Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Clockwork Three

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 2,356 ratings · 562 reviews

Three ordinary children are brought together by extraordinary events. . . .

Giuseppe is an orphaned street musician who sees no way to escape from his ruthless master, until the day he finds an enchanted violin.

Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker with a past he cannot remember, who secretly works to build the most magnificent clockwork man the world has ever seen.

Hannah i...more

Hardcover, 395 pages

Published 2010 by Scholastic Press

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Newbery 2011

25th out of 139 books — 409 voters

2010 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature)

127th out of 301 books — 1,970 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 10, 2011 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’m in a weird position. I’m tired of Steampunk, and yet if I say that word to most kids that walk into my library they’ll give me a blank stare followed by an immediate, “What’s Steampunk?” I’d explain to them that it’s this strange amalgamation of historical fiction plus futuristic gear-based clockwork technology but I know that this would not cause the blank stares to cease. They'd simply grow blanker. I’m tired of Steampunk, you see, but even then I have a confession to make. I’m only really...more I’m in a weird position. I’m tired of Steampunk, and yet if I say that word to most kids that walk into my library they’ll give me a blank stare followed by an immediate, “What’s Steampunk?” I’d explain to them that it’s this strange amalgamation of historical fiction plus futuristic gear-based clockwork technology but I know that this would not cause the blank stares to cease. They'd simply grow blanker. I’m tired of Steampunk, you see, but even then I have a confession to make. I’m only really tired of hearing about it. I'm tired of being told it's the next big thing and that we should all be reading it. And yet . . . a good novel that involves clockwork and gears is right up my alley. Particularly when the writing is so good that you’d happily read the whole thing even if there weren’t some gearlike mechanical whoozitz element to the tale. It took a while, but I started hearing some low buzz surrounding debut author Matthew Kirby’s novel The Clockwork Three. Dividing his narrative between three different characters, the book has more action, adventure, heart, music, good food, natural beauty, and strange underworld dealings than you could ever hope to find. From proto-robots to golems and séances, it also manages to be packed with exciting elements without ever feeling overdone.

Three kids discover three different secrets that may change their lives forever. In a seaside city where rich and poor are sharply divided, Giuseppe the Italian street busker discovers a green violin that may be the secret to his escape from this dirty old city back to his home across the ocean. Hannah, in turn, discovers in the hotel where she works to support her ailing father and family, that one of its old residents once had a treasure, long since lost. And Frederick, the clockworker’s apprentice discovers the existence of a mechanical head that may be just what he needs to complete the mechanical body he’s been building in secret. Slowly but surely the needs and wants of these three characters begin to intertwine, until it becomes clear that none of them will get what they desire unless they take a chance and trust one another, come what may.

The city where this book takes place is interesting. We know that it’s in America, and that kids like Giuseppe have come to it from Italy. Beyond that, however, it has all the characteristics of a made up metropolis. Too small to be New York, it’s nonetheless on the ocean, and is a large bustling area with rich and poor neighborhoods. There’s also a large park somewhere near the center. This all sounds like New York, but Kirby has freed himself up with the option of giving his city new street names, new park names, and new buildings to populate. Sure there are museums, but there are also Guilds of clockworkers and organized street urchins who busk for their bread. To the author’s credit, there was only a very brief moment at the story’s start when I thought that maybe this book was set in NYC. It passed quickly. As for the era of the book, it's definitely during a kind of early Industrialized era, but no definitive year.

The trick to the book (and it couldn’t have been easy) was to have three kids with three different narratives and (most importantly of all) three different points in time all intersect at just the right moments. What happens to be a day for Giuseppe might be three days for Hannah or a month for Frederick. So Mr. Kirby has to manage to even out the time, to a certain extent. He’s hemmed in by the fact that if he leaves Frederick in a dire situation and then cuts to Hannah, she’s going to have to not experience so much time that the reader is thrown off when they return to Frederick once again. And while he’s doing all of that, Kirby has to also make these three kids like one another. He doesn’t make it easy on himself by allowing them to be little charmers, either. Frederick is uppity and cold at the start, a front that slowly melts as the other two get to know him. Giuseppe and Hannah are both pretty instantly likable, so that takes a little pressure off of the author. If all three were prickly pears we’d have a hard time reading about them.

That’s one difficulty the author must overcome. Another is the whole Clockwork Man aspect. About 296 pages into the story or so the book suddenly turns from a pretty piece of fairly realistic fiction (albeit in a fantasy world) into an out and out fantasy or science fiction piece (you can determine for yourself which of the two designations fit better). This marks a bit of a shift in tone, though fortunately we’ve had enough small surreal moments before now to go along with what the author is doing. In a more herky-jerky novel this moment would change everything and the book would end up being something like Cornelia Funke’s The Thief Lord. Which is to say, a fun rollicking adventure that suddenly produces a weird fantasy element and ends up weakening the novel as a whole. The Clockwork Three avoids this trap, resulting in a stronger book.

