Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for this eARC.

Loot" by Tania James

Tania James's novel "Loot" is a captivating exploration of imperialism, art, and the legacy of colonialism.

Set against the backdrop of the 18th century, this vividly crafted tale takes readers on a transcontinental journey, weaving together historical facts and fictional characters.

The central artifact in the story is "Tipu's Tiger", a wooden automaton commissioned by Tipu Sultan, ruler of the Indian kingdom of Mysore. The automaton, currently housed in the V&A Museum, depicts a near-life-size tiger mauling a European soldier. When the crank is turned, the figures emit a growl—a haunting reminder of the past.

James introduces us to a cast of characters whose lives intersect with the tiger's legacy. Abbas, a woodcarver's son, collaborates with the French clockmaker Lucien Du Leze to create the musical tiger as a gift for Tipu's sons. However, politics taints even this grand gesture of paternal affection. As the British besiege Srirangapatna, Abbas's fate takes a dramatic turn, and he flees the kingdom.

The novel spans continents—from the palace in Srirangapatna to Rouen in France and eventually England. Abbas's desire to create something enduring drives him forward, and he forms an unlikely partnership with Jehanne, Du Leze's adopted daughter. Together, they embark on a mission to recover the tiger from the widow of Lord Selwyn, the British soldier who looted it.

James's prose is rich and evocative, immersing readers in the artistry of woodcarving, the intricacies of life aboard sailing ships, and the complexities of relationships. While rooted in historical research, the novel also embraces artifice, emphasizing the skills required to imitate life. James deftly drops occasional contemporary notes into her historical language, reminding us that storytelling itself is an art form.

"Loot" is an absolute feast of adventure, imagination, ambition, sacrifice, and the fickleness of victory. James's storytelling prowess shines as she navigates the vicissitudes of nations and dynasties ravaged by war.

If you are a lover of history or simply seeking a spellbinding tale, this novel is a must-read. It is a treasure trove of imagination and insight.

Note: I just loved everything about this book, from the beautiful cover & intriguing title, to the imaginative story inside (the child inside all of us WANTS this imaginative tiger, even the adult in me wants it in my home as a curious piece). A magical novel, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

About the only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the romance - there are few books with a single strong individual who makes the decision not to tie their future to another. Every book is a romance novel these days!

Loot is a beautifully written historical fiction novel set in the late 18th C. Beginning in India, Abbas, at 17, is summoned to the Tipu Sultan's palace to work for a master carpenter, Lucien Du Leze, carving an automaton of a tiger, the Sultan's symbol. Together, they create a masterpiece, with an organ inside the large tiger. Lucien wants to return to France, asks Abbas to come. Jehanna, daughter of Martine, is on journey, and was enthralled by Abbas' toy making.
Abbas stays to serve in Tipu's army, but English soldiers capture and destroy city. Abbas survives and takes a journey to France. He finds Jehanna, and they concoct a plan to get the automaton from Lady Selwyn in England. Once again, they journey, but their plan has problems.
Loosely based on historical events, the author weaves a vivid picture of the hardships of the times, the long journeys, and the consequences of war. There are also multiple love stories in the book, between lovers and parents and children. I was caught up in the story of Abbas and his quest to leave his mark on the world.

Very interesting book about the english in india. A BBA s is a wood cover and they are Sultan. Like how he did this, so he asked him to come to the palace to build a giant tiger. This giant tiger was Animation For his son who came back from being captured by the british. The tiger was made out of wood as well. He started to work with the clock Maker who was very famous in French. This book took on different terms and twist at this point. He meets the clock Maker's daughter.. This was really interesting too because it was like a love story told through her eyes. The clock Maker went back to his home in France. INR o, u, e, n, he asked a BBA has to come with them.. The palace was now to be taken over by the British and the tiger seems to disappear in all this mis in confusion. This takes on another whole different twist of the story as I try to find th Out where this wind tiger ended up. They find out the tiger ended up in an English countryside. And now this became really interesting. It was like trying to find clues how to get this tiger out of England.. There are some ways different twists and turns. It was really good because you never knew what was goingna happen around the next chapter

Loot is the story of an automaton maker named Abbas in 18th century India. While the summary suggests that it might be a propulsive, adventure/heist story, I didn't find it to be so. I never connected with the characters or the story and didn't find it engaging.

