this book! The story is weak and sometimes downright misleading. It makes us think Reggie is somewhat of a madman, or maybe bipolar, or maybe a murderer...and it turns out he's only gay. So much strange buildup for what? Meh. That's how this book made me feel: meh.
August 20, 2014
A charming, engaging book that shares a vibrant story of theatre life in 1953 England. The hero 23 year-old Reggie works as a stage-hand with a magician and wanders through life looking for his place and purpose as a gay man in 1953.
The book was well done, a little simplistic, but a much more worthy addition to Bartlett's literary canon than his first two books. Not as amazing as Skin Lane but worth a look for a very pleasant distraction.
The errors in the ebook copy I bought from Amazon on Aug 19, 2014:
location 558, 16%, "Reggie always hold his breath."
location 1282, 37%, "to find what he was looking before before he was due back"
location 2501, 73%, "After all, every seaside pleasure has it mechanics, its point of friction and purchase"
The book was well done, a little simplistic, but a much more worthy addition to Bartlett's literary canon than his first two books. Not as amazing as Skin Lane but worth a look for a very pleasant distraction.
The errors in the ebook copy I bought from Amazon on Aug 19, 2014:
location 558, 16%, "Reggie always hold his breath."
location 1282, 37%, "to find what he was looking before before he was due back"
location 2501, 73%, "After all, every seaside pleasure has it mechanics, its point of friction and purchase"
February 25, 2017
There are books that are character-driven, books that are plot-driven, and books that manage to be both. This one definitely tries to be character-driven, which means it should feature interesting and engaging characters with compelling stories to tell. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them and found them annoying and uninteresting. The second person narrative really put me off and left little room for my imagination. The narrator was so busy telling me exactly what to think and pay attention to that they didn't give me the chance to become immersed in the story. A really disappointing read for a book that seemed promising.
January 18, 2021
My heart aches with the breathtaking beauty of this story about love and companionship, the having, losing, or wanting of it, and the way we help and harm each other and ourselves as we try to set our feet down the path we want.
I was absolutely enthralled by every scene, whether it was mysterious, sorrowful, suspenseful, or humourous. I was there, spring of 1953, right with this small collection of unique characters.
Bartlett excels at intensely evocative, desperately lonely and yet amazingly hopeful scenes. The poetic parallels and self-discoveries running through the whole book were surprisingly heart-pounding while being quietly moving.
I was absolutely enthralled by every scene, whether it was mysterious, sorrowful, suspenseful, or humourous. I was there, spring of 1953, right with this small collection of unique characters.
Bartlett excels at intensely evocative, desperately lonely and yet amazingly hopeful scenes. The poetic parallels and self-discoveries running through the whole book were surprisingly heart-pounding while being quietly moving.
October 24, 2021
Bought this on the strength of reading one of NB's poems, I think called Friends (?!?) which perfectly evoked the concept of queer family. This is the first of his novels I've read and I enjoyed it but it wasn't exactly to my taste, the level of detail in description and fast paced plot for me getting in the way of my need for excessive contemplation and minimal action. Still looking forward to reading more of his though.
April 1, 2015
Although a nice evocation of early 50's UK, some intriguing characters, and Bartlett's always well-written prose, I just found the story and limited plot a bit ho-hum.... The fact it took me an entire week to slog through a 278 page novel is an indication it WASN'T very gripping.
June 25, 2015
I think I understood it? A novel about being homosexual and how it makes a person feel, written as a story of magic. But it was just flat out boring.
November 27, 2025
Set in 1953 in the weeks before Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the story focuses on Reggie, a queer man in his early 20s who works as the behind-the-scenes assistant, or “disappearance boy”, for a sleazy variety-show illusionist, Mr Brookes. Living with a short leg due to childhood polio and brought up as an orphan in a home, he struggles to find a place in the world but starts to emerge after Mr Brookes hires a new performer, Pam, who becomes a mother-like figure. The book is very readable and vividly describes theatre life and Brighton in the 1950s, touching on the queer experience that Reggie is starting to explore.
