Loot

'Loot held me spellbound from the first page...an expertly-plotted, deeply affecting novel ' Maggie O’FarrellAn epic tale of plundered treasure, savage empire, lasting love and a young man's dream to make his mark on the world.Meet Abbas. Woodcarver, toy maker, dreamer. Abbas is seventeen when he is whisked away to Tipu Sultan's glorious palace in Mysore. Apprenticed to the clockmaker Monsieur Du Leze, he is ordered to create an ingenious musical tiger to delight Tipu's sons.In the eccentric Du Leze, Abbas finds an unexpected friend who encourages his skill and hunger for learning, and through whom he also meets the unforgettable Jehanne, who has questions and ambitions of her own.But when British soldiers attack and loot Mysore, Abbas's world is turned upside down and his prized tiger is shipped off to a country estate in England. In order to carve out his place in the world, he must follow.A hero's quest, a love story, an exuberant heist novel that traces the bloody legacy of colonialism across the world, Loot is a dazzling, wildly inventive and irresistible feat of storytelling from a writer at the height of her powers.'A cinematic novel of empire, colonialism and romance...Through transporting prose, and with wit and charm, Loot asks who gets written out of history and why' Guardian''Immersive and beautifully written...a clever and absorbing novel about empire and belonging’ Sunday Times'A thrilling, absorbing and immersive tale of artistry, adventure and romance' Claire Fuller'A wild, dazzling eighteenth-century romp across continents with profound things to say about invention and self-reinvention, class and fate, and the deeply human hunger to create family.' Lauren Groff'Elegantly crafted and beautifully written... exciting... Highly recommended' Mail on Sunday