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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
This was slow to get started, and there were several little annoyances early on that kind of put me off (A professional researcher wondering about the origins of a children's story doesn't immediately Google it? And upon finding a mysterious framed photograph, her first instinct isn't to open the frame and see if there's anything written on the back?). I was also kind of unenthused about the idea of a literal ghost being one of the POV characters; the tone in her sections in particular felt a lot more artsy and philosophical than I remember this author's previous books being, and the whole conceit just leaned a lot closer to magical realism than I like. I guess it's fine if you're into that sort of thing; I'm just not, particularly.
Once the plot gets rolling though, it is fairly engaging, although the twists were decidedly easier for me to call ahead of time than in some of this author's prior works. I liked several of the characters very much, and was a bit disappointed that the only ones we return to more than once are the aforementioned ghost and Elodie in the modern day. This is a particular shame, because in spite of having more pages dedicated to her than to any other living POV character, her story seems to get the shortest shrift, and ends up feeling like little more than a framing device.
The whole structure felt similar to, but noticeably different from this author's previous books; having each character's sections cordoned off this way, rather than overlapping and jumping back and forth between POVs, honestly made the plot feel a little thinner to me. Certainly there were threads and significant details popping up in multiple places, but it felt more impressionistic, harping (a bit heavily at times) on themes, rather than the careful unraveling of an intricate, many-layered plot. Certainly worth the read, and I'd even say still better than your average fiction, but I've liked other offerings from this author better.
Once the plot gets rolling though, it is fairly engaging, although the twists were decidedly easier for me to call ahead of time than in some of this author's prior works. I liked several of the characters very much, and was a bit disappointed that the only ones we return to more than once are the aforementioned ghost and Elodie in the modern day. This is a particular shame, because in spite of having more pages dedicated to her than to any other living POV character, her story seems to get the shortest shrift, and ends up feeling like little more than a framing device.
The whole structure felt similar to, but noticeably different from this author's previous books; having each character's sections cordoned off this way, rather than overlapping and jumping back and forth between POVs, honestly made the plot feel a little thinner to me. Certainly there were threads and significant details popping up in multiple places, but it felt more impressionistic, harping (a bit heavily at times) on themes, rather than the careful unraveling of an intricate, many-layered plot. Certainly worth the read, and I'd even say still better than your average fiction, but I've liked other offerings from this author better.
I love the idea of the multiple lives of a place: how the stories influence and build on each other, and the artifacts they leave behind. The threads of those stories were so thoughtfully woven together, making for a very satisfying read
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Kate Morton’s The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a richly woven tale of love, loss, and mystery that spans centuries, all centered around Birchwood Manor and the lives of those connected to it. The non-linear timeline adds depth to the storytelling, though it was confusing at times to figure out the narrator. However, the way history intertwines was intriguing, keeping me engaged and guessing. Morton’s twists are skillfully placed, with several moments that had me gasping out loud in surprise.
I don’t know if I can call this a proper review but I’ll do my best. The first 230 so pages were dreadful to go through. I was so very confused and I disliked the protagonist, Elodie. She didn’t stand up for herself, just pushed around and moved like a doll. She had no bite to her. I still didn’t like her at the end. What finally pulled me in was the tragic store of Birdie. Her happiness was short-lived and she died in an awful way. She is what kept me reading. I wouldn’t recommend this book to others. I liked all the characters that weren’t in present time basically. First loves and heartbreak and secrets. That should have been the story. Oh, well.
I’m going to give it three stars instead of 2 because maybe it’s just me. The format of the book confused me, for starters. It bounced back around from the perspective of different characters but often it was the reader’s responsibility to decipher who was speaking, with nothing to go on. I was so distracted trying to figure out who was speaking and what was happening that I found it challenging to concentrate on the story. It felt like I was reading 4 stories simultaneously. I finally had to stop about halfway through the book to read reviews and see if it was just me. I found a reviewer who felt the same even after reading the entire book. Nope. I’m out. Sorry! Just tell me the story, please. I don’t want to work this hard.
The first book I read by Kate Morton was "The forgotten garden", which I truly adored. I've read all her other books since. Some I have enjoyed and a couple not so much. Unfortunately "the clockmaker's daughter" falls into the latter category.
The plotting is seriously contrived, involving too many characters, too many timelines and too much time. To get around the problem of time, there is even a ghost. In the present there is Elodie who discovers a satchel and in it a sketch of a house straight out of a story from her dead mother. She wants to know more and she wants to find the house. Elodie is also about to get married, but it is clear from the start that this is a bad idea.
In the past, 1860's or so, there is a little girl who is abandoned by her father and raised to be a pocket thief. We don't ever get to know her real name. She eventually become the muse of the painter Edward, owner of the house in the sketch. She disappeared at the same time as the family heirloom, a blue diamond, and Edward's fiancee was killed.
There is a lot of pages and plotlines devoted to tying all these disparate bits together. The fact that Elodie falls out of the plot for long stretches, means that the usual forward tension is lacking. There are also a whole bunch of mid 20th century characters that crop up. It's too much. Although I managed to keep track of most of the lesser characters as well, they felt unnecessary, put there simply to bridge the span of the centuries.
So no. For as much as I had anticipated this book, it wasn't very good. I hope the next one is better, I am not ready to give up Kate Morton just yet.
The plotting is seriously contrived, involving too many characters, too many timelines and too much time. To get around the problem of time, there is even a ghost. In the present there is Elodie who discovers a satchel and in it a sketch of a house straight out of a story from her dead mother. She wants to know more and she wants to find the house. Elodie is also about to get married, but it is clear from the start that this is a bad idea.
In the past, 1860's or so, there is a little girl who is abandoned by her father and raised to be a pocket thief. We don't ever get to know her real name. She eventually become the muse of the painter Edward, owner of the house in the sketch. She disappeared at the same time as the family heirloom, a blue diamond, and Edward's fiancee was killed.
There is a lot of pages and plotlines devoted to tying all these disparate bits together. The fact that Elodie falls out of the plot for long stretches, means that the usual forward tension is lacking. There are also a whole bunch of mid 20th century characters that crop up. It's too much. Although I managed to keep track of most of the lesser characters as well, they felt unnecessary, put there simply to bridge the span of the centuries.
So no. For as much as I had anticipated this book, it wasn't very good. I hope the next one is better, I am not ready to give up Kate Morton just yet.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Really enjoyed the weaving of multiple stories and perspectives in this one. Each character was reflective about a different moment in life and discovering their connections to each other as I read was engaging.
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I love books with vivid descriptions with the focus on London and an English country house, there is plenty of description. The book jumped time periods and characters, yet brought everything to the reader as if finishing a puzzle.
4.5 stars. I really loved the way the story lines intertwined throughout time and through the book came together.