What readers think of Loot, plus links to write your own review.

I will admit to initially being drawn to Loot because of its beautiful cover. But overall, its interesting premise was what made me decide to actually read the book. In the 1790s, a young Indian woodcarver came to the attention of Tipu Sultan. He, along with a French clockmaker, created an automaton of a tiger eating an English soldier. A few years later, the English defeated the Sultan and took control of Mysore. An English colonel claimed the automaton as his prize and sent it home to his wife.

The tiger in the book truly exists and resides in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Its creators have been fashioned by James. I was amazed that this is James’ first historical fiction because it is so smooth, so seamless. She weaves in the necessary details to allow the reader to envision each and every scene. I especially appreciated the part on the boat, bringing Abbas to Europe.

The two main characters, Abbas and Jehanne, are richly drawn. But even the secondary characters come though, especially Rum.

I adore historical fiction that teaches me something new and this totally fits the bill. While the story is made up, the history of the English vanquishing the Sultan is accurate, as is the French sending artisans to India. There’s plenty to keep all sorts of readers entertained - romance, war, inventions. A short book but I packs a big punch.
Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.

In a captivating weave of history, 'Loot' by Tania James presents an impressively heartwarming tale woven with the unique record of a developing skilled worker's journey to adulthood, central to an eighteenth-century legend. With the grandeur of a daring heist insight, it explores the crafty lands and bodies of ages past, following the deep red carving of government legacy into fifty years of aimless material.

At the crossroads of fate, Abbas, who is originally seventeen, becomes concerned with his ability to carve wood. It is here that one can expect the start of an incredible Tiger Machine, which will remain as a startling acknowledgment of the homecoming of Tipu's children from the clutches of English servitude. The tangled imagery that Abbas attributes to his hands, the ominous wooden animal that he restores, is a moralizing account of the wild growth of nations and lines ravaged by the unforgiving tide of war in India and the kingdoms of Europe. known as the story.

In a symphony of craftsmanship, Abbas ends up working with the bottomless French horologist, Lucien du Layz, as he refines his abilities, swallowing the musicality of the French language, the ethereal in-between of everything, giving Jehan a lucky Companion, a young lady meets a French schooner. Yet, just as Abbas appears on European shores, the tide of fortune has unexpectedly turned – the illustrious home of Tipu has been stolen by the marauding powers of the English, and the shadowy tiger robot has vanished into the shadows of time.

A fearless fire burns inside Abbas, an affirmation that leads him on a mission of recovery and recovery. To prove his mettle, he must traverse the lush landscape of the English countryside, where the royal jewels of invention are housed inside an endowment. This jackpot of seriously attainable abundance includes a picture of a mechanical tiger and Abbas' determination to exemplify the sinister history that revolves around it.

"Loot" is a show of resolute human spirit, a fitting visual that believably weaves together tales of reverence, war, displacement and longing, using it to illuminate a world edited by Tania James' great ability to narrate. is done for Opens Pages. James finds the epitome of time, craftsmanship and destiny in this masterpiece, offering readers a captivating journey through the halls of history and the workplaces of hearts....

Loot is a captivating and ambitious novel that explores the impact of imperialism on culture, identity, and love.
Tania James skillfully blends historical facts with imaginative fiction, creating a vivid and rich world full of memorable characters and scenes.
The novel is not only a thrilling story of a hero’s quest, but also a thoughtful reflection on the meaning of art, beauty, and belonging in a changing world.
I enjoyed reading Loot because it was well-written, engaging, and original. I learned a lot about the history and culture of India and France in the 18th and 19th centuries, and I was fascinated by the mechanical tiger and its symbolism.
The novel has some flaws, such as uneven pacing, too many subplots, and some anachronisms. However, these did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

The long scope of time and the wide sweep of place in this novel seemed to result in a skim over the surface of many of the themes/ ideas it attempts to take on. ( and I had hoped to be more delved into in the story. ) I wonder if a narrative nonfiction book about the Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, his resistance to the British, and his commission of the automaton would have served as a better vehicle for investigating the impact of colonization and empire.