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    Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?
    Unavailable
    Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?
    Unavailable
    Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?
    Audiobook5 hours

    Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?

    Written by Eleanor Updale

    Narrated by Stephen Fry

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    When a petty thief falls though a glass roof in his attempt to escape from the police, what should have been the death of him marks the beginning of a while new life. After his broken body is reconstructed by an ambitious young doctor, he is released from prison, and--with the help of Victorian London's extensive sewer system--he becomes the most elusive burglar in the city. He adopts a dual existence as a respectable, wealthy gentleman named Montmorency, and his degenerate servant Scarper. But Montmorency must always be on guard. The smallest mistake could reveal his secret and ruin both his lives.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 24, 2004
    ISBN9780807223710
    Unavailable
    Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?

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    Reviews for Montmorency

    4/5

    205 ratings24 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 2/5
      good teen read
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book! It was quite a find at my school's book fair. Just enough historical background to make you feel like you are there, without being too much to weigh down the story for young readers. I was totally wrapped up in what was going to happen to Montmorency. Was he going to go straight? Would he get caught again?Call me naughty, but I was rooting for the bad guy.
    • 4/5
      Very quick read. For a debut novel, I felt like the author really had a good grasp of voice. Wish the font had been different and the margins not so large (I was expecting the book to be longer than it was), but no real problems with the content. Pacing was too quick — but that I only had a problem with because I liked it.
    • 4/5
      A young street thief is being chased by the police. In trying to escape them, he falls through a glass roof and comes close to death. Sentenced to prison he is found by an up-and-coming young surgeon, who gets permission to sew the thief back together and then use him as a human example of what can be done to repair the human body.While travelling with the doctor to various medical seminars, prisoner 493 observes and learns how the other class lives. He also learns much about his body and what has been done. He also learns about the new underground sewers in London and how they connect up to all the areas to remove the waste. To him they can be utilized as a transportation corridor...to various parts to aide in his thievery and help him to a better life.After he is released, he takes on two new identities: Scarper, a rough, corrupt and filthy bloke; and Montmorency, a wealthy and sophisticated gentleman. Each person has their own life but are linked in that Scarper is Montmorency's servant.Scarper's use of the sewers allows him to steal from the rich of the city; this gives Montmorency the funds to take rooms at the Hotel Marimion and become part of the high society of London. The key thing is keeping the two identities separate and his past a secret.I enjoyed both characters and the story. I found that there were sections that made me hold my breath and hope that the character succeeded. I read it at a slower pace so I could enjoy the book and think over the actions of the characters.
    • 5/5
      Engaging story with plenty of historic atmosphere. As a prisoner and doctor's showcase patient, Montmorency has been in the attendance of various academic lectures. One in particular captures his interest: that of the sewer system in London. He realizes he could use the sewer system as a getaway option when robbing valuables. When he is released from prison he embarks on his plan. By selling the items he steals, Montmorency is able to buy into an upper-class lifestyle. He adopts two personas to carry it off: that of Scarper who does the stealing and is the personal "assistant" to Montmorency, the high-end gentleman living at the Marimion Hotel. He is engaged by a fellow gentleman to spy on an embassy dinner and get any details about an uprising in Maramnania. When Montmorency successfully pulls it off, he is offered a job with the foreign office. At that point, now a legitimate member of society, Montmorency drops his Scarper persona and returns several items he'd stolen but never sold.
    • 4/5
      Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. Montmorency is definitely an interesting guy. I liked reading about his struggle with going straight. Very glad that Scarper was ditched at the end of the book as I felt it was running the risk of hitting split personality territory.

