Stolen from Gypsies

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What to expect

A twisted tale of love lost, alluring demons, idiotic servants, beautiful ladies, magicians, spells, pirates, and duels, Stolen from Gypsies has been called a comedic tour de force comparable to Shakespeare. The unusual hero is British nobleman Ambrogio Smythe, a rich but comical hypochondriac. Obsessed by childhood memories of Gypsies, the frail but determined Ambrogio leaves his ancestral estate in Warwickshire and makes his way to Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. Happily marooned in Tuscany, Ambrogio meets a wandering storyteller who spins him a magical yarn about a Gypsy babe kidnapped by a demon. Ambrogio buys a shred of parchment as evidence and begins to write his own florid version of the saga, vowing one day to publish it in high style.

Skillfully weaving back and forth between Ambrogio’s Italian sojourn and “The Gypsy’s Tale,” this rousing adventure is full of action and insight.

Critics Review

“Funny and charming…While Gypsies has echoes of Shakespeare [and] Cyrano…[it] lies in some mad classification all its own.”

Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

“Full of bawdy humor and slapstick comedy…a parody of medieval romance literature. Smith’s novel will delight and entertain.”

Booklist (featured review)

“So witty and funny that I found myself laughing out loud. Smith delivers on every page.”

Alfred Uhry, author of Driving Miss Daisy

“This book is a pure delight.”

Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn

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