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A novel drawn from Boyle’s own time in Raymond Duncan’s (sister of tragic terpsichore Isadora) artists� colony, this is a vivid, engrossing exploration of a bizarre personality cult told in prose that has moments of mellifluous transcendence that left me stunned. The depiction of the two Russian noblewomen mooching a life in a seedy boarding house showcases Boyle’s skill for sardonic humour, while the muddled progress of her stand-in Victoria as she struggles to evolve in a realm of vain and duplicitous egomaniacs keeps the story unpredictable and challenging. An excellent introduction (for me) to Boyle’s writing.