SHORTLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2016 SHORTLISTED FOR THE BETTY TRASK PRIZE 2016 FINALIST FOR THE LOCUS FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2016
An International Bestseller – A Guardian Summer Read – An Amazon Best Book of the Month – A Goodreads Best Book of the Month – A Buzzfeed Summer Read – A Foyles Book of the Month – AHuffington Post Summer Read – A Yorkshire Post Book of the Week
In 1883, Thaniel Steepleton returns to his tiny flat to find a gold pocketwatch on his pillow. But he has worse fears than generous burglars; he is a telegraphist at the Home Office, which has just received a threat for what could be the largest-scale Fenian bombing in history.
When the watch saves Thaniel’s life in a blast that destroys Scotland Yard, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori – a kind, lonely immigrant who sweeps him into a new world of clockwork and music. Although Mori seems harmless at first, a chain of unexpected slips soon proves that he must be hiding something.
Meanwhile, Grace Carrow is sneaking into an Oxford library dressed as a man. A theoretical physicist, she is desperate to prove the existence of the luminiferous ether before her mother can force her to marry.
As the lives of these three characters become entwined, events spiral out of control until Thaniel is torn between loyalties, futures and opposing geniuses.
Utterly beguiling, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street blends historical events with dazzling flights of fancy to plunge readers into a strange and magical past, where time, destiny, genius – and a clockwork octopus – collide.
Thaniel lives a boring life. He has a job with the government, very down on the bottom of the totem pole. He sends half his money home to his widowed sister and her two children. His life has become boring and predictable since he took up the mantle of respectability and gave up on his dream to play piano. Then one day, when he arrives back to his little room, he finds a watch. He has no idea where it came from or why it is there, and when he tries to pawn it, he is refused. The watch, it seems, has a habit of disappearing. Over time, Thaniel learns more about the watch and its mysterious creator, and in the process, learns more about himself.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is not an easy book to categorize. It's sort of like a complex recipe with many different ingredients that comes together to create a unique whole. A little bit of intrigue, a little bit of magic, a smattering of history, a dash of action/adventure, and the teensiest bit of romance all combine to make a book as unusual as it was interesting.
Things can get a bit confusing at times, particularly towards the latter half of the book. However, I thought the ending was pitch-perfect. I won't say more because I detest spoilers. Overall, the book was quite enjoyable to read.
