The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley
Ratings6
Average rating3.5
A BBC Between the Covers Book Club pick and Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Month, for fans of PANDORA, THE ESSEX SERPENT and THE NIGHT CIRCUS. 'One of the best books I've read this year. Atmospheric, engaging, and elegantly written, this amazing tale of a clockmaker whose son possesses unusual talents is completely unforgettable...' - Bonnie Garmus, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY ------ Zachary Cloudesley is gifted in a remarkable way. But not all gifts are a blessing... Leadenhall Street, London, 1754. Raised amongst the cogs and springs of his father's workshop, Zachary Cloudesley has grown up surrounded by strange and enchanting clockwork automata. He is a happy child, beloved by his father Abel and the workmen who help bring his father's creations to life. He is also the bearer of an extraordinary gift; at the touch of a hand, Zachary can see into the hearts and minds of the people he meets. But then a near-fatal accident will take Zachary away from the workshop and his family. His father will have to make a journey that he will never return from. And, years later, only Zachary can find out what happened. A beautifully crafted historical mystery of love and hope, and the adventure of finding your place in the world. ------ 'A dashing, magical debut . . . intricately plotted, and peopled with intriguing characters' - Daily Mail 'Fans of eccentrically flavoured historical fiction with a touch of magic are in for a treat' - Metro What readers are saying: 'an excellent historical, magical realist novel' 'beautifully written' 'full of love and humour' 'original and rich in historical detail' 'my best book of 2022' 'totally engrossing...unforgettable'
Tags
Mood
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
Firstly, this book is not badly written. The prose is competently put together, but it just was not for me. I failed to engage with the characters, found the plot meandered in ways that just did not work for me and ultimately it all fell a bit flat.
Chess playing automatons in the 18th century seem to have been a bit of a theme in recent historical fantasy stories. I am not sure what to make of this - I presume it is related to an increase in interest in chess recently as it is a somewhat esoteric trend. Anyway, I digress a bit. The main theme of the story follows the story of a clockmaker somewhat beset by tragedy. The earnestness is a bit overbearing and exhausting. The familial relationships are all a bit strained in weird ways, which jarred me somewhat. Ultimately the characters were not ones that I could relate to, their eccentricities very much on the extreme end of the scale. YMMV, but this one was not for me.
In 1754, renowned maker of clocks and automata Abel Cloudesley must raise his new-born son Zachary when his wife dies in childbirth. And so begins a wonderful magical story that goes in many different but compelling directions. The characters are memorable, not just the main ones but also those on the periphery. The plot clicks into gear once everything has been established and the pace doesn't let up until the end.
Found this a bit strange and did feel like I was dragging myself though second half/once Zachary was grown up. It was a shame other characters weren't given much time as felt they were interesting! More so than Abel and most of the Constantinople bits . It felt at times like things were a little too quick and easy (such as the end bit) but the author's descriptions were fantastic.
Lovely cover and the note showed how much research was in there - I feel it almost could have been two books!
