'A labyrinthine delight of a novel . . . Dickensian darkness is infused with ancient myth.
About the Author: Robert Dinsdale was born in North Yorkshire and currently lives in Leigh-on-Sea.
512 Pages
Fiction + Literature Genres, Historical

Description

About the Book

From Robert Dinsdale, the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers, comes a spellbinding retelling of the legend of the Minotaur; a tale of found family and friendship, loss and redemption.

Book Synopsis

'A labyrinthine delight of a novel . . . Dickensian darkness is infused with ancient myth. Historical writing at its finest . . . .' Essie Fox, bestselling author of The Somnambulist and The Fascination

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges - searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It's not the first corpse she's encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell's fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .

From the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers comes an imaginative retelling of the legend of the Minotaur, full of myth and magic and steeped in the grime of Victorian London; perfect for lovers of historical fiction with a mythical twist.

Praise for Once A Monster:
'Imaginative mash-up of the mythical with Victorian gothic.' - The Times

'A wonderful magic trick of a story, full of very human monsters and monstrous humans. Dinsdale is a beautiful, evocative story teller. - Stuart Turton, bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

About the Author

Robert Dinsdale was born in North Yorkshire and currently lives in Leigh-on-Sea.

He is the author of five previous critically acclaimed novels including the bestselling The Toymakers, which was his first venture into magic.

Specifications

Dimensions (Overall): 8.35 Inches (H) x 5.83 Inches (W) x 1.5 Inches (D)

Weight: 1.1 Pounds

Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up

Number of Pages: 512

Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres

Sub-Genre: Historical

Publisher: MacMillan UK

Theme: General

Format: Hardcover

Author: Robert Dinsdale

Language: English

Street Date: February 13, 2024

TCIN: 1007914101

UPC: 9781529097375

Item Number (DPCI): 247-46-9533

Origin: Made in the USA or Imported

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Shipping & Returns

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1.5 inches length x 5.83 inches width x 8.35 inches height

Estimated ship weight: 1.1 pounds

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Return details

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