A review by girlwithoutearing
Der Uhrmacher in der Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I liked the almost casually strewn in fantasy elements that are used to influence the plot. I wasn't so much a fan of the ending, but can't explain why without spoilers, so see below if you're interested. I liked that the author didn't shy away from depicting casual racism, especially since this must have been much worse in the 19th century. It just felt as if she didn't follow through with it when none of the Japanese characters in the book ever face disadvantages beyond racial slures and being looked down on in inconsequential ways.

I liked that Thaniel and Mori got to stay together, but the overall happy ending with them living together without fear of discovery and adopting a child felt a bit unrealistic and forced. Sure, showing them living in fear for the rest of their relationship wouldn't have made for a nice ending, but it kind of sounded as if the laws against "homosexual behaviour" and the threat of Grace going to the police were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Yes, these laws didn't necessarily lead to people going to jail, but the harm they did was real. If Thaniel and Mori were known to have been accused of having a gay relationship their lifes could have been ruined. I also couldn't care less about Grace getting a happy ending of sorts after she'd been so casually homophobic and unlikable in general.
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