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Timekeeper (Timekeeper #1)
by
Tara Sim (Goodreads Author)
Two o’clock was missing.
In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.
It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only c ...more
In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.
It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only c ...more
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
Jul 08, 2016
Lola Reviewer
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
young-adult,
fantasy,
steampunk,
mystery,
family,
mythology,
teen-romance,
3rd-person-pov,
lgbt,
victorian-era,
2016-publications,
cute-couples
He was a boy of air and dust and sunlight. Everything that had gone into the making of the world.
3.5 stars. Timekeeper is a mysterious tale of magical clocks controlling time in a Victorian London where mechanics are revered…
And a forbidden love story involving a clock spirit and his keeper.
Danny & Colton won Lola's award of the cutest young adult gay couple of 2016. Their love is so pure and sweet… maybe a little too much. We get half of a page of sexish content between them, but otherwi ...more
Meh. I am obviously just not that interested in clocks and mechanics.
Timekeeper has an ambitious premise. It's a Victorian steampunk universe where the ties between physical clock towers and actual time are inextricable - when two o'clock goes missing from Colton Tower, time itself is disrupted.
Danny Hart is a clock mechanic, a timekeeper, someone with the ability to feel and manipulate time. Suffering from anxiety and haunted by the memory of his father who was trapped in a time-Stopped city, ...more
Timekeeper has an ambitious premise. It's a Victorian steampunk universe where the ties between physical clock towers and actual time are inextricable - when two o'clock goes missing from Colton Tower, time itself is disrupted.
Danny Hart is a clock mechanic, a timekeeper, someone with the ability to feel and manipulate time. Suffering from anxiety and haunted by the memory of his father who was trapped in a time-Stopped city, ...more
Oh this was magical and adorable and I REALLY LIKED IT. Which I'm really really happy about because it's my first steampunk experience that I can flail over! Usually, someone says "steampunk!" and I say "eh" like the eloquent turtle fish I am. But this?! It kicked me in the feels AND it had fantastic characters and THINGS EXPLODED.
I'm so loving this. #ExplosionsFTW
It's set in an alternate reality England, so there is tea and scones. Nice. I cautiously admit I could tell the author wasn't Britis ...more
I'm so loving this. #ExplosionsFTW
It's set in an alternate reality England, so there is tea and scones. Nice. I cautiously admit I could tell the author wasn't Britis ...more
Release date: November 1, 2016
This was such an original and charming story!! It's set in a version of Victorian England that has cars, telephones, and is more socially advanced (so they're ok with gay couples or women as mechanics). There's some retold mythology about Chronos at the base of their society and it's told throughout the book between chapters. The basic idea is that people needed to step in to control time, so they rely on the clock towers in each city. If anything were to happen to ...more
This was such an original and charming story!! It's set in a version of Victorian England that has cars, telephones, and is more socially advanced (so they're ok with gay couples or women as mechanics). There's some retold mythology about Chronos at the base of their society and it's told throughout the book between chapters. The basic idea is that people needed to step in to control time, so they rely on the clock towers in each city. If anything were to happen to ...more
I read an early draft of this book, and trust me—it's something you want. It has clocktowers that control time. And impish clock spirit boys. And maybe the most real teenage boy protagonist I have ever read. I absolutely can't wait until it's on shelves.
Get hype.
Get hype.
I may be biased, as I am her literary agent...but it's truly amazing. Devoured the book!
Oct 05, 2016
The Bookavid
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
steampunk fans, people who want to try out steampunk
Originally Published On My Review Blog The Bookavid
In TIMEKEEPER, time is controlled by clock towers in an alternate Victorian Era. When the clock towers start getting bombed, mechanic Danny grows curious.
What intrigued me: I heard about a bisexual character in this and immediately needed to get my hands on a copy.
Incredibly Original
TIMEKEEPER impressed me instantly with the rich world building. The second you open this book, you're sucked into the story, a Victorian-Era-inspired Steampunk w ...more
In TIMEKEEPER, time is controlled by clock towers in an alternate Victorian Era. When the clock towers start getting bombed, mechanic Danny grows curious.
