The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton
This book for me was infuriating. I felt like the author thought I was uneducated, stupid and unaware of the art world and art history. Her story character synopsis was so close to real art and actual artist that it was unnerving…….. Mixed in with those ‘facts’ she would use real books, people and quotes. Just NO. The book had far too many storylines and characters. This book is in need of a few more severe edits. Our buddy read did make it through and I will leave you with all our discussion questions. I will not be trying another book by this author. There are far too many lovely books to read and I seriously can not go through that again. Awful.
Discussion Questions for BOTM BUDDYREAD
What do you think of the ghost passages? The Muse. Did you catch on that I II III and IV were the ghost talking? Do you find it interesting that this is the clockmakers daughter? The lover, the thrown away child? The child whose name we don’t know..Birdie, Lily…Can you see all the connections? Will we get her true name?
Does the part of Eloise read like it’s really 2017? What do you think of her?
Do you find Penelope odd? Her fascination with Elodie’s mother and her mother’s music? Should that be the focus?
Do you know art history? Does it bother you to read real
history changed with similar names and have it mixed together ? For example in this story the Magenta Brotherhood is close to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
It throws me personally, all the art history just off enough to not being copied but so close it keeps me off the storyline.
Elodie in love? Is she just an introvert? Does her fiancé love her? Her musings “ Was it true that there was a love so powerful that its loss could drive a person mad? Did people really feel like that?” Is this a clue to her feelings?” Do you believe in this?
Elodie’s Mother’s death is there something unsaid there? The counselor telling her she’d be affected in all her decisions her whole life.. a helpful thing to say ??? Playing her at her wedding: creepy or beautiful ?? Were you as glad as I was that she finally decided not to. Her mother clearly was having an affair of some proportion at least. How is this affecting her father you think? Is her father her biological dad do you think? Or a good man who truly loved her and stepped up?
“There was no such thing as the right time, time was an idea : it had no end and no beginning could not be seen heard or smelled. It could be measured sure enough, but no words had found to explain precisely what it was. As to the right time it was simply a matter of agreeing to agree.”
Do you think this quote is the basis for the book?
Tennyson’s poem and Mrs Berry’s beautiful love story “Nothing in life had the power to frighten him, because he knew how much I loved him.”
Appeared to give Elodie pause. “Can love alleviate fears?” What do you think? Also I’m in agreement with Mrs Berry about weddings . My love, words and a good drink all that is necessary to vow giving ones life to another . I have never understood weddings. Do you like weddings ? Do you think Elodie is enjoying it? Is she rethinking it?
“Elodie caught herself in the dreaded nighttime thought loop and stopped …”
Curiosity question
How many of you understand that statement ?? Has she always been unsettled do you think?
Our ghost/Birdie/Lily, we learn more:
I think she died at 18 unexpectedly.
She had a lot of people in her life described to us.
What happened with her father? Do you think he knew she was still alive?
Do you think she’s the thief?
How does she die?
Many parents leaving children in the story. Do you think this was common then ? Do you think it is now?? What’s with the babies brought to die to Mrs Mack?
Is Leonard the solider and also Uncle Tip? His beloved brother lost at war. His fascination with the history of the house ? Thus leading him to tell Elodie’s mother about it and thus her telling Elodie?
Edward Radcliffe what happened as a boy to him that was life-changing and haunting ? The house saved him from what? “The house and he were familiar, it drew him, it was old essential and not entirely of this world. The house that had a single family …with deep roots …he sold everything to be able to have it.” Why did he need to own it?
The children of Eldritch.. which again so close to HP Loverctafts Eldritch Tales from the time period of some of the story. Maddening. I digress. What did you think of the fairy story? The three children ? The land of the house being protected??? If so how was there a murder there? Why is a ghost there now?
Why are we told Ada’s story ? Why did her parents leave her? Do you consider her death murder? (The ghost was there but couldn’t save her?) Why was Ada there? In 1899 there was famine and drought in India. Maybe this is why? Why is her death story told? Is it related to our story?
This section is called the special ones.
Are these special ones (people) to the ghost? To the house? To time?
Pale Joe? Yet another character someone the ghost loved. What is this significance ? Who was his dad??? Are you keeping up with all these characters?!?!
There are a few stand out quotes. On time; Every hour is a part of life. It’s later than you think. How can one ever be in two places at the same tome.
On love: You are in love for that is exactly how love feels it is the lifting of a mask the revealing of one’s true self to another the first acceptance of all awareness that the other person may never feel the same way. Clues?
Clearly the ghost was loved and is probably innocent. Are we going to get the real story? There are very few certainties in this world: the truth depends on who it is that is telling the story…..explains Lucy. Do you think she knows the truth?
In this section one art and one book thing were actually true Boccioni the artist was killed- by falling off a horse and The Time Machine by HG Wells was accurately described in the correct time period. So I didn’t need to throw the book as often. Anyone know the artist or read the mentioned book?
