What a wild ride of history, determination, and a bit of magic! From the very first line — “The house had smelled different since Peter got sick.” — I was hooked. I was in love with the young characters, the way they overcame tragedies and reconnected with themselves when necessary. Set in 1902 in Edinburgh, it was clear there was research involved with the setting, the medical aspect, and the emotional rollercoaster mixed in brought me there.
Sprinkled wonderfully with foreshadowing, mystery, and adventure, we follow Malcolm has he is tasked with fixing clocks, healing his friend and deciphering clues of a doctor’s antique pocket watch. With a dash of mathematics, a tablespoon of high energy chases, swirled in with loss, humour, and coincidences, this a heart pounding read with some lessons in history, acceptance, and love.
The Scottish character Ms McCardle made me laugh with her phrases which at first appeared to be nonsense but were quickly translated. Her effort to instill some heritage into her children was evident even if frustrating. Doctor Fiona MacIssac, of course, is my next favourite character, or possibly the best character. Her strength, intelligence and perseverance through a challenging time interspersed with her flaws made her a beautiful soul through and through.
What I think readers will especially love is the cryptic clues and need to decipher the to-do list and the clocks, along with symbols and emotional connections. With Peter, a young boy, on his death bed but getting better, then worse, then better, and worse again, a young lass mastering the art of pick-pocketing and another in love with mastering Houdini skills, the cast of characters is a strong one. The benefit is each are so different in every way that it’s easy to follow along and root for everyone involved.
A fast-paced read of thrill, education, and determination makes this a wonderful novel for middle grade and up.
Meagan Mahoney is an author who balances her love of writing with her work as a pediatric intensive care doctor. Her debut novel, Meranda and the Legend of the Lake, was nominated for the 2023 Forest of Reading Silver Birch Fiction Award, IODE Violet Downey Book Award, and R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature. She lives in Calgary, Alberta, where she loves to explore the mountains with her husband, three children, and a very nervous rescue dog.
Publisher: Cormorant Books (October 19, 2024)
Paperback 8″ x 5″ | 270 pages
Ages 9-12
ISBN: 9781770867604
I am a struggling artist, a challenging and challenged mother who always thinks she is failing, an emerging freelance writer and reporter, an author with my name on several books crossing genres and always hoping to find more readers who enjoy them.
I am also a successful artist, a wonderful and thriving mother of one, a reacher towards both people and dreams despite all of the turned backs and obstacles in my way. I am a thriving freelance writer and reporter, an author loved by enough readers to make it worthwhile and a discombobulated conundrum who loves to hear new music, tell new tales and meet new authors. And I’m doing something I always dreamed of doing – reviewing books to support others as well as myself and my family.
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- Sarah Butlandhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/sarah-butland/