LOOT by Tania James is an intriguing work of historical fiction originally published this past Spring and well-reviewed by The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor. It begins in India in the late 1700's when a young man, Abbas, is apprenticed to a European clockmaker. Together they build a near life size mechanical tiger for Tipu Sultan, Muslim ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Although the tiger (complete with sound effects produced by an organ hidden in its body) is shown mauling an English soldier, the unique artifact is plundered and shipped to England where another series of adventures begin. James readily transports her readers to a totally different place and time; the story, with implied commentary about colonialism, is quite absorbing. LOOT received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly ("At once swashbuckling and searing, this is a marvelous achievement.").


NOTE: Long-listed for National Book Award in Fiction
Link to image and background on Tipu Sultan's tiger: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/tipus-tiger

I liked this novel but I wanted to love it more than I did. I was surprised by the way the narrative jumped from perspective to perspective. The way the description is written, I expected to stay with Abbas's point of view for the entire story. The constant jumping around made me feel less connected to any of the characters, but it did provide a broader picture of the time and place. This book has ended up on many people's "best of 2023" lists so I may be in the minority here. I am glad I read it but it is not making my list.

I received this eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

2.5

A mechanical wooden tiger made in the eighteenth century is meant to be the central piece around which this story revolves, but it feels disjointed to me. Multiple perspectives from characters who appear and then are never seen again muddle the story. What does it want to be about, aside from an inanimate object? Early on when Abbas was a teenager selected to be an apprentice at the sultan’s court, the dreams, fears, and motivations of Abbas were compelling. But the first time jump, followed by many more and jumping from perspective to perspective lost the thread of an interesting narrative.

There are some descriptive and interesting passages, and a lot of research seems to have been completed, but it lacks a coherent narrative with fully developed central characters .

This is a rich historical fiction novel set in Mysore, India, Rouen, France, and on a country estate in England. In 1794, a 17 year old wood carver, Abbas, is summoned to the palace of Tipu Sultan. There he meets a French clockmaker, Lucien, and is assigned to assist him in making a life-sized automaton of a tiger on top of an Englishman. He meets the young Jehanne, daughter of Lucien’s friend. Lucien and Abbas successfully create a tiger that moans and moves. That tiger is in the Victoria and Albert Museum today. A couple of years later, the British lay siege to Mysore, the Sultan dies, and Lucien leaves for France. Abbas eventually also leaves, hoping to continue his apprenticeship with Lucien. Arriving in Rouen, he learns from Jehanne that Lucien died a few months earlier. Abbas and Jehanne decide to retrieve the tiger from the English estate where it was sent after the siege of Mysore. This is a wonderful coming of age story with elements of romance, colonialism, technology, etc.

Loot was an excellent read. I loved the sense of place, especially in India. I loved the hunt to find the automaton, and love that it's based on a real story.

Seventeen year old Abbas is a talented woodcarver who is called to Tipu Sultan’s palace to work as an apprentice to renown French watch maker Lucien Du Leze.
Tipu Sultan commonly referred to as Sher-e-Mysore or "Tiger of Mysore", was the Indian Muslim ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. At Tipu’s request, Abbas and Lucien are tasked to build a larger than life tiger automaton that roars. Once built, Lucien is allowed to leave India and return to his homeland France. Lucien asks Abbas to come with him but Abbas must first return to his family. When Abbas is finally able to travel, the palace of Tipu has been looted by the British army and the tiger has been taken.
Although Tipu Sultan was a real ruler of Southern India, this book is historical fiction touching on the years that India was under the rule of the British Crown. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it to friends and family. This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a little late with this review, but I recently reread this when it was longlisted for the National Book Award. This was such a unique and inventive book! When I read the synopsis I was immediately intrigued and this book delivered on so many levels for me. The writing was smooth and luxurious, and I found myself very quickly getting swept away in the story. I am typically a fan of historical fiction but I will be honest and say that WWI and WWII books dominate the genre and it was so refreshing to get this unconventional story set in the 18th century. Not only that, I was fortunate enough to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum and distinctly remember seeing the inspiration for this book on exhibit. I love it when I can find something personal in book to relate to and this added to my overall enjoyment. If I had one complaint, it would be that I think the book could have actually been a little longer as I personally feel the ending was a little rushed. This was an ambitious book and I understand how that could happen but I definitely think that it impacted the pacing for me. It was certainly not a dealbreaker though and I would recommend this book to most readers.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this novel. Having heard and seen this piece at the V&A museum in London, I loved getting to read a story about its possible creation. It was a great mix of history, romance, and invention - I just felt like the ending was a bit lacking.