When I talk with kids about the books they read, they’ll sometimes point out to me whether or not a book has “a one on its spine”. I run a bookgroup for kids and though they’re huge series readers, they actually do not much care for the idea of new series. They speak with distain of books that don’t stand alone and have to have more than one book in their series to be interesting. When I get them to read The Clockwork Three I’ll show them the lack of a spinal “one” and they will coolly approve. That said, I’m certain that Kirby could write a sequel to this book if he so desired. The ending is deeply satisfying, with at least two of the characters in positions that are still not where they would have hoped to be at the story’s beginning, yet are still satisfying. The third kid, however, appears to be off to a life of grand adventure and possible danger. This kid, I want to follow, wherever they may go. So while Kirby doesn’t commit himself to future tales, neither does he completely shut the door.

As it stands, The Clockwork Three satisfies the needs of any kid looking for adventure, really awful villains (each child has at least one that they must personally confront), and the details that distinguish a book from being merely okay to being downright great. A lovely debut and an author clearly worth watching in the future.

For ages 9-12.
(less)

22 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

Desperate to escape from his cruel master and make his way back to his home in Italy, Giuseppe is excited to find a green violin that is like new. Playing it every day in the streets, he is able to make large amounts of money for his escape. Storing it in a crypt of a man by the name of Stroop, he dreams of the day he will be able to buy his passage home. However, his cruel master, Stephano, grows suspicious of Giuseppe and begins watching him like a hawk.

O...more Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

Desperate to escape from his cruel master and make his way back to his home in Italy, Giuseppe is excited to find a green violin that is like new. Playing it every day in the streets, he is able to make large amounts of money for his escape. Storing it in a crypt of a man by the name of Stroop, he dreams of the day he will be able to buy his passage home. However, his cruel master, Stephano, grows suspicious of Giuseppe and begins watching him like a hawk.

Once a great stonemanson, Hannah's father has become an invalid after suffering a bad stroke. Her mother must stay home and care for him as well as the two youngest children. Forced to work in a hotel as a maid, Hannah longs to be able to go back to school and move out of the tenement housing they live in. When her father falls seriously ill from a bedsore, Hannah's desperate attempts to get money for the medicine her father needs all fail. Her only hope is to find the missing treasure of Mr. Stroop, a once wealthy, prominent, living person in society.

Apprenticed to a clockmaker, Frederick was lucky enough to escape the orphanage life. Curious to a fault, Frederick seeks unique ways to becoming a journeyman in his field. When he gets the idea to make a clockwork man, he begins saving pieces of scrap metal from around the shop and starts creating them into the form of a man. All he needs is a head.

Their lives spun together like clockwork, these three's paths become entwined for better or for worse. Working together to try and meet all three of their goals, they are able to find a way into Mr. Stroop's old hidden room above the hotel, find a clockwork head for Frederick, and help Giuseppe get out from under his oppression. Their plans, however, soon backfire and make matters worse.

Now, Giuseppe is on the run for his life from his cruel master, Frederick has mysterious men from the town museum after him for stealing their clockwork head, and Hannah is on the run from the police for theft and burglary from the hotel she was working at. Their only hope is to find the treasure. Will they succeed?

An amazing adventure filled with excitement, action, and friendship. The characters are well-developed. The plot is unique, well-done, and does a great job of holding the reader's interest. Those who like fantasy, adventure, and mystery will all enjoy reading THE CLOCKWORK THREE. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 05, 2010 Alan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

ATOS Book Level: 4.5
Interest Level: Middle Grades (MG 4-8)
AR Points: 15.0
Lexile: 680
Word Count: 100530
The cover flap describes this story as "a dose of fantasy, (and) a hint of magic". My problem with the book, for me, is that it would work better if this was a fantasy. In fantasy there is a suspension of beliefs, a stepping away from what "you know to be true" with/in this world. Giuseppe's fiddle playing has a "hint of magic", why not give it some real magic, or at least let us set aside our p...more

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 13, 2011 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-and-read

The Clockwork Three is a suspense filled, view-changing tale of a boy named Guiseppe. He is a violinist and is under the control of his padrone named Stephano. Then one day he finds a magical green violin, and it earns him much more money than usual. He decides to earn his way out of he city and go home to Italy. The other two characters Hannah and Frederick also have many questions throughout their life, and as friends they all realize that one friend of theirs has the answer to their question...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I picked this up at a warehouse sale from Scholastic for my children. I was quite intrigued with the story. This debut novel did well at weaving these three children & their stories together. I didn't feel like I was reading something far beneath my "reading level".

