Editions

The Thief of Time

  • Imprint: Black Swan

  • ISBN: 9780552776158

  • Length: 528  Pages

  • Dimensions: 198mm x 33mm x 127mm

  • Weight: 357g

  • RRP: £9.99

The Thief of Time

Matthieu Zela has lived his life well. In fact, he's lived several lives well. Because Matthew Zela's life is characterised by one amazing fact: his body stopped ageing before the end of the eighteenth century.

Starting in 1758, a young Matthieu flees Paris after witnessing his mother's brutal murder. His only companions are his younger brother Tomas and one true love, Dominique Sauvet. The story of his life takes us from the French Revolution to 1920s Hollywood, from the Great Exhibition to the Wall Street Crash, and by the end of the twentieth century, Matthieu has been an engineer, a rogue, a movie mogul, a soldier, a financier, a lover to many, a cable TV executive and much more besides.

Brilliantly weaving history and personal experience, this is a dazzling story of love, murder, missed chances, treachery - and redemption.

  • Imprint: Black Swan

  • ISBN: 9780552776158

  • Length: 528  Pages

  • Dimensions: 198mm x 33mm x 127mm

  • Weight: 357g

  • RRP: £9.99

Reviews

  • An extraordinary début

    Sunday Express

  • A minor masterpiece

    Time Out

  • Boyne should be congratulated for his spirited take on an old theme

    Guardian

  • Boyne is a skilful storyteller, expertly weaving differing stories together

    Sunday Tribune

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About the Author

John Boyne

John Boyne was born in Ireland in 1971. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, six for younger readers and a collection of short stories. Perhaps best known for his 2006 multi-award-winning book The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, John’s other novels, notably The Absolutist and A History of Loneliness, have been widely praised and are international bestsellers. Most recently, The Heart's Invisible Furies was a Richard & Judy Bookclub word-of-mouth bestseller, and A Ladder to the Sky was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award in association with Listowel Writers’ Week. His novels are published in over fifty languages.

John Boyne

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Recommendations

4 Irish books we can’t wait to read this Spring

From John Boyne to Jan Carson, here are four books the Penguin Ireland team can’t wait to start reading this Spring.
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Extracts

What if your favourite writer was a total sociopath? John Boyne delves into A Ladder to the Sky

John Boyne’s A Ladder to the Sky tells a timely tale of the lies, ambition and manipulation of a ruthless writer with great talent but no imagination. Maurice Swift, a would-be author who befriends an older novelist to further his career is the main character. Here, John Boyne introduces an extract by explaining his motivation.
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Features

The Making of the A Ladder to the Sky audiobook

Have you ever fancied a sneak peek behind the mic of your favourite audiobook? Step in to studio with author John Boyne as he chats with the cast of his book, A Ladder to the Sky.

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