August 5, 2018
Distraction buggery: he’s a proper theatre creature, of course, and it’s the love of the stage and its craft that infuses Monsieur’s fourth novel with a captivating warmth and affection. “He knew a proper first night fuck up when he saw one” is a line that even those of us who’ve only ever dabbled in the rankest of amateur histrionics can identify with. Bartlett is a quick-change artist of high order.
December 21, 2018
I did really love this book. At first I thought it was a lot of glitz and pretty writing to make up for an otherwise pretty standard story, but then I can be a bit of a pessimist. As the story unwound I was reminded to have a bit of faith. It was a beautiful story with one of those endings that fills you with warmth. A new favourite and a book I will keep near at hand.
February 26, 2018
Boring! This book was hard to get through. The writing was so dull. I made myself finish it in the hopes that somewhere along the way it was going to get better or pick up momentum, but sadly it never really did.
June 13, 2019
I had no problems with the writing style as some others, unfortunately I never really got interested in the story or characters.
February 26, 2020
Unusual , gripping, moving , great characters and evokes the atmosphere of Coronation era Brighton superbly .
April 2, 2023
Unique characters and story, not especially memorable but fun and rather sweet.
November 15, 2014
Neil Bartlett’s new novel, set in England in spring of 1953 in the days prior to the coronation of Elizabeth II, is part coming-of-age and part twisted romance.
The primary protagonist is Reggie Rainbow, a polio survivor who works for an illusionist, Mr Brookes, facilitating an act of disappearance whereby a woman is bound by red silk, confined in a mirror-lined box, spun about and made to vanish only to reappear from off stage as fully transformed as Eliza Doolittle. The act, however, has been polished to the point of tedium when a new assistant enters into the scene: Pamela Rose, the catalyst for Reg’s transformation from boy to man—and for Mr. Brookes’ comeuppance.
Disappearance Boy is a novel of deceivers and deceptions both feigned and real—and of the stifling yet safe tedium of well-set routines. Though the book is set in the early 1950s, there is a Victorian feel to the story—perhaps due the the black top hats and smoke-laden overcoats; gothic-like forays into England’s dark alleyways; unspoken passions, facades, and the stinging shame of illicit sex. Besides his employer, Reg—a crippled man in his 20s—has no comrades, only the phantom love of a mother he never met. As Brook’s new assistant, Pam Rose teaches Reg not to be so fearful of love and to take a chance on passion; so Reg reminds Pam of the nobility of motherhood and the redemptive power of forgiveness.
The outlier in the narrative remains Mr. Brookes, the man who stands at the center of it all. The story, in effect, pivots on his elegant arrogance, his over confidence in his compelling smile and the agility of his lithe hands and their ability to misdirect perception. While not a bad man, Brookes is hardly a role model. It is to Bartlett’s credit that we feel any sympathy at all for the man at the close of the book, yet we do.
The Disappearance Boy is a wonderfully crafted novel that compels the patient reader toward the final reveal. Once the smoke of the final act clears, all mirrors are aligned again toward truth, a new order set in place. The reader is left pondering the events of the story and the fate of the characters, haunted by the filmic realness of Bartlett’s prose.
The primary protagonist is Reggie Rainbow, a polio survivor who works for an illusionist, Mr Brookes, facilitating an act of disappearance whereby a woman is bound by red silk, confined in a mirror-lined box, spun about and made to vanish only to reappear from off stage as fully transformed as Eliza Doolittle. The act, however, has been polished to the point of tedium when a new assistant enters into the scene: Pamela Rose, the catalyst for Reg’s transformation from boy to man—and for Mr. Brookes’ comeuppance.
Disappearance Boy is a novel of deceivers and deceptions both feigned and real—and of the stifling yet safe tedium of well-set routines. Though the book is set in the early 1950s, there is a Victorian feel to the story—perhaps due the the black top hats and smoke-laden overcoats; gothic-like forays into England’s dark alleyways; unspoken passions, facades, and the stinging shame of illicit sex. Besides his employer, Reg—a crippled man in his 20s—has no comrades, only the phantom love of a mother he never met. As Brook’s new assistant, Pam Rose teaches Reg not to be so fearful of love and to take a chance on passion; so Reg reminds Pam of the nobility of motherhood and the redemptive power of forgiveness.