What intrigued me: I heard about a bisexual character in this and immediately needed to get my hands on a copy.
Incredibly Original
TIMEKEEPER impressed me instantly with the rich world building. The second you open this book, you're sucked into the story, a Victorian-Era-inspired Steampunk w ...more
I'm a sucker for a good Victorian London fantasy clockpunk LGBT romance, and boy does this ever deliver. Danny Hart is the type of brooding boy YA fantasy fans love, but his pain comes from a very complex and deep place. Colton, the perfect cinnamon roll of a love interest, is...I'm not going to spoil it. The romance between the two boys is toe-curlingly wonderful, but the mythology of the world is also fascinating. Time is controlled by clock towers, and mechanics take care of the clocks. If th
...more
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
I received this in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, Tara Sim, and the publisher, Sky Pony Press, for this opportunity.
Alternative historical fiction? Mythological retelling? LGBTQIA main character and prominent theme? Check, check and check!
This book is a thrilling journey into a Victorian-era world, where time is magic and the clock towers that measure it are under threat from a mysterious source. Without the steady beat of time, lif ...more
I received this in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, Tara Sim, and the publisher, Sky Pony Press, for this opportunity.
Alternative historical fiction? Mythological retelling? LGBTQIA main character and prominent theme? Check, check and check!
This book is a thrilling journey into a Victorian-era world, where time is magic and the clock towers that measure it are under threat from a mysterious source. Without the steady beat of time, lif ...more
Oct 09, 2016
Katerina Kondrenko
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
young-adult,
fantasy,
skimming-light,
reviewed-by-me-full,
arcs,
steampunk,
superpowers,
forbidden-affair,
historical-and-retro,
read-in-english,
bad-execution-of-a-good-idea,
from-the-3rd-p-pov,
only-male-pov,
instalove-or-instalust,
boring,
05-out-of-10,
interesting-concept,
teen-ish,
romance-and-plot-are-in-balance,
promising-start-but,
cute-non-human-creatures,
action-driven-plot,
no-ship-in-this-harbor,
no-love-geometry,
read-in-2016,
british-motives,
queers,
au,
pages-301-400,
victorian-era
5 out of 10
Ревью в моем блоге/This review on my blog
Living A Thousand Lives (please use Chrome/Yandex browser or Android/IOS to see the page; otherwise, spoiler-tags I use to make my post compact may not work)
Genre: AU, fantasy, YA, queers
Stuff: clock towers and their spirits, mechanics, time itself, gays
Fail: rushed romance, weak logic
WOW: main idea, Danny's character
POV: 3rd person, male
Love-Geometry: none
Quote-Core:
"Time is the language of all things."
Maybe my expectations were too high, ...more
TIMEKEEPER is rich with mystery, myth, and magic, not to mention a glorious romance.
The characters carry broken hearts and broken promises as they try to solve the central mystery: who has been trying to destroy time itself? Each character is lovingly crafted, leaping off the page. And again, the pacing is masterful, with deep meaning to the piece. I adored this book!
The characters carry broken hearts and broken promises as they try to solve the central mystery: who has been trying to destroy time itself? Each character is lovingly crafted, leaping off the page. And again, the pacing is masterful, with deep meaning to the piece. I adored this book!
2 STARS!!!
I’m feeling really disappointed as I’m writing this review. I was really hoping that I would love the hell out of this book. It’s LGBT, it takes place in an alternate Victorian era, and it had a sliver of a mystery thrown into it. But sadly it was B-O-R-I-N-G. I enjoyed the romance between Danny and Colton, but the story kept dragging on and on and on and nothing seemed to be picking up until about 300 pages in and that is not a good thing. I liked the story surrounding clock spirits ...more
I’m feeling really disappointed as I’m writing this review. I was really hoping that I would love the hell out of this book. It’s LGBT, it takes place in an alternate Victorian era, and it had a sliver of a mystery thrown into it. But sadly it was B-O-R-I-N-G. I enjoyed the romance between Danny and Colton, but the story kept dragging on and on and on and nothing seemed to be picking up until about 300 pages in and that is not a good thing. I liked the story surrounding clock spirits ...more
I'm on a great book roll.