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2013 Ash rated it 3 of 5 stars

I chose this book, because the cover and title looked interesting to me, I thought it would be a good read. The book is about an orphan boy that works on the streets, begging for a gang that he has to give all his money to at the end of the day. He wants to escape from his horrible life, but he has no hope, until he finds a magical violin that makes more money than a regular violin. My favorite quote from this book was, "Sharing his memories felt like handing over a sharp knife. A knife that oth...more

like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Melissa T rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Velliquette rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was cute. A cute trio of cute little characters each with their own dreams. Several appealing settings in the mind: whispers in a dark, shadowy museum to a chase on skylit city rooftops. A young Italian boy, cap askew, wandering about the forest in clothing long dirtied, appreciating how the light of day gives his hiding place new life. Gotta love that imagery!

A good introduction to younger readers about real issues in the world today, sometimes brought to the forefront of the prose but often...more

like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Kayla West rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all, let me say that this book should have a subtitle: THE GREEN VIOLIN, for it is this very object which brings the three main characters together in the first place. Without that, and some genius musical talent behind it, this story would not need to be told, let alone would it even exist.
Each character introduced to us in this story, Giuseppe, Hannah, and Frederick, has some sort of background or past haunting them. One was taken from his homeland by his menacing padrone to play for...more First of all, let me say that this book should have a subtitle: THE GREEN VIOLIN, for it is this very object which brings the three main characters together in the first place. Without that, and some genius musical talent behind it, this story would not need to be told, let alone would it even exist.
Each character introduced to us in this story, Giuseppe, Hannah, and Frederick, has some sort of background or past haunting them. One was taken from his homeland by his menacing padrone to play for change in the streets of another, one's father became desperately ill and disabled causing her to stop schooling and work to help her family, and the other lived in an orphanage with a terrible woman named Mrs. Treeless who cared for no one but herself and her own well-being.
These characters' pasts play some sort of part for what they do throughout the book. They at times reflect on their pasts in the story, and their goodness and kindness is influenced by their reflections on what has been and what they hope will be.
The story is written very well. It keeps the reader engaged throughout the reading, and I, personally, could not put it down. There were a few twists and turns, and I became excited at times to find out, along with the characters, certain bits of information not known before in the storyline. I was definitely intrigued by how the characters lives kind of became intertwined with one another's.
This story is one of friendship, of dreams of the past, and of people helping one another to reach eachother's goals. It is a magical ride of treasure, holly leaves, music, nature, and clockwork men. It becomes very Hugo-esque near the ending, or so it reminded me. I love the incorporation of automatons in the book. It fits well and flows neatly with the storyline.
This book is not just for readers with a 4.5 reading level. (That's what it says in the book sitting by my side,) It is a book that I wholeheartedly believe any age group would enjoy. You just have to be willing to open the cover and listen to the characters inside. That is what I did, and this book definitely did not disappoint.

For more reviews by me go to:
http://attackofthebookworms.blogspot....(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 14, 2012 Mason Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a quick read, being a standard YA-length book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in a large city reminiscent of early 1900s Manhattan or London, it's the story of three children who become acquainted through a complicated tangle of events. All three are fighting against fates which point them toward poverty and misery: an orphaned and enslaved street musician, an orphaned apprentice clockmaker, and a teenaged hotel maid whose father is bedridden. Tinges of magic and steampunk make their way...more

