Born of Illusion

Born of Illusion follows Anna Van Housen, a teenage stage magician performing in 1920s New York City with her mother, who claims to be the illegitimate daughter of Harry Houdini. Anna creates illusions on stage but harbors real psychic abilities that she must keep hidden. The story centers on Anna's navigation of her burgeoning supernatural powers while managing her complicated relationship with her mother, who markets herself as a medium. Her world shifts with the arrival of a mysterious young man who seems to understand her abilities, along with mounting dangers that threaten both her magical career and her life. The novel combines historical fiction with supernatural elements against the backdrop of the Jazz Age spiritualism movement. Details of 1920s entertainment, fashion, and society provide context for Anna's personal journey of self-discovery. This coming-of-age narrative explores themes of truth versus deception, the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, and the challenge of embracing one's authentic self in a world built on illusion.

Readers appreciate the historical 1920s New York setting and accurate details about Harry Houdini and the spiritualist movement of that era. Many note the strong mother-daughter relationship dynamics and the protagonist's internal conflicts about her supernatural abilities. Common praise focuses on the atmospheric writing and magic show descriptions. "The seances and stage performances felt vivid and authentic," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. Multiple readers commented positively on the romance subplot being present but not overwhelming the main story. Critics point out slow pacing in the middle sections and some predictable plot elements. Several readers mentioned wanting more development of secondary characters. A recurring complaint is that the ending feels rushed. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (89 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (42 ratings) The book scores higher among YA historical fiction fans and readers interested in stage magic/spiritualism themes than general YA readers.

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The Spiritglass Charade by Colleen Gleason The niece of Sherlock Holmes confronts fraudulent mediums and real supernatural forces in Victorian-era London while protecting a young heiress.

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✧ Anna Van Housen, the protagonist, was inspired by real-life figure Anna Eva Fay, a renowned medium and mentalist who performed in the early 1900s ✧ The book takes place during the height of the Spiritualist movement in 1920s New York City, when séances and psychic readings were incredibly popular among both the wealthy elite and working class ✧ Harry Houdini, who appears as a character in the novel, actually did spend much of his later career debunking fraudulent mediums and exposing their tricks ✧ Author Teri Brown spent months researching vintage magic tricks and illusions to accurately portray the techniques used by stage magicians of the era ✧ The speakeasy featured in the book, "The Green Mill," was based on a real Chicago jazz club of the same name that operated during Prohibition and still exists today