Loot

Absolutely gorgeous book spanning continents and time. I loved this one. We follow Abbas from being an uneducated but very talented teenage wood carver in 18th century Mysore after he is called to work on a project in the Sultan’s court, to France where he wishes to apprentice to the clock maker he worked under in Mysore before the fall the sultan to British forces. Of course things do not go to plan, and that is what makes this story so beautiful and engaging - the way Abbas and the other characters find their way despite the odds. Highly recommend this wonderful book!

This was a fascinating and engrossing read that transported me to exotic climes, the high seas, France and England. The author has created a possible creation story for a real automaton made by unknown craftsmen in the 18th century and woven a bit of Downton Abbey in too! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and especially the way the author described different sections of the book from the eyes of different characters, giving you differing viewpoints. A very enjoyable and satisfying read.

I loved this book from the first page to the last, and really didn't want it to end. The characters are well developed and three dimensional, and there are some wonderfully memorable people here. We watch their lives from afar, like watching a film which moves through different scenes building a story gradually rather than delving into characters' minds.

The story spans the life of Abbas from teenager to middle aged (I'm not sure exactly how long, but that's how it seemed to me), as he finds his way in the world. He encounters cruelty, racism, entitlement, greed and ignorance. But also kindness, compassion, love and connections. I often don't like stories with sudden and unexplained changes in points of view, but the diary written by the sailor at sea was one of my favourite parts of the book.

I said that reading this book was like watching a film. But I also think it would be a beautiful book to read aloud, or to listen to as it soars, swoops and sings its story. I would certainly buy it in audio book form.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy for review.

This is a clever book. It is built around an artifact that belonged to Tipu Sultan (1750-99), the Indian Muslim ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore and that is known as Tipu’s Tiger - an automaton depicting a tiger attacking a European soldier, probably belonging to the East India Company. It is one of the artifacts that was obtained after the fourth Anglo-Mysore war when the victorious army plundered Tipu’s palace – hence the title Loot.

The main focus of the book however is not the Tiger itself but its imagined creators Abbas (a native of Mysore) and Muza de Leze (a French watchmaker and inventor appointed to the palace). It is the background story of the Tiger’s creation and journey - eventually ending in London’s V&A – that make this book a fascinating read. The way the story of the tiger is intrinsically linked to that of its creators provide the reader with rich and colourful insights into colonial history with all its underlying beliefs of superiority and cultural domination carried by the colonisers.

It is also Abba’s heart-warming story in which he follows his dreams and ambitions, taking him and the reader from southern India across the oceans to France and then to England and back to France in his pursuit of happiness.

The fabric of the story is so rich, with many different threads of narration that no short review could do it justice. It comes highly recommended.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.