I love Natasha Pulley's writing and she's definitely one of my favourite authors, and getting to be back with Nathaniel and Mori was wonderful. The Lost Future of Pepperharrow put my heart through the wringer, and the writing is so beautiful, and the way Nathaniel and Mori's relationship is expanded is just as gorgeous as I could have hoped. And Six! I'm always wary of depictions of characters on the spectrum, especially in historical fiction, but Six is amazing, and the way Nathaniel and Mori both treat her really warmed my heart (as someone also on the spectrum). But: I feel like across Natasha Pulley's books there is a pattern of female characters being killed off to further the narrative for the men, which I don't like at all, and it feels even more glaring in this book.

That said, this was absolutely one of my favourite books of the year and I can't wait to own a physical copy too <3

This book took me quite a long time to read (for me!) and even longer to compose my thoughts on but that didn’t mean that I didn’t like it: I definitely did. Pulley’s historical fantasy is just so far out of the genres I normally enjoy that I don’t have the vocabulary to describe it. I read the first book in this series, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, in 2016 (I keep good records of my reading!) and so I struggled a bit to remember what happened in it but I think this book could stand alone anyway. It follows the couple Thaniel and Mori (who is clairvoyant) as they travel from Victorian London to Mori’s homeland of Japan where there are unusual ghostly and electrical happenings going on. But while the plot and setting of Pepperharrow is entirely surreal, the novel is actually more concerned with how our decisions can impact lives beyond our own, and how a slight change in your life can take you on a totally different path, which I think is a completely universal concern.

This was a great sequel to the Watchmaker of Filagree street and i loved how the new characters seemed to be introduced and built upon. The drama and action was fast-paced and i just could not put this down when the action got going. The setting and world-building was done well and it was explored in great detail. I enjoyed how the historical and fantasy elements came together in such a neat bow together that it made the whole book have an air of finis around it.

A wonderful sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, however this could be read quite happily without having read that. I really enjoyed reading this book, which I found enchanting and also very interesting, from a historical and scientific point of view, as well as being a great story. The characters were well developed and intriguing, with the story pulling the reader in sometimes quite unexpected directions.

Amazing follow up to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Natasha Pulley is an amazing writer. Her historical details are mesmerizing, character development and the little bit of magic she puts into her books are great features.
They are books every historical fiction fan should read!
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

This has been my favourite book for a long time. The sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, the Lost Future of Pepperharrow is just, if not more, as full of magic, intrigue and mystery. We join Thaniel, Mori and Six in Japan, where strange ghostly sightings are occurring and things aren’t quite as they seem.

Against a backdrop of political unrest, Thaniel and Mori must uncover the reasons behind the increasing appearance of ghosts in the local town. Mori goes missing, and Thaniel continues to doubt himself as he frantically searches for any clues as to where Mori might be.

I was gripped throughout, wondering just what was going to happen next and if things really were meant to be unfolding in the way in which they seemed to be. We learn a lot more about Mori’s past and are introduced to Takiko Pepperharrow, who fast became one of my favourite characters. I was also delighted to see that Mori’s cheeky mechanical octopus Katsu is still around and causing mischief as usual.

I felt that the development of the characters continued on from The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, specifically Six. We learn more about their inner thoughts and how these translate into actions, making me feel like I really began to know them. And of course, the world - that is almost like our own, but something more. I love the mysteriousness and magic that runs throughout the story. It seems as though everything and anything is possible.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting and didn’t want it to end. I definitely recommend it!

Once again, Pulley delivers a wonderful novel. I'm so impressed by her mind - I have no idea how one even begins to think of her plots. What is even more impressive though is the deep tenderness she distills in her characters' smallest actions.

While there were a few meandering sections in this one, the way it all came together so brilliantly means that I can give nothing less than five stars.