      I'm not 100% sure what makes this a children's book. They never allude to Montmorency's age although it's clear he's considered an adult by the time period standards and all the flirtations make me think this might be more of a tween work maybe? Planning on reading the rest of the series eventually.
    • 4/5
      For a debut novel, and a YA novel as well, I found this story to be entertaining, and not just because Stephen Fry is the reader for the audiobook I listened to. Updale has captured the key elements of Victorian London, with an interesting glimpse into the lives of both the elite and the poorer, working class. Updale uses to advantage this great divide between rich and poor to get away with his alternating persona - one really never expects to see a gentleman and his servant together except in the sanctity of one's private rooms. I did start to wonder when Updale added espionage to the mix - thieving coupled with gentlemanly pursuits seemed good enough to me - but she does manage to make it work without ruining a perfectly good story. Some of the details get glossed over or missed and the characters are a bit two dimensional but overall, an enjoyable read for readers like me who like a bit of intrigue in a Victorian England setting. Listening to Fry read the story was amusing, especially when he would adopt his 'Jeeves' voice, with that note of disdain. Overall, a good piece of brain candy that isn't overly taxing.
    • 4/5
      Montmorency is a thief who uses his skills to create a new identity and penetrate London's 19th century elite. The reader follows his transition as he figures out the subtle ways of the upper classes, his risky trips through the new London sewers, and the constant fear that someone would discover his true identity.

      This book is such an interesting mixture of action and description, yet with very little character development. Montmorency has few, if any, defining characteristics. He has apparently committed terrible crimes, yet appears to have a heart of gold. I will be interested to see if his low-class identity resurfaces in the following books in the series; I suspect he might be rather boring without Scarper. The description of the sewers is perfectly understated, and the danger that he faces is suspenseful without being over-the-top.

