Timekeeper {by Tara Sim}

Title: Timekeeper
Author: Tara Sim
Series: Timekeeper, #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Source: Edelweiss

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.
It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.
And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.
But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

I loved this book. I actually went into this not really knowing what it was about, except magic clocks which was enough to interest me. The world-building, the writing, everything sucked me in from the beginning and did not let me go.

Danny is a clock mechanic in a world where the towers control the time. The mechanics make sure that time keeps running smoothly, but most of them no longer believe the mythology of how these towers came to be. Neither does Danny... until he meets a fabled clock spirit while fixing a tower. But Danny also needs to find out how to save his dad, and figure out who is bombing clock towers before they kill him too.

My favorite part was probably the world-building. The story is set in an alternate Victorian London, and I loved it. I also loved the writing, and the tidbits of their mythology that were added in. I felt that added a lot to the story, as it added background in a way that wasn't just telling us. While I did like the characters, I wish Danny had been fleshed out a bit more. His character seemed almost... flat. I did enjoy the secondary characters, especially Cassie.

I will admit, I almost didn't see the ending coming. I think I was just too entranced into the story to think about it, but I did appreciate that the story kept me on my toes. I thought this was a standalone when I read it, but it's actually a series. While this can stand on its own, I am excited to see more from this world and these characters.

Tara Sim:

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