The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Cowley
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By:
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Julia Stuart
About this listen
Brimming with charm and whimsy, this exquisite novel set in the Tower of London has the transportive qualities and delightful magic of the contemporary classics Chocolat and Amélie. Balthazar Jones has lived in the Tower of London with his loving wife, Hebe, and his 120-year-old pet tortoise for the past eight years. That’s right, he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It’s no easy job living and working in the tourist attraction in present-day London.
Among the eccentric characters who call the Tower’s maze of ancient buildings and spiral staircases home are the Tower’s Rack & Ruin barmaid, Ruby Dore, who just found out she’s pregnant; portly Valerie Jennings, who is falling for ticket inspector Arthur Catnip; the lifelong bachelor Reverend Septimus Drew, who secretly pens a series of principled erotica; and the philandering Ravenmaster, aiming to avenge the death of one of his insufferable ravens.
When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen, life at the Tower gets all the more interesting. Penguins escape, giraffes are stolen, and the Komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives. Balthazar is in charge and things are not exactly running smoothly. Then Hebe decides to leave him and his beloved tortoise “runs” away.
Filled with the humor and heart that calls to mind the delightful novels of Alexander McCall Smith, and the charm and beauty of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is a magical, wholly original novel whose irresistible characters will stay with you long after you have finished listening to this audiobook.
©2010 Julia Stuart (P)2010 Random HouseListeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
It seems that each time I begin to talk about The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise, I mistakenly suggest that the story is set more than a hundred years ago. This is not the case, as the setting is contemporary, but the “old world” atmosphere pervades the novel in a way that is truly enchanting. The author’s antique writing style voiced through Jonathan Crowley’s charming British narration offers a unique and captivating experience for the listener.
Balthazar Jones and his wife Hebe have lived in the Tower of London for eight years while he works as a Beefeater (yes, they still exist), a guardian of the Tower. The two have lived quiet lives of desperation ever since their 11-year-old son Milo suddenly passed away in his sleep. Their quiet lives are disrupted when Balthazar is assigned the responsibility of overseeing the opening of a menagerie in the Tower of London filled with monkeys and giraffes and any other animals given as gifts to the Queen of England during her lifetime. With the abrupt change of pace, Balthazar’s grief is put on hold as he redirects his focus and consideration towards a herd of animals suddenly in his care.
Balthazar and Hebe are joined by a cast of characters that includes a secretly-pregnant barmaid named Ruby, a clergyman who happens to also write a best-selling erotica series, a clerk named Valerie who works in the Department of Lost Property for the London Underground with Hebe, and a 181-year-old tortoise named Mrs. Cook, who has been in the Jones family’s care since before Milo was born.
The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise is a beautifully crafted story that unfolds and peels back the layers of each character in an immensely gratifying way. There is grief and heartbreak, but there is also love, passion, humor, and a lot of charm to be found in this story. But best of all is the experience of hearing it aloud, and Jonathan Crowley delivers a sincerely moving narration to complement this lovely story. Suzanne Day
Critic reviews
“The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise is grounded by the moving central love story. This sweet romp will appeal to history buffs.” (Kirkus Reviews)
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You won't remember Mr. Heming. He was the estate agent who showed you around your comfortable home, suggested a financial package, negotiated a price with the owner, and called you with the good news. The less good news is that, all these years later, he still has the key. That's absurd, you laugh. Of all the many hundreds of houses he has sold, why would he still have the key to mine? The answer is; he has the keys to them all. William Heming's most at home in a stranger's private things.
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The Invisible Man
- By Janice on 02-05-15
By: Phil Hogan
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Dying in the Wool
- A Kate Shackleton Mystery, Book 1
- By: Frances Brody
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Bridgestead is a peaceful spot: a babbling brook, rolling hills, and a working mill at its heart. Pretty and remote, nothing exceptional happens...until the day that Master of the Mill Joshua Braithwaite goes missing under dramatic circumstances, never to be heard of again. Now Joshua's daughter is getting married and wants to make one last attempt at finding her father. Kate Shackleton has always loved solving puzzles. So who better to get to the bottom of Joshua's mysterious disappearance?