I loved this book so much. I was always fascinated with automatons and Tipu's Tiger and this just made it come to life. The storytelling was immaculate and I loved the way James wove the narratives together to make an entire story. I never wanted it to end. Beautiful, sad, and warm.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Loot takes place mainly in Mysore in the 1800s where Abbas, a young boy catches the attention of Tipu Sultan for his toymaking abilities. Together with a renowned French clockmaker he creates a masterpiece for the sultan- a large roaring tiger automaton. Soon after, his French mentor leaves for home. When the Tipu Sultan's reign comes to a violent end and war reaches the summer palace, Abbas manages to escape and tries to make his way to France to reconnect with his old mentor.

The prose in this book truly transports you to 18th century Mysore and then France. The main character Abbas, is instantly likeable as an underdog aspiring to greatness. To me, the book had the feel of a fairytale almost in its grandiosity. I also loved the ending.

If you're interested in a fanciful and beautifully entertaining story, this one is for you.

LOOT by Tania James

🐅🇮🇳🏰🇫🇷
4.5 STARS

✨ FOR FANS OF: Zadie Smith, Arundhati Roy, Vaishnavi Patel, Sujata Massey, historical fiction in general.

WHAT I LIKED:
🌟 this book is extremely in my wheelhouse— my PhD focused on questions of colonial legacies in India & Tipu’s tiger has long been a fascination of mine. See the last slide for a look at the real automaton!
🌟 that said, James’s book has so many distinct points of view, each with their own political & personal investments, that it feels like a textured, everyday view of eighteenth-century life in the midst of colonial systems. Abbas, Jehanne, and Lucien felt realistic & well-drawn.
🌟 witty, descriptive turns of phrases throughout the book kept me engaged & full without sacrificing character development.
🌟a sprawling book that jumps centuries, continents, & consciousnesses.

WHAT I DIDN’T:
☁️ the end of the book felt a bit rushed to me, especially in the development of a couple of characters’ relationships.
☁️ the plot lagged in the second half of the book as well; I wasn’t entirely convinced by Abbas’s motivation to go to Cloverfield & the whole situation that unfolded there.

⭐️OVERALL: incredible writing, unique timespan, & characters that will stay with me for a long time. try this out if you’re looking for a sweeping, character-centric novel!

Thanks to @knopfdoubleday & @netgalley for the ARC!

‼️ Check trigger warnings, as always.

This incredible book of historical fiction has as its major plot device, the real life Tipu's Tiger which today can be found on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Tipu's Tiger becomes the thread that pulls the story through as it centers around a young man named Abbas. We also meet other characters who are related through the narrative (from the British colonists who occupied India to other skilled artisans trapped between home and exile). This book reminded me a lot of work by one of my favorite author's - Anthony Doerr. The text is extremely descriptive and pulls on all of our five senses -including moments that reminded me of Flaubert. A beautifully written book that I highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

This engrossing historical fiction novel is an epic, spellbinding tale. The writing is beautiful and the unique story and rich setting kept me hooked. It is dense and tackles a lot of complex issues but has a light, almost humorous, tone. I wish the love story had been fleshed out more, but the characters were so well drawn that I felt I could fill in the blanks. This was a satisfying read that will stick with me.

I reviewed this book for BookBrowse
https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/pr298496

Amid the turbulence of war and colonial rule, a young Muslim woodcarver's life changes trajectories as he leaves India on an epic journey.

One of the most famous and intriguing objects in the collection of London's Victoria and Albert Museum is Tipu's (or Tipoo's) Tiger, an almost life-sized carved wooden sculpture of a tiger attacking a British soldier lying beneath him. Its original owner, Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore in South India, was killed by the British in 1799. The victors plundered the Sultan's palace treasures, and the tiger was shipped to London.