In Steepleton and Mori Pulley has created such a charming relationship and I just love Six. Just such a joyous (and brutal) world to spend time in. I also love how unfussy it is with people's speech for a historical novel.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

After loving the first book I was very excited for this, I ended up really enjoying it just not quite as much as the first. I think it was mostly because I didn't get as much Thaniel, Mori & Six family moments as I wanted, though Katsu is back and also back to stealing anything not bolted down :). The family moments that I did get were precious though. Six is one of the few child characters who I really like, she's so serious and matter of fact about everything thing. Thaniel spent a lot of time being mean to himself, it broke my heart a couple of times. He's such a sweetheart and needs to realise how great he is. Grace makes a couple of appearances but thankfully not much (I'll never forgive her for how she acted before), the new female character that has a lot of page time in this book is better at least, she was smart, resourceful and wasn't as critical of everyone (except some who kind of deserved it) as Grace was. Though I spent most of her povs wishing we were back with Thaniel, which isn't surprising since I adore him so much. Mori was back to being mysterious and you think 'why did he let that happen?' and 'is this actually going to plan?', pretty much all the way through.
I loved the Japanese setting and the ghosts. The mixture of the politics and the weird happenings was really interesting. The plot twists and turns, I never really knew what was going to happen next. Also I loved how rude the characters were to eachother sometimes, you just don't expect some of the dialogue that comes out of them due to the era and the country they're in. After reading the authors note though, it makes sense.
If you enjoyed the first book then I definitely recommend this.

What a masterpiece!
Mori, Thaniel and Six, first introduced in The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, relocate to Tokyo in order to investigate the appearance of ghosts in the British Legation or at least that is how it appears at the outset.
The maze-like plot is incredibly well conceived and constructed. At its heart is a beautiful love story intricately woven with fog, electricity, clairvoyant samurai, tea, clockwork and owls.
This book should not be pigeon-holed as steampunk or fantasy; it’s a stunning piece of fiction that will appeal to readers of all genres. Highly recommended.

Back in the steampunk world of Thaniel and Mori but this time we are headed to Japan. A sequel where we discover lots of Keita Mori's backstory and his ancestral home.  As with all of Natasha Pulley's book, the cover is beautiful, and I admit it, I am shallow enough that it can draw me towards a book. 

I seem to an exception as most early reviewers have raved about this book.  I found it almost excruciatingly slow at the beginning and very difficult to get into. Even though I loved the characters of Mori and Thaniel in the first book (which I only read a couple of months ago) I found Thaniel to be insecure and whiny for the majority of this book and Mori cold and distant.   It did improve, however, and around the 40% mark the pace picked up and things became more interesting if a bit muddled and confused.  Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this book, but I don't think it is the masterpiece it is being hailed as. 
Japan at this time is portrayed as a place with violent warlords given almost unimaginable power.  Mori's old friend and now president of Japan, Kuroda is a villain worthy of our hatred, he is truly obsessed with power and will manipulate and harm all that get in his way.

Mrs Pepperharrow of the title is another interesting character.  A half English and half Japanese woman, she never really fit in into either society but has found her way as a manager of a traditional Japanese theatre.   She has links to Mori's youth and potentially his future.

This book has such a twisty and complex plot that I found myself almost completely lost in the middle.  It all did come together in the last 10% and does lead us down many false trails and utterly unexpected twists.

I did enjoy the ending, all the subplots all get tied up at the end. It didn't seem like there was an obvious third book to come from this but who knows.
If you enjoy a twisty plot on your magical realism/historical fiction then this is definitely a good one, but if you find yourself easily confused, maybe skip it.  On the other hand, if you read and loved the first book in the series, you are not going to miss it. 
3.5 stars

I loved the Watchmaker of Filigree Street and this was everything I wanted in a sequel. Thaniel and Mori on a trip to Japan. An adopted ‘daughter’ called six – who is clearly autistic in a time when there is no terminology for it. The clockwork octopus is back. And ghostly happenings. This was amazing and beautiful, with the same strong voice of the first book. I’m only sorry that Grace wasn’t around more because despite everything she did in book 1, I still liked her. Definitely read the first book first then settle in for round two.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Lost Future of Pepperharrow (The Watchmaker of Filigree Street #2) by Natasha Pulley from NetGalley Bloomsbury Publishing in order to read and give an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Natasha Pulley, she has such a unique and wonderful voice, her novels are always magical and mesmerizing. The Lost Future of Pepperharrow is the second instalment in her The Watchmaker of Filigree Street which as expected is incredibly well written, complex, completely unique and captivating. Although it definitely stands on its own I really do recommend reading the first book, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.