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Fluff & Nonsense
- By Sara on 01-03-15
By: Frances Brody
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The Reader on the 6.27
- By: Jean-Paul Didierlaurent, Ros Schwartz - translator
- Narrated by: Stephane Cornicard
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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An irresistible French sensation - Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore meets Amélie. The Reader on the 6.27 explores the power of books through the lives of the people they save. It is sure to capture the hearts of book lovers everywhere. Guylain Vignolles leads a dull and solitary life. He hates his job and his only company at home is a goldfish. Every morning he takes the 6.27 to his tedious job at a book pulping factory.
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Charming and sweet
- By Kindle Customer on 07-20-21
By: Jean-Paul Didierlaurent, and others
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The President's Hat
- By: Antoine Laurain
- Narrated by: Luke Thompson, Peter Noble, David Timson, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. After the presidential party has gone, Daniel discovers that Mitterrand’s black felt hat has been left behind. After a few moments’ soul-searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary evening. It’s a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel somehow...different.
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You need this book. I need that hat.
- By Amber on 10-25-13
By: Antoine Laurain
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Haunted Ground
- By: Erin Hart
- Narrated by: Jennifer McMahon
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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When farmers cutting turf in an Irish peat bog make a grisly discovery, the perfectly intact body of a young woman with long red hair, archaeologist Cormac O'Callaghan and pathologist Nora Gavin are thrown together by their shared scientific interest in human remains. Because of the preservative effect of the bog, it is difficult to tell whether the body has lain there for two decades, two centuries, or two millennia.
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Mysteries old and mysteries new
- By Linda on 11-25-03
By: Erin Hart
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The Distant Hours
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 22 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Edie Burchill and her mother have never been close, but when a long lost letter arrives one Sunday afternoon with the return address of Milderhurst Castle, Kent, printed on its envelope, Edie begins to suspect that her mother’s emotional distance masks an old secret.
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Right Mood At The Right Time
- By Simone on 11-13-12
By: Kate Morton
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A Golden Age
- A Novel
- By: Tahmima Anam
- Narrated by: Madhur Jaffrey
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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As young widow Rehana Haque awakes one March morning, she might be forgiven for feeling happy. Today she will throw a party for her son and daughter. In the garden of the house she has built, her roses are blooming, her children are almost grown, and beyond their doorstep, the city is buzzing with excitement after recent elections. Change is in the air.
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sad, poignant, thought-provoking, beautiful
- By Rio Delta Wild on 06-04-08
By: Tahmima Anam
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The Medusa Amulet
- By: Robert Masello
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Benvenuto Cellini, master artisan of Renaissance Italy, once crafted a beautiful amulet prized for its unimaginable power - and untold menace. Now the quest to recover this legendary artifact depends upon one man: David Franco, a brilliant but skeptical young scholar at Chicago's world-renowned Newberry Library.
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A great historical fiction book, fun and intriguing
- By Nicole on 04-14-16
By: Robert Masello
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Run, Mummy, Run
- By: Cathy Glass
- Narrated by: Denica Fairman
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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From the author of Sunday Times and New York Times best seller Damaged, the gripping story of a woman caught in a horrific cycle of abuse - and the desperate lengths she must go to in order to escape. When Aisha spots an ad for a 'personal introductory service for professionals' in the newspaper, she could never have guessed it would lead to such a perfect marriage. But you should be careful what you wish for.... Mark is sorry the first time he hits Aisha.
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Cathy glass never disappoints.
- By momm243 on 08-27-20
By: Cathy Glass
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Putney
- A Novel
- By: Sofka Zinovieff
- Narrated by: Michelle Ford
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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In the spirit of Zoë Heller’s Notes on a Scandal and Tom Perrotta’s Mrs. Fletcher, an explosive and thought-provoking novel about the far-reaching repercussions of an illicit relationship between a young girl and a man 20 years her senior. Masterfully told from three diverse viewpoints - victim, perpetrator, and witness - Putney is a subtle and enormously powerful novel about consent, agency, and what we tell ourselves to justify what we do, and what others do to us.
