stellarstar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The story takes place during a during a very interesting historical period; the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Beautifully written, highly atmospheric, mysterious characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
jtlars7's review
2.0
Ok; not a must-read. Interesting having just read a book about Napoleon and the political events in France right up to the beginning of this story (Desiree).
caroparr's review against another edition
3.0
Lots of elements that appeal to me - evolutionary theories, Paris, Napoleon, Cuvier and Lamarck - but the characters never quite came to life.
rachelbetters99's review
3.0
This was an alright book. It was enjoyable, but not memorable. It's clear the author did her research, and I enjoyed the descriptions of historic Paris. The storyline and the characters were alright, but again, nothing particularly memorable.
lisagray68's review
4.0
I really like Stott’s books -period historical pieces. This one is about scientific discoveries in Paris right after Napoleon’s fall.
stacialithub's review
3.0
I really enjoyed The Coral Thief as a historical fiction piece (though the characterization could have been stronger, imo). Stott provided many fascinating facts about the Paris scientific community after the fall of Napoleon, specifically lots of emerging thought around the ideas of transmutation & evolution. Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction w/ a dose of science.
tessorlando's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
mheinlein's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of Rebecca Stott s book, The Coral Thief, from the Library Thing s early reviewers program, and I truly enjoyed spending time in this book. I say IN this book, as opposed to reading this book, because this is a story that drew me in. The young Daniel Connor thought he had the rest of his life mapped out. He would travel to Paris in July of 1815 and work for the famous Professor Cuvier as an aide-naturaliste. This in turn would significantly improve his reputation in his chosen profession as a man of science . Life rarely follows the plans we make for it though, and the traveler on the road of life is often met with ambushes and skirmishes . Daniel s ambush went by the name of Lucienne Bernard. Daniel found out first hand that Lucienne is a thief, a common thief, however, she was not. The lives of Daniel and Lucienne become entwined and Daniel found himself on a road he could never have dreamed of before he met his thief.