OK I PROMISE I'M GONNA GET THIS REVIEW UP BEFORE THE ACTUAL RELEASE DATE ISTG*
*OK!
Imagine an alternate history where every Victorian city and town have clocktowers to regulate the flow of time. Now add a hefty dollop of adorable and heart-wrenching romance, lots of explosions, and a badass lady mechanic. THERE YOU GO. THAT'S THIS.
Danny is broody and moody and kinda prickly and Colton is a cinnamon roll ghost and I did lots of *squishy-hands* and bosom-clutching. There ...more
OK I PROMISE I'M GONNA GET THIS REVIEW UP BEFORE THE ACTUAL RELEASE DATE ISTG*
*OK!
Imagine an alternate history where every Victorian city and town have clocktowers to regulate the flow of time. Now add a hefty dollop of adorable and heart-wrenching romance, lots of explosions, and a badass lady mechanic. THERE YOU GO. THAT'S THIS.
Danny is broody and moody and kinda prickly and Colton is a cinnamon roll ghost and I did lots of *squishy-hands* and bosom-clutching. There ...more
Feb 18, 2016
Tiffany Reisz
marked it as to-read
They had me at boys and forbidden romance.
4 fabulous stars!
This was such a unique and original story-line; it was cute, charming, fabulous and refreshing. What a great way to start off my reading year! Throughout the 408 pages there wasn't a single dull moment which kept me soo engaged! The plot was fast paced and the writing style flowed really well and was very light and easy to understand. Regarding character development i am a bit unsatisfied :/ if it had more it would have def been one of those character driven books (like the TRC ...more
This was such a unique and original story-line; it was cute, charming, fabulous and refreshing. What a great way to start off my reading year! Throughout the 408 pages there wasn't a single dull moment which kept me soo engaged! The plot was fast paced and the writing style flowed really well and was very light and easy to understand. Regarding character development i am a bit unsatisfied :/ if it had more it would have def been one of those character driven books (like the TRC ...more
I had heard about this on Twitter and loved the premise, so I was quite excited to start.
I loved Danny and Colton. Their relationship was adorable and I really enjoyed the scenes with the two of them. Cassie was also quite awesome and I hope we get to see more of her.
Hands down, the best part of this story is the world building. I love the idea of clock spirits and London is my favorite place in the world, so I was half in love with the book before I even started.
There were a couple of sectio ...more
I loved Danny and Colton. Their relationship was adorable and I really enjoyed the scenes with the two of them. Cassie was also quite awesome and I hope we get to see more of her.
Hands down, the best part of this story is the world building. I love the idea of clock spirits and London is my favorite place in the world, so I was half in love with the book before I even started.
There were a couple of sectio ...more
Nov 05, 2016
Rachel Lightwood
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romance,
series-starters,
steampunk,
arc,
own-kindle,
pub-2016,
edelweiss,
young-adult,
lgbtqia-themes,
read-2016,
favourites-2016,
4-star
Timekeeper was one of those books that is just so much fun and so easy to fall in love with that you don’t want to have to actually think about dissecting it for a review. I know that if I were to put on my more critical eyes and reread this story I would be able to pluck out a few things to complain about but, at this moment, I’m sitting here and beaming because I fell in love with these characters and this world too much to complain.
The characters were just so perfect. Danny, our protagonist, ...more
The characters were just so perfect. Danny, our protagonist, ...more
Mar 21, 2016
Max {Windrunner of Adarlan's Reviews}
marked it as to-read
GAY CHARACTERS + TIME TRAVEL = THIS BOOK.
YES PLEASE.
YES PLEASE.
Seventeen year old Danny Hart is the youngest clock mechanic and he knows all too well what is at stake when he's sent to repair a clock tower that has been damaged. Danny's father has been trapped for the last three years in a town with a clock tower that was destroyed stopping the time within the town so that no one can cross in or out.