      I would give this to a 5th grade or older reader who can appreciate the historical details, be patient with methodical plotting, and who enjoys humor and intrigue.
    • 4/5
      He was born in prison and grew up to become a petty thief. In 1875, when he was eventually caught, injured by a fall when on the run, he was sewn back together by a doctor eager to try out his skills and to display them. At seminars where the healed scars were exhibited, the prisoner is able to sit in on lectures about London's new sewer system. Prisoner 493 puts the information to use and plans his future while awaiting release. He used the sewer system - more malodorous than he expected - to gain access to the doctor's house where, among other items, he pinched the necessary clothing to dress like a gentleman. He wrote a letter to a smart hotel announcing that they should provide him with a suite for long term occupation. He was now set to live a double life as Montmorency the master and Scarper the servant. The servant steals from the wealthy and the gentleman is able to sell the pickings to jewelers who assume it is to pay for a gambling debt.This was a very entertaining tale, and yes, the plot was full of holes, but it worked. The historical aspect of 19th century surgery as well as London's underworld was interesting. I enjoyed it very much. I'm not sure why it has been classified YA, I found it quite acceptable reading.When I found the book wasn't on the shelf at the library, I borrowed an audiobook read by Stephen Fry which was hilarious in parts. I'm not quite sold on audiobooks, and in the end was able to read the book as well, which served as a comparison. I prefer reading.
    • 5/5
      The story begins with Montmorency in jail for a burglary that went wrong. He spends his jail time thinking up new money-making schemes, and eventually plans an elaborate double life for himself. As soon as he is released from prison he puts his new plan into action. He uses the sewers of London to make his way to and from burglaries at expensive properties. With the money he raises from the burglaries he funds his second identity as a gentleman who enjoys the finer things in life.I really loved this story, mainly because I love reading about Victorian London. The author has done a great job of bringing Victorian London to life in this book. I really felt like I was right there in the middle of everything.Montmorency was a bit of an unusual character, because of his double identity. I wasn't sure whether to love him, hate him, or both!Really enjoyed this book and I hope to read the rest of the series too.
    • 2/5
      Fascinating plot, but not enough life breathed into it.
    • 5/5
      Montmorency started life as a thief, but is injured during one of his capers. His life is saved by one Dr. Farcett, who uses Montmorency as a kind of walking advertisement for his skill as a surgeon and physician. Because of his contact with the upper crust of society, Montmorency develops a longing for a different kind of life, and he uses the knowledge he gains from contact with Dr. Farcett's world to create that life for himself. But can a man really escape his past? How long will Montmorency be able to fool others that he is what he appears to be? The book is full of surprises, and one doesn't know whether to cheer Montmorency or condemn him. And that's part of its delicious appeal.
    • 3/5
      Ah. Victorian London. Why is it so appealing? I blame Dickens. There is something about the veneer of propriety and the seedy underbelly that is endlessly fascinating. This book follows convict Montmorency, who would have died of his injuries from falling through the skylight of a factory while running away from a job if it were not for the zealous young surgeon who undertakes to fix him. They call him Montmorency, as that was the name on the bag of tools he had stolen when they found him. The doctor uses him as a sort of Medical prop for his presentations to the Scientific society, taking Montmorency from jail and displaying him in front of an audience. During these trips, Montmorency picks up not only the speech patterns and attitudes of the upper class but the secret to his future success as a thief: the new London sewer system. When he is released, Montmorency commences his double life: working class Scarper lives in a small, shabby room. Montmorency lives in a fine hotel.Although an intriguing read, I found that it was hard to feel anything for the main character. We don't know where he came from and we hardly know how he feels about his present situation. He is a shadowy figure, in the book as well as the mind of the reader. However, the description of the sewers is very interesting as well as the treatment in prisons and the scientific society. It is like Updale has set up a character to represent the two Londons mentioned above: the genteel, educated society and the city's dirtier parts.Although I enjoyed it, it didn't grab me as much as I was expecting it to. Perhaps because Montmorency is always on his own- nobody really pierces his armour and he is never unveiled for the criminal he is. Also, and I know this is only a personal thing, but there is no woman. No foil. The women are either working classes semi-whores or grubby insipid husband seekers. Though I know this is not part of the story, I would have liked at least one likeable woman in the book. Still, as an introduction to Victorian London for twelve year olds, it could be worse. Though I would perhaps have gone with Pullman's Ruby and The smoke, or one of the young Sherlock books- especially the Shane Peacock one. There is still a lot of historical details in it, but with meatier characters.
    • 4/5
      Montmorency: Theif, Liar, Gentleman by Elanor Updale, is aboout a petty theif in London, who falls off a building and is miraculously put back together by a great surgeon. While in jail he learns many new skills he will need to become a good theif. When Montmorency gets out of jail he develops a new personality. one for theiving (Scarper) and one to be rich (Montmorency) Elanor Updale has the reader scoureging through the sewer with Scarper. Or drinking in a fancy bar with Montmorency. When a reader likes a book thats what he feels like. exiting reality and enterig this place where anything can and will happen. Another reason I liked this book is besause instead of a cop being the main character it is a criminal. It gives anew meaning to the good guys and the bad guys. I kinda like this new perspective that Elanor Updale gives me. This book was very interesting. And when I was reading it I always wanted to know what happened next. It was fun learning about how he tricked the cops, and funny reading about the times he was drunk, and that is why I rated this book 4 stars
