The Grand Scheme Of Things – Warona Jay

The market for books that “skewer racism in the arts” is nearing oversaturation, I fear – but clearly, wiser heads have determined there’s room for at least one more. The Grand Scheme Of Things, Warona Jay’s debut novel, follows a young queer Black woman and a privileged straight white man as they concoct a scheme to expose entrenched racism in the insular world of English theatre. The fine folks at Allen & Unwin were kind enough to send me a copy for review.

The Grand Scheme Of Things is told from alternating perspectives, with each section narrated by either Eddie or Hugo, addressed to the other. It’s a narrative technique that allows Jay to bait the hook with hints at what’s to come, and keep the reader invested. The timeline also feels more gradual than it is; Jay zooms right in on scenes, while things move fast in the background, so keep an eye on those chapter headers for a true appreciation of the scope of the scheme.

There’s also a number of laugh-out-loud moments, especially in Eddie’s sections (“I was like a ventriloquist with my hand up my own arse, I suppose,” – page 123).

A couple of elements of The Grand Scheme Of Things felt undercooked, though – not disastrously so, but enough to distract me from the delicious schadenfreude of the villain’s eventual take-down. I could’ve done without the J.K. Rowling stand-in for instance, she seemed an unnecessary addition, and the ending felt a bit neat and rushed.

All told, The Grand Scheme Of Things is a great idea for a great story that maybe just needed to marinate for a while longer – I’ll watch what Jay does next with interest.