Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2025 *Starred Review* Behold! Mystery, wonder, and magic await in this biography of seven women who took life and the stage on their own terms—and dazzled the world in the process. The mid-nineteenth century ushered in the Golden Age of Magic, during which men like Harry Houdini plied their craft. Hays steps in here to reinsert some of the women whom historians, with sexist sleight of hand, erased from the magical record, despite being as talented as their male counterparts. Hays’ extensive research into the lives of Anna Eva Fay, Adelaide Herrman, Dixie Haygood, Mary Ann Ford, Beatrice Houdini, Margaretha Gertz, and Ellen Emma Armstrong reveals the extraordinary accomplishments of these “fearless women who took on the impossible in a world unprepared for their fiery personalities, wit, and drive.” Hays sets the stage for each with important historical context, including expectations of women at the time, influential fads (e.g., Spiritualism), and racism—Ellen Emma Armstrong is the only woman of color featured, and Hay speaks candidly about Jim Crow laws and the general lack of documentation for non-white performers. The compelling writing gets an added lift from McDevitt’s color illustrations, which conjure the vintage aesthetic of old sideshow banners and dramatically depict each magician’s signature tricks. Reproductions of period photos, ads, press clippings, and posters further enrich the entries. Altogether, this artful little package will astonish its audience and likely vanish from the shelves (in a good way). - Copyright 2025 Booklist.