like · see review

Oct 02, 2012 Bishrab rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby was a genre called "Steampunk." Steampunk is associated with Historical Fiction with Fantasy that has to do with steam power. This book looked like a typical fantasy book, but the author weaves in a story that grips the heart wanting to know what happens next using the characters personal problems.
Giuseppe is a street musician. His money goes to his abusive master, Stephano. Giuseppe acts very mature due to Stephano's abusive beatings. Little does Stepha...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Matthew Wu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Three children are in desperate need. They have to work to support themselves/family. They steal when they had no choice. They would need to trust and help each other to get what they want. Giuseppe is a street musician. He wants to be free from his master. Frederisk is an orphaned clockmaker's apprentice. He wants make jouneyman and have his own shop. He also wants to know why his mother left him in the orphanage. Hannah is a maid in a grand hoter. She hears about a treasure. She wants to find...more Three children are in desperate need. They have to work to support themselves/family. They steal when they had no choice. They would need to trust and help each other to get what they want. Giuseppe is a street musician. He wants to be free from his master. Frederisk is an orphaned clockmaker's apprentice. He wants make jouneyman and have his own shop. He also wants to know why his mother left him in the orphanage. Hannah is a maid in a grand hoter. She hears about a treasure. She wants to find the treasure. She needed that treasure because her family is poor and her father was very sick. A strange guest (Madame Pomeroy) employs Hannah to be her personal assistant. Hannah walks in the clockwork shop with her. Madame Pomeroy wants Fredrick to make a clock for her. Madame Pomeroy invited both Hannah and Fredrick to the opera. Later, Madame pomeroy fired Hannah for stealing her jewlry. But, Hannah needed money to buy medicine for her father. She believes the treasure in hidden in the park. She went to the park to look for it. Hannah met Giuseppe in the park. Giuseppe was there to escape from his cruell master. The gardener that lives in the park gave Hannah the medicine. Hannah left the park for home. Giusepppe joined Hannah to heal her father. Giuseppe has a fift. He can play the fiddle very well. Then, Giuseppe decided to stay with his friend, Fredrick. (They became friends when Giuseppe helped Fredrick from attackers. Fredrick aso did Giuseppe a favor in return.) Giuseppe and Hannah arrived at Fredrick's home and was very surprised that they all know each other. They also found out that each of them are in desperate trouble. They all agreed to help each other. At the end, they reached their goals. Giuseppe went to to Italy with Madame Pomeroy's help. Fredrick became a journeyman and found out why his mom left him in the orphanage. Hannah found the treasure. The park is the treasure. "a treasure of life." She got her job back and was given a promotion. This is a great book full of adventures and magic!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 Renee rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book follows Giuseppe, a street musician, who is "employed" by his padrone and must bring in enough money through his playing each day, or else.. Frederick a talented apprentice clockmaker rescued from the brutal orphanage/fabric mill, and Hannah who has an invalid father and is working as a maid in a hotel to support her family. Each dreams of a better life. As the book continues their stories intertwine.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I was hooked after the first chapter...more

1 like · like · see review

May 28, 2012 02carlyl rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. It was interesting that there were 3 main characters and each of them was equally important in the story. It shows how you have to trust others in order to save what you love. The book takes place in a bustling city. The setting couldn't have been in Italy because Giuseppe's part in the story is how he tries to escape from Stephano, a cruel orphanage owner, and go back to Italy. Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker whose parents died when he was little. He's an apprent...more

1 like · like · see review

May 21, 2012 Hannah Gold rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favourites, sounds-like-poetry-type, marvelous-plots, my-favourite-characters

About: Frederick, a clockmaker's apprentice; Hannah, a young girl working as a hotel maid; and Giuseppe, an orphan boy with an exceptional gift. Although seemingly different from one another, their stories are intertwined--like the turning gears of a clock.

Pros: 1) The plot. It was really spellbinding. Those with interlocking stories are, for me, just brilliant, and this book didn't fail me. 2) The writer's style. The book was written in a way that "shows, not tells" (as my Language Arts teache...more

1 like · like · see review

May 02, 2012 Payton1c? rated it 4 of 5 stars

*SPOILER ALERT*
This book is amazing. When you read the first chapter it may bore you. The only reason I started reading it is because I was flipping through the pages and saw the word 'Ezio' (I am a BIG Assassin's Creed fan). Some parts of the story might seem completely random or unnecessary but in the end everything makes sense. It's really amazing how Matthew starts out with three completely separate, opposite characters and weaves their stories together so no one character can do what they w...more

like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Tirayr Melikjanyan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I chose The Clockwork Three, by Matthew J. Kirby, because it stood out in the Public Library. Basically, three preteens with terrible childhoods help each other fix their problems. They are: money for a doctor to tend to a girl's father, freedom for a brosker and to go back home to Italy and an apprentice to make journeyman and open his own clockwork shop.“He waved to the city and said good-bye.
"The city responded by carrying on the way it always did, traffic moving forward uninterrupted, witho...more

like · see review

Mar 20, 2012 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, juvenile-mystery-adventure, juvenile-fantasy-scifi

The Clockwork Three was recommended to me by a 4th Grader last year and I am glad to have finally gotten around to reading it! It is a first novel by Mr. Kirby and it is extremely well-plotted. It is the story of three children–Giuseppe, Frederick and Hannah–who begin the story as strangers to each other and gradually find their paths in life interwining.

It is interesting that the three lives evolve separately for almost two-thirds of the book. There are brief encounters with each other, althoug...more The Clockwork Three was recommended to me by a 4th Grader last year and I am glad to have finally gotten around to reading it! It is a first novel by Mr. Kirby and it is extremely well-plotted. It is the story of three children–Giuseppe, Frederick and Hannah–who begin the story as strangers to each other and gradually find their paths in life interwining.

It is interesting that the three lives evolve separately for almost two-thirds of the book. There are brief encounters with each other, although none of the three are ever aware that those interactions will come to mean more at a later date–much like real life. Giuseppe is a street musician, sold to a street thug who has several boys in his ‘employ,’ but who dreams of returning to his brother and sister in Italy. Hannah is a young girl forced to give up her education and her childhood when her father is paralyzed by a stroke and her family has no breadwinner; she works as a maid in the hotel her father helped to build. Frederick was rescued from the abuse of an orphanage by a kind clockmaker and apprenticed to him but he cannot shake the nightmares of his years in the orphanage.

