This Young Adult world of The Clockwork Lands is the story of The Timekeeper and his daughter, Onyx. It is a fun adventure with full and beautiful writing that really places the reader right there with the characters! It is full of twists and turns that are well written and not expected. There are absolutely beautiful illustrations throughout the book.

Book Review: The Timekeepers by Jill Archie

Jill Archie’s The Timekeepers is an engaging middle-grade novel that delivers a vivid and imaginative adventure. From the start, Archie’s descriptive writing shines, painting immersive scenes that draw readers in. The imagery is particularly striking, making every setting feel alive and tangible.

While the plot takes some time to build, this slow start effectively creates anticipation. Once the action begins, however, the pacing shifts dramatically, propelling the reader through a thrilling sequence of events. The balance between setup and payoff ultimately makes the journey worthwhile, and the fast-paced climax ensures an exciting conclusion.

Overall, The Timekeepers is a compelling read for middle-grade audiences, offering rich descriptions, well-crafted world-building, and an exciting adventure. Fans of mystery and action-driven stories will especially enjoy this book.

When I picked up *The Timekeepers* by Jill Archie, I was immediately intrigued by the steampunk concept and the promise of a unique clockwork world. The book delivered a vibrant setting, complete with airships, automatons, and the intricate gears that define the Clockwork Lands. From the very first chapter, I could almost feel the ticking mechanisms and see the creative inventions come to life, thanks in no small part to Miroslav Dimitrov's stunning illustrations, which added so much depth to the story.

The protagonist, Onyx Chime, was someone I had mixed feelings about at first. Her naivety and excitable nature made it hard for me to fully connect with her, but as the story progressed, her passion for adventure and her deep love for timekeeping won me over. Her mistakes and moments of self-doubt felt very human, and I couldn’t help but root for her as she faced challenges that pushed her beyond her comfort zone.

Edison was a standout character for me. His practicality and steady demeanor balanced Onyx’s impulsive energy beautifully. Their dynamic felt authentic, and I appreciated that their relationship wasn’t forced into a romantic subplot. Edison’s loyalty and optimism brought a lot of heart to the story, and I found myself smiling at his interactions with Onyx.

The world-building was one of my favorite aspects of this book. The inventors’ quarter, in particular, was a highlight—it was so vividly described that I could practically see the chaos and wonder of the inventions around me. The concept of gears for hearts was a bit difficult for me to wrap my head around at first, but I eventually accepted it as part of the unique logic of the Clockwork Lands.

That said, the pacing was a bit of a struggle for me. The story started off slow, and I found myself skimming through some of the early chapters. However, once the action picked up, I was hooked. The twists and turns—especially towards the end—kept me engaged, and a few surprises genuinely caught me off guard. By the time I reached the final pages, I was satisfied with how the story wrapped up.

What I appreciated most about this book was its balance of adventure and thoughtfulness. While it was filled with action and creative steampunk elements, it also took the time to explore deeper themes, like the importance of time and what it means to be eternal. Some of the philosophical discussions didn’t resonate with me as much, but others were thought-provoking and added layers to the narrative.

Reading *The Timekeepers* was an enjoyable experience, even if it had its slower moments. The vibrant world-building, compelling supporting cast, and engaging twists made it a worthwhile read. While I didn’t connect deeply with all aspects of the story, it’s clear that Jill Archie has a knack for creating imaginative and immersive worlds.

If you’re a fan of steampunk, creative settings, and thoughtful explorations of time, *The Timekeepers* is definitely worth checking out. It’s a story that will make you think, smile, and appreciate the intricate gears that keep our own worlds turning.

I love the concept for this book. The Clockwork world sounds fascinating. Great work Miroslav Dimitrov for those illustrations, those added so much to the story! The world and things in the world were described well, I was able to envision almost every setting our characters went to. I did struggle a bit with understanding the gears for hearts thing, but accepted it as the norm for this world. I really liked the inventors quarter of the city, the inventions were really cool!

This might be a me thing, maybe I’m too old to fit in this target demographic, but I couldn’t relate to Onyx much. She came across as naïve and a bit too excitable. However, her craving for adventure was enduring and her passion for timekeeping/clockwork was pretty cute. I liked Edison coming in and being practical and careful. There was a good give and take in their relationship, and his loyalty and positivity made me smile. The other characters were interesting and added to the fun.

The book did drag on for me a bit - I struggled to get through it at my normal reading pace . I did enjoy the story, but I found myself skimming past some parts that were a bit drawn out. There were a couple parts that did take me by surprise at the end though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Jill Archie for this eARC!

Very much enjoyed everything about this book. The illustrations are wonderful and the story was both fun and easy to follow. I am certain it will appeal to many. I was kept engaged and look forward to the next book This book would make a great addition to libraries.

Incredible world building, I am a fan of anything steampunk so this book was a treat, and I really appreciated the drawings as they added a nice touch.

The whole concept of a world that is running time and run by time is cleverly developed.

The dialogue was a little “young” at times which I found not as enjoyable

The cover is splendid! It was a long time since I read steampunk but this was a nice introduction back to the genre. I really loved the adventure and the characters. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this book.

It took me a little while to get in to this book, and for a bit, I was worried that it was going to be my first DNF of the year, but then the pace picked up, and I was quickly hooked.

From the moment Edison arrived, it was clear that things in Onyx's life were never going to be the same again. These two characters complement each other so well, and Eddie provides such a colourful insight into what life is like outside of the Timekeeper's tower.

