Description

Young woodcarver Abbas has created a marvel – a mechanical tiger unlike anything the world has seen before. When it’s stolen he must search across the world to reclaim it.

In Mysore, young toymaker Abbas works with the French clockmaker Lucien Du Leze to create a spectacular mechanical tiger. The tiger changes his life, drawing him into patronage, friendship, danger and his first encounter with Jehanne, a woman with a fierce imagination and ambitions of her own.

When British soldiers ransack Mysore in 1799, the tiger vanishes into imperial hands. Abbas must cross seas and borders to reclaim his legacy.

Longlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award, Loot is a witty, tender historical novel about Indian history, colonial theft, craft, memory and the strange afterlife of stolen things.

‘Loot held me spellbound from the first page…an expertly plotted, deeply affecting novel ‘ Maggie O’Farrell

‘A cinematic novel of empire, colonialism and romance’ Guardian
‘Vivid and witty’ Observer
‘Highly recommended’ Mail on Sunday

Publisher Review

[An] epic sweep of a novel, which travels from India to Europe in the company of a fascinating range of characters…Niftily constructed, the novel packs in doomed romance, the horrors of colonialism and palace plots * Daily Mail * Strongly recommending this exquisitely crafted and rich historical story to everyone I know . . . Tania James has created such a visceral, powerful story that it felt like I was in a time travelling machine — Nikita Gill Addictively absorbing * New York Times Book Review * A real-life object of fascination – an 18th-century automaton depicting a tiger biting into an Englishman’s neck – is the basis for this novel…lush with the sights, sounds and smells of India, France and England, and always laced with Dickensian wit * Washington Post, *Ten Best Books of the Year* * Loot held me spellbound from the first page. This is an expertly-plotted, deeply affecting novel about war, displacement, emigration, and an elusive mechanical tiger. — Maggie O’Farrell A novel of wonder and terror and beauty – I was completely captivated by it. — Kamila Shamsie Elegantly crafted and beautifully written, James’s exciting adventure story considers the legacy of colonial oppression and the ownership of plundering historical artifacts. Highly recommended * Mail on Sunday * ‘A novel about the pleasures of artifice…a vivid and witty reimagining of an episode of history that continues to shape the present * Observer * Richly researched and full of heart, LOOT is a beautifully crafted novel, artfully realised and deeply compelling. Abbas and Jehanne (and Rum!) are captivating characters who positively leap from the pages, and I felt bereft when their story came to an end. I just loved it. — Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora James’s ravishing prose and trademark blend of lyricism and suspense animate this ingenious caper meets politically acute coming-of-age story * Oprah Daily *