OK, so, I totally got this book because of the cover. I had made it to the library one day with enough time to browse a little, and I saw this book in the New Fiction section. I'd hadn't read any reviews or seen it displayed at my usual bookstores. I'm glad I found it though.
Yes, the cover is very cute. The story may also seem cute, but it goes beyond that. Julia Stuart has written an bittersweet story with just a perfect mix of humor and drama.
The main character in the story is Balthazar Jones. He's a Beefeater, one of the guards that live in the Tower of London. I had no idea people still lived in the Tower until a trip to London I made with my husband and some friends in 2009. I wondered what it must be like to live in such a notorious landmark--one that attracts so many tourists each year. Besides the creepiness, what must it be like to live in one of the most popular attractions in the UK?
Stuart uses this to craft a wonderful story that centers around Balthazar and his wife, Hebe. Their is a beautiful love story. They didn't become parents until much later in life after 20 years of marriage. Tragically, their son dies unexpectedly at the age of 11. How can a couple deal with such a devastating event?
That this is the main story line in the book should have made it quite difficult to read. But Stuart brings in a quirky cast of characters and plays up Balthazar's and Hebe's own idiosyncrasies to great effect. She manages to do this without taking away from their pain. It's really a funny and uplifting book.
The quirky cast includes an adulterous Ravenmaster; a Parson that's desperately in love with the barmaid that lives and works at the Rack and Ruin bar inside the Tower; Hebe's co-worker at the London Underground lost and found; and Balthazar's 100+ year tortoise. To add to all of this, Balthazar is put in charge of the Queen's menagerie after she decides to reinstate it in the Tower. Of course, chaos ensues.
A lovely book and I'm going to make sure I read Stuart's other works.
Next up: 33 Men: Inside the Miraculous Survival and Dramatic Rescue of the Chilean Miners, by Jonathan Franklin.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.