Rated of 5
by Tom B. (Ferndale, Michigan) Beautifully written
For whatever reason - perhaps the whimsical cover - I was expecting this book to suffer from quirk overload. However, I was so pleasantly surprised by what I found instead. A really moving, engaging, and original narrative that - through some extraordinary circumstances - reveals a lot about the human capacity to love and to mourn. Definitely recommend.
Rated of 5
by Mark O. (Wenatchee, WA) Lost and Found
All readers know that reading takes us places we’d never likely visit. "The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise" takes us inside the Tower of London, a place so saturated with history that ghosts ooze out everywhere. The arrival of a menagerie of animals (gifts to Queen Elizabeth, from all over the world) falls to the responsibility of one of the Tower guards, a Beefeater. These exotic animals are lost, uprooted from homes in jungles and plains, and now housed in moats and towers. In fact, this book is a story of losses. Some of these losses are terrible (a child), sad (a marriage), life-changing (a calling) or bizarre (the things left behind on the London Underground). But the opposite of lost is found and the London Underground's Lost Property Office seems a mirror of life. Things thought irretrievably lost can be found again: happiness, purpose, and life-long mates, whether one is human or albatross.
Rated of 5
by Martha P. (Issaquah, WA) History made fun
A truly delightful romp through history! If only learning could always be made this pleasurable. Each character imparts his own knowledge of the Tower of London and all it's ghosts, beheadings and royal goings-on. Animals for the menagerie provide more fodder for stories from the past. And all this with a love story or two in the midst of everything. Lovely British humor and overall a wonderful read.
Rated of 5
by Kitty H. (Pasadena, CA) Don't Miss This One
Refreshingly different and delightful are the words that come to mind to describe 'The Tower, The Zoo, and the Tortoise'. It is every bit as charming as the book cover illustration. Anglophiles and lovers of British comedy will rejoice. This story is funny, poignant and totally unique. The colorful characters who inhabit the Tower of London in the 21st century are sure to delight.
P.S. I read this story shortly after finishing 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' and 'The Girl Who Played With Fire' by Steig Larsson. The contrast was like the light at the end of the tunnel. I'd give a 5 to all three, but what a difference!
Rated of 5
by Everett W. (Mount Pleasant, SC) The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise
I enjoyed this book, but it is not great literature, rather a sometimes amusing tapas. I was initially put off by the publisher’s introduction. This book is not “snortingly funny” or an “absolutely unfettered literary delight.” It rather is a light, occasionally witty love story with a happy ending. The story is populated by eccentric English characters, few of whom, unfortunately, are fully developed. As someone with both training and an active interest in history, I found the details about the Tower of London and its history fascinating.
Rated of 5
by Tricia D. (Woodland Hills, CA) The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise
This was really my kind of book! I loved the unique characters and their problems while mixed along with the historical facts of London Tower itself. There was everything in this book I needed: romance, humor, mystery, empathy, slapstick, and even anger. Being an animal lover, the tales that were provided about the animals themselves, helped attach me to the story even more. If you're looking for something a little different to read, this book is a MUST!
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of 5
by Tom B. (Ferndale, Michigan) 
of 5
by Mark O. (Wenatchee, WA) 
of 5
by Everett W. (Mount Pleasant, SC) 