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One of the greatest stories of all time!
- By Valarie on 06-17-20
By: Sofka Zinovieff
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Madame Bovary
- By: Gustave Flaubert
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Emma Bovary is not content to be the mere dutiful wife of a French country doctor. She yearns for excitement and a sense of romance that pulls at her so strongly she is powerless to resist, even though pursuing her dreams will exact a terrible price. Learn why Gustave Flaubert's compelling heroine has enchanted and puzzled readers for centuries.
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Now Here's a Story
- By P. Giorgio on 09-06-03
By: Gustave Flaubert
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The Lake House
- By: Kate Morton
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 21 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Living on her family’s gorgeous lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, clever, inquisitive, innocent, and precociously talented fourteen-year-old who loves to write stories. But the mysteries she pens are no match for the one her family is about to endure ...One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest son, Theo, has vanished without a trace.
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Enjoyed the writing, but oy vey, this book
- By Jennifer S on 12-28-18
By: Kate Morton
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Evergreen Falls
- By: Kimberley Freeman
- Narrated by: Jennifer Vuletic
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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A long-forgotten secret, a scandalous attraction and a place where two women's lives are changed forever. 1926: Violet Armstrong is one of the few remaining members of staff working at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel as it closes down over winter. Only a handful of guests are left, including the heir to a rich grazing family, his sister and her suave suitor. When a snowstorm moves in, the hotel is cut off and they are all trapped. No-one could have predicted what would unfold.
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Soooo Boring
- By Merford on 10-09-19
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A Great Deliverance
- Inspector Lynley, Book 1
- By: Elizabeth George
- Narrated by: Donada Peters
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Into Keldale's pastoral web of old houses and older secrets comes Scotland Yard Inspector Thomas Lynley, the eighth earl of Asherton. Along with the redoubtable Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, Lynley has been sent to solve a savage murder that has stunned the peaceful countryside. For fat, unlovely Roberta Teys has been found in her best dress, an ax in her lap, seated in the old stone barn beside her father's headless corpse. Her first and last words were "I did it. And I'm not sorry".
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good debut novel
- By Stevon on 11-11-19
By: Elizabeth George
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The Muse
- A Novel
- By: Jessie Burton
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Maria Elena Infantino
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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England, 1967. Odelle Bastien is a Caribbean émigré trying to make her way in London. When she starts working at the prestigious Skelton Institute of Art, she discovers a painting rumored to be the work of Isaac Robles, a young artist of immense talent and vision whose mysterious death has confounded the art world for decades. The excitement over the painting is matched by the intrigue around the conflicting stories of its discovery.
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Mixed narration
- By Amy Fleury on 08-05-16
By: Jessie Burton
What listeners say about The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Emily
- 07-21-22
An amazing book
Some friends and I have a gift oriented book club. The person that recommends the book also provides gifts to go along with the book. This book was my choice. It is a wonderful story that touched us all - mostly American, but an English person, too. I highly recommend this touching story that takes place in the Tower of London. It could take place anywhere. The characters create a moving tale of an English family under extraordinary circumstances. I can't recommend it highly enough. The characters, environment, animals, etc make it something special. It is well worth listening to. And for this club, I reread it almost a dozen times. I loved it as much the twelfth as I did the second time.
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- Lori B
- 04-26-12
Wonderful subtle British humor.
If you could sum up The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise in three words, what would they be?
Whimsical,funny yet poignant.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I laughed and at times I cried.
Any additional comments?
If you don't like subtle, dry humor you probably won't care for this book. I do and I loved this book. In addition, the author throws in lots of zany historical facts about former inhabitants of the Tower of London.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Nancy
- 10-16-12
Amusing but may not be America’s cuppa
I found this novel to be a hidden gem; however, I enjoy the subdued British humor. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the ridiculous situational antics and how our stoic hero handles them.