The three come together when they discover that the thing each of them desires most can only be achieved with the help of the other two. There is excitement, suspense, a woman who communes with the spirits of the dead, a wild cougar named Mirabel, a green violin, the magic of music, a noble machine come to life and a dead man’s mysterious treasure all thrown into the mix.

Kirby guides the plot masterfully so that it comes to a satisfying conclusion, with a few little surprises along the way. He ties up all loose ends yet still leaves some wonderfully mysterious secrets untold. It is really a good story whose pace builds consistently from beginning to end. When I finished the book I felt a renewed sense of appreciation for friends–and people in general. This is a good independent read or could be a great shared bedtime story. It might also be a fun read-aloud for 4th-6th grade, as it is definitely kid-based, easily understood and relevant to many personal and interpersonal ideas and issues regardless of the time in which it is set.
(less)

like · see review

Mar 02, 2012 Nicola rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reason for Reading: This book came unsolicited but I enjoy steampunk as well as stories set in Victorian-like eras, especially from the lower class point of view.

This is a tough book to categorize. It centres around clockmakers, clockworks and an automaton within a Victorian (or Victorian-like) society and is obviously steampunk but from there it defies generalization. There is a mystery; this is mostly realistic fiction but there is just that tiny hint of fantasy; the author's note let's us kno...more

like · see review

Dec 22, 2011 Charlie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, very-very-very-good, tear-jerkers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 19, 2011 Natasha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, friendship, middle-grade

This middle-grade read was given to me by my mom as a senior in college gift. The writing is geared towards middle grade, so no lavish descriptions or large words, but it is just as lyrical as some young adult books. Throughout this book, I was reminded of The Thief Lord with the whimsical characters and action.

This book is more of a suspense book. Nothing huge, but each chapter alternates between the three main characters and the chapters more often than not end in cliffhangers. I had to resist...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 31, 2011 Lalageh Noubarentz rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Sarah BT rated it 3 of 5 stars

About the Book: Frederick is an apprentice in a clockwork shop who is secretly working on his own clockwork man in the hopes of making journeyman.

Hannah is a maid working at a hotel trying to raise money for her family and sick father. When she hears of the possibility of a treasure, Hannah decides to seek her fortune.

Giuseppe was kidnapped from his home in Italy and works as a street musician. He dreams of returning home and when he finds a green violin, he wonders if it holds to key to his pa...more About the Book: Frederick is an apprentice in a clockwork shop who is secretly working on his own clockwork man in the hopes of making journeyman.

Hannah is a maid working at a hotel trying to raise money for her family and sick father. When she hears of the possibility of a treasure, Hannah decides to seek her fortune.

Giuseppe was kidnapped from his home in Italy and works as a street musician. He dreams of returning home and when he finds a green violin, he wonders if it holds to key to his passage.

The stories weave together and the three learn that they must work together to help each other solve their problems.

GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: The Clockwork Three was a book I picked up at ALA last year and even heard the author read from, but nothing about it really sparked my interest. Then I had to read it because of committee reading, so I picked it up.

I liked the book to start and I really enjoyed all three characters. They were engaging and interesting. I did listen to part of it on CD and I was a bit annoyed by the narrator's voice for Frederick-he made him sound "nerdy" which was somewhat distracting. But I think that only came through on audio since I didn't get that when I read portions of the book.

I really liked how the author ended up weaving all three storylines together, although it did take awhile for it to happen, so readers might need some patience to get there. I also felt the ending sort of fizzled out. The explanation of Hannah's treasure, the clockwork man Frederick has been working on, and Giuseppe's green violin all seemed to contrived and coincidental. This annoyed me since I thought once the book got going, it was really interesting and I was eager to see how everything turned out. Instead it just sort of quietly ends and in some ways it felt like the author was trying to wrap things up too quickly (which is odd for a book that's 400 pages long!) I would have liked less build up and a more fleshed out ending.

I do think The Clockwork Three would be a great book for tweens who are "reading up" and looking for something a bit heavier to read. I also think it might hold interest for young readers starting to become interested in steampunk. While this isn't necessarily steampunk, the storyline with automatons and the clockwork man might be of interest to steampunk readers.

Book Parings: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, Larklight by Phillip Reeve, and maybe even Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore for readers who enjoy automatons.

(less)

like · see review

Apr 19, 2011 Reading Teen rated it 5 of 5 stars

We ended up requesting that our library order the audio cd so that we could listen to it together. Luckily our library is AWESOME, and they bought it.