When Danny is sent to Enfield to fix the tower he finds that it seems to be forever plagued by more and more problems. What Danny finds is that the boy that he ...more
When Danny is sent to Enfield to fix the tower he finds that it seems to be forever plagued by more and more problems. What Danny finds is that the boy that he ...more
Jul 15, 2015
Shelly
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
romance,
need-to-own,
lgbt,
diverse,
lgbtqia,
recommend,
sky-pony-press
SO GOOD! I'm not sure what the sequel will have in store (I love when first books in a series have their own complete narrative arc but still leave you invested in the characters) but I'd still read it. Such a good book! Full review to come closer to publication.
YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF STARS. ALL THE STARS FROM ALL THE TIMES.
What a beautiful, lovely wonderfully unique story Tara Sim has given us! I fell in love with Danny, our melancholy clocktower mechanic and the mysterious, bright, delightful clock spirit he discovers. With a thrilling pace, kisses as magical as sunsets, and a world that is sooty and brilliant and unique, you will be counting the days till this book arrives in your hands. I cannot wait for the next book that promises e ...more
What a beautiful, lovely wonderfully unique story Tara Sim has given us! I fell in love with Danny, our melancholy clocktower mechanic and the mysterious, bright, delightful clock spirit he discovers. With a thrilling pace, kisses as magical as sunsets, and a world that is sooty and brilliant and unique, you will be counting the days till this book arrives in your hands. I cannot wait for the next book that promises e ...more
I am so freaking bored.
The novel goes on a tangent for most of the time, going completely off topic and taking forever to get to the point, which isn't so hard to do. The only character I liked was Danny, which is good considering he's the main character, and I enjoyed the LGBT romance although I feel like it could be fleshed out a little bit more.
Basically: excellent premise, bad execution. I listened to it on audiobook, and there are definitely some problems with timekeeping (pun definitely in ...more
The novel goes on a tangent for most of the time, going completely off topic and taking forever to get to the point, which isn't so hard to do. The only character I liked was Danny, which is good considering he's the main character, and I enjoyed the LGBT romance although I feel like it could be fleshed out a little bit more.
Basically: excellent premise, bad execution. I listened to it on audiobook, and there are definitely some problems with timekeeping (pun definitely in ...more
Holy wow. This has become one of my new favorites in historical fiction. Fantastic romance, thrilling mystery, and infinitely readable. Tara Sim has come out with Victorian clockwork-guns blazing in this marvelous 2016 debut. I loved it so much that I pre-ordered a copy! I cannot wait for it to sit permanently on my shelves. Add this TIMEKEEPER immediately! I promise you won't be disappointed.
I AM SO DAMN EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK. WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE? CLOCKS. SPIRITS. ADORABLE ROMANCE (im assuming) ALTERNATE VICTORIAN ENGLAND. CLOCK SPIRITS. CLOCK TOWERS. CLOCKS CLOCKS CLOCKS. I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED I CANNOT CONTAIN MYSELF. I NEEEEEEEEEEED THIS BOOK BECAUSE WOAAAAAAAH
5 Stars
It's pretty rare with my current study/ life balance to be able to sit down and read a book in a day. It's definitely testament to just how good this book is that I managed to devour it in one go on a train the morning after an A&E nightshift. So good that I almost missed my connection…oops…
Danny is a young clock mechanic in an alternate London where the only thing keeping time flowing are enormous clock towers spread throughout the land. The failure of a tower causes time to grind ...more
It's pretty rare with my current study/ life balance to be able to sit down and read a book in a day. It's definitely testament to just how good this book is that I managed to devour it in one go on a train the morning after an A&E nightshift. So good that I almost missed my connection…oops…
Danny is a young clock mechanic in an alternate London where the only thing keeping time flowing are enormous clock towers spread throughout the land. The failure of a tower causes time to grind ...more
There are many things I love about TIMEKEEPER but I'll have to limit it to just four...
