During the long span of its life, Birchwood Manor has been many things, including a school for young ladies, but when Birdie Bell begins the tale of her residency in the Tudor manor house and tells us, "It was long ago; it was yesterday," that one Dickensian line put me firmly in Kate Morton's spell-weaving hands.

By the time I'd finished The Clockmaker's Daughter, I'd added Birchwood Manor to my list of favorite literary houses. Yes, over the centuries it has been many things to many people, but above all, it has been a place of refuge, a place of safety. In the dead of night, a light has been known to shine from an attic dormer, signaling sanctuary to those who need it. I fell in love with Birchwood Manor, every stone, every timber, every flower in its gardens, all the way down to its jetty on the River Thames.

Morton's novel is a slow-moving story told in multiple voices. I'm not complaining about the pace because this is the type of story that must build gradually. Once or twice while reading I did wonder if quite so many voices were needed to advance the plot, but for the most part, I found each character enjoyable-- especially young schoolgirl Ada Lovegrove and Birdie Bell herself.

In many ways, reading The Clockmaker's Daughter is like putting together a large, complicated jigsaw puzzle. The final image is so compelling that you just can't stop reading. As each clue to the mystery is uncovered, it's as though you've found a lost puzzle piece under the box lid or spied one under the sofa cushion and you can't wait to fit it into its proper place.

I have to admit that I didn't really find any great surprises in the plot of this novel, but I didn't care. Being a master storyteller isn't always about coming up with something brand-new. Sometimes it's just about being able to tell a story that fires the reader's imagination so that the person turning the pages can see themselves in each scene of the book and feel the emotions each character feels. If this is the type of book you're in the mood for, there's only one thing to do: pick up a copy of Kate Morton's The Clockmaker's Daughter and meet the people of Birchwood Manor.

The beginning of The Clockmaker’s Daughter hinted at the potential of a fascinating story told from the perspective of the modern woman, Elodie Winslow and the ghost, Birdie Bell. I would have been happy to see how Elodie’s research and Birdie’s recollections unveiled the truth about the events of 1862 and the people involved.

But then more viewpoints were added. And then more.

Most of the characters were well worth getting to know, each with their own impression of the mystery. They helped me piece the facts together so that I could come up with my own suspicions of what really happened in 1862. Did I guess the the truth about what happened before the author revealed it? Not exactly, but I was close.

The ghost, Birdie, is by far the main character. While the book blurb leads you to believe that Elodie is equally important, she actually disappears from the pages of the book for long passages. I really wanted more of her. I wanted her to use her research skills to uncover the personal histories, clues, and artifacts that make up the story of Birchwood Manor.

The story jumped all over the timeline, expecting the reader to keep up with the many characters and their relationships not just to the timeline, but to other characters in the story. To be honest, I found it a bit exhausting. Not everyone will agree with me and might even call me linear-minded. That’s okay.

My rating is 3.5 stars and will round to 4 for the review sites. Overall, I think The Clockmaker’s Daughter will entertain – if you have patience for this temporally challenged mystery.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Hugely disappointed. I like Kate Morton—hence excited for approval to read this book prepublication. BUT.

I like a book with dual timelines. This book, however, had multiple/too many timelines—often confusing, and none terribly compelling .The present timeline—2017, with Elodie Winslow, a London archivist engaged to be married—doesn’t figure in a large part of the book. In fact, I found myself wondering—when would I get back to her story? [which I knew would link ultimately to the driver of the plotlines] Thus, 1862—Edward Radcliffe, part of a group of young artists [Magenta Brotherhood] who head to Birchwood Manor on the Thames—a big character in this novel.

Again, too many often confusing timelines. But overwhelmingly, I just didn’t care. Plus, it’s a long book and I found myself slogging through it to finish and find out how would it all tie together. And, always a rating deduction for me—in several instances the plot line/deviation was just too clearly telegraphed—I like a surprise! So all this added up to just not caring.

Note: the writing was predominantly fine—in fact, in some places I marked humor or great descriptions. What/who did I like? Pale Joe. Lily [the latter one—you must read to find out].

I just can’t say it was good read.

I sooooo wanted to love this book. Kate Morton writes beautifully, and I loved the premise, but this one just wasn't for me. I felt like there was just too much going on, so it was hard for me to keep everything together. Perhaps it;'s because of all the different perspectives going on, but about halfway through, I realized I just didn't care about what was happening. Don't get me wrong- the intrigue is there and Morton's ability to create a hazy, interesting story is wonderful, but I just felt like this book should've had less voices in it.

