Book Review of The Clockwork Crow
The Children’s Book Review
The Clockwork Crow
Written by Catherine Fisher
Ages 9-12 | 208 Pages
Publisher: Walker Books US | ISBN: 978-1-5362-1491-8
What to Expect: Historical, fantasy, steampunk.
Seren has never been loved and cherished; first as an orphan in an institutional orphanage and then when living with a bedridden relative, she has always been neglected and mostly ignored.
When Captain Arthur Jones, her dead father’s best friend, calls on her to come and live with his family in his grand mansion Plas-y Fran in Wales, she dreams of finally having a family because Captain Jones has a wife little boy, Tomos. However, Seren’s daydreams of a magical Christmas with her new family are shattered almost at once: Tomos is missing, the Captain and his grieving wife have fled to London, and no one wants to tell Seren about the mysterious nursery in the attic or the unearthly bell that rings in the middle of the night. In fact, her only friend now is a motheaten mechanical crow, dumped on her by a mysterious stranger at the train station.
Can the crow help her find Tomos and have a family at last?
The Clockwork Crow is one of those rare children’s stories that stays with you long after you have finished reading. Seren is a lively and engaging character, and her determination and spirit are reminiscent of Gerda, rescuing the hapless Hans in The Snow Queen. However, what makes this story so magical is the mood Fisher evokes of winter enchantment, from the sinister attic room to the fierceness of the fairy world and the warmth of a family Christmas. Combining elements from classic fairy tales, fantasy fiction, historical fiction, and steampunk, the story is fast-paced and captivating.
For readers who enjoy fairy tales, this middle-grade novel is sure to be a hit.
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About the Author
Catherine Fisher is the New York Times best-selling author of Sapphique and Incarceron. She is “one of today’s best fantasy writers,” according to the London Independent. An acclaimed novelist and poet, she has written many fantasy books for young people, including The Oracle Prophecy series, Corbenic, Darkhenge, The Snow-Walker Trilogy, Darkwater Hall, and The Relic Master series.
The Clockwork Crow, written by Catherine Fisher, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like The Clockwork Crow by following our reviews and articles tagged with historical fiction, fantasy, and steampunk.
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