SOLVED. YA- post apocalyptic, girl protagonist, clocks, underground [s]

[Nicole]

I remember reading this late 80's, early 90's. Girl protagonist in what I suppose is a post-apocalyptic (maybe disease ridden or polluted?) world. Lives with her parents on a lake or river. They don't trust the water to be safe. I want to say there are also a lot of birds. Her job is to wind the clocks in the house so they know the time. She somehow finds a number of people (esp. a boy) underground or in a cave system? I remember she wasn't back in time to wind the clocks. Anyone?

(Not the City of Ember books- they're too recent.)

[Nicole]

Anyone? Anyone? Please- I've been looking for years. Any other hint or info that would help?

[Emily]

Hi Nicole. Almost definitely not it, but worth a shot. It's got post-nuclear, girl and boy, and fugitives, but no clocks:

Phoenix Rising
by Karen Hesse

A Vermont sheep farm seems an unlikely place to worry about radiation and its effects. However, Nyle Sumner, 13, and her grandmother are completely surrounded by the grotesque results of an accident at a nuclear-power plant. Because of the accident, Nyle's cousin Bethany has radiation poisoning. Then Gran does the unthinkable: she takes in two fugitives who were exposed to the worst of the radiation, Miriam Trent and her son, Ezra, who is also sick with the poisoning. They stay in the back bedroom, the room marked by the death of Nyle's mother and grandfather. Now it seems likely that it will be the place that Ezra dies too. The bleak setting of this book serves as a backdrop for the sensitive interaction among the main characters. Gran quietly acts on her principles, Nyle overcomes her own feelings to help Ezra, and her best friend, Muncie, forgives past wrongs for the sake of friendship. The characters overcome adversity, not through heroic deeds of epic proportions, but through simple acts of kindness. The message is poignant, but not overpowering. Hesse has displayed considerable skill in creating a contemporary tale of hope and love rising, like a phoenix, from destruction and despair.

http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Rising-...

[Nicole]

No- sorry, that's not it. But thanks for the try anyway.

It actually sounds pretty good- I might check this one out regardless.

Any other takers?

[Lisa]

Nicole, No, sorry. But don't give up. There are new members at Goodreads and in this group all the time. I had a book had looked for for decades and the first couple times I posted here nobody knew it. And then someone did. So, give it quite a bit of time inbetween, but if you don't get the right book now, try again down the road.

[Holly]

I keep wanting to say Shade's Children by Garth Nix, but that is clearly not it as it's a male protagonist and I don't recall any clocks. Also it doesn't remotely resemble what you describe.
:-)

But I love post-apocalyptic fiction so I hope someone figures this out!

[Nicole]

No- I do love Garth Nix though. And post-apocalyptic fiction as well.

It really was a great book- help!

[Nicole]

I love you! I love, love, love, love you! I have been looking for years! This is definitely it! You are wonderful! Thank you so much!

[Rainbowheart]

The Lake at the End of the World for the link.

Looks like the person who originally suggested it deleted their post.