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Stephanie's Reviews > Loot
Loot
by
by
What. A. Triumph. This book is near perfection, sure to be one of my best of 2023. It has everything - history, whimsy, humor, love, and a heist. What more could you want?!?!!
The story begins when Abbas, a teenage wood carver, is summoned to the palace of Tipu Sultan, to assist with a vanity project he has in mind, a gift for his very young sons. Once there, he is introduced to Lucien Du Leze, a Frenchman renowned for creating animatronic devices. Together, they set out to create Tipu Sultan's vision - a giant musical tiger that has pounced on a British soldier. Abbas stays on to apprentice with Du Leze, hoping to expand his skillset to creating animatronic toys and clockmaking. Through it all, the British are plotting and preparing to topple Tipu Sultan and claim Mysore.
Du Leze, desperate to return to France, invites Abbas to join him and continue his studies in Rouen. Eager to defend his home against the British, Abbas defers. Du Leze leaves, and along the way adopts Jehanne, a half French, half Indian daughter of another Frenchman.
Tipu Sultan and his Mysorean kingdom fall to the Brits (not a spoiler, just history) and Abbas belatedly makes his way to France. He is reunited with Jehanne, who he met only briefly when she was a child. Together, the two of them piece together a life, speaking Kannada all the while.
This book is special. The setting is ancient, foreign, yet the author's words and contemporary humor bring it to life beautifully. It's so much fun. I finished this book, an ARC for which I'm grateful to the publisher, at 3:00 AM while my household slept. I miss Abbas and Jehanne and all the rest of the characters because even the briefest, seemingly mundane appearances will capture your heart.
The story begins when Abbas, a teenage wood carver, is summoned to the palace of Tipu Sultan, to assist with a vanity project he has in mind, a gift for his very young sons. Once there, he is introduced to Lucien Du Leze, a Frenchman renowned for creating animatronic devices. Together, they set out to create Tipu Sultan's vision - a giant musical tiger that has pounced on a British soldier. Abbas stays on to apprentice with Du Leze, hoping to expand his skillset to creating animatronic toys and clockmaking. Through it all, the British are plotting and preparing to topple Tipu Sultan and claim Mysore.
Du Leze, desperate to return to France, invites Abbas to join him and continue his studies in Rouen. Eager to defend his home against the British, Abbas defers. Du Leze leaves, and along the way adopts Jehanne, a half French, half Indian daughter of another Frenchman.
Tipu Sultan and his Mysorean kingdom fall to the Brits (not a spoiler, just history) and Abbas belatedly makes his way to France. He is reunited with Jehanne, who he met only briefly when she was a child. Together, the two of them piece together a life, speaking Kannada all the while.
This book is special. The setting is ancient, foreign, yet the author's words and contemporary humor bring it to life beautifully. It's so much fun. I finished this book, an ARC for which I'm grateful to the publisher, at 3:00 AM while my household slept. I miss Abbas and Jehanne and all the rest of the characters because even the briefest, seemingly mundane appearances will capture your heart.
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Loot.
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Reading Progress
May 16, 2023
–
Started Reading
May 16, 2023
– Shelved
June 6, 2023
–
Finished Reading
