The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Steampunk, Urban
Intended Age Group: Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic
Edition: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-545-20339-5
Rating: 1.75/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks
Description from the Book
Giuseppe is an orphaned street musician who sees no way to escape from his ruthless master, until the day he finds an enchanted green violin.
Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker with a past he cannot remember, who secretly works to build the most magnificent clockwork man the world has ever seen.
Hannah is a maid in a grand hotel, whose life is one of endless drudgery, until she encounters a mystifying new guest and learns of a hidden treasure.
As mysterious circumstances bring them together, the lives of these three children soon interlock, like the turning gears of a clock, and they realize that each one holds the key to the others’ puzzles. The trios’ adventures sweep them through the winding alleyways and glittering plazas of their city, and along the way Giuseppe, Hannah, and Frederick must learn to trust in one another — and in themselves — for they risk losing the things they hold most and dear, as the dangers they face quickly become all too real.
Personal & Info
This is from a fill a basket pre-owned book sale. My only reason for grabbing it, is that it is a stand alone novel. I like to just grab some stand alone novels to try something different.
Interestingly, this book is in multiple perspectives, which consistently alternate in the same order. It’s always Giuseppe, then Frederick, and then Hannah. This is the first book I’ve seen like that, but oddly, it works.
I went into this blind. I didn’t look at the description until after I finished the whole book. It’s pretty clear that the description embellishes a bit.
The Barnes & Noble shop link only has the ebook and audiobook versions.
Content Warnings
-Child Abuse
-Death
-Guns
-Human Trafficking
-Kidnapping
Characters
Giuseppe, one of the main characters, is eleven. His parents died and he and his siblings were sent to live with his uncle, who sold him to Stephano at age five. Giuseppe is a gifted musician with a kind heart. All he wants is to go home to Italy and be reunited with his brother and sister.
Stephano is a Padrone. He kidnaps and purchases children to work for him as slave labor. All the kids work on street corners playing instruments to collect money on his behalf.
Paolo & Ezio are two of the meaner kids working for Stephano. They bully the younger kids and steal their money, which guarantees they get punished by Stephano for not bringing home their quota. Paolo and Ezio also function as enforcers, because they seem to like inflicting violence.
Pietro is a new kid working for Stephano, who was abducted from his family’s yard back in Italy. He never seems to be able to make enough money on his own to avoid punishment.
Reverend Grey is the elderly Priest of the Old Rock Church, and a good friend to Giuseppe.
Frederick, one of the main characters, is thirteen. He is an orphan apprentice clockmaker with a traumatic past that he would rather not remember. All he wants is to qualify for Journeyman with the clockmaker’s guild so he can gain more independence.
Master Isaiah Branch is Frederick’s guardian and master. He is the one who took Frederick out of the orphanage.
Hannah, one of the main characters, is twelve. Her father is not well, so she quit school to be able to work while her mother takes care of him. Hanna works at the Gilbert Hotel as a maid.
Miss Wool is a mean woman who manages the maids at the Gilbert Hotel.
Mister Hans Grunholdt is the Gilbert Hotel manager. He’s not the best person, but apparently does his job well.
Mister Twine owns the Gilbert Hotel. He is also sort of a friend of Hannah’s family. Her father used to work for him, and he gave her a job when requested.
Madame Constance Bernadette Pomeroy is a wealthy spiritualist currently residing on the top floor of the Gilbert Hotel.
Yakov is Madam Pomeroy’s bodyguard. He is a former Russian soldier with the ability to predict the future via dreams and visions. Madam Pomeroy refers to him as her golem.
Alice is the Gilberta Hotel’s gardener. As far as anyone can remember, she’s always been there, and has always been old.
Pullman is the McCauley Park warden. His family has fulfilled the job for generations.
Mister Reginald Diamond is the current owner of the Archer Museum. He doesn’t seem like a good or kind person.
Story & Thoughts
So, first things first, I chose to read this at this particular time, because various labeling claimed it is lighthearted. It is definitely not. I don’t know what peoples’ definition of lighthearted is, but all the main characters are in depressing or traumatic situations.
Giuseppe is basically enslaved. His own uncle sold him when he was only five. He works day in and day out to make money for Stephano, and he doesn’t get to keep any of it, nor does he get to eat enough to be content. It specifically says the kids only get fed enough to keep them half starved. On top of that, if the kids don’t make a daily quota, they get a beating or are thrown into the rat cellar. Giuseppe clearly states kids have died in that room.
Frederick is traumatized from his mother abandoning him at the orphanage when he was about six. The orphanage made him do dangerous slave labor working with machines. Punishment for mistakes or bad behavior was basically flogging. He had to endure this environment for four years, and now the memories haunt him.
Hanna’s father had a stroke and lost the use of his speech and legs. Her mother has to take care of him, and her sisters are too young to contribute anything to the family. Hannah had to drop out of school to work and support her whole family by herself. She’s only twelve. Part of the story involves her father’s condition worsening.
All of this is very depressing. On top of their situations, their city sounds like a huge disgusting mess. This is not the kind of book I would choose for something lighthearted.
As for the rest, the story is slow. Despite the depressing subject matter, it does have a happy ending. Well, sort of, it feels bittersweet. The kids achieve their goals, but it feels like they didn’t really have anything to do with the result. When I read a children’s book, or a book about kids, I want it to feel like the kids are the heroes, like they really did something. I don’t get that feeling from this book. It feels like the adults in their lives conveniently remedy all their problems for them. It’s like the kids show up to deal with the issue, but the adults involved swoop in and save the day.
I can’t say I liked it, but I didn’t hate it, either. The characters were enjoyable, but the story was weak. I think people who like this might also enjoy Liesl & Po. That one was also lackluster to me, but I kind of get similar vibes.