3 out of 5 stars for The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Kate Morton is a master storyteller with the ability to draw out each character equally in exquisitely fine detail. Each person's heartaches, and soul searching moments were bound together within the walls of an enchanting house straight out of a fairy tale. The event that occurred at Birchwood Manor is an unsolved mystery with many fine strands expertly twined together at the end. She lays out extensive history of the inhabitants and visitors, as well as slowly revealing one narrator's own involvement at the center of it all. I was extremely impressed with the originality of this timeless woman's delivery of the sad tale through her all-seeing knowledge. I can honestly say I've never read a POV quite like hers before.

Over 150 years, speculation has swelled over the murder of one woman, and the disappearance of another. Interest in the whereabouts of Edward Radcliffe’s last rumored painting of his muse, Lily Millington, and the priceless Radcliffe Blue continued to linger. After all, who can resist a tragic love story that involves missing treasure? It seemed there were no clues besides some vague police theories, and the case had long gone ice cold. Until an archivist named Elodie Winslow discovered a leather satchel with a beautiful woman's photo, and Edward's sketchbook. Could this be the mysterious woman he became obsessed with before his life was shattered? How were they connected to James Stratton, the man who once owned the leather satchel?

Elodie is a woman who makes a career out of finding the forgotten story in antiques, and making diligent records of them. But there is something beyond her average interest in these items. An instant fascination and magnetic pull to a sketch found inside his book, and an almost desperate need to answer all of her questions about the events of 1862. Engaged to be married, it's quite possibly the worst time to turn her focus to this mystery. Truths are suddenly being unearthed about the passing about her own mother, and the circumstances surrounding the time of her death. She's feeling confused and more than a little lost as her emotions are getting stirred at uncomfortable levels. But she simply cannot let the matter rest, and what she discovers will have a surprising personal impact.

I really felt for Elodie as she navigated through her conflicted feelings about her family, and the blow of some uncomfortable secrets that eventually came to light. Initially, I actually thought that her POV would be the main focus in the book, but that wasn't the case. The many varied POVs were spaced out with equal attention, escorting you through time slowly at first. Until finally, the meander became a ragged sprint that leaves you breathless in the last chapters.

Edward and Lily's love story was what I was most looking forward to reading about. Even knowing they would ultimately suffer a cruel fate, I wanted that peek into their happy time when their world was full of light and promise. And boy, they did not disappoint. Their emotions for each other were beautifully written, and some of my absolute favorite parts of Kate Morton's crafting of this story. Edward's adoration of her bled through the pages, and made their stories that much more important to solve. At times, I was impatient to get to their parts, and the pace dragged from my impatience. There was a definite melancholy air to much of the book, and a feeling of impending doom. But in those brief moments when you see their love blossom, they are the sweetest bouquet waiting to bloom.

The mystery of the book held me enthralled throughout. There were some things that I caught onto, and others that took me completely by surprise as everything was finally revealed. My suspicions about Uncle Tip and his mother's story at Birchwood was partially confirmed, but there were several unpredictable details I loved that clicked each of the puzzle together seamlessly. I loved the ethereal quality to the manor, and how it was almost a character in and of itself. How its beauty brought comfort and peace to so many despite bringing devastation to the Radcliffes. I must admit, the ending felt pretty abrupt to me, and I attempted to turn the last page to see if there was more to be told. It was a little bit of a let down to not be shown Elodie and Jack's impending discovery even though it's obvious what was about to transpire. I wanted to be able to see it!

All in all, I fell in love with Kate Morton's eloquent writing. The Clockmaker's Daughter was a many layered, beautifully expressed, character driven story. I'm really looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

Her writing style is lyrical and her subject matter is always interesting and beautifully displayed. I adored The Lake House and I own all her other books but I usually wait to read them until the fall. There is something about reading her books in the fall that just makes them that much better it seems.

When I saw that this book was coming out in the fall, I knew I had to read it. The cover and title screamed ‘read me’.

In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins.

Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter (summary from Goodreads).

This one is a tough one for me to review. I liked it, but that was just it. There seemed to be a little too much going on in this one. Normally in her books, there are a couple of different stories going on in the narrative that eventually link back together, but in this one there are numerous (like more than 4) stories going on in the narrative, not to mention a number of different time periods and that left me with a few too many characters to keep track of.

At times I almost felt like this story was running away with itself. Every time I got to a new chapter it seemed that a new character was adding their contribution to the larger narrative. I liked getting to know a lot of characters but sometimes I felt lost and I had a hard time trying to understand how everything related to the next.

