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The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise
The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise | Julia Stuart
20 posts | 29 read | 25 to read
Brimming with charm, sparkling prose and undeniably unique characters, this hilarious 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 pet, the oldest living tortoise, for the past eight years. That's right, he is a Beefeater. It's no easy job navigating the trials and tribulations that come with living and working in the largest tourist attraction in London. The once white-hot flame of Hebe and Balthazar's love has been snuffed in the few years since their son Milo died, a death for which Balthazar blames himself. When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen by foreign dignitaries, life at the Tower gets all the more interesting. Penguins escape, a bearded pig goes missing, giraffes are stolen, the komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives, and canaries suffer fainting fits. As he attempts to cope with this four-legged invasion and his marriage continues to crumble, Balthazar must confront the secret he has been harbouring about his son's death, if he wants to save his marriage and his sanity. CAST OF CHARACTERS Balthazar Jones: Beefeater, overseer of the Tower's royal menagerie, father to Milo, and collector of rain Hebe Jones: Balthazar's wife who works at London Underground's Lost Property Office Mrs. Cook: Balthazar and Hebe's 180 + year-old tortoise - the oldest tortoise in the world Arthur Catnip: London Underground ticket inspector of limited height Rev. Septimus Drew: Tower chaplain who writes forbidden prose and pines for one of the residents Ruby Dore: Barmaid at the Tower's Rack & Ruin pub who has a secret Valerie Jennings: Hebe's eccentric colleague who falls for someone of limited height The Ravenmaster: Philandering Beefeater who looks after the Tower's ravens Sir Walter Raleigh: Former Tower prisoner and its most troublesome ghost Chief Yeoman Warder: Suspicious head Beefeater Oswin Fielding: Equerry to The Queen Samuel Crapper: Lost Property Office's most frequent customer Yeoman Gaoler: Deputy to the Chief Yeoman Warder who is terrorized by ghostly poetry at night From the Hardcover edition.
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jimfields3
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Pickpick

This book is amazing. While it‘s not the most gripping story I‘ve read—and towards the end I was wondering where the author was going with her plot—the story is so well written. I will definitely have to find more of Stuart‘s books! I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

14 likes1 stack add
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jimfields3
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“But during her search for affection, she had found herself seeking it from the shadiest of hearts. And no matter how often she opened her bedroom window, never once had she been touched by the moonlight of love.”

This author is amazing at her craft.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks This speaks to me... thanks for sharing 💛 4y
jimfields3 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I feel like her style is so engaging it‘s almost as if she is forcing me to relate. I could quote this book every other page! 4y
12 likes1 stack add2 comments
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jimfields3
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“His stomach, still bilious from the previous evening‘s hogget, arrived first.” This author has wonderful and unique descriptive style. And I‘m not sure she didn‘t model this character‘s physical description on me. 😉

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Lyssa131330
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Pickpick

My heart sank a little when I got this for #bookspin - it‘s been sitting on my shelf for years and whenever I‘ve tried to read it just hasn‘t caught me. I have been missing out. This was a beautiful, sweet book; at times sad, at times funny, but always staying true to its simple message about the importance of love. Like a nice warm hug.

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! I love it when this challenge connects someone to a “one of these days“ book and it all works out!! 4y
7 likes1 comment
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Lyssa131330
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My #bookspinbingo board for this month! Tagged book is my #bookspin book, #doublespin is tagged in the comments. Thanks again @TheAromaofBooks for setting all this up 💚

5 likes2 comments
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Lyssa131330
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My #bookspin for January! I‘m determined to knock off a big chunk of my tbr in 2021 so I‘ve dug through some of my back catalogue, in addition to all the ones I didn‘t get to this year. Thanks to @TheAromaofBooks for helping me figure out what to read next 💚

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Good luck!! 4y
6 likes1 comment
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MallenNC
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Two of the books I‘m reading this weekend happen to have animals on the cover! The tagged book is one that I enjoyed several years ago.

#3Books
#BookswithAnimalsOnTheCover

OriginalCyn620 Cute covers! Are you liking The Switch? 4y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Cute covers!!!! 4y
MallenNC @OriginalCyn620 I am liking it! I think it‘s going to be really good. It‘s unusual to have a 79 year old as one of the main characters. 4y
21 likes3 comments
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CassieT
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adored this book. It was full of quintessentially British charm, whimsy, and wit. I have been to the Tower on several occasions; we always loved visiting there and hearing all the stories. I enjoyed the equally entertaining little world of the London Underground Lost Property Office. I also enjoyed how the author peppered historical facts and lore throughout the book. I definitely recommend this book.