The reader of The Clockwork Three was fantastic! I was really impressed by all of the voices that he created, and even some different accents, with a little Italian thrown in there. There was one part that I thought was especially cool when the Clockwork man spoke. I'm not sure what they did for the voice, but I loved it. The only complaint I have...more We ended up requesting that our library order the audio cd so that we could listen to it together. Luckily our library is AWESOME, and they bought it.

The reader of The Clockwork Three was fantastic! I was really impressed by all of the voices that he created, and even some different accents, with a little Italian thrown in there. There was one part that I thought was especially cool when the Clockwork man spoke. I'm not sure what they did for the voice, but I loved it. The only complaint I have it Fredrick's voice. He was SO whiny that it almost made me not like him, and I feel like if I had read the book, instead of listened, that I wouldn't have felt that way about him. Otherwise, it was fantastic.

The Clockwork Three is a brilliant mix of Steampunk, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, with a tinge of the paranormal thrown in for good measure. Each chapter alternated between the three main characters, Giuseppe, Hannah, and Fredrick. I loved how you would read about one character, and the problems he/she was dealing with, then in the next chapter, you might catch a glimpse of the character from the chapter before, running down the street, or stopping to ask a question. It was really a fun way to read a story. Eventually, of course, they all meet and become friends.

I was fascinated by this story. You would think, from the cover and the title that the book was mainly about clockworks, but this is far from the case. This story was about these three children having to face problems that no children should have to face. Seeing the way that Giuseppe was abused by his Padrone was heartbreaking, and how Hannah had to take care of her family, even though she was just a girl. To think that this was commonplace in this country is just appalling! At the end of the book, at least on the audio version, the author reads from different articles about the boy that Giuseppe's character was based on. I found this completely fascinating and horrifying!

There was so much going on in this book. So many different storylines happening. In Giuseppe's story, he is trying to escape his Padrone, and after finding a special violin, starts playing for people in the streets and saving money to try to buy a boat ticket back to Italy. He is constantly having to dodge fights, run for his life, and try to appease his brutal master, knowing at any time his life could be over. Hannah works in a hotel, where she meets Madame Pomroy, a Medium, who employs Hannah to be her assistant. But when Hannah's father falls deathly ill, she has to make some hard choices and ends up in a mess so big she thinks she'll never get out of it. And Fredrick is obsessed with building an automaton, and possibly goes too far in trying to reach his goal. When they all meet, things go crazy, but they learn that friendship and love can help them through the hardest times.

I really, really enjoyed this book. I know that it is considered a Middle Grade book, but I would recommend it to all ages!

Make sure you check out my kids, Reagan and Bransen, and their review of this book on Reading Tween http://readingtween.blogspot.com/2011...

~Andye http://ReadingTeen.net (less)

like · see review

Feb 14, 2011 Mrs. Riding rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, authors-i-ve-met, local-authors

The Clockwork Three is an incredible story of three young people with the great desire to be free. Giuseppe is a orphan street musician with a master who demands much and gives so little. Longing for his home in Italy, Giuseppe uses his passion to fuel his music. Hannah is a maid of a grand hotel and the sole provider for her family. Wanting to have what is needed for her family, she goes in search for a hidden treasure. Frederick, an apprentice clockmaker, works every moment on a special projec...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 04, 2011 Yearning To Read rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s, fantasy, young-adult, own, 2011-read, reviewed, 12-and-up

Hannah is a young girl working hard to provide for her family who is in desperate need of money and provision. When a rich woman named Madame Pomeroy hires Hannah, she thinks her and her family’s problems might just be solved. Will they?

Giuseppe is a young boy who lives in an orphanage under the wicked Stephano. He plays the fiddle in the streets to make money to give to Stephano. But when he finds a beautiful green violin, he believes his life could be permanently altered…that he could someday...more Hannah is a young girl working hard to provide for her family who is in desperate need of money and provision. When a rich woman named Madame Pomeroy hires Hannah, she thinks her and her family’s problems might just be solved. Will they?

Giuseppe is a young boy who lives in an orphanage under the wicked Stephano. He plays the fiddle in the streets to make money to give to Stephano. But when he finds a beautiful green violin, he believes his life could be permanently altered…that he could someday go home to Italy again. Can he?

Frederick doesn’t want to be reminded of the orphanage he was once a part of – or that he doesn’t know where his family is. He works as a clockmaker for Master Branch, and is currently pulling together an automaton he believes can make him rich and solve all his problems. Will it?

As these three young peoples’ lives are pulled together, this story unfolds in a way that Hannah, Giuseppe, and Frederick would have never imagined.

