Once a Monster by Robert Dinsdale (Hardback)

£18.99
Available
Product Ref. (e.g. ISBN, SKU)
9781529097375
Published:
21 Sep 2023
Format:
Hardback
Number of pages:
512 pages
Dimensions:
243x163x48mm
Weight:
0.759kgs
Author:
From Robert Dinsdale, the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers, comes an imaginative retelling of the legend of the Minotaur.

'[An] imaginative mash-up of the mythical with Victorian gothic.' - The Times

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges - searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It's not the first corpse she's encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell's fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .

From the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers comes an imaginative retelling of the legend of the Minotaur, full of myth and magic and steeped in the grime of Victorian London; perfect for lovers of historical fiction with a mythical twist.

Praise for Once A Monster:

'A labyrinthine delight of a novel . . . Dickensian darkness is infused with ancient myth. Historical writing at its finest . . . .' - Essie Fox, bestselling author of The Somnambulist and The Fascination

'The story flows as smoothly as the waters of the Thames, and is just as dark and deep. Of note is Dinsdale's ability to turn a phrase, shimmering like fine crystal held to the light. A dazzling and heartfelt book.' - Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros

About the Author: Robert Dinsdale was born in North Yorkshire and currently lives in Leigh-on-Sea.He is the author of five previous critically acclaimed novels including the bestselling The Toymakers, which was his first venture into magic.

More Information
Number of pages 512

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