Many thanks to Lin Pettersson, doctoral researcher at the University of Malaga, Spain, for her great article about The Palace of Curiosities, published in Neo-Victorian Studies.

Neo-Victorian Studies
8:2 (2016)
pp. 200-223

"Definitely an Author to Watch": Rosie Garland on the (Neo-) Victorian Freak
Lin Pettersson
(University of Malaga, Spain)
Abstract:
This interview with Rosie Garland, conducted by Dr Lin Pettersson, gives insight into the author's writing and her concern for issues regarding gender, normalcy and identity through a discussion of her acclaimed debut novel The Palace of Curiosities
(2013)
.
Garland speaks about the difficulties of being a woman writer and going from struggling to getting published, winning the Mslexia novel competition, and subsequently signing a two-book contract. She is a writer, singer and performer –
labels that blend together in the prose of The Palace of Curiosities as the author combines the performativity of the neo-Victorian literary mode with the visual dynamics of Victorian popular entertainment in an exploration of gender issues, identity and deviance through the trope of the nineteenth-century freak show.

Keywords: deviance, freak, freak show, Rosie Garland, gender, identity, normalcy,
performance, The Palace of Curiosities, visibility

you can read the whole article here:

http://www.neovictorianstudies.com/

Neo-Victorian Studies is hosted by Swansea University, Wales, UK

Authors Writing on Books

The Palace of Curiosities – reviewed by Max Scratchmann

Much as I want to like all of these books, there are, I'm afraid, a lot of fairly dull bodice-rippers and penny-dreadfuls lurking beneath the stunning cover art on the slew of mock-Victorian novels currently on the market, so it was with great joy that I discovered Rosie Garland's noir tale of life in a nineteenth-century freak show – The Palace of Curiosities.

Enticed by the gothic delicacy of cover art and then seduced by the Angela Carter comparison from Jenny Murray on the flyleaf, I delved into this novel with a mixture of anticipation and cautious scepticism – treating the alluring enticements to enter as nothing more than the world-weary siren call of an over zealous marketing man. But, miraculously, I was not disappointed this time, and though the wonderful Ms Garland, in fact, bears little resemblance to Angela Carter – she's far too original a voice to be a copy of anybody – The Palace of Curiosities is a dark and evocative exploration of the underbelly of Victorian society and a magic-realist journey through the fair grounds and freak shows that so fascinate this reviewer as a visual artist.

The novel follows the converging path of two outsiders, Eve the Lion Girl and Abel the Flayed Man – also known as Mr Lazarus – and takes us on an atmospheric journey that veers in and out of the (believable) supernatural and even manages a happy ending without ever once delving into sentimentality or sugary cliché. The writing is rich and verging on the poetic, and the characters are well-rounded and believable – Eve's story being particularly strong with a heady erotic undercurrent running throughout.

I very seldom resort to overblown kill-to-obtain-this-book soundbites, but this novel is a definite must-read. Highly recommended.

Max Scratchmann

Book: THE PALACE OF CURIOSITIES

Author: Rosie Garland

Publisher: HarperCollins

Click to go to Steve Savage's review site

Suzi Feay has given 'The Palace of Curiosities' an amazing review on the Emerald Steet blog!

WOMEN YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

Two events make this weekend a goodie: International Women's Day and the launch of the inaugural Folio Prize Fiction Festival. There are events celebrating both occasions all weekend but tomorrow, the two overlap at On Reading Women, a discussion on literary heroines with authors Tessa Hadley and Frances Wilson, and literary critic Suzi Feay. There are still tickets left. Can't make it? Don't worry; Suzi has shared her favourite up-and-coming female fiction writers with us...

THE PALACE OF CURIOSITIES

BY ROSIE GARLAND (HARPERCOLLINS, £14.99)

"In this fabulously strange historical debut, a hair-covered young girl with the face of a lioness runs off to join a Victorian freak show and falls in love with a man who cuts himself. Throw in a super-creepy villain and you have a romp filled with sheer, demented fun."

Click here to go to Emerald Street site

I'm struck by the number of people who see biblical overtones in The Palace of Curiosities (especially how I named the characters), and who suppose that was my intention.

First up, there were no biblical intentions on my part. Secondly, if that's how you read the novel, that's absolutely fine by me.

The two main protagonists in the novel are called Eve and Abel. Some readers have seen a conscious tip 'o' the pen to the Genesis story: Eve being the first woman (except for Lilith of course – but moving swiftly on...) and Abel (her son, the 'nice' brother of Cain). All very compelling. Except that when I was writing the novel, none of the above crossed my mind.

Eve is named after my grandmother. Born in 1895 she was (just) a Victorian, and a wonderfully strong-minded woman to boot. She nurtured my love of reading and what greater gift could I have asked for. I named Eve in her honour.

As for Abel – his name is inspired by linguistic theory. There's a link below with references to more detailed studies, but here it is in brief. Human babies worldwide make very similar noises when they start to 'babble', regardless of the language they are born into. These first sounds are invariably ma-ma-ma and then da-da and ba-ba (hence words for mother / father in many languages being based on these clusters).