But this book did have a lot of what you might expect from Morton. It had beautiful writing with a number of beautiful musings and quotes. Morton has a profound vocabulary that she isn’t afraid to use and I love how well that works in her novels. This book is well researched with a lot of little historical details but not so many that it overwhelms the reader. I loved reading about Birchwood Manor…I could almost feel like I was there. She has a wonderful way of tapping into the beauty of the English countryside and their estates and ushering the reader into the setting. I love that about her books.

While this book was fun to read, it wasn’t at the top of my list. I will still gladly read her books though because she writes with such beauty and style that I am entranced when I read her books. Again, this is only the second book that I’ve read by her so I can only compare it to The Lake House (which I liked better). Though I didn’t like this one as much as I expected, there is still a lot to enjoy and read in this book. It’s got some ghosts in it so it does make a lovely fall/Halloween read.

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Kindle Edition, 512 pages
Expected publication: October 9th 2018 by Atria Books (first published September 20th 2018)
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Recommendation: 3 out of 5
Genre: historical fiction, ghost story
Memorable lines/quotes:

Thank you to NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. Kate Morton's writing style is so rich. The Clockmaker's Daughter is a beautiful story that is sure to delight readers.

I loved this book! I love tales that sweep through time and characters. Kate Morton does this so well! Another author could have made this story confusing with all the timelines and characters. This was a beautiful story.

I had never read Kate Morton before, so I cannot compare it to her other novels. I can see why she has so many loyal fans, her writing is lovely, though this story felt quite long. This novel starts when Elodie, a modern archivist, stumbles upon a satchel with a notebook and old photograph inside. Elodie diligently researches their past, whisking us across time as the story develops. Chapters are told from multiple points-of-view, and it’s not always immediately clear at the outset whose we’re seeing or where we are in time and place. It’s a method that works well, getting us to the end without giving all the twists and turns away beforehand.

It’s not an action-filled, or plot-heavy novel. It’s much more about the moments in time we visit and the character development, which are beautifully described in Morton’s transporting prose. And while the story was engaging, I wish it’d been a little more to the point.

Initially intrigued with the premise of a long-ago tragedy reaching forward to impact the present, particularly as the tragedy was from the Victorian era, I dove into the book hoping for a story that transported while showing the interconnection and impact of the initial event over the years. And while individual points of view are both beautifully written and hold description and emotion that lead readers to want more – the book failed to captivate me, and I was left often wondering about characters who shared information and seemed to be ‘important’ who just went poof. When you add this lack of threads and a twisty-turny meandering path to any sort of answers, and then make the choice to not clearly define narrative points of view, the story gets lost in the ‘who was that and why are they speaking’ questions that arose. And many of those moments arose, as Morton chose to use multiple (I lost count) narrative voices – some sharing information, others simple impressions and others still whose point I have yet to discern.

I wanted a touch of a gothic feel, a bit of ‘oh so that’s why X did that” that would, if not instantly then eventually give me a sense of how a murder and a house could effect the lives (not necessarily for the better) some 250 years later. And sadly, I didn’t’ get that – and found myself hard-pressed to muddle through proclamations and moments from characters that were ill-defined and often felt randomly placed as I tried to work out the one thread and touchstone for the story. It never came. I’m sure that fans of Morton’s writing will love this – but as a first introduction to her work I found it didn’t hold my interest or my attention past an hour at a shot. While the writing is lovely – and her prose is exceptional – it was the plotting choices and characters that never quite developed into anything beyond nebulous that has me disinclined to read her books again.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-a3u/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I am so very excited that Kate Morton, an author whom I adore, has a new novel coming out in October. I had the opportunity to read it via Net Galley and I really enjoyed it!

The Clockmaker’s Daughter is wonderful historical fiction, and it follows the story of Birdie, a spirit who tells her own story within the story of a house and all the intertwining lives that play a role there over time. This story stretches from 1862 to present day, but eventually you come to see how all the lives are actually impacting each other through time and place, through love, murder, loss, and mystery. Though the story can sometimes be a bit confusing as the narrator changes, and the story does not move chronologically, I loved making the connections and guessing what would come next. It’s a bit of a sad story, but interesting, and with a cast of characters that is as memorable as it is unique.

Fans of Morton will love this treat, and new readers of her should not miss it!

Thank you for my review copy!

REVIEW
The Clockmaker's Daughter is a solid work by Kate Morton. It's a bit of a hefty tome that could benefit from a deft edit, but fans of Morton's work will be pleased overall. It's a story told across time periods and focuses on themes of mystery, love, and loss.

AUTHOR
Kate Morton is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, The Secret Keeper, The Lake House, and The Clockmaker’s Daughter. Her books are published in 34 languages and have been #1 bestsellers worldwide. She is a native Australian, holds degrees in dramatic art and English literature. She lives with her family in London and Australia.

