THE CORAL THIEF by Rebecca Stott

THE CORAL THIEF by Rebecca Stott

Stott, R. (2009). The coral thief: A novel. New York: Spiegel & Grau.

GENRE: Historical Fiction

ANNOTATION:

SUMMARY: It is the year 1815 and Napoleon has just surrendered at Waterloo and is on his way to the island of St. Helena to begin his exile. Meanwhile, post revolutionary Paris is alive and abuzz with change but nothing is as simple as it seems. As Daniel Connor, a young medical student, makes his way to Paris to study anatomy with a renowned professor, he bears gifts of rare fossils for study. But as he makes his way through the night by carriage, he meets a beautiful and mysterious woman, holding an even more peculiar child. This beauty intrigues him with her knowledge and study of philosophy. As the night wears on he falls asleep and when he awakes he finds himself in Paris alone with the fossils missing. He can’t go to the professor empty handed nor can he return home. He must find this inexplicable woman and the stolen goods. As his search continues he learns that the woman he seeks is part a philosopher and thief, living in shadows amongst other outlaws. As his fascination continues, she will challenge his beliefs to the very core as he pursues the precious coral.

EVALUATION: 3 - While the book seemed to promise more suspense than it delivered, it contained many interesting ideas and proved an excellent opportunity for philosophical speculation and discussion.

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION: This is Rebecca Stott’s first novel.