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An Almond for a Parrot

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An Almond for a Parrot

By: Wray Delaney, (Sally Gardner)
Narrated by: Rachel Atkins
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‘shades of Sarah Waters…irresistible’ – The Guardian

‘I would like to make myself the heroine of this story – an innocent victim led astray. But alas sir, I would be lying…’

London, 1756: In Newgate prison, Tully Truegood awaits trial. Her fate hanging in the balance, she tells her life-story. It’s a tale that takes her from skivvy in the back streets of London, to conjuror’s assistant, to celebrated courtesan at her stepmother’s Fairy House, the notorious house of ill-repute where decadent excess is a must…

Tully was once the talk of the town. Now, with the best seats at Newgate already sold in anticipation of her execution, her only chance of survival is to get her story to the one person who can help her avoid the gallows.

She is Tully Truegood.

Orphan, whore, magician’s apprentice.

Murderer?

A compelling mix of bawdy romp and magical realism.’
-Sarra Manning, Red magazine

©2016 Wray Delaney (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Biographical Fiction Coming of Age Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism Magic Biography Crime Magic Users
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The best book I’ve heard in ages. I loved the story, it’s content & the way it was read. At times it made be burst out laughing, but has a tender side to it too.
I’ve recommended it to all my friends.

Absolutely loved it

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An Almond for a Parrot was an entertaining listen. Overall I enjoyed the book- some of the descriptions of the more saucier parts made me laugh out loud, and there were a few plot holes and plot points which I found a bit confusing / a bit of a fantastical leap. Overall however, I enjoyed it and would recommend.

Entertaining and Escapist Listening

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One of the character's favourite comments is 'Tish tosh'. That sums up this book fairly well.

There's more silly sex than story for quite a while, and the 'magic' element is not handled very well; it reads as if it's been added in without too much thought. The book does get better towards the end, but it's really not worth waiting that long.

Once the narrator has stopped making the male characters into over the top pantomime villains, and has settled in to the story, the performance is very good, with the exception of the rebounding 'g' s which bounce around in the London and RP accents and drag us off to Birmingham.

Insubstantial

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All the way through this magical yet sometimes disturbing story you are filled with hope for a happy ending. The life of the main character is at times enchanting and sometimes distressing. As a visual reader, the narrator renders images in the mind of each character and scene.
I used to read Sally Gardiner stories to my daughter so it is perhaps understandable that I enjoyed this book written under her pseudonym.

You have to love a story with a twist.

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loved it right to the end. one of those books you don't want to end.

It pulls you in and keeps it up til the very end.

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