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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
This was not my favorite of hers at all. I’m happy I finally finished it.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC kindly provided by Pan MacMillan via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
This is my fourth Kate Morton book, and just by reading the first chapter I could totally tell that this was a Kate Morton book. I took this to be a good thing at first, as I had loved her style in her previous works, but unfortunately it also meant that this was almost a carbon copy of her other stories: the themes, the structure, the writing itself… as I was reading The Clockmaker's Daughter I felt that I had already read this book before.
I had two major issues with the book: the pace and the multiple POVs. I don't mind reading 600 pages if all of them (or at least most of them) are relevant to the story, but I honestly think that this book could have been 300 pages long and nothing major would have changed. This obviously affected the pace massively, and I was frequently annoyed because every time things picked up the POV would change (usually with a time jump associated) and we were back to endless descriptions of the house where everything happens and its surroundings. This takes me to my second issue: here we have no less than 8 different POVs, and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. All of them add to the clockmaker's daughter's story, but they all have their own secondary stories too, and rather than enrich the book they dragged it endlessly. Plus, most of them were underdeveloped, especially towards the end, which felt rather insulting because after reading about all these people for what felt like ages I wanted to know what had happened / was going to happen with them, but all their endings were rushed and most of them quite stretched so they would play their part in the main story regardless of how little sense they made.
The writing though was nearly flawless, rich and evocative. The characters were not very relatable, but they were still likeable for the most part. I should probably had been more shocked and saddened by the ending but at that point so many things had happened to the protagonist that I was kind of desensitized to her tragedies, and that definitely rested impact to the last part.
In summary, hardcore Kate Morton fans will probably love this, but if you're looking for a book to discover Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden still remains her best work in my opinion.
This is my fourth Kate Morton book, and just by reading the first chapter I could totally tell that this was a Kate Morton book. I took this to be a good thing at first, as I had loved her style in her previous works, but unfortunately it also meant that this was almost a carbon copy of her other stories: the themes, the structure, the writing itself… as I was reading The Clockmaker's Daughter I felt that I had already read this book before.
I had two major issues with the book: the pace and the multiple POVs. I don't mind reading 600 pages if all of them (or at least most of them) are relevant to the story, but I honestly think that this book could have been 300 pages long and nothing major would have changed. This obviously affected the pace massively, and I was frequently annoyed because every time things picked up the POV would change (usually with a time jump associated) and we were back to endless descriptions of the house where everything happens and its surroundings. This takes me to my second issue: here we have no less than 8 different POVs, and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. All of them add to the clockmaker's daughter's story, but they all have their own secondary stories too, and rather than enrich the book they dragged it endlessly. Plus, most of them were underdeveloped, especially towards the end, which felt rather insulting because after reading about all these people for what felt like ages I wanted to know what had happened / was going to happen with them, but all their endings were rushed and most of them quite stretched so they would play their part in the main story regardless of how little sense they made.
The writing though was nearly flawless, rich and evocative. The characters were not very relatable, but they were still likeable for the most part. I should probably had been more shocked and saddened by the ending but at that point so many things had happened to the protagonist that I was kind of desensitized to her tragedies, and that definitely rested impact to the last part.
In summary, hardcore Kate Morton fans will probably love this, but if you're looking for a book to discover Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden still remains her best work in my opinion.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
I usually love Kate Morton and devour her books within a few days, but this one is tough. Eloise, the main character in the present, has no depth and bores me no end. I’m very intrigued with Birdie’s story, but you just about get more about her and the story jumps and a whole new character is introduced, all without warning! I’m finding that there is just too much detail about nothing and too many new characters that I have no interest in finding out their story, because it’s just boring back story and too much detail, that jumps from one subject to the next.