How is everyone liking the read? I unfortunately, although interested in the story, feel my intelligence insulted too frequently to enjoy this entirely. Also there are way too many characters!!! At some point is this going to connect?
The Ghost/Birdie/LilyHer father did write!! He was almost set when she was almost 17 and he’d been gone 9 years !Her interlude with Edward was “a presentment” her meeting him and their exchange. Is this word used on purpose???He also “caught her without her mask on” Do you think Edward knew the predicament she was in??? (Before she told him.) Thus did everything to save her as he appears to have fallen madly in love with her as well.
“It is hard not to fall in love with a handsome man who pays you his complete attention. ““Oh I remember love..” The Ghost“ your daughter is my muse, my destiny. I will pay what ever you think fair” Muse was used at the beginning to describe the ghost. MUSE: A person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.” EdwardWhat do you think of their love story?
THE HOUSE or THE GHOST: What you think is the central thing? “They all have a story the ones who am I am John each one is different from those who came before but there has been something at the heart of each visitor I lost that ties them together I have come to understand that loss leaves a hole in a person and that holds like to be filled it is the natural order are always the ones most likely to hear me when I speak and every so often when I get really lucky one of them answers me back.” Is everything in our book related?
Juliet: What do you think of her?
Juliet was quite the feminist for her time. What did you think of her marriage? Her love for the house. As Tips mum does it start with her? Then Tip to Elodie?
Many apologies!!!! I thought ADA DIED!?!?! But alas she is alive and old in this section. I threw my book. Anyone else thrown by this sequence? I swear she was dead?!?! Also well here’s the jewel…
“Love… that’s what she felt an odd strong general love that seem to flow from everything she saw and heard: the sunlit leaves, the dark colors beneath the trees, the stones of the house, the birds that call as they flew overhead and in its glow she glimpsed momentarily what religious people must surely feel at church: sense of being bathed in the light of certainty that comes with being known from the inside out, from belonging somewhere and to someone. It was simple. It was luminous and beautiful and true.” What’s in the house???? Also this quote..stunningly beautiful.
Tip sees and hears Birdie. No one else does. His parents and especially Juliet his mum seem to think he’s got unique special qualities and she worries about his spirit I think. What do you make of it? Why is it Tip? His age? His ability?
What do you make of Edwards event in the woods!? What was chasing him? What light did he run towards?
“I trusted him with my real name. “ Says the ghost. She and Edward seem to have decided to be together.We learn more about Fanny..the fiancé whose engagement was broken and supposed dead woman .. which I loathe to say the story is just so similar to the muse pictured here… I can’t even …book throw #2. At any rate clearly Fanny’s dad fixed the news …
Elodie returns and just to stay on track…(I think) Bea her grandma, the one playing the recorder all the time is Tips sister, so Juliet is her Great Grandmother. What are your thoughts of our Elodie? Is she finding new love? Her parents “best friends” …thoughts?
Pale Joe do you think he was in love with our muse??? The ghost? His REAL NAME JAMES STRATTON!!! The man whose artifacts Elodie has. The picture framed is Birdie, the ghost. Birdie was wondering about him still… and got to hear good things. How does he play into this mystery?
What do you think of Lucy?Is she the killer?Who is the killer?Who killed the muse? Who killed Fanny the fiancé? I have some thoughts but who knows?!?!
What do you think of the book??
A fool always wants to shorten space and time. The wise man wants to lengthen both. Is how we start this last passage of reading. How is this foretelling to the story???
Edward and Albertine (The ghost) seemed to have a love story of epic proportions…His reciting of Bright star by Keats. Interesting choice?What do you think of it?Did your opinion change throughout the book?
The revealing of the name? Thoughts? FYI Albertine is a novel written in 1886 by Norwegian painter and writer Christian Krohg.The novel is set in Norway’s capital, Christiania, and deals with the life of the unmarried seamstress Albertine, who is eventually forced into prostitution due to the social system of the time. The book was confiscated shortly after its publication. In 1888 . Interesting?
What do you think of the title of the book now ?
Thurston thoughts on him?? Story aside: He was maddening to me just for the fact he was working on another painting that is real but the author skewed it along with every painting mentioned in this book. It made me feel like she thought I was ignorant and stupid. Also it’s misleading.
Birdies Father? What is the true story ??
Martin.
Lucy . What do you think of her now???
Albertine’s very cruel death….thoughts?!?!
TRUTH BEAUTY LIGHT Elodie and Jack ? Thoughts? What will Elodie do?
Tip, Ada, the ghost????
Lauren Elodie mom….what do you think of her story?
The end of the book? The ghost is the house?
The authors note?
I have to say no book infuriated me more than this. Your thoughts???
This concludes all the discussion questions. There were two readers who did enjoy this story, the rest of us were all severely disappointed.
On to June and The Night Tiger.
