A really cute middle grade novel.
This book was really but I felt it was too short to really get to know the characters.
It is a very atmospheric read.

My daughter loved this book. It's full of mystery and suspense. It's quite short for a middle-grade book but packs a lot in. The story about an orphan in Victorian Wales has all the elements to make it a classic.

This is a short first book of a middle-grade children's fantasy which I picked up for some unknown reason. Although there is a bigger secret hidden about the crow, this instalment does work by itself. It mixes a few different feelings with regards to our orphan lead. She is to set out (by herself!) to a previously unknown godfather's place.
The ambience is just right, and even I was worried about the reception she was to get. I was pretty sure it was not going to be a very welcoming one. On the way, Seren is handed a secret where she does the opposite of what she is told (As an adult, I wearied of the number of times she did not pay any heed to instructions but emerged victoriously!)
It is a decent starting point for the gothic atmosphere and a world where there are 'others' who are not to be talked about but hold power. There were small bits with regards to the 'magic' that was unexpected. I would have liked it more if the entire thing was a little more fleshed out. I would recommend it to readers in the preteen age is they wanted to try historical fiction/fantasy.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This was just the kind of book I needed to read right now when I'm stressing out because of exams!

The book is centred around Seren Rhys, an orphan who has been recently adopted by her godfather, Captain Jones because of her great aunt's death. She is to go to Plas-y-Fran to live with his family who are supposed to be quite well off. However, she has a thrilling encounter with a stranger on the station of departure who leaves a parcel behind, asking her to take care of it until he returns, except he never does. So, Seren's only option is to take it with her. What is inside it? Ok, I'll give you some clue- it is magic!

The house is more of a castle and Seren is excited to see it as she thinks of her bookish houses but she is disappointed on reaching there- Captain Jones and his wife don't live there, nor does their son Tomos. But as she meets the 2 house-keepers and people who live nearby, she smells something fishy going on in the house. Her theory is that Tomos is being kept prisoner in the castle! (And oh, there is magic too!) Our heroine has to save the day, will she be able to rescue Tomos? Is Tomos really being held captive?

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I loved the setting- Victorian time, mysterious castle, magical environment, fairytale-like. There's also Christmas in here, so perfect for this time of the year! Definitely recommend it.