The Clockmaker's Daughter

I have read all of Kate Morton's books and I think "The Clock maker's Daughter" may be my favorite. What a fantastic imagination and skill the author has to bring this story to life! The story involves many characters of various and interesting backgrounds and experiences, and the main plot takes place in the mid-1800s. All the characters from then to present day are all connected in some way to that plot (which is, by the way, a fantastic story, full of secrets, tragedy, friendship, love and betrayal)! The author writes in such a way that makes you feel each one's every emotion, making you wish you were there in the story with them! You can't wait to discover their connection and find out what happens to each and every one. There are plenty of surprises in store for the reader, making it impossible to put down! You'll find yourself neglecting your chores just to keep reading! I'm not going to go into detail about the story in this review as I believe that sometimes that ruins it for the reader. Suffice it to say that this book is refreshing in that it is nothing like a lot of the common, tired, and similar story lines in books that seem to be coming out in abundance lately. Get this book! You'll be glad you did!

Secrets, ghosts, thieves, lost treasure, hidden hideaways, murder, art. All of this is in The Clockmaker's Daughter along with the recurring themes of belonging, abandonment, loss, and love. There's trademark Morton here, but it's even more ambitious and complex than her previous novels. As always, her language is rich, romantic, lyrical, and haunting. This one has a quieter mystery and slower pace but her intricate plotting is ever present. It is not for the impatient reader. There are at least 5 timelines (including present day, Victorian era, both WWs), over a dozen key characters, and many hanging story lines that take time to piece together. It's like tangled threads (that at first you think are only related because they're all threads, and sitting in the same place), but they eventually unravel and only then do you realize they are all connected (and ahhh, the initial frustration melts away as you satisfyingly unknot it all)..I enjoyed it, but it is so intricate that it's a bit harder to keep track of and settle into than her others. As I got absorbed in a character the perspective changed so at times it felt like a teaser of character snippets. Yes, the characters are compelling on their own and weave together well but I wanted to spend more time with many of them. This is one to revisit to fully appreciate. Kate Morton fans are likely to enjoy. If you're new to the author, this one's good but her others are, IMO, more immediately engaging and better places to start..Recommend for: Those who prefer unraveling story lines and multiple characters to an easy read. Fans of slow-simmering plots with mystery, historical fiction, and romance. Lovers of lush, lyrical language. Anyone swept away by the idea of a story with a haunted manor at its center that peeks into its inhabitants and visitors over 150 years..May not be for you if: You're a reader who hates jumping between characters and time periods. You like to read multiple books at once (there's a bit to keep track of. It's best read in a few sittings or with the help of taking notes). You prefer your stories fast paced and straightforward over atmospheric and winding.

The title to this book does not reveal the story plot. I love this author and have read all her books, but this one was different. I kept reading hoping I would be able to figure out the plot. I was halfway through the book before I realized who was the main character and who was the ghost. Because I read only one or at most two chapters a day, I lost track of who the characters were and I had to go back and try to remember who lived In the same time period. The last third of the book, I read in one sitting because it was a good wrap-up. I debated whether to give it a 4 or a 5. I decided to give it a 5 because I love the author's writing. Her descriptions and word choices are superb. Also, I love houses as does the author and in this book, a house is given a prime spot. I won't tell you the story plot because it would spoil the surprises, only that it is about and unusual house, the ghost that lives in it, and the people who fall in love with the house and live in it during different periods of time. The connection among all of that is for you to find out by reading the book. A different type of book for the avid reader.

I've read all of this authors previous books and have greatly enjoyed them. This book, however, I found rather convoluted with extended characters and subplots that just sort of lost me or left me less than in engaged. At the end most of the loose ends do come together, but the main 'reveal' (I dont want to ruin the plot) was a little unbelievable. I was surprised the character involved in this didn't step up and say something, which they would have due to their relationship with Edward. A little bizarre. I also at the end of the book had to go back through my Kindle using Xray and find out when Juliet had actually 'talked' with Leonard. The answer is she didn't.. she was there, he was there and thats it. How they pieced together she was the girl under the tree and he was the man in the house from1928, ( I spent a solid 10 minutes looking for this info), just isn't there. A neat coincidence but no where is it noted they knew who one another was in that brief minute. Minor details - but just another thing that added to the confusion of this story. All in all I think the book is 'ok'. Not my favorite of this author. I imagine a lot of plot planning went into this novel in order to tie up the tons of characters and their relationships and I appreciate her efforts on this but just wasn't one of my favorites. I did love her imagery of the house on the river bend though and could almost see it in my head. The authors description of 'place and time' (two big components of this novel) are definitely well written.

Loved this book. Kate Morton never disappoints!

I read a lot of reviews online before I started this one which might be why it kept slipping down my TBR pile, but then I’m a firm believer that a book finds you when the time is right to read it. I’d say don’t be put off by the reviews that go on about this being confusing or not one of Kate Morton’s best. I loved every page. It’s beautifully constructed. The timelines are in the headings at the start of the chapters. There’s nothing to be confused about. Loved it!

Creo va de una historia a otra. Lentamente, muy descriptiva mente. Algunos capítulos son buenos. Pero otros eternos. No es mi estilo.

Nachdem ich schon die gedruckte Version gelesen hatte, habe ich mir die Hörbuchversion gekauft und war von dieser genauso begeistert. Gut erzählt, aber man sollte schon mit der britischen Aussprache vertraut sein. Es war wie mit der Druckversion ein Abtauchen in eine andere Zeit und andere Personen, kann ich nur empfehlen.

Un romanzo che viaggia nel tempo e descrive sentimenti, emozioni, paesaggi con una precisione infinita