At the start of the novel, Abel is being 're/born' – with profound memory loss. I wondered what on earth he would say when asked his name. Maybe it went something like this, I reasoned.

- What's your name, mate?

- Ma-ma-ma.

- What did you say? Speak up, mate. Can't hear you.

- Ab-ba-ba.

- Abel, is that what you're trying to say? Eh?

- Yes. I am Abel (he breathes a sigh of relief, as he was getting panicky at not even remembering his own name).

So, no Bible. He's just babbling.

However, don't feel you have to believe me. I only wrote the darn thing.

That's the magic of novels. When they are out there - on the shelves, on your Kindle - they don't 'belong' to the author any more. They no longer exist in the vacuum of the author's mind.

What you bring to The Palace of Curiosities (and thank you for reading) is your own eye, your own ear, your own history, your own imagination. A whole life I have no idea about because it is yours. As soon is the book is read – it changes. Each reader makes it anew.

That is the alchemy of reading – and how very wonderful it is.

Further reading:

Click this link to go to Wiki page about language acquisition

Many thanks to Cat Lumb for her blog review of The Palace of Curiosities paperback launch at the Manchester Museum for Manchester Literature Festival!

Excerpt here:

"When I asked her what had kept her going when it didn't seem like her book was ever going to be published she answered with a plain and direct: 'Bloody-mindedness'.

She spoke about how she couldn't stop writing even if no one ever got to see her work – something I have to say, I agree with. She was fortunate to have very supportive friends and the dedication inside the opening page reflects this: To everyone who believed I could get here, even when I didn't. This, I have to admit, is one of the more touching dedications I have seen in a long while."

Read the full review here:

Click link for Cat Lumb's site

Really pleased to have an interview & feature in The Skinny this month!

It's free to pick up in venues round Liverpool & Manchester during October, or click on the link below and go to 'current issues'.

The Skinny - main website

As of 17th September 2013, ALL tickets for this event have been sold.

Many apologies, and check out 'The Palace of Curiosities' event at Birmingham Literature Festival on October 5th.

Contact Theatre
Oxford Road, M15 6JA Manchester

6pm-8pm

I love visiting Creative Writing groups, and this is no different! Looking forward to meeting the University of Manchester Creative Writing Students.
"Enjoy writing? Or simply want to give it a try? Maybe even you enjoy being around writers?
Then join us!
As a society we bring together writers to share their work, learn from others and simply have fun.
We run fun workshops at least once a month, such as feedback sessions, writing together and experimenting with different styles. We also try to vary our socials between a relaxed night a the pub and alcohol friendly and daytime socials too. This year we hope to extend our society and hold spoken word events, run a member-led blog and some inter-society projects, such as with the History society and the Drama society. Please contact us with ideas too as we're always open to trying new things out.
Our facebook group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/454110951444006/
See you soon!
https://uomwriters.wordpress.com/

Bella Agogo's Steampunk Show

Friday, 16 May 2014

8pm – 11.30pm

Cost: €15.00 on the door

We're back. Making the impossible possible. Creating dreams and silliness. There's always something weird and wonderful about making shows, and this one will be no different. Travelling through time, freaks born of hybrid imaginings, fighter pilots, goddesses, damsels in corsets and bustles. Pocket watches and top hats and of course Inventions!

Bella A Go Go brings back the fabulous fantasy of Steampunk, a genre of mad science, invention, alternate histories and lots of fun.

Featuring:

Rosie Garland our Victorian/Steampunk author who will be reading from her book on the night and giving lots of unexpected delights!

Bella Agogo as our Master of Ceremonies

Azaria Starfire

Jonathan Walsh of Ether Productions aka Fabio Ego Deflatio

Fafa bellydance

Paddy Fagan aka Alter ego

Mo Cokley & troupe

Victorian/steampunk themed market with Crowzeye Jewellery N Sculpture and Ciaran Marcantonio selling his steampunk comics

Ticket Link

Click to buy tickets from secure link

The Palace of Curiosities

Wednesday 16th October

7.30pm

Tickets £6/£4 concessions

Book on: 0843 208 0500

Join author Rosie Garland and Victorian sideshow performers for an evening of mystery and excitement in the atmospheric Living World gallery at Manchester Museum. Rosie will read from her startling debut novel which follows the fortunes of Eve and Abel – cast out by Victorian society, they become The Lion-Faced Girl and The Flayed Man, star performers in The Palace of Curiosities. Rosie has performed in previous incarnations as the singer in cult goth band The March Violets and as twisted alter-ego Rosie Lugosi the Vampire Queen. She has published five collections of poetry and last year won the Mslexia Novel Competition which landed her a publishing deal with HarperCollins. A circus troupe, also called The Palace of Curiosities, will provide further entertainment with the aid of fabulously inventive props and razor sharp wit. Prepare to be amazed!

http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/the-palace-of-curiosities-306