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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Natasha Pulley's debut The Watchmaker of Filigree Street inhabits 1880s London to such an extent that it feels as though she's worldbuilding from the ground up for a fantasy novel rather than giving us a more-or-less historical novel with a heavy dash of magical realism.
Thaniel and Grace are the two viewpoint characters. Thaniel Steepleton, a pianist with synesthesia who has become a Home Office telegraphist (endlessly climbing the clanging yellow staircase) in order to support his widowed sister and her two young children. And Grace Carrow, an Oxford graduate determined to make a name for herself by researching the properties of ether, even if she has to get married in order to do so.
The pair are both brought together and at various points set at odds against each other by Mori, the eponymous Japanese watchmaker who, among other wonderful touches, has created an alarmingly lifelike clockwork octopus called Katsu, and who may be making bombs for Irish nationalists.
All the characters are well drawn and sympathetic, despite and sometimes because of their glaring flaws. Mori remains an enigma throughout the book - quirky, charming, ridiculous and terrifying by turns with his clockwork workshop full of marvels and his decidedly unique memory.
Having just finished this story, I now learn there are a couple more books set in this same universe, which is almost a shame as I felt this was a great standalone. I'm curious to see the direction these later books take the story, but I'm also in no hurry. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a charming and entertaining novel which feels entirely self-contained.
Thaniel and Grace are the two viewpoint characters. Thaniel Steepleton, a pianist with synesthesia who has become a Home Office telegraphist (endlessly climbing the clanging yellow staircase) in order to support his widowed sister and her two young children. And Grace Carrow, an Oxford graduate determined to make a name for herself by researching the properties of ether, even if she has to get married in order to do so.
The pair are both brought together and at various points set at odds against each other by Mori, the eponymous Japanese watchmaker who, among other wonderful touches, has created an alarmingly lifelike clockwork octopus called Katsu, and who may be making bombs for Irish nationalists.
All the characters are well drawn and sympathetic, despite and sometimes because of their glaring flaws. Mori remains an enigma throughout the book - quirky, charming, ridiculous and terrifying by turns with his clockwork workshop full of marvels and his decidedly unique memory.
Having just finished this story, I now learn there are a couple more books set in this same universe, which is almost a shame as I felt this was a great standalone. I'm curious to see the direction these later books take the story, but I'm also in no hurry. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a charming and entertaining novel which feels entirely self-contained.
I read for a book club and it isn't what I would normally pick. I was tempted to give it 4 stars but have stuck with 3.
I liked the elements of time travel and mystery in the book and it had some twists I didn't see coming. I found the characters interesting and I liked the setting overall.
So why not 4 stars? I found some parts confusing and the story took quite a while (100+ pages) to get interesting for me.
I wish I had a clockwork octopus though!!
I liked the elements of time travel and mystery in the book and it had some twists I didn't see coming. I found the characters interesting and I liked the setting overall.
So why not 4 stars? I found some parts confusing and the story took quite a while (100+ pages) to get interesting for me.
I wish I had a clockwork octopus though!!
Loved it for the first 2/3rds, then it zigged when I wanted a zag.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A difficult book to rate. On some levels this book was very good. The setting was lovely and immersive and the characters were interesting and unique; the writing was also very solid and well done.
The problem I had was that I just never cared about anything that was happening to any of them. Not once did I find myself remotely concerned or even interested in any of the plot for this book.
I'll keep this author on my radar because again, there was alot to like here It just never came together in any way for me.
The problem I had was that I just never cared about anything that was happening to any of them. Not once did I find myself remotely concerned or even interested in any of the plot for this book.
I'll keep this author on my radar because again, there was alot to like here It just never came together in any way for me.
Interesting at first, kept me enticed through most of the middle, and then I completely lost interest with the end.
The book retained an old-world charm which made for a quaint, comforti reading experience. As a debut novel, I think it was very good but it could have been amazing. It has elements of mystery, romance, fantasy and historical fiction but doesn't really achieve justice towards them - perhaps a case of incorporating a lot and it being slightly underwhelming as a result. There are some places where the ambiguity is interesting but others where it is plain confusing.
I appreciated most of the primary characters such as Mori, Thaniel, Grace but felt the interactions could have been written to have more impact. The undifferentiated dialogue was confusing in some places. I really liked the focus on science from one character viewpoint and the clockwork specimens from another but they all were a bit vague and underdeveloped.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but there was a sense of missed potential.
I appreciated most of the primary characters such as Mori, Thaniel, Grace but felt the interactions could have been written to have more impact. The undifferentiated dialogue was confusing in some places. I really liked the focus on science from one character viewpoint and the clockwork specimens from another but they all were a bit vague and underdeveloped.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but there was a sense of missed potential.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It's never a good sign when I let a book rest for days without picking it up. With this book I fell for the gorgeous cover and the premise. It's not a badly written book. I very much enjoyed the elements of Victorian London and the tinkering of watchmaking. There's a mechanical octopus for christ sake. I didn't empathise with any of the characters, found it a bit convoluted and that romance, for me, came out of nowhere.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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