Ratings2
Average rating4
This was on my Spooky Season TBR last year, so I knew I had to get it done this time. So glad I did!
This middle grade fantasy/horror is like if somebody mixed Toy Story, Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien, the Alchemy of The Wizarding World, the imagination of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the spooky-feels of R. L. Stine. This book was straight nostalgia for me. An absolute blast.
Lucy and her brother, Oliver, read as great and true siblings. After the passing of their mother, they are brought to Watch Hollow as their father works to repair a mysterious man's grand clock. The adventure has them curious and anxious, and the house and area has all the spooky feels you'd expect.
The fantasy aspect of this novel, as it so often is, is the battle of good and evil, light and dark. In this case, fear vs. love. It was a refreshing take honestly, and it was still what you'd expect, just done really nicely.
There's a sequel that I most definitely need to grab soon!