About the Book: Be careful what you wish for…
Long ago, Andrew made a childhood wish, and kept it in a silver box. When it finally comes true, he wishes he hadn’t…
Long ago, Ben made a promise and he had a dream: to travel to Africa to volunteer at a lion reserve. When he finally makes it, it isn’t for the reasons he imagined…
Ben and Andrew keep meeting in unexpected places, and the intense relationship that develops seems to be guided by fate. Or is it?
What if the very thing that draws them together is tainted by past secrets that threaten everything?
A dark, consuming drama that shifts from Zimbabwe to England, and then back into the past, The Lion Tamer Who Lost is also a devastatingly beautiful love story, with a tragic heart…
About the Author: Louise Beech knew from being small that she wanted to write, to create, to make magic. She remembers sitting in her father’s cross-legged lap while he tried to show her his guitar’s chords. His music sheets fascinated her – such strange language that translated into music. Her mother taught languages, French and English, so her fluency fired Louise’s passion for words.
Louise’s short stories have won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric Hoffer Award for Prose, and the Aesthetica Creative Works competition, as well as shortlisting twice for the Bridport Prize and being published in a variety of UK magazines. Her first play, Afloat, was performed at Hull Truck Theatre in 2012. She also wrote a ten-year newspaper column for the Hull Daily Mail about being a parent. Her debut novel, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers’ pick for 2015. The Sunday Mirror called Maria in the Moon quirky, darkly comic, original and heartfelt.
When she was fifteen Louise bet her mother ten pounds she’d be published by the time she was thirty. She missed this deadline by two months. Her mother is still waiting for the money.
My Review: There is absolutely no doubt that Louise Beech is an incredible storyteller. Each of her books are filled with beautiful and poignant messages.
The settings are always so descriptive and atmospheric and it’s easy to get utterly engrossed in her books.
The Lion Tamer Who Lost is her latest novel and it’s difficult to review without containing spoilers.
This book is a love story, a tale of secrets, guilt, confusion, bigotry and shame, beautifully woven together through the narration of Ben and Andrew.
I was transported to the Lion Sanctuary in Africa through the authors stunning poetic and descriptive writing style.
As much as I adore this author’s work, my only niggle would be the coincidence which unfortunately is a slight bugbear of mine and purely because of that I gave this book 4 stars.