Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has never known any home beyond the Theatre Illuminata, a magical place where every character to ever appear in a play can be found. Her best friends are a quartet of Shakespearian fairies, her constant nemesis is Ariel from The Tempest, and she has a crush on a pirate boy. Unfortunately, she’s just been told to shape up and stop making trouble, or leave the Theatre forever. In her quest to prove she belongs there, she’ll uncover an insidious plan to destroy the Theatre, investigate her own dramatic origins, and attempt to direct her very own play. But will she earn her standing ovation, or is it curtains for her career? Filled with literary whimsy and intrigue, this story brings the magic of the stage to life with great delight. The Theatre is a fascinatingly strong setting, populated with a rich variety of characters and plenty of potential. Berty herself definitely deserves another turn in the spotlight. Mantchev can take a bow; her first novel is a crowd-pleaser.