The Clockwork Crow

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Author(s)

Catherine Fisher

Publisher

Walker Books

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

September 08, 2020

ISBN

9781536214918

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Orphan Seren Rhys is on her way to a new life at the remote country mansion of Plas-y Fran when she is given a package by a stranger late at night in an empty train station. The package contains a crotchety, mechanical talking crow, which Seren reluctantly brings to her new home. But when she gets there, the happy Christmas she had hoped for turns out to be an illusion--the young son of the house, Tomos, has been missing for almost a year, rumored to have been taken by the fairies. With the Crow's reluctant help and a little winter magic, Seren sets off on a perilous journey to bring Tomos home.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Wintry fantasy about finding home and family

March 08, 2021

Overall rating

3.0

Plot

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Characters

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Seren Rhys is glad to be leaving the orphanage but nervous about what awaits her at her godfather's estate, Plas-y Fran. On her journey there, she encounters a stranger who instructs her to guard a mysterious package. Once she and the package arrive at Plas-y Fran, Seren discovers several things: her godparents and their child, Tomos, are not home; the package contains a strange clockwork crow; and there's something the staff aren't telling her about Tomos. With rumors of fairies and kidnapping around her, Seren will team up with an unexpected ally to find Tomos and, just maybe, find the family she's longed for.

What I Loved about THE CLOCKWORK CROW:
-The atmosphere: Fantasy stories set in winter have such a distinct feel. I love how cozy and curious the world is in THE CLOCKWORK CROW. It is set around Christmas, but winter is the main focus rather than the holiday. It's not a scary book, but there's still a slight creepiness to the fairies that add a nice touch to the overall atmosphere.

-The crow: The mysterious clockwork crow comes to life when he is assembled. I love his sass and how he and Seren slowly become friends. Though in different ways, both have felt really lonely and caged (pardon the pun), and it takes a while for either to lower their guard enough to work together. But once they do, it's obvious they make a great team. I can't wait to see what plots they get into in the sequels.

What Left Me Wanting More:
-The plot/characterization of secondary characters: This is a short book, and the plot moves really quickly. Some parts felt skimmed over and required more suspension of disbelief than usual. Particularly in the climax and resolution, everything happened so suddenly without much build up. The final scenes didn't hit as hard emotionally because of that. There wasn't enough interaction with some of the secondary characters to really feel the importance and significance of the final act.

Overall, THE CLOCKWORK CROW is a quick and fun wintery fantasy. While the plot and some of the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would like, the atmosphere and the relationship between Seren and the clockwork crow kept me invested and eager for the sequel.