We start a while after the events in The Watchmaker of Filigree. Thaniel Steepleton, Keita Mori and Thaniel’s daughter, Six and their Katsu their mechanical quirky octopus begin their adventure in Victorian-era London living their lives when they are asked to travel to investigate a ghost-infested British Legation in Tokyo. Pulley introduces us to steampunk Tokyo, Hokkaido and even the infamous Aokigahara forest. Thaniel suffering from tuberculosis in the thick London fog agrees to accept the posting as an interpreter, while Mori returns to his royal home to use his powers to investigate unfortunately having to also face a past that he has worked hard to put behind him.

Slowly the Legation begins to see an increase in ghostly activity which seems to be plaguing them. Stranger things begin to happen when Pepperharrow, a woman from Mori’s past is called upon to honour a debt, Mori starts to change and seems incredibly distant. When Mori goes missing, Thaniel and Pepper independently go to extreme lengths to find him.

This book has everything, the author introduces us to some larger than life heroes and villains in this instalment as well as introducing us to an interesting scientific plotline. I would highly recommend this book, Natasha Pulley has given us an exquisite novel, filled with characters that come to life, rich, well-researched world-building and beautiful, flawless prose that should be savoured and enjoyed.

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Lost Future of Pepperharrow’ by Natasha Pulley in exchange for an honest review. It is available now in ebook with hardback and audiobook editions published on 5 March.

This is a direct sequel to Pulley’s delightful 2015 debut novel ‘The Watchmaker of Filigree Street’. Having read and adored this in 2017, I was very excited to have the opportunity to read and review this in advance. I do feel that it is best to read ‘Watchmaker’ first to better appreciate the characters’ backgrounds and relationships as well as to explore Pulley’s slightly steampunkish Victorian London setting.

In order to avoid spoilers I won’t say too much about the plot. It opens in late 1888 and Thaniel Steepleton finds himself unexpectedly posted to Tokyo in order to investigate reports that the staff at the British Legation have been seeing ghosts. His close friend Keita Mori is also returning to Japan after a stay in Russia.

There follows all kinds of adventures, intrigues and revelations. While her main characters are fictional, Pulley cleverly weaves in historical events and personages. Her writing is beautiful and I found myself very immersed in her narrative.

This was an amazing book. As with ‘Watchmaker’ it is rich in imagery with a strong multi-strand plot that has moments of humour as well as warmth. There is also high tension and heartbreak. Pulley develops her existing characters and adds Takiko Pepperharrow to the mix, though her role is one that I won’t detail again in order to avoid spoilers.

The cover art features Mori’s clockwork octopus, Katsu, whose antics continue to charm.

On publication, I purchased both its ebook and upcoming audiobook as I plan to return and reread both books as well as her second novel, ‘The Bedlam Stacks’, set in the same fictional universe.

Overall, an enchanting, quirky tale that I just adored from start to finish. It is a novel and series that I recommend without reservation.

I look forward to Natasha Pulley’s future projects.

The Lost Future of Pepperharrow, the sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, is Natasha Pulley’s third novel and one of the most exquisite works of historical fiction I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Once again Ms Pulley showcases her immense storytelling talent and writes with a devastatingly deft hand. I would highly recommend reading the preceding book beforehand as you will better understand the characters' motivations and why they developed to be how they currently are. This time we journey from smog-filled 19th century London to Tokyo, Japan with Thaniel Steepleton and his adopted daughter, Six, to meet up with clairvoyant watchmaker Keita Mori and to consult with the staff at the British Legation who have begun to experience a number of hauntings. Meanwhile, the Russians have a fleet of ships of the coast of Nagasaki that could be about to invade the country at any moment. And then all hell breaks loose as Mori disappears without a trace.

This is a refreshingly original and unique tale and is historical fiction infused with elements of fantasy, magic and love. From the very beginning, the writing grips you and easily holds you captive until your time between the covers is over. My only gripe was that it ended much too soon. The characters are developed beautifully and are engaging to read about and see evolve; they are so vivid and richly imagined that they come alive on the page. It is full of whimsical charm, which has become Pulley’s signature, and sets this series apart from similar novels. Pulley spent time in Japan whilst researching The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and uses her knowledge of the customs and locations to pull you into the story as they seemingly reach out and lure you in. It's an enchanting and beguiling read with stunningly lyrical prose that envelops and immerses you with ease. An emotive, elegant and intricate historical fantasy of the finest quality. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.

No one writes about lightbulbs and lanterns like Natasha Pulley does. Seriously. There should be an award for that.

I had more than a few worries going into the book, and but this....this was really good. Takes a lot of the problems of <i>Watchmaker</i> and irons them out, while incorporating some of the best elements from <i>Bedlam Stacks</i>. We get to see Mori as someone sadder and more tragic and dangerous than a shy clairvoyant who makes watches in London, and that brings out an emotional depth that was missing in book 1.

<i>Bedlam Stacks</i> still remains my favourite, but this was super satisfying and several notches above what <i>Watchmaker</i> gave us. Gut-punching moments combined with Pulley's signature quirky charm, Pepperharrow was absolutely worth the wait.

FRTC

~
[Review to be published on March 5th 2020 pagesbelowvaultedsky.wordpress.com/]

I was immensely pleased when NetGalley provided me with an advance review copy in exchange for this honest review. Twenty-four hours after receiving the notification, I'd finished my first read-through, and I haven't really stopped thinking about it since.

<i>The Lost Future of Pepperharrow</i> is a direct sequel to <i>The Watchmaker of Filigree Street</i>. (I am still wondering how the events of <i>The Bedlam Stacks</i> will affect, or have affected, this version of the world. Something should have changed by now ...) In <i>Watchmaker</i>, Pulley introduced Keita Mori, who remembers possible futures, and telegraph clerk -- later, Foreign Office translator -- Thaniel Steepleton, who becomes Mori's friend and lover. These two , together with workhouse orphan Six and physicist Grace Carrow (both also featured in the earlier novel), are the focus of <i>The Lost Future of Pepperharrow</i>: there are new characters too, including the redoubtable Mrs Pepperharrow and bellicose Count Kuroda, Prime Minister of Japan.

For the majority of the novel does take place in Japan, where Grace Carrow is teaching, and Thaniel is engaged by the British Legation to uncover the reason for the Japanese staff's complaints of ghosts, and Mori is returning to the life of wealth and privilege he abandoned. Meanwhile, Russian warships are 'exercising' off Nagasaki, and the new Japanese Navy -- forty ironclads from Liverpool -- is due to arrive any day. Mori is constructing a delicate edifice of coincidence and causality that will change the future, but he won't (or can't) say why.

I found a great deal to love in this novel. Pulley's prose is inventive and evocative: Thaniel's narratives are especially rich in novel metaphor ('the room hammocked around him') and his synaesthesia is almost like an additional sense. I liked Grace much more in this novel, and Mori -- 'the king of useful deaths' -- becomes a grandly tragic figure, a world-shaper with a burden of grief and guilt rather than just someone who might bring about a convenient coincidence. Six, who may be 'on the spectrum', is a remarkably vivid character for a nine-year-old girl, and her sidelong observations are astute and sometimes unsettling. Takiko Pepperharrow, working-class, half-English, actress and theatre-owner, is marvellous: intelligent and fierce, with a dramatic arc that I found enormously affecting. (Her choices are her own, not forced upon her.)

It took me some time to articulate what I liked most about Pulley's Japan: despite the ghosts and the tea ceremonies, it is neither mystical nor exoticised. These are people living ordinary lives, no stranger than Thaniel's fellow Londoners.

I found the glimpses of lost futures especially poignant. Mori stops remembering a future when it becomes impossible: this affects his language, his actions, his thoughts. He is at once in control of possibilities, or fates, and at their mercy. Imagine how a clairvoyant grieves, when someone hasn't yet died ...

Random observation: Pulley doesn't often describe physical appearance, and never in any detail. We get Thaniel's perception of someone as 'short and plain', or Takiko noticing that her husband's bones are more prominent. Nobody <u>looks</u> at anybody, except sometimes at their clothes: and even then it's more to do with quality and style than with physical detail. I still don't know what colour Thaniel's hair is: and it doesn't matter.

I am still wondering about several aspects of the novel. Spoilers in white! <font color="#FFFFFF">Why the dragon? Why just that one? Will anyone in this universe disprove the existence of luminiferous ether, as Einstein did in our timeline? (My guess is no, because here it is literal.) Why did Mori get ill in Paris? And how does he remember radio? And what about Merrick's plantation?</font> And do owls really have chins?

I would also like to add that this is, in part, a wholly satisfactory love story. And, separately, a truly tragic story of unrequited love.

The second book by Natasha Pulley featuring Thaniel Steepleton and Keita Mori. I have eagerly awaited this sequel, having fallen in love with all the characters in the first book. This book is just as beautiful and magical as the first. Journeying from London to Japan adds a wonderful new dimension. The narrative appeals to all the senses through the sensitivity of the characters.
There is a sense of calm, peacefulness in the narrative which is cleverly juxtaposed with the sense of menace in the plot.
My only regret is not re-reading the first book beforehand so that I could become reacquainted with the characters, as a result I felt that this book had a slow start whilst I adjusted to the style. Nevertheless, the pace quickened as the plot developed and the ending was as emotionally charged as in her other books.

Disclosure: I got an ARC (advanced readers copy) from Bloomsbury Publishing via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I’d managed to lose The Watchmaker of Filigree Street on a bookshelf, so only read it recently. I loved it, so much so that the delight at discovering a sequel was about to come out was quickly trumped by fretfulness in case my expectations were too high. Thankfully, they were not.

The Lost Future of Pepperharrow is a beautiful tale, wonderfully woven. It shifts the narrative from late-19th century London to Japan, the homeland of clairvoyant watchmaker Keita Mori, pulling his companion Thaniel Steepleton and Thaniel’s adopted daughter Six with him.

It’s often very tense: there’s a sense of foreboding carefully created with the electricity that’s building in the air around Tokyo, as well as some big challenges to Mori’s customary ability to control the events and people around him. There are ghosts, too, and a couple of moments where I had to drop my e-reader and clap my hands to my mouth in shock.

The book adds new layers to most of the characters from the previous book, as well as introducing Takiko Pepperharrow (of the title) who is a marvellous addition for lots of plot-spoilery reasons I can’t write here.

Thaniel and Mori’s respective fragilities really affected me, as did Six – whose turn of phrase I enjoyed as much as Thaniel does. I thought the relationship between the three was beautifully crafted. It’s a book with plenty of genuinely kind characters.

(Plus my favourite literary clockwork octopus returns with some short but lovely cameos. I want my own Katsu! Many readers will, I think…)

I’d definitely advise people to read The Watchmaker of Filigree Street before starting this – and if you have, this fills in Mori’s backstory considerably.

But yes, I loved the writing, the plot and pacing, and the little touches where Natasha’s research shines through: from the earthy dialogue of the Japanese characters (which she explains in a note at the end of the book) to the electromagnetism science – all in service of the story rather than overwhelming it.

It really was just wonderful: if you loved the first book, you have a treat in store. And if you haven’t read the first book, you have two :)

Absolutely loved this sequel to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street which moves us from smoggy Victorian London to Japan where strange ghostly images are haunting the area around Mt Fuji and Tokyo..
I think Natasha Pulley became one of my favourite authors approximately 2 paragraphs into her first book and nothing I've read since has changed my mind. The characters feel alive, solid (or not, depending on where you are in the story) and vivid. Clockwork features strongly in the first book and I always thought the writing felt like beautifully arranged clockwork- each small piece adding something vital - and although clockwork isn't so strongly featured, giving way to electromagnetism and ghosts, the writing is still as perfectly put together and smooth as clockwork. Mori would be proud.
Already my favourite book of 2020 and it will take a lot to shift it from the top spot. I can't wait to read wahtever Pulley writes next.

I'm not sure just quite how to review this book.

It's such a complex narrative, wrapping a number of different threads together to create a rich mix of historical fiction with a steampunk style and a quiet bit of queer romance.

There's no spoilers here, it would utterly ruin the beautiful way Natasha Pulley's sequel to the truly brilliant The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, slowly gives up its secrets.

My heart was in my mouth on many occasions. The title itself a nod to a plot line which turns out to be quite heartbreaking in it's own way.

Taking events from actual history and intertwining them with the characters of Thaniel and Keito gives the reader a real sense of place, coupled with the almost mystical nature of the electrical experimentation.

While her second book, The Bedlam Stacks was just as beautifully written, it didn't capture me like these two have.

I was so very pleased to be asked to review this one by Bloomsbury and it lived up to all my expectations.

I really hope there's another trip to come which will let the reader linger a while longer with this pair and their adopted daughter Six.