From there the story picks up pace even further with airships, automatons, sandstorms, seductresses and a very handy flying umbrella! This book was full of twists and turns, right up to the last few pages. I could see some of them coming, but there were some that still caught me by surprise.

A cool world, with a clever central theme, and a really strong supporting cast of characters.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very creative premise with them living in a giant clock. It was very YA and the adventure was pretty action pact. The plot felt very predictable but overall the story was very enjoyable and the characters where very likeable they defiantly acted their ages.

I had high hopes for this book but found it impossible to get engaged with the story and the characters. Found it very difficult to finish.
not really my cup of tea.

The Timekeepers is a wonderful story set in the Clockwork Lands. I loved the illustrations scattered throughout that really helped this world to come alive. The story centres around 16-year-old Onyx Chime who has until now lived a relatively sheltered life in the care of her father, the Timekeeper. There were several plot twists that kept me engaged and wanting to read more. It was an enjoyable 4 star read for me. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

This was my first venture in the steampunk genre and Jill Archie offered an intriguing introduction to this unique aesthetic. I found the worldbuilding captivating and this was perhaps my favourite part of the story. In each chapter there are accompanying illustrations that complemented the descriptions of this world of gears. I found this really helped with the immersion and aided the aesthetic. However, while I adored the aesthetic elements of this story, the actual plot felt lacking. The way the story unfolded was quite predictable and even the twists were not particularly surprising.

Overall, The Timekeepers was still an enjoyable read, particularly from the point of view of the rich setting. Although the plot didn’t quite match up to my expectations, I still think this was a solid introduction to the genre for me. For readers more interested in the aesthetic then this is worth your while but not for those wanting a more complex narrative.

Thank you eARC publishing for a copy of The Timekeepers by Jill Archie. This is a wonderful steampunk novel about living life in the present. Not searching to live in the past or to want the future more than the present. To be happy to live knowing we have eternity in our future. Lots of adventure with Onyx and Edison racing to foil a few enemies from messing with time. Onyx learns a lot about herself while racing from wheel to wheel to stop a few people from disrupting everyone lives for their own pleasure or selfishness.

"The Timekeepers" is a tale of adventure and self discovery set in an imaginative Steampunk world centered around clocks and clockworks. The narrative revolves mostly around Onyx Chime, the daughter of (and assistant to) the titular Timekeeper, and lived a sheltered life set my a (pun intended) clockwork routine. When she's presented an opportunity to explore the world beyond her home, she finds different wonders and dangers as she discovers not all is what she expects things to be.

It's an enjoyable story with the usual twists and turns and almost cliche archetypes found in Steampunk fantasy stories, though some of the twists were a bit predicable and while there was some suspense, it didn't seem as though the stakes were so high and most of the loose ends were neatly resolved. The illustrations weaved through the story (and appeared at the beginning of every chapter) was lovely and captured the spirit of the story. It's a fine start to the series, and I'd be intrigued to learn more about life on the different Wheels that make up this world.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book.

This was honestly the first steampunk novel I’ve ever read, I think. Very well-written and unique, but predictable. I liked the characters and the world-building was awesome! The cover says “book one,” and I would definitely read a sequel.

I had a bit of difficulty to get into the book. I couldn’t really connect with the characters. The storyline I did like there’s a lot happening that makes it fun to read although I didn’t find the book very original. Most of the problems the main character faced were predictable and the way she dealt with them was even more predictable. This doesn’t make this book a bad one, but for someone who reads a lot of books, it isn’t as enjoyable. The world could have been more in my opinion. Someone who picks up this book is probably doing this because they like the aesthetic of the world on clock gears, but this book could have played off anywhere as the clockwork didn’t bring a lot to the table. What I loved about this book were the illustrations these were a beautiful addition to the book.

*thank you to net galley for providing me with an e-arc in return of an honest review*

Well, I just loved this. I loved the concept of these worlds, if anything I would have actually wanted to explore them more and spend more time in each! It was an easy read, the illustrations really brought the world to life. I’m not sure if I’m happy or frustrated that there wasn’t illustrations of the people though, what exactly do they look like with the spaces for their heart keys, I NEED TO KNOW!

3.75 stars rounded up for NetGalley's metrics.

This was fun! I've never read a story that so fully embodied the steampunk aesthetic, and everything about the world felt so correct. The costuming, the world itself, the inventions, and the character design all fit the vibe appropriately and just made sense given the world. The maps and illustrations were very well done and complimented the written descriptions nicely, and I appreciated the fact that the author included a few solid male-female friendships.

I only have a few complaints. The writing tended to have a bit more telling than showing, and that made it feel a bit rough around the edges sometimes. Some of the plot beats and characters were also a bit stilted and could have used a bit more polish. That being said, I think this is the author's debut novel, so I have hope that the writing will smooth out as the author publishes more. I'm excited to read the next installment and jump back into this creative world!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute story! It's suitable for YA readers as well as adults. The world being basically inside of a clock was unique and delightful and had steam-punk vibes. I very much appreciated the handful of illustrations that helped me visualize certain scenes and devices the characters used. The cast of characters was also delightful, and the story moved along at a good pace. All in all, this is an excellent debut novel. While this story comes to a satisfying end, I do hope the author writes more stories that take place in the Clockwork Lands.

I don't tend to read Steampunk that often however, when i read the plot of this book, i was intrigued and I wasn't surprised. Of course there was times where I was confused as it wasn't my normal sort of read.

However Jill Archie have managed to pull be into a fabulous book.