Synopsis
'Rich, layered, and deeply thoughtful' - LUCY STEEDS
'A magnificent novel - vivid, moving and utterly convincing' - S.G. MACLEAN
In the suffocating summer of 1858, Sir Edwin Landseer faces the monumental task of sculpting the Trafalgar Square lions. The nation is watching, the Royal Academy is whispering, and the Queen herself expects brilliance. The press, his doctor and Edwin's inner demons predict disaster.
As the pressure mounts, beasts begin to stalk Edwin's increasingly alcohol-fuelled nightmares. His mind flees from stifling Victorian London to the freedom of the Scottish Highlands, the riotous days of the Regency and the woman who set his world alight. Georgina: older, adventurous and irreverent. Georgina: married to Edwin's most influential patron. Georgina: the love of his life. The world called it a scandal, but the world didn't know what it was talking about. The world should have called it a tragedy.
Based on real events and rumours that burned like wildfire, Noble Beasts is a story of art, sacrifice, and enduring love, painting a vivid and passionate picture of the tangled relationships that helped make Edwin's career but broke his heart and his mind.
'Waverley immerses the reader in the lushly textured worlds of the sweeping Highlands and of a glittering, claustrophobic society.' - LUCY STEEDS, author of The Artist
'Passionate, sensual, profoundly moving . . . one of the best works of historical fiction I ever read' - A.N. WILSON
'A fascinating and immersive portrait of an artist driven by ambition, passion and addiction' JOANNA MILLER,
author of The Eights
'Impeccably researched and exquisitely written.' RACHEL BLACKMORE, author of Costanza
'A magnificent novel - vivid, moving and utterly convincing' - S.G. MACLEAN
In the suffocating summer of 1858, Sir Edwin Landseer faces the monumental task of sculpting the Trafalgar Square lions. The nation is watching, the Royal Academy is whispering, and the Queen herself expects brilliance. The press, his doctor and Edwin's inner demons predict disaster.
As the pressure mounts, beasts begin to stalk Edwin's increasingly alcohol-fuelled nightmares. His mind flees from stifling Victorian London to the freedom of the Scottish Highlands, the riotous days of the Regency and the woman who set his world alight. Georgina: older, adventurous and irreverent. Georgina: married to Edwin's most influential patron. Georgina: the love of his life. The world called it a scandal, but the world didn't know what it was talking about. The world should have called it a tragedy.
Based on real events and rumours that burned like wildfire, Noble Beasts is a story of art, sacrifice, and enduring love, painting a vivid and passionate picture of the tangled relationships that helped make Edwin's career but broke his heart and his mind.
'Waverley immerses the reader in the lushly textured worlds of the sweeping Highlands and of a glittering, claustrophobic society.' - LUCY STEEDS, author of The Artist
'Passionate, sensual, profoundly moving . . . one of the best works of historical fiction I ever read' - A.N. WILSON
'A fascinating and immersive portrait of an artist driven by ambition, passion and addiction' JOANNA MILLER,
author of The Eights
'Impeccably researched and exquisitely written.' RACHEL BLACKMORE, author of Costanza
Details
21 May 2026
9781785308307Imprint: Black & White Publishing
Reviews
'A rich, layered, and deeply thoughtful exploration of the torments and triumphs of an artist's life. Waverley immerses the reader in the lushly textured worlds of the sweeping Highlands and of a glittering, claustrophobic society. Noble Beasts is a poignant, lavishly detailed meditation on what lasts, what fades, and what stories we can resurrect from the past.'
'This is a magnificent novel - vivid, moving and utterly convincing. It is perfectly balanced and the writing is beautiful. I am certain that Noble Beasts announces Lucy Waverley as a major new talent.'
'A richly woven tapestry of historical detail and evocative description, Noble Beasts offers a fascinating and immersive portrait of an artist driven by ambition, passion and addiction. Lucy Waverley is a bold and accomplished storyteller, and her retelling of Edwin Landseer's story is both humane and compelling.'
'I HUGELY enjoyed this novel. Passionate, sensual, profoundly moving, this novel held me enthralled from the first page to the last. It is one of the best works of historical fiction I ever read.'
