Clockwork

While Philip Pullman's greatest popularity is as a creator of novel-length magical realism for young adults, such as The Northern Lights, he continues to explore and stretch the limits of other children's and young adult genres. Clockwork is no exception. With its inspiration lying solidly in the German romantic tradition of E.T.A. Hoffmann and the Brothers Grimm, the story begins, as all good fairy tales do, with someone whose human weakness sets events inescapably in motion. As the townspeople of Glockenheim gather in the White Horse Tavern on the eve of the unveiling of a new figure for their great town clock, Karl, the clockmaker's apprentice, reveals to Fritz, a young storyteller, that he has not been able to construct the figure. A new clock figure is expected of all apprentices, and Karl is the first in hundreds of years to fail. Fritz, in his turn, has the beginnings of a new story to tell, and as it rolls off his tongue, its dark antagonist materializes and offers Karl his dearest wish. Not surprisingly, Karl's Faustian pact brings him destruction, but an innocent child is the deus ex machina that saves another child and the spirit of the town from seemingly ineluctable oblivion. With its eerie black-and-white illustrations by Leonid Gore and its happily-ever-after ending to some thrilling suspense, Clockwork is a fine fairy tale for younger children and a thought- provoking twist on the art of narrative for older ones. --Barrie Trinkle

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The clock is ticking - Rated
A fantastic Gothic fairy tale for 9-12 yr olds. Set in that old Germanic world of the Nutcracker, Coppelia and the Tales of Hoffmann, this short novel has suspense and horror aplenty in its 92 pages and the conflict is neatly resolved by the power of love.
To finish his apprenticeship, Karl has to make a new clockwork figure for the town's clock - but with one night to go has got nowhere; Fritz, a writer, has come to the inn to tell them a scary story, but suffering from writer's block hasn't finished it ... they have both set wheels in motion and this story needs to be wound up!
I loved it to pieces.

:) - Rated
I first read this story when I was ten and now, eight years later, I'm still utterly blown away by it. I've read so many books over the years that many fade and merge together, however, this was one of those tales which has always simply stuck with me. It's eerie and creepy and so completely well written and devised that I would reccomend this to anyone.

read this to children - Rated
I initially read this to my 10 year old son and he was totally invovled. I am now reading it to my Year 5 class ( 28 in all) and this is possibly the only time that they are completly silent / no movement and no talking. Really enjoying the twists and turns, and not put off by the operation in the middle of the story! They are keen to hear another one. Has inspired some of the children to read more Pullman books and that can only be a great thing!

Exquisite - Rated
A perfect story. Moving, romantic, genuinely scary, beautiful. Whether you are a fan of Philip Pullman's work or not, this is undeniably an exceptional, beautifully crafted and gripping piece of writing. Read it now.

Clockwork - Rated
The book was good.
pity about all the writing in thick yellow pen from the last owner.
very distracting.
make sure you buy a good copy and not a used one.