____________________________________________

I was quite intrigued by this book, more than I was expecting when I bought it. While it isn’t a favorite, I will definitely read it again. Hannah, Frederick, and Giuseppe were great leading roles, and the side characters helped move the story along very smoothly. They needed to be there. I can’t imagine the story without a single one of them – and that’s why I can’t pick a favorite. The three leads were amazing, each in his/her own way. And Alice, Mister Branch, Miss Wool, and the Magnus head were phenomenal. If I had to pick between them all, I would only be able to get down to two – Frederick and the Magnus head. But even they are so tied with the rest…

One word I’d use to sum up this book would be precious. It is a precious story, full of love, hope, friendship, and the gifts of a few young people put into action to better the lives of those around them. My favorite aspect of the story is how perfectly it all falls together, the way the characters meet each other and interact.

The writing in this story is really well done. It is just purely solid. No fluff, in the best possible way. There’s really no way to describe it – you’ll just have to read the story. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind novel. It could be categorized as steampunk – or fantasy – or even sci-fi – and yet it can also be categorized as a good old fashioned, adventurous fiction novel.

Do I have anything bad to say about this book? Well, not necessarily bad, if you will, just some cautions. There is a seance toward the beginning of the book, and while it moves the story along really well, it isn’t developed any further (the woman performing the seance is said to be able to speak with spirits). The book takes a turn for the creepy about half-way through, but that lasts for no more than 50 pages. And the last thought I have is that about half-way through, the really important things stopped happening. I mean, every event, word, and scene in this book is important, but it wasn’t as adventurous as the first or second half. So if you start getting bored – DON’T put the book down. You’ll be so so so so happy you read it when it’s over. (I wasn’t exactly bored with these few scenes, though, in case you’re wondering…it’s really hard to explain.)

This book is recommended to ages 12 and up (if you get scared really easily, don’t read it at night because of the bits and pieces of creepy; otherwise, you’re fine). And while I think young readers will love this book, I believe adult readers will find it fascinating as well. It’s a solid piece of fiction and I can’t wait to read more of Matthew J. Kirby’s books!

P.S. The Cover of this book is just as intriguing as the story, because its complexity matches the story within. And the layout…well, it was so clean and easy to understand and read. And I just LOVED that it had chapter names, and that the names actually caught my attention. (less)

like · see review

Jan 14, 2011 Kira rated it 5 of 5 stars

Desperate to escape from his cruel master and make his way back to his home in Italy, Giuseppe is excited to find a green violin that is like new. Playing it every day in the streets, he is able to make large amounts of money for his escape each day. Storing it in a crypt of a man by the name of Stroop, he dreams of the day he will be able to buy his passage. His cruel master, Stephano, however, grows suspicious of Giuseppe and begins watching him like a hawk.

Once a great stonemanson, Hannah’s...more Desperate to escape from his cruel master and make his way back to his home in Italy, Giuseppe is excited to find a green violin that is like new. Playing it every day in the streets, he is able to make large amounts of money for his escape each day. Storing it in a crypt of a man by the name of Stroop, he dreams of the day he will be able to buy his passage. His cruel master, Stephano, however, grows suspicious of Giuseppe and begins watching him like a hawk.

Once a great stonemanson, Hannah’s father has become an invalid after having a bad stroke. Her mother is forced to stay home and care for him as well as the two youngest children. Forced to work in a hotel as a maid, Hannah longs to be able to go back to school and move out of the tenement housing they live in. When her father gets seriously ill from a bedsore, Hannah’s desperate attempts to get money for the medicine her father needs fail. Her only hope is to find the missing treasure of Mr. Stroop, a once wealthy, prominent, living person in society.

Apprenticed to a clockmaker, Frederick was lucky enough to escape the orphanage life. Curious to a fault, Frederick seeks unique ways to becoming a journeyman in his field. When he gets the idea to make a clockwork man, he begins saving pieces of scrap metal from around the shop and starts forming them into the form of a man. All he needs is a head.

Their lives spun together like clockwork, these three’s paths become entwined for better or worse. Working together to try and meet all three goals, they are able to find a way into Mr. Stroop’s old hidden room above the hotel, find a clockwork head for Frederick, and help Giuseppe get out from under his oppression. Their plans, however, soon back fire and make matters worse. Now Giuseppe is on the run for his life from his cruel master, Frederick has mysterious men from the town museum after him for stealing their clockwork head, and Hannah is on the run from the police for theft and burglary at the hotel she was working at. Now the three's only hope is to find the treasure. Will they succeed?

