During the Golden Age of Magic from 1860 to 1930, seven women magicians in America defied Victorian conventions and created a unique place in history for themselves and future performers to come. There was Anna, the mindreader; Adelaide, who could float in midair; Talma, who could magically shower the stage with gold coins…and many more!

During a time when women were typically confined to the home, these trailblazers crossed oceans on steamships and traveled the globe bringing their imaginative brand of magic to audiences around the world. They followed their hearts and pursued their dreams of performing magic in the spotlight when women had neither a vote nor a voice in America.

They made history. Yet once their career ended, so did their legacy.

For decades their stories were hidden, or overshadowed by male counterparts, but now they’ve come to life in this vibrant and captivating book.

It’s women’s history month, so I must highlight this nonfiction middle-grade book that resurrects seven of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries most spectacular female magicians whose legacies are sorely unknown today. I knew about Harry Houdini, but many forget about his wife, Bess, who performed alongside him, helped him with his tricks and illusions and kept his finances on track. Plus their unending love for each other is so sweet.

I also heard of Adelaide Hermann as one of the few female magicians in the Hall of Fame, but I hadn’t known how amazing her feats were from jumping out of cannons to levitating and so much more. She was one of the first show-women of her kind.

Others were completely unknown to me like Dixie aka Annie Abbot whose act as the electricity strongwoman was exposed by the famous Nellie Bly (not that it kept her down, she just took her act overseas), or Ellen Armstrong, the first Black female magician who provided African-American audiences clean fun and wonder, entertainment that didn’t belittle them like minstrel shows all while educating them about major figures like Fredrick Douglass.

All seven of the women are fascinating in their own right from the tricks they performed (Minerva was the Queen of the Cuffs. Such an amazing escape artist that Houdini was jealous and possibly tried to sabotage her!) as well as their stamina and work ethic, constantly hustling and improving their acts, and fend off exposures and copycats. While Hays discusses how they forged their way as solo performers in a male-dominated industry, she doesn’t discount the fact that most got their start because of a husband, father or male mentor.

It’s how they made their way afterwards when the husband inevitably betrayed them, stole their money and met a newer younger woman to try to steal her act out of spite (poor Anna Eva Fay. Her son did the same with his new wife!). Honestly, there were only three happy magician marriages, the Houdinis, the Hermanns and Talma and her husband, Servais.

Each women are given a significant amount of page time, with a timeline highlighting major events, and descriptions of how they set up their biggest illusions.

I must also mention the illustrator, Mary Kate McDevitt, whose unique designs are an homage to 19th century posters. They were so vibrant, colorful and eye-catching. Perfect companion to Hays’ text.

A fun novel that whets your appetite for more magic and the underrated stars that brought them to life.