The outlier in the narrative remains Mr. Brookes, the man who stands at the center of it all. The story, in effect, pivots on his elegant arrogance, his over confidence in his compelling smile and the agility of his lithe hands and their ability to misdirect perception. While not a bad man, Brookes is hardly a role model. It is to Bartlett’s credit that we feel any sympathy at all for the man at the close of the book, yet we do.
The Disappearance Boy is a wonderfully crafted novel that compels the patient reader toward the final reveal. Once the smoke of the final act clears, all mirrors are aligned again toward truth, a new order set in place. The reader is left pondering the events of the story and the fate of the characters, haunted by the filmic realness of Bartlett’s prose.
December 5, 2015
The Disappearance Boy, by Neil Bartlett
A quiet, but interesting story, about a crippled young man who has somehow made his living following around an aging and morally destitute magician, as his backstage hand, and assistance; but never to be allowed on the stage. A wonderful young girl suddenly comes into their lives, and is hired to be the magician's onstage assistant and offstage lover, and their lives are not the same, ever again.
A bit slow at the start, as the narrator describes how life is like for the people in the novel, and how their work is done. I found it quite interesting, actually. I had no idea just how difficult some magicians work could be, especially with large cabinets that make the lady assistants disappear. Or, Reggie's entire job, for that matter. (Did all magicians have a Reggie? I hope so!)
As the storyline continues, it really keeps you guessing until the reveal. The carefully drawn characters are full of nuance, and they're - for the most part - lovable and true to this time. It was quite depressing for a few chapters, when the characters you have come to love seem doomed, in their tragic lives, for their stupid decisions.
But the author was very good at his research of this era. The meticulous attention to details of a famous day, and place was a real treat. So it seemed that in this particular story, there was stage magic, and real magic. There was loss, there was love - of many different kinds - and there was acceptance.
There also is a quite satisfying and surprising ending, which I will count as "happy". And in the end, I found it a touching and tender triumphant; of spirit, of love, and all else.
Great job from the author. 4 stars, for keeping me reading, when other novels would have bored me to tears, somewhere in the middle.
October 17, 2014
Reggie has been an orphan since birth; most of the book is set when he is 23, living in coastal England in 1953. He works with an illusionist, who does shows that are played between burlesque acts. Reggie's role is to remain invisible on stage while facilitating the disappearance of the glamorous magician's assistant. His invisibility tracks several other aspects of his life.
The Disappearance Boy is well-written. The period atmosphere is strong and scenes are described well enough to be easily seen as mind's eye paintings. The author very effectively describes Reggie's loneliness and unfulfilled desires, as well as the rituals he develops to deal with these feelings.
Most of the book is written in the third person, but the author also inserts himself as the narrator and invites the reader in. Although mixing the two styles felt a bit awkward, I assume its intent was to draw the readers into the story.
The book is most successful in exploring how the two main characters adapt to their positions in life. The parallels between the illusionist's act and what the characters do to survive are clear, while we are invited to consider the same for ourselves.
The Disappearance Boy is well-written. The period atmosphere is strong and scenes are described well enough to be easily seen as mind's eye paintings. The author very effectively describes Reggie's loneliness and unfulfilled desires, as well as the rituals he develops to deal with these feelings.
Most of the book is written in the third person, but the author also inserts himself as the narrator and invites the reader in. Although mixing the two styles felt a bit awkward, I assume its intent was to draw the readers into the story.
The book is most successful in exploring how the two main characters adapt to their positions in life. The parallels between the illusionist's act and what the characters do to survive are clear, while we are invited to consider the same for ourselves.
November 14, 2014
Reggie is an orphan (mother dead, father unknown) and has a bad limp due to polio in 1953 England. At the age of 23 he is working as something of a technician for a vaudeville magician whose signature illusion is making a woman disappear and then reappear in different clothing. The magician is rather dictatorial and a consummate philanderer. Reggie is now, starting to give in to his homosexual orientation but feels a sisterly love toward the new girl in the act who is getting involved with the magician and suffering physically and emotionally.
This book has a strong start and a strong finish but languishes somewhat in the middle where the story moves along but at something of a snail's pace. Reggie spends as much time as possible in cemeteries wherever the act is booked where he selects a single grave to represent his mother and carries on long conversations with her. I wish there had been more insight into life in England just after WW II or even more about the clandestine gay scene.
