BookBrowse Review

A historical novel set against the backdrop of post-Revolutionary France

The Coral Thief is an epic tale of change, love, and science set against the backdrop of post-Revolutionary France. Napoleon has just been deposed, and France is wrestling with an identity crisis. Will the values of the revolution - independence, freedom, brotherhood - take pre-eminence, or will the country revert to its monarchial tradition? Alongside these philosophical and political debates, similar ones are being waged in the realm of science. Are species static, non-changing, much like the centuries-old tradition of kingship, or do animals change to adapt to their environments, similar to the idealistic revolutionaries? Wide-eyed and anxious to learn, Daniel Connor travels from staid Edinburgh to the hotbed of Paris, the center of the political, philosophical, and scientific debates that will effect change across Europe. In his purse he carries rare bits of coral and precious letters of introduction to Cuvier, the revered naturalist who seeks to prove the stasis of species.

Daniel has left his predictable life in Scotland for a chance to learn from the greatest scientific minds of his day, but on his way to Paris, he encounters a mysterious woman who is not all that she seems. Over the course of their conversation in the coach, the woman learns of Daniel's plans and becomes intensely interested in the contents of his valise. While Daniel sleeps, she steals his letters and priceless coral, leaving him with no way to introduce himself to Cuvier or secure a position at the Jardin des Plantes. Angry and violated, Daniel sets out to find the mysterious lady and his stolen items.

Written in first person, The Coral Thief follows Daniel's experiences as he searches for the mysterious woman and matures from a naïve boy to a worldly man. Though at points his narration is limiting and a more expansive third-person narration would have allowed for greater insight into other characters' points of view, the reader is able to discover the robust society of Paris as a newcomer along with Daniel, which allows for a slow introduction to a complex world. Peopled with characters both historical and fictional, Stott's story sits comfortably in its historical context. There are no obvious anachronisms, the dialogue is believable, and the details are lush and evocative. The narrative ranges from delightful scenes at the Jardin des Plantes, the epicenter of naturalist research, to the twisted, dark alleys of the poorer sections of Paris, and each moment transports the reader to a bygone era.

Overlaid on top of the excellently executed historical fiction is a page-turning mystery that will keep readers riveted. Daniel's search for the mysterious woman launches him into the Parisian underworld of frustrated revolutionaries and idealistic students. Raging around him in the cafes and classrooms are the great debates of the time: is Paris on the cusp of change - do animals change, and ultimately, can people change? This last inquiry points to the thematic core of the novel. As Daniel searches for the mysterious lady, hoping for reclamation of his stolen goods, he begins to analyze the meaning of stasis versus evolution and the impact this dichotomy has on not only politics, philosophy, and science, but also on romantic relationships. As he watches himself evolve and repudiate the life he was taught to live by his Protestant family, he begins to find the key to the mystery he hopes desperately to solve.

Reviewed by Sarah Sacha Dollacker

This review was originally published in January 2010, and has been updated for the May 2010 paperback release. Click here to go to this issue.

Beyond the Book

The Jardin des Plantes and the Changing Landscapes of Botanical Gardens

The Jardin des Plantes in Paris was the epicenter of naturalist research in the early 1800s and is currently one of the world's foremost botanical gardens. Built in 1626, it was planted in 1635 as a medicinal herb garden for the King of France. It was opened to the public in 1640, greatly expanded under superintendent G.L.L Buffon, and eventually developed into a center of scientific study. Georges Cuvier, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the Jussieu brothers, and other prominent scientists of the time were all associated with the Jardin des Plantes and conducted research there. During the early 19th century, the facility supported expeditions to different parts of the world to acquire large numbers of plants and animals that had previously been unknown to the Western world.

The Jardin des Plantes' transition from medicinal garden to botanical garden is typical of the historical development of botanical gardens. The first modern botanic gardens* were the physic gardens in 16th - 17th century Italy, and the first of these was the garden created at the University of Pisa in 1543 by Luca Ghini. These gardens were designed to facilitate the academic study of medicinal plants, and by the late 16th century, similar gardens were being planted in universities and apothecaries across Europe.

During the age of exploration, as European nations began to discover other cultures and ecosystems, these gardens underwent a great change. As new species were discovered in disparate parts of the world and brought back to Europe, the botanical gardens began to cultivate and conduct research on these new found plant species. Some countries - like England and France - founded botanical gardens in their colonies. The French Pamplemousse Botanic Garden (now the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden) was founded in Mauritius in 1735 and the British Calcutta Botanic Garden was established in 1787 in India. These gardens - both in the colonies and Europe - received and cultivated commercial crops such as cloves, breadfruit, cinchona, palm oil and chocolate. During this time, Para rubber was introduced to Singapore, teak and tea to India, and breadfruit, pepper and star fruit to the Caribbean. Though these gardens seemed to function like the traditional gardens, they were mainly in place as commercial ventures, rather than academic pursuits.

By the 19th and 20th century botanical gardens were mainly developed for pleasure purposes rather than for academic or commercial reasons. There are still a few botanical gardens - the Missouri Botanical Garden, for example - that maintain a scientific mission, but these are often limited to labeling plant collections and seed distribution, rather than cultivation and research.

Today, The Jardin des Plantes covers about 11 acres, and houses the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, and the Minerology, Paleontology, and Entymology museums of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle.

Top: The Mexican Hothouse built (1834-36) by Rohault de Fleury
Bottom: The entrance to the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution

*Gardens dedicated at least in part to the display or use of plants are known to have existed in ancient civilizations including Rome, Mexico and China. For example, in 2800 BCE, it is recorded that the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung sent collectors to distant parts in search of plants with economic and medicinal value. It is thought that the development of modern botanical gardens was influenced by the Spanish conquest of Mesoamerica and the invaders' realization that the Aztecs knew more about medicinal plants than did Europe.