Published : 18th May 2020
Publisher : Silverwood Books
Format : Kindle, Paperback
Genre : Historical Fiction
Synopsis
London, 1857.
Brothers George and Douglas Abernathy are clockmakers who are barely scraping a living in their family’s shop.
They are also brilliant inventors with a sideline building custom-built androids and other technology ahead of its time. Their sixteen-year-old sister, Molly, is also a genius, specialising in transformative plant biology, but earns her keep by sewing.
The Abernathy's’ fortunes improve dramatically when the brothers invent a clockwork automaton composer named Maestro, whose musical artistry takes London by storm. But there are those who believe Maestro is a fake, and others who think him a monstrosity.
As Maestro tries to make sense of the world of London’s high-society which he is thrown into, he incites the interest of sinister figures who would go to any lengths to discover what makes him tick.
Thank you Anne Cater, Random Things Tours and Silverwood books for this stunning copy.
My Review
Set in victorian London, George and Douglas Abernathy are poor clockmakers who also spend their time inventing other curious and amazing things in there shop alongside their extremely clever young sister, Molly.
When the brothers invent a clockwork humanoid robot composer that has something close to an inkling of human conscience London is enthralled and delighted.
A wealthy Lord takes ownership of Maestro, and begins to show him off, totally dumbfounded and mesmerised some love him, some believe him to be a trick and others believe he is a monstrosity.
Through Maestros eyes you get to see the differences between a wealthy lords life and a poor persons life. The beauty that is all around him of which most would take for granted.
It was almost as if Maestro is a child with his innocence of how the world is and how people can behave simply because they do not like something.
The descriptions of victorian London were a delight to read in this story, at times it felt like I was in that clockmakers shop watching the magnificent clock work mouse scuttle around.
This is a story full of music, wonder and an innocence that sees the world how some have forgotten.
Why I Loved It
I loved the descriptiveness of its surroundings in this book.
I think it would be more aimed at YA but that doesn't mean anyone couldn't enjoy it, I did very much. It was one of those books that I would read just one more page with instead of putting it down to get some sleep.
Rating
★★★★☆
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Meet the author
TheMechanical Maestro is now available on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and iBooks.
Emily Owen studied English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds. Since completing her Masters by Research, she has worked as an Archives Assistant at the University of Huddersfield.
She lives in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
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