This book has a strong start and a strong finish but languishes somewhat in the middle where the story moves along but at something of a snail's pace. Reggie spends as much time as possible in cemeteries wherever the act is booked where he selects a single grave to represent his mother and carries on long conversations with her. I wish there had been more insight into life in England just after WW II or even more about the clandestine gay scene.
March 18, 2015
I love magic and stories about magicians, so when I saw this at the library, I thought it would be a fun, fast read at only 278 pages. Well, I would call it more of a slog. The magician in question, Mr. Brookes, is an old dandy and his revue consists mainly of one large illusion to wow his audiences. That illusion is described to death, chapter after chapter. And then when he decides to change the act for the Coronation of the Queen in 1953, he uses the same illusion but changes the costumes! And then we have to read more chapters about rehearsing basically the same trick over and over again. The two assistants to the magician are Reg and Pamela. Their stories are interesting for a while but they are also subjected to endless repetitive narration. This should have been a short story in The New Yorker, not a 278 page novel. And it's very odd that all the quotes on the back cover are for two previous books by Neil Bartlett (The House On Brooke Street & Skin Game) and none for The Disappearance Boy. Disappointing.
February 5, 2015
Set around the coronation in 1953, which is beautifully described, this is a real slice of how life was at that time in Brighton and London.
Good books about magic and the theatre are rare. Over the last years I can think of two exceptional ones, A Night at the Circus, and Carter Beats The Devil. Bartlett's brave novel is almost as good. As the best novels are of course, this is about so much more than the theatre, although it is firmly centred around The Grand theatre in Brighton in 1953.
Telling the story of a a young disabled man who suffered polio as a child, and his lead man Mr Brooks) in their search for a female accomplice this book is about sexuality, mortality, friendship and resilience. Brooks is an arrogant bully, and treats those working for him accordingly.
Bartlett's book is especially rare though, in that it tells his audience "This is how it was done...".
A magician is not someone who deceives, but someone who keeps his promise. Which is to deceive.
Good books about magic and the theatre are rare. Over the last years I can think of two exceptional ones, A Night at the Circus, and Carter Beats The Devil. Bartlett's brave novel is almost as good. As the best novels are of course, this is about so much more than the theatre, although it is firmly centred around The Grand theatre in Brighton in 1953.
Telling the story of a a young disabled man who suffered polio as a child, and his lead man Mr Brooks) in their search for a female accomplice this book is about sexuality, mortality, friendship and resilience. Brooks is an arrogant bully, and treats those working for him accordingly.
Bartlett's book is especially rare though, in that it tells his audience "This is how it was done...".
A magician is not someone who deceives, but someone who keeps his promise. Which is to deceive.
June 28, 2024
Oh dear. What a very dreary book. I want to be fair so here's what I liked: he conjures 1953 quite well in some of the details of food, clothes, manners etc. And, er... that's it.
There are basically three characters here. They barely relate to each other. They are not interesting. The plot, such as it is, has no tension. There are long, loooooong descriptions of a magic act but we simply don't care how it works, why it works, why it doesn't. The style is mannered and arch with the author's voice present in an unnatural way. It's intrusive and irritating. I kept reading thinking that something interesting would eventually happen. It did, 67% of the way through. Someone kisses someone else. But it counts for nothing until the last two pages when these two people (one unnamed, unseen) have sex. Or do they? They share a single bed for one night and share a pair of pyjamas. Yes, it's that exciting... (yawn).
I'd wanted to read something by this author for a while. I don't any more.
There are basically three characters here. They barely relate to each other. They are not interesting. The plot, such as it is, has no tension. There are long, loooooong descriptions of a magic act but we simply don't care how it works, why it works, why it doesn't. The style is mannered and arch with the author's voice present in an unnatural way. It's intrusive and irritating. I kept reading thinking that something interesting would eventually happen. It did, 67% of the way through. Someone kisses someone else. But it counts for nothing until the last two pages when these two people (one unnamed, unseen) have sex. Or do they? They share a single bed for one night and share a pair of pyjamas. Yes, it's that exciting... (yawn).
I'd wanted to read something by this author for a while. I don't any more.
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