    • 4/5
      Prisoner 493 is a Victorian thief, caught and imprisoned after suffering multiple injuries falling through a skylight. His injuries draw the attention of Dr. Fawcett, who puts his body back together and shows him off to members of the Scientific Society. During one of these meetings he sees detailed plans for London's new sewer system, which gives him an idea for a new criminal life. Once out of prison he uses his knowledge of the sewers as a secret passage and escape route that he can flee to after robbing elegant homes and shops. He soon begins leading a double life: Scarper the thief, who lives in a hovel in Covent Garden and performs the thefts, and Montmorency, a gentleman staying at the Marimion Hotel.The story starts off grimly, detailing his injuries and the grueling prison life. The pace wanes in the middle as the lead character establishes his double life. And the last bit feels very akin to a later Christie, where Poirot is called in to help the Queen out of a tight spot (all must remain secret of course). The setting, plot and style also reminded me of Arsene Lupin, Poe, Raffles and Sherlock Homes.But as a YA novel there are some interesting bits - the essential question of identity - which man is he really? The character thinks of himself as two men, Scarper and Montmorency (though interestingly neither is his real name, and we never learn anything about his life before prison.) Would be an excellent pairing with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Also - there are no young adult characters (other than the minor character of Vi, a budding prostitute and the daughter of his Covent Garden landlady.) What to Read Next - It could be an excellent transition into some of the books mentioned above, or Dickens as well, with the Victorian setting.
    • 3/5
      Montmorency was a great book to read but it was boring. Most of the time it was a good book but when the boring points hit they lasted for almost two-five chapters at a time.
    • 5/5
      The fall through the glass roof should have killed him. Instead prisoner 493 is saved by the efforts of a philanthropic young doctor and uses his time in prison to develop the ultimate plan, to be come a gentleman thief. When he is released, 493 chooses a new name and sets his plan in motion. I quite enjoyed this book. Not everyone will enjoy it because of the very British-ness of the writing and because it is set in Victorian London. However, Montmorency is a very interesting character. He changes from a immoral thief, to a somewhat moral gentleman, and the struggle to reconcile the two is acknowledged and handled without weighting down the story. A twist at the end leaves the book open for another installment. If you like historical fiction, or interesting characters you should read this book.
    • 4/5
      Eleanor Updale's ripping yarn about a hideously scarred ex-convict who turns himself into Montmorency, dashing gentleman about town, via London's brand new sewer system, rattles along at such breakneck speed you almost forget to draw breath. There are some terrific settings for Montmorency's adventures - my favourites being the Mauramanian Embassy and Bargles, the ultimate gentleman's club. Updale's Victorian London is full of intriguing moral grey areas - the Foriegn Office is subtly re-phrasing the Balkan Question behind closed doors, generally good-hearted characters can still look down on their social inferiors, and Montmorency's rise is at the expense of at least one person's fall. But equally, there are tarts with hearts, nameless good samaritans and men of science dedicated to improving public life. It's touching to see Montmorency grow a conscience as the story unfolds (not to mention a love of opera and a desire to use his gifts for altruistic reasons) - I can't wait to see what he gets up to in the next three books available.
    • 4/5
      I thought this would be funny - it's not, it's a very strong story with highly varied motivations, changing over time. And never much of a hint who he was before - was his face changed too? OK, want the sequels.
    • 4/5
      The fall through the glass roof should have killed him. Instead prisoner 493 is saved by the efforts of a philanthropic young doctor and uses his time in prison to develop the ultimate plan, to be come a gentleman thief. When he is released, 493 chooses a new name and sets his plan in motion. I quite enjoyed this book. Not everyone will enjoy it because of the very British-ness of the writing and because it is set in Victorian London. However, Montmorency is a very interesting character. He changes from a immoral thief, to a somewhat moral gentleman, and the struggle to reconcile the two is acknowledged and handled without weighting down the story. A twist at the end leaves the book open for another installment. If you like historical fiction, or interesting characters you should read this book.
    • 3/5
      Not for everyone, with its very British tone and its period setting, but Montmorencey makes a great victorian era super-hero. The setting is vividly described and readers will not forget the descriptions of London sewers. The first of several in a series, this will be a favorite for a select few. Many others will choose to skip.
    • 5/5
      I loved the idea for this story. Montmorency is a thief. He is injured in a fall though a glass roof. Normally this would be fatal, but a Victorian surgeon gets permission from the prison to use him as an experiment. He patches the criminal back together and saves his life.But the inmate decides he wants more than his old life. He wants to be free to start over. He plots his escape and finds a way to finance a new life for himself.This is the first in a series, and by far the best. The books become political in nature, all about preventing the anarchists from destroying England. Pretty dull and very bleak. But this first one is a great stand alone read.CMB
    • 4/5
      This first book of a Victorian thief who transforms himself into a gentleman is just amazing. Adventure and ingenuity and of course, morbid fascination with a criminal given a second chance at life. But I don't recommend the rest of the trilogy - I found that the plot's interesting-ness declined rapidly with the addition of more characters, who weren't half as cool as the original hero. A terrible waste of a good character, in my opinion.
    • 4/5
      All and all a good book although a very easy read. A decent representation of life in old England. It will have you guessing and on your toes till the end of the book