The author seems to be creating a satiric play on some of the excesses the world’s diplomats inflict on our governments. Similarly, she plays up the British worship of their traditions in the monarchy and the excesses required to keep up the accoutrements and trappings of that station. As usual with this author, the extreme British reserve to all things emotional is displayed with devastating accuracy.
The narrator was good at displaying the subdued humor with appropriate straight-man aplomb.
All in all, I found the novel to be entertaining. However, it is not an exciting offering and does not seem to have a well-defined plot. It seems to me to be more of a serial British sit-com.
If you like the British humor (or humour), this might be for you. If you’re the kind that want suspense, rowdy plot-lines, mysteries or romance, you may want to give this one a miss.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Suz
- 04-13-14
Great Quirky Book
What made the experience of listening to The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise the most enjoyable?
The story was original as it was a fictional story mixed in with fascinating historical facts about the Tower of London.
What did you like best about this story?
I loved the parts about the animals, when the Royal Menagerie is moved to the Tower for a short while. Really hillarious! I also very much enjoyed the work of the women who try to find the owners of all the weird items that are left on the London Underground. Very intertaining!
Which character – as performed by Jonathan Cowley – was your favorite?
The main character is fascinating, having held on to a guilt for so long and developed an odd behavior to cover it up. All the characters are quirky and unique, which makes this book a wonderful listen.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
All the main characters have something sad about their life, and of course I felt that too although I did not get overwhelmed by it due to the funny aspects of the story.
Any additional comments?
The reader has a pleasant and clear voice.
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- Becky
- 06-25-12
Wonderful
Where does The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
A smart, charming story ! Characters who will stay with you for a long time.
Any additional comments?
I have recommend this book to many of my friends. Listen and enjoy.
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- Patricia B Tripoli
- 09-24-11
Typical English Humor
Any additional comments?
I chose this book because a friend thoroughly enjoyed it. It is full of English humor, which I now realize I don't really care for. But it isn't awful. The narraton was superb.
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- lhb
- 11-19-12
Zzzzzzz
What about Jonathan Cowley’s performance did you like?
Jon Cowley's voice is like music. His expression and intonation is excellent. The only reason he didn't get top rating is that he was a bit slow. This was easily solved by bumping the speed up to 1 and 1/2.
Any additional comments?
The book was as disjointed as it's title. Several sets of characters going about their rather average lives with no tie between them except they live in the same "neighborhood".
The main story's conclusion can't be called anti-climax since there was not climax, anywhere. I'm wondering if the author was paid by the word because I didn't need to be told over 20 times that the stair railing was filthy or the colour and shape of someone's shoes.
The promise of an ending explaining the one "mystery" did have me listen to the book to the end (ok, the voice of JC would be lovely reading a biscuit label) but even that was disappointing.
I loved the bits of obscure history bulking out the novel but if you are not into these tidbits, which had me languishing in Wikipedia for hours, you will be frustrated.
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- Amazon Reader
- 10-09-21
Great story
Wonderful story. Great character development. Heartwarming story. Highly recommend for all ages. History speaks to all of us.
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- Cookie
- 05-14-13
Disappointing
Would you try another book from Julia Stuart and/or Jonathan Cowley?
Not sure.
What was most disappointing about Julia Stuart’s story?
I LOVED Stuart's Pigeon Pie Mystery and this one was described as a modern story but with period flavor. Not true. The narrator gives a dull, monotone recitation and the story holds no charm.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jonathan Cowley?
Not sure but another might be able to lift up the story.
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- K.S.
- 12-26-11
Exhausting!
What disappointed you about The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise?
I listened to this book as part of my book club and while it certainly broadened my horizons (I would not have picked this out on my own), that's about all it did. This book annoyed me and perhaps even tormented me a bit, having to finish it but not wanting to. By the end of the book I felt a bit sorry for the main character and even might have liked him a bit and his wife too, for that matter...but that's about it. It was just kind of a pointless story.
What could Julia Stuart have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
Nothing...it's just not my kind of book!
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2 people found this helpful