In Loot, her imaginative, beautifully crafted novel, Tania James uses the real-life Tipu's Tiger (see Beyond the Book) as a platform from which to launch the reader into a gripping fictional adventure that will ultimately span two continents and fifty years. Although no information exists about the real makers of Tipu's Tiger, the style and mechanics of the piece suggest a collaboration between local Mysorean and French craftsmen. From this factual foundation, James's fictional story takes flight as the reader meets 17-year-old Abbas, a gifted woodcarver, who finds himself summoned by the sultan to work with a brilliant but troubled French watchmaker and inventor, Lucien Du Leze, in creating a spectacular automaton. The tiger is to be carved from wood and will emit growls from the bellows placed within his hollows. By the time the tiger is completed, Abbas will have become attuned to his life's purpose as a craftsman and an artist.

James's descriptive skills are impressive, and the sights and sounds of the Indian city, as well as the character of its people, are fully imagined. But life is uncertain in Mysore. On the heels of previous military confrontations with the British, the capital city of Seringapatam is filled with tumult and spies: "The people never know who is coming from where to take what from whom. All they can do is submit to power each time it changes hands, each time the powerful decide to redecorate."

A final rampage of the city by the British in their determined bid to expand colonial power reorients Abbas's world once again, and his path turns away from Mysore. His journey, which begins at sea and eventually leads to France and England, sets in motion a Dickensian narrative in which he encounters a procession of minor characters, each of whom springs to life and enriches the plot as Abbas continues his peregrinations.

Most of these characters struggle to achieve autonomy even as they are hobbled by the limitations imposed by the societies in which they live. Many of them face constricting expectations due to their ethnicity, class, gender, or sexual identity. The way that most societies view nonconformists can be summarized by the warning that Abbas receives when he signs on as a carpenter for a British East India Company ship: "There are only two things on board a ship: duty and mutiny. All that you are ordered to do is duty. All that you refuse to do is mutiny."

As in any exceptional novel, resonances and subthemes run like an underground river throughout the book—most obvious in this case is the impact of the British in India and the never-overstated reminder of how deeply a country's course of history can be altered by a foreign civilization imposing its own modes. The British swept through the region with a great sense of their own destiny, and in doing so, deprived local cultures of their own.

Despite their limitations, the characters in Loot persist in striving for self-determination and stand firmly against the temptations to live smaller lives. And the artists among them recognize that only by creating objects and art that will outlast their own time can they "have that small power over the grave."

I also wrote a short "Beyond the Book" piece for them about Tipu's Tiger: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/btb/index.cfm/ref/pr298496

This dazzling and delightful novel tackles some serious historical subjects with humor and heart. I was fascinated by not only the history but also the ways James tempered the emotional parts with humor. I laughed out loud numerous times and that's not something I often say after reading a literary fiction book.

Using the real-life Tippoo's Tiger--an automaton displayed in London--as a starting off point, James crafts a narrative that weaves in issues like colonialism and war with the emotional stories of three main characters. We have Abbas, a teenager who loves to carve trinkets and aspires to be a clockmaker like Frenchman Lucien De Leze. Abbas is teamed with Lucien in the court of Tipu Sultan of Mysore, India in 1794. The two work to build a tiger automaton, that Tipu gives to his sons as a toy. While there, Abbas meets Jehanne, the biracial daughter of Tipu's armorer.

James shares the stories of these three characters over six decades. The English army invades Tipu Sultan's court, so Lucien and Jehanne escape to France, while Abbas stays in India to tend to his dying father. Their decisions reverberate throughout their lives. Their experiences are fascinating, enlightening, at times humorous, and emotional. I truly enjoyed inhabiting this vibrant, intriguing world that James created using history--and the dichotomy of creativity vs. real-life issues--as the foundation. This is a wonderful novel and I think you'd really enjoy reading it, especially if you're a historical fiction/literary fiction fan.

I thought this would be an excellent novel for those who have a book hangover from The Covenant of Water. It is a faster paced historical fiction novel written about how Tipu’s Tiger came to exist- through the efforts of a Mysorean woodcarver named Abbas and a French clockmaker. We follow Abbas as he helps create the Tiger that is subsequently taken when Tipu’s palace is looted by the British. Abbas meets memorable characters along the way as he sets out on a journey to reclaim the tiger and his life as an inventor. Tania James keeps this story moving and tells it from multiple interconnected points of view. The novel was entertaining and compulsively readable. I recommend this for avid historical fiction readers, but it would appeal to many because of the descriptive prose, memorable characters and action-filled plot.