The Clockwork Three

[Merbl]

“The Clockwork Three” is a steampunk fantasy novel by Matthew J. Kirby. When I had first saw this book I was in love. The cover was fascinating to me. Steampunk literature, and the subculture as a whole, has always been something of a favorite for me, and to somehow stumble across this book was obviously a sign of a good day. However, as the old saying goes, you can’t just judge a book by its cover. While its cover was enticing and wonderfully colored, the pages in it brought on something far more than what was lead on.

The story has three main characters; orphaned Giuseppe, who must play his violin in the streets for money and turn over all the earnings from doing so to an evil master. The lovely Hannah, who must work her fingers to the bone as a maid in a high-class hotel in order to provide for her very poor family, and the handsome and strong Frederick, the young apprentice to a clockmaker who can't remember what happened to him earlier in his life and ended up in the same orphanage with Giuseppe.

These three ordinary children are brought together by extraordinary events that interlock, and as time carries on in the book each one realizes that the other holds the key helping them solve their own puzzles. I loved the use of descriptive language that really brought this story to life. The ideas in the book were very exciting. The old fashioned world was a rich setting. While the book did start off very slowly for “Steampunk literature” (I kept expecting some form of clockwork arm to spring across at any point, sadly that never came to be,) by the ending the pages of the book quite literally grabbed me by the face and shoved it into the bindings. I could not put it down for a second. I give this book my highest recommendation and I believe anyone could and should read this if they find the time!

[Tana Lovegood of Dumbledore's Army✞~]

I loved this book as well! I wish there was a sequel and i loved the characters and i wish for a sequel. I think hannah and frederick like each other <3

[Cecily]

I wish there was a sequel, too. I tried to get my friend to read it, but she didn't give it a fair chance. I really don't like how the author paired Hannah and Frederick up, though. I didn't want a romance this time. I just wanted historical-fiction! :)

[Nick]

I agree with Tana and CeCe. I really wanted another sequel to this top class book. I also didn't like how they paired up Frederick and Hannah, since it's just weird to have them be a couple, and have Giuseppe sent back to Italy. But, I agree with not having a sequel, because they all went their separate ways at the end.

[Cecily]

Nick wrote: "I agree with Tana and CeCe. I really wanted another sequel to this top class book. I also didn't like how they paired up Frederick and Hannah, since it's just weird to have them be a couple, and ha..."

I totally agree! Hannah and Fredrick are just too...awkward. I love Giuseppe and his situation with the green violin and Stephano.(is that his name?)