1. The mythology! Sim's world building is so on point--magical yet grounded, deep and far-reaching. I loved the snippets we get to see of the gods of this world, and I'm so excited to see how those stories unfold and intersect in future installments.
2. COLTON, sweet child, I hearts him forever. What a phenomenal character.
3. The layers of mystery--some I saw coming (because I am always on the lookout for red h ...more
1. The mythology! Sim's world building is so on point--magical yet grounded, deep and far-reaching. I loved the snippets we get to see of the gods of this world, and I'm so excited to see how those stories unfold and intersect in future installments.
2. COLTON, sweet child, I hearts him forever. What a phenomenal character.
3. The layers of mystery--some I saw coming (because I am always on the lookout for red h ...more
I pretty much begged a friend of mine to lend me the ARC of this book because I've been looking forward to its release SO MUCH and did not think I'd make it to November.
Folks, this book lived up to my extremely high expectations and then some. Tara Sim is a master of building worlds and characters you immediately fall in love with. And on top of all that she writes a cracking good mystery, too.
Danny is one of my favorite new YA protagonists, and his relationships in this book, with his mother, ...more
Folks, this book lived up to my extremely high expectations and then some. Tara Sim is a master of building worlds and characters you immediately fall in love with. And on top of all that she writes a cracking good mystery, too.
Danny is one of my favorite new YA protagonists, and his relationships in this book, with his mother, ...more
Just in case you were wondering if this book lives up to the hype? It SO does! Fast paced, beautifully written, perfectly plotted! I loved this book! If only I didn't have to wait for book 2 *sobs*
This book pissed me off.
Buddy read with Vanessa!
My issue with Timekeeper was that it had a wonderful premise; Victorian steam-punk London, clock towers controlling time and a romance between a clock spirit and its mechanic… but it just went to waste.
A summary of things that annoyed me:
-Danny was a selfish, self-centered asshole who ruined people’s lives and didn’t even care.
-The romance went from cute (albeit super insta-love) to weird, to downright creepy and disturbing.
-The relationship betwee ...more
This book came out of nowhere and hit me over the head with its awesome!
Danny is the youngest clock mechanic in a alternative-world Victorian England where clock towers like Big Ben literally control time. Each city has its clock tower that safeguards its "time zone." If the clock tower stops working, so does time in the town, and the people in it become frozen and unable to escape - which is exactly what happened to Danny's father three years ago. He has worked so hard to become a good enough m ...more
Danny is the youngest clock mechanic in a alternative-world Victorian England where clock towers like Big Ben literally control time. Each city has its clock tower that safeguards its "time zone." If the clock tower stops working, so does time in the town, and the people in it become frozen and unable to escape - which is exactly what happened to Danny's father three years ago. He has worked so hard to become a good enough m ...more
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Tara Sim is a YA author found in the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she's not writing about magic, clocks, and boys, she drinks tea, wrangles cats, and sings opera.
Tara grew up in California, but braved the elements of Virginia to study English/Creative Writing at Hollins University.
Half-Indian and full geek, she eats too many samosas and awkwardly dances to Bhangra music.
TIMEKEEPER (Sky ...more
More about Tara Sim...
Tara grew up in California, but braved the elements of Virginia to study English/Creative Writing at Hollins University.
Half-Indian and full geek, she eats too many samosas and awkwardly dances to Bhangra music.
TIMEKEEPER (Sky ...more
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Timekeeper
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“You're everything. You're... You're chaos and order and everything between. Like sunshine kept back by clouds. Like the entire world's imploded inside you, but all I see are the stars are sewn into your skin. You're filled with soft, dark music. I hear it all the time. Your music.”
—
17 likes
“There comes a moment when time seems to slip faster, running long then short, shadows shrinking as the sun climbs. It’s the moment, he decided, when you’re no longer a child. When the concept of time and the need for more of it come together and make you powerless. Make you yearn for the longer days, the lazy days, before you knew what time passing actually meant.”
—
9 likes
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