The Clockmaker’s Daughter is an adult fiction novel that spans decades.
It was the summer of 1862 when a group of young artists traveled to the countryside for a holiday of creativity and joy. By the end of their stay, one woman is shot dead and another has gone missing; a priceless heirloom has been taken and one man’s life has been ruined. But the circumstances surrounding these actions are somewhat of a mystery.
Over the next one hundred and fifty years, stories of the comings and goings of Birchwood Manor weave their way into a story that, young archivist Elodie Winslow is determined to unravel. What happened during the summer of 1862 and why does she feel such a connection to the place?
This book took me so long to read. I kept starting it, then getting distracting, picking it back up, then falling asleep, and so on. So I am not sure that my review will do it much justice. Ultimately, I thought the story was interesting. I can see how the pieces come together at the end, which were actually trails you could follow back all the way to the beginning. If I were to read the story again, I bet I would have a whole new appreciation for it.
But, I also found the story long and at times disjointed and not quite enough to keep me awake on sleepy nights. I actually liked Elodie’s story more than any of the other characters. There was something about the main character, Lilly, that I couldn’t connect with. I know there was supposed to be this air of mystery about her, until the end, but even though I enjoyed the stories of when she was younger, as an adult she just bugged me.
For me, this was an OK read and I wanted to know what happened but it also isn’t one that will stick with me. For that reason, it gets a mediocre 3 stars.
That’s all for now!
-M-