About the Book
Brimming with charm and whimsy, this exquisite novel set in the Tower of London has the transportive qualities and delightful magic of the contemporary classics "Chocolat "and "Amelie."
Balthazar Jones has lived in the Tower of London with his loving wife, Hebe, and his 120-year-old pet tortoise for the past eight years. That's right, he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It's no easy job living and working in the tourist attraction in present-day London.
Among the eccentric characters who call the Tower's maze of ancient buildings and spiral staircases home are the Tower's Rack & Ruin barmaid, Ruby Dore, who just found out she's pregnant; portly Valerie Jennings, who is falling for ticket inspector Arthur Catnip; the lifelong bachelor Reverend Septimus Drew, who secretly pens a series of principled erot-ica; and the philandering Ravenmaster, aiming to avenge the death of one of his insufferable ravens.
When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen, life at the Tower gets all the more interest-ing. Penguins escape, giraffes are stolen, and the Komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives. Balthazar is in charge and things are not exactly running smoothly. Then Hebe decides to leave him and his beloved tortoise "runs" away.
Filled with the humor and heart that calls to mind the delight-ful novels of Alexander McCall Smith, and the charm and beauty of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," "The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise "is a magical, wholly origi-nal novel whose irresistible characters will stay with you long after you turn the stunning last page.
About the Author :
JULIA STUART is the author of one previous novel, "The Matchmaker of Perigord." A native of England, she now resides in Bahrain.
Review :
Praise for THE TOWER, THE ZOO, AND THE TORTOISE:
"The Tower of London's the center of this hilarious love story about Beefeater Balthazar, his wife, their tortoise and their eccentric friends. As Balthazar struggles to save his marriage, the rest of the cast carries on in a charming tangle, and when Balthazar is put in charge of a Tower zoo, hilarity breaks out. Sprinkled with fascinating Tower lore, the book will steal your heart."
--"People "Magazine, 4 out of 4 stars
"Charming, witty, and heartfelt, Stuart's second novel is even more delightful than her debut, "The Matchmaker of Perigord." A perfect suggestion for fans of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"; highly recommended."
--"Library Journal"
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""History buffs, animal lovers, and simply the tenderhearted will swoon over this captivating story."
--"Entertainment Weekly," grade A
""The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise" is the perfect summer confection -- feather-light without being feather-brained. Julia Stuart has penned a work that is original and every-page amusing, and she's peopled it with characters that move into your heart."
-- "The Denver Post
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"[The] delightfully zany and touching novel, "The Tower, The Zoo, and the Tortoise," by British writer Julia Stuart, has jumped the queue to take readers on a fictional romp through the Tower's realm...With her deft and charming style, Stuart brings this comic story to a satisfying and heartwarming end."
- "The Washington Post"
"Julia Stuart spins a confection of whimsy in "The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise."
-Cleveland Plain Dealer
""Julia Stuart's sweet "The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise" is a blessing, undisguised and undeniable, and apparent from the very first sentence...Stuart's clever, amusing and touching story rolls along with wit and tenderness. By the time she concludes this tale at once contemporary and timeless, she and her characters -- biped and qua
Praise for THE TOWER, THE ZOO, AND THE TORTOISE:
“The Tower of London’s the center of this hilarious love story about Beefeater Balthazar, his wife, their tortoise and their eccentric friends. As Balthazar struggles to save his marriage, the rest of the cast carries on in a charming tangle, and when Balthazar is put in charge of a Tower zoo, hilarity breaks out. Sprinkled with fascinating Tower lore, the book will steal your heart.”
--"People "Magazine
“Charming, witty, and heartfelt, Stuart's second novel is even more delightful than her debut, "The Matchmaker of Périgord." A perfect suggestion for fans of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"; highly recommended.”
--"Library Journal"
"
""History buffs, animal lovers, and simply the tenderhearted will swoon over this captivating story."
--"Entertainment Weekly," grade A
""The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise" is the perfect summer con