TWO new character’s called Leonard and Juliet have just been introduced and I’ve skipped passed almost all of their parts, because they just don’t seem integral to the plot and I don’t feel like I’ll be missing anything, if I skip them. 🤷🏼♀️ I gather it’s to do with the house and all its inhabitants over the years, but to be honest if it had just gone back and forth between Eloise in the present and Birdie in the past, I would have already finished it, because Birdie’s story is the only thing keeping me reading at this point! I’m powering through it because I really do, usually, love Kate Morton and her writing style, but this isn’t her best and I hate to say that! :(
TWO new character’s called Leonard and Juliet have just been introduced and I’ve skipped passed almost all of their parts, because they just don’t seem integral to the plot and I don’t feel like I’ll be missing anything, if I skip them. 🤷🏼♀️ I gather it’s to do with the house and all its inhabitants over the years, but to be honest if it had just gone back and forth between Eloise in the present and Birdie in the past, I would have already finished it, because Birdie’s story is the only thing keeping me reading at this point! I’m powering through it because I really do, usually, love Kate Morton and her writing style, but this isn’t her best and I hate to say that! :(
I’ve read a couple of Kate Morton’s other books and thoroughly enjoyed them. However, I found The Clockmaker’s Daughter to be a frustrating read. The cast of characters is expansive: Elodie Winslow, the archivist who is engaged to be married; Edward Radcliffe, a talented painter; Lucy Radcliffe, Edward’s youngest sister; Frances (Fanny) Brown, his fiancée; Thurston Holmes, his artistic peer; Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter; Lily Millington, Birdie’s friend; Jack Rolands, a seeker, commissioned to find the Radcliffe Blue; and Ada Lovegrove, a young student at Lucy Radcliffe’s school. There are also a host of minor characters: Pippa, Elodie’s best friend; Elodie’s father; Lauren Adler, her mother, a deceased virtuoso; Alastair, Elodie’s fiancé; Penelope, Alastair’s mother; Caroline, Pippa’s mentor; Mrs. Mack, an entrepreneur of sorts; the Captain, her husband; Martin, her son; Jeremiah, an associate of Birdie’s father, Leonard Gilbert, an author; Pale Joe, an invalid; Clare Radcliffe, Edward’s other sister; Charlotte Rogers and May Hawkins, students at Lucy Radcliffe’s school; Leonard Gilbert, a researcher, whose interests lie in learning the history of Birchwood Manor; Kitty, Leonard’s girlfriend; Juliet Wright, a war widow, her children: Bea, Freddy(Red), and Tip, who live at Birchwood Manor for a time; and Mrs. Hammett, a resident of the nearby village. I’ve even left a few of these out. With so many identities (some of the these had a second name or nickname) and associated stories and viewpoints to remember, it was difficult at times to keep track of who each of these were in relation to each other and Birchwood Manor.
Also problematic for me was the frequent change in the setting of time from chapter to chapter. No sooner had a settled in a comfort zone of familiarity with the current storyline, and then I would turn the page and need to meet more new personalities or reestablish my acquaintance with one of the cast from prior pages.
Birdie’s life story and current status would have been sufficient for an entertaining read, the addition of the unrelated tale of the Eldritch Children and The Fairy Queen, as well as “Night of the Following”, was pure frivolity and unnecessary.
In spite of this criticism, I believe Morton to be a very creative and talented writer, and I was entertained by the underlying story.
Also problematic for me was the frequent change in the setting of time from chapter to chapter. No sooner had a settled in a comfort zone of familiarity with the current storyline, and then I would turn the page and need to meet more new personalities or reestablish my acquaintance with one of the cast from prior pages.
Birdie’s life story and current status would have been sufficient for an entertaining read, the addition of the unrelated tale of the Eldritch Children and The Fairy Queen, as well as “Night of the Following”, was pure frivolity and unnecessary.
In spite of this criticism, I believe Morton to be a very creative and talented writer, and I was entertained by the underlying story.
A romantic version of "the haunting of hill house" (especially the tv series version) ;)
Jokes aside, this is a book about a house and its women; their struggles and dreams across different historical times, and how little changes and yet hope keeps us going.
So many lives, so many timelines, which is impressive and chaotic all at once; you have to be patient for the first half of the book. However, when I connected all the dots I had literal shivers, so it would be worth it.
One major weakness: too long. Too much. Too repetitive for some parts. It felt tiring to read some chapters.
Oh, and the men (except maybe Jack) are absolutely useless. Yep, especially Edward, and him being a desperately romantic artist doesn't justify it.
Jokes aside, this is a book about a house and its women; their struggles and dreams across different historical times, and how little changes and yet hope keeps us going.
So many lives, so many timelines, which is impressive and chaotic all at once; you have to be patient for the first half of the book. However, when I connected all the dots I had literal shivers, so it would be worth it.
One major weakness: too long. Too much. Too repetitive for some parts. It felt tiring to read some chapters.
Oh, and the men (except maybe Jack) are absolutely useless. Yep, especially Edward, and him being a desperately romantic artist doesn't justify it.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another great book by Kate Morton. The Clockmaker’s daughter tells the story of love and murder and how that love and tragic event bind multiple characters across generations.
I really struggled with my star rating. I opted for the higher choice because I loved the characters. The book had far too much exposition and the plot stretched very thin in places but I enjoyed it. Definitely worth my time and I'd recommend it. Partly to discuss it with others.
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated