The Watchmaker of Filigree Street

Book 77 of my 2015 Reading Challenge

read from October 13 - 20

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

Summary (via Goodreads)

1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.

My Opinion

I wavered on this rating but went with 5 stars because it was original and unexpected and I had to keep reading, even though I didn't completely understand it.  At some point I just gave up trying to figure it out and went along for the ride.  And I loved the ride.  

I was intrigued by Mori the more information we learned about him, I liked the banter and relationship between Mori and Thaniel, and even though I didn't want the story to be over, I loved the ending.

A Few Quotes from the Book

"Honour is leaving your family behind because your own conscience is more important."

"Although one could do proper science with a magnet and some iron filings, it felt professional to have made something that looked like a mutated windmill. Science had to have some mystery, otherwise everyone would find out how simple it was."