Pennsylvania high school student Zara
Evans wants to be an actress. Her favorite play is the Greek tragedy “Echo and
Ariston.” Not only, in her opinion, is it the most romantic play ever written,
it has taught her everything she knows about love.
Zara sends in an audition tape and
is asked to read. She arrives in New York at the old Aurelia Theater. The
Aurelia, rumored to be haunted, is home to the visionary director Leopold
Henneman, himself as much as a myth as the Aurelia.
On her first day at the old theater,
the lighting director mysteriously falls to his death. Although Zara doesn’t witness
the event, she does discover the body. There are rumors that the Aurelia is cursed,
which causes her to become skittish. Then, shockingly, Zara lands the lead in “Echo.”
Henneman demands that she allow no
distractions in preparing for the difficult role of Echo. Zara agrees, she quits
school and focuses all her intellect and emotions on the role. Then the re is a
second death. Could it be another accident, is the theater really cursed or is
there a murderer hiding in the shadows? Zara isn’t sure.
She befriends Eliza “Eli” Vasquez, the assistant lighting director. With her brusque manner, myriad tattoos and mysterious demeanor, Eli captures Zara’s heart in ways no one has ever done.
The two share a passion for each
other that is only rivaled by their individual passion for the theater.
This story, to me had overtones of Gaston
Leroux’s “Phantom of the Opera.” The prose is beautiful and often lyric, but I
didn't quite understand the visions Henneman kept having. He seemed too
melodramatic for his role. Therefore, Echo After Echo receives 4 out of 5 stars
in Julie’s world.
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