Sadly, even though I love historical fiction and dual timelines, this book just didn’t work for me at all. The pacing was so slow and there were way too many characters to keep track of and I didn’t feel a connection to any of them. I’m disappointed because this was my first time reading Kate Morton and I’ve always heard great things about her books.

I have heard others say this one is a bit different from what she usually writes though, so I’ll definitely give her another try because her writing itself is gorgeous even though I didn't click with this particular story. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my opinion.

A grand romantic and atmospheric historical mystery in what's now established as the Kate Morton tradition. Nothing groundbreaking but it's all skillfully done and fans of her others will love it!

Kate Morton is a brilliant writer of historical fiction, and The Clockmaker's Daughter is no exception. While The Secret Keeper remains my favorite, this story definitely swept me away to the banks of the River Thames and Birchwood Manor, where her typical excellent weaving of characters, events, and details drew me in to another time and place. I never want her novels to end, and I do think this one ended a little abruptly. However, I'm still a fan and rate this story right up there with all her other amazing novels. I'm so thankful this author continues to write such excellent work.

Kate is an amaing author with prose, and this book will have you enchanted from the first page! As the reader follows Birdie' story, back and forth in time, you will get caught up in how she is abandoned by those she loves, and how her life afefcts so many, in different ways. Part mystery, part love story, this book is one you can't put down. I finished it in 2 sittings only because I had to, otherwise I would have stayed lost in the story until I finished it. This is not a book to be missed, be sure it is on your fall reading list!

tl;dr: Read this. Exquisitely written and outstanding novel about the power of time and love. Again...read this.

The Clockmaker's Daughter is easily one of the top three novels I've read in 2018. Spanning from the late 19th century to the present day, everyone and everything in it is connected, some in joy, some in sorrow, some in hope.

And the writing! Oh, does Ms. Morton have a way with words. I don't usually highlight text, but there were several passages--most notably to me on sentiment and what it means and a lovely bit about knowledge and women-- that were so perfectly said, so eloquently put, that I had to be able to find them again.

Although I suspect The Clockmaker's Daughter may be touted as literary fiction, which it is because of the beautiful writing (for a start), I think ( and hope) that it will be a bestseller because it will appeal to readers of commercial fiction, women's fiction, those who like characters driven mysteries, and even to teen readers. Truly, there is something here for everyone!

I won't say too much about the plot for fear of spoilers but I did love how everything was woven together, and to those who may not be happy with the ending, I say that there is room for possibilities as well as the notion that love transforms in ways that may lead to the best *possible* outcome, and that is how love may bind us to a person forever, in ways both expected and not. It transcends, it is forever, no matter what may come.

I've already mentioned the writing, but I have to mention that Ms. Morton is also a deft plotter, and manages to weave in so much history, be it of art or science or pre/during/post war life, and all with such a deft hand that I marveled.

I was filled with admiration, joy, sorrow, and, at the end, peace. What more can one ask for when reading?

The Clockmaker's Daughter is a must read. For adults, I'd say it easily pairs with A. S Byatt's sublime Posession, one of Ms. Morton's other novels, or even David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas. For teens, I'm thinking Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution (other suggestions?) It also is an easy pick for a book club and I'll be setting one up for adults and hopefully teens as well.

I did receive an ARC of this but will be purchasing two copies, one for myself and one to loan to friends. It's that good! Get yourself a copy, as you are worth it, or join your local library's waitlist (I will be pushing to order more copies to meet demand)

Sometimes I love Kate Morton… and then sometimes I don’t. Reading the Clockmaker’s Daughter, I was reminded of this. Like some of her other titles, parts were great and parts contrived. However, the end was a rush to tie up all the loose threads of too many characters and their parts in this odd mystery.
With that said, parts of this were so evocative of the times and the settings. All in all an enjoyable read, but not one of her best.

I loved this book! I love the setting, the manor (a house is a classic Kate Morton ingredient in her stories), and of course the word pictures that are conjured up. I loved the characters, especially Elodie, and how you can imagine what happened to them even after the last page is read. I love Kate Morton's way with words and I'm really excited about seeing her in Kansas City in a few weeks!

Wow, just wow. Just finished this book after savoring it for several weeks. Yes, I could have finished it earlier, but I just wanted the reading experience to last just that little bit longer!
It's odd for me to say, but the first thing I found extraordinary about this book was the construction of the narration. The author's skill in slowly unfurling the plot to the reader, while simultaneously building up the suspense and mystery is a thing of beauty.

One of the most enjoyable and satisfying reading experiences I've had this year!