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MallenNC
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I‘m glad that I had a “read in 2010” shelf on Goodreads to remind me of what I read in 2010. I picked this one to share because I still think about its storyline. I was lucky to be able to read it shortly after I had visited the Tower of London (as a tourist, of course!). #BookIReadin2010 #AuldLangReads

Tamra This was a fun read! 5y
16 likes1 comment
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jillrhudy
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Mehso-so

Getting ready for bed after finishing this. Something was off about the writing style and plot which kept me from being fully engaged. Delightful premise though. #humor #animals #anglophilesoflitsy #unstyling

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jillrhudy
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So this is pretty cute. Set in the Tower of London. I don‘t know about continuing with the sequel. Hope to start a Litsy #unstyling trend with photos like this so I don‘t have to bother. #humor #london #anglophilesoflitsy

Tamra It‘s a fun read! 6y
Aimeesue #unstyling !!!! Now that I can get behind! Although Cold Comfort Farm with the yellow irises was too good to pass up. 😋 6y
Aimeesue Also: this allows me to play Spot the Books in your photos. I see, Travelling Mercies, The Historian, The Pigeon Pie Mystery, The Iliad and The Oddessy, and a catalog from the Vermont Country Store. 😍 6y
jillrhudy @aimeesue so deconstructionist—watch for my upcoming Kitchen Bar with Mail Period and my Dining Room Table Covered With Junk Will Brought from Tech Period. The Vermont Country store vol. 90 issue 2 (approximately) is a great read. 6y
Aimeesue @jillrhudy Can‘t wait! 😂😂😂 6y
16 likes5 comments
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Conservio
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Now for something light hearted. #sickreads

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MayJasper
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This isn't an obvious pick for #rain but the protagonist collects different types of rain in miniature bottles. Weird I know. It is well worth reading on past the first chapter where this obsession is the focus.
#jubilantjuly @RealLifeReading

LauraBrook Thanks for the reminder that I still need to read this! I've only read her first book, but I really like her writing. 7y
MayJasper @LauraBrook I've only read this one and I like her writing too 7y
41 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Gnoe
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Pickpick

Very enjoyable read. Sweet, light -and not so light-, funny and well-written. Carrying this book with me on a trip to London made it even more special. It's not my usual fare but it perfectly suited me.

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Gnoe

"[..] I have his address. Maybe you could write to him," he added.
"What a good idea," she replied. "I've always thought it such a pity that the art of letter writing is no longer revered. What is it?"
Valerie Jenkins had no intention of wasting time subjecting herself to the vagaries of Royal Mail. As soon as she put down the phone, she reached for her A to Z, and fetched her navy coat from the stand next to the inflatable doll.
?

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Gnoe
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When starting a new read on a trip to London. #contextualreading

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CherylDeFranceschi
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This charming little book about the zookeeper at the Tower of London was sweet and touching and would make an adorable movie. #shouldbeamovie #seasonsreadings2016

Megabooks Oh yes! I had forgotten it was once a zoo! 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 I find the elephant in that small space so distressing. Extreme cruelty. Plus the loneliness. 8y
72 likes6 stack adds2 comments
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Skirby

Ein tolles Buch von einem Ehepaar das nicht redet und dadurch aneinander vorbei lebt.

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HardcoverHearts
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Sometimes you need a zany, mad-capped book to add to the mix. I've heard mixed reviews of this book but was willing to give it a go. I tend to be more lenient on a book if it's free and from the library. This has a silliness plus fun British facts and is set in London, so it's worth a try.

20 likes3 stack adds
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Howseldomtheydo
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It's been a while since I read this but I do recall liking it! #augustphotochallenge #underhypedbook

RealLifeReading Well it certainly has a cute cover 8y
rachelm @RealLifeReading my thoughts exactly! 8y
Lillie I loved this book! So fun and quirky. 8y
Suzze Great cover! 8y
LauraBrook I've only read her first, and loved it, so this and the next one are both waiting on my TBR shelves for just the right moment! Glad to see the Julia Stewart love! 8y
89 likes7 stack adds5 comments