An amazing adventure filled with excitement, action, and friendship. The characters are well-developed. The plot is unique, well-done, and does a great job of holding the reader's interest. Readers who like fantasy, adventure, and mystery will enjoy reading THE CLOCKWORK THREE.
(less)

like · see review

Dec 07, 2010 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Nov 23, 2010 Jennifer Rayment rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Good Stuff

Absolutely, positively delightful historical fantasy fiction for the 8-14 range
Both girls and boys will adore
Absorbing and addictive, I got lost in the story many a time
Wonderfully descriptive - you can almost smell and touch your surroundings
Intriguing characters introduced one by one so you really get a sense of their personality and their place in the story
Heartrendingly sad at times, but also very hopeful
Has a bit of Steampunk, fantasy and history all wrapped up into one...more

like · see review

Oct 28, 2010 Chibineko rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit that while I'm not in the target age group for this book (7-10 years old), that doesn't mean that such books can't be enjoyed by adults or that the story can't touch on mature subjects. Luckily for all age groups involved, this book manages to do both.

The story follows three very different children, all of whom find that their destinies are intertwined together. One of them is Hannah, a young girl who has been forced to give up her schooling in order to work at a local hotel beca...more I have to admit that while I'm not in the target age group for this book (7-10 years old), that doesn't mean that such books can't be enjoyed by adults or that the story can't touch on mature subjects. Luckily for all age groups involved, this book manages to do both.

The story follows three very different children, all of whom find that their destinies are intertwined together. One of them is Hannah, a young girl who has been forced to give up her schooling in order to work at a local hotel because her father has fallen horribly ill. Another is Giuseppe, forced to work the streets playing his violin for a cruel padrone after having been kidnapped & sold by an equally cruel uncle. Finally there's Frederick, an orphan saved from the orphanage by a clockmaker after showing a talent for gears. As the story unfolds, each will find themselves caught up in things beyond their control, whether it is a green violin with a heavenly sound, a mysterious treasure that's been hidden by an eccentric man, or a clockwork head with the ability to speak & think. One thing is for certain- in order to get through all of this they'll need to learn to trust each other.

This was a pretty decent story & Kirby has a very real flair for storytelling. While the story was somewhat slow to kick off, I did manage to get a good feel for the characters & after a while I did grow to care about what happens to them. The descriptions in the book are some of the best parts, with the depiction of an America in the late 1800s that doesn't pull any punches & I admire Kirby for that. He strives very hard to show an existence where schooling was often cast aside for work as well as one where orphanages put children to work in looms that could cost them their lives or cripple them.

However, the story does take a long time to get started & when everything does start happening in the last half to three fourths of the book, it just felt a little overly compressed. It's all very interesting- I just would have liked to have seen all of this more interspersed throughout the book & paced just a little better. As a result the story might not grab people as well as it should & the slow pacing might turn a few readers off. It is entertaining, but the pacing just kind of threw me a little. I also wanted a little more explanation of this world- there's a few things in this world that didn't exactly fit into this book in a historical aspect & I really wish that Kirby had elaborated on this a little. (Although this sort of fits in under the "overly compressed" complaint.)

Overall this is a decent first novel & if Kirby can work the pacing out in his future novels then he'll sure to be someone to watch in the future.

(ARC provided by amazon vine)(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
What would you do with the mechanical man?	1	2	Mar 16, 2013 08:45am

combine
Other Editions (11)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

86 users

Science Fiction > Steampunk

66 users

Young Adult

63 users

Historical Fiction

47 users

Mystery

29 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

27 users

Adventure

23 users

Childrens

16 users

Science Fiction

14 users

Young Adult > Teen

9 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Palace Beautiful
by Sarah Deford Williams
On the Blue Comet
by Rosemary Wells
Drizzle
by Kathleen Van Cleve
The Boneshaker
by Kate Milford
Hide and Seek
by Katy Grant

About Matthew J. Kirby

Matthew Kirby was born in Utah, and grew up in Maryland, California, and Hawaii. As an undergraduate he majored in history, and then went on to pursue an M.S. in school psychology. For ten months out of the year he works with students, and during the rest of the year he writes. He and his wife currently live in northern Utah.

More about Matthew J. Kirby...

Books by Matthew J. Kirby

Antarctic Peninsular Climate Variability: Historical And Paleoenvironmental Perspectives

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Clockwork Three

1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Clockwork Three

“He waved to the city and said good-bye.
The city responded by carrying on the way it always did, traffic moving forward uninterrupted, without slowing, as if it were trying to demonstrate its permanence and show him it would still be there if he ever wanted to return. That promise was the best and only thing he could ask of it.” — 13 people liked it

“I hate them!' she cried. 'It's not fair!'
'No, it isn't,' Frederick said gently.
'I can't do it all!'
'No. You can't.' After a long moment he said, 'But you can do what you can.'
'And what if that isn't enough?'
Frederick held her shoulders and took a step back. He looked in her eyes. 'Enough for what?'
'For my family.'
'What more could they ask for than what you've given?” — 11 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Clockwork Three
avg rating	preview: The Clockwork Three Goodreads rating: 3.96 (2356 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7935687-the-clockwork-three?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328837719l/7935687.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7935687-the-clockwork-three?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby[/url]

The Clockwork Three

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website