The Goddess and the Thief
A diamond, a curse, an obsession... From the bestselling author of CATHERINE: A RETELLING OF WUTHERING HEIGHTS
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The Goddess and the Thief
Narrated by:
Rosie Jones
Buy Now for £13.64
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Narrated by:
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Rosie Jones
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By:
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Essie Fox
Uprooted from her home in India, Alice is raised by her aunt, a spiritualist medium in Windsor. When the mysterious Mr Tilsbury enters their lives, Alice is drawn into a plot to steal the priceless Koh-i-Noor diamond, claimed by the British Empire at the end of the Anglo-Sikh wars.
Said to be both blessed and cursed, the sacred Indian stone exerts its power over all who encounter it: a handsome deposed maharajah determined to claim his rightful throne, a man hell-bent on discovering the secrets of eternity, and a widowed queen who hopes the jewel can draw her husband's spirit back. In the midst of all this madness, Alice must discover a way to regain control of her life and fate...
Read by Rosie Jones
(p) 2014 Orion Publishing Group©2013 Essie Fox
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Critic reviews
This is a fascinating, fast-paced, beautifully written book and well worth reading. (Carol Westron)
Fox's clear and thorough historical research is clearly woven into every seam of this rich and imaginative novel. (Antonia Charlesworth)
The plot of this novel is intricate and beautifully turned, and echoes of Frances Hodgson Burnett and George MacDonald Fraser are entirely intentional - Fox's raids on the story-box cleverly enhance the sense of mystery
A richly textured, highly coloured and entirely pleasurable read
Dark secrets, hidden pasts and childhood mysteries are the focus in this sensual melodrama...an entertaining slice of Victoriana, rich in historical detail
With just as many twists and turns as Wilkie Collins aat his unpredictable best, Fox's take on the Victorian mystery novel will transport you to a world of intrigue and superstition . . . A gem of a read
The author captures the essence of Victorian life in this richly textured novel...hugely enjoyable. If you love all things Victorian, you will love this
Beautifully turned and very beguiling . . . Fox cleverly weaves in real characters such as the widowed Queen Victoria and the Maharajah Duleep Singh, with Indian myths and legends, to produce a terrifically engrossing read
Delights in the underworld and exotica of Victorian Britain...Memorable and unusual
A dark enthralling story... I was totally engrossed!
A shadowy sensual world... [a] beguiling, imaginative and original tale
Terrifically atmospheric and an engrossing plot.
This is a tale of lost families, haunting prophecies and obsessive love. Not one to miss! 8 out 10 stars
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
No. The character of Alice Willoughby was weak and poorly defined. She made decisions that made no sense to me, namely she's at once repulsed but then sexually aroused by certain other characters. She's so upset by her own circumstances, yet seems to do absolutely nothing about them even after she finds evidence of clear wrong-doing. She's just a passive by-stander throughout the whole book, which is quite boring. Stuff happens to her, but she creates barely any action at all. The story of the Koh i noor diamond is interesting, but the reasons for it's theft aren't very well explained and then that whole plot line just trails off into nothing, demolished by an easy plot device towards the end that sorts everything out rather neatly, though of course Alice has no direct hand in these actions either.I felt that Alice's connections with India and Indian culture was well described. I felt transported at times. I wish more had happened in India really.What will your next listen be?
No idea. Something with a decent plot.Have you listened to any of Rosie Jones’s other performances? How does this one compare?
This is my first and I thought the performace was great. Easy to listen to and good emotive expression.Could you see The Goddess and the Thief being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?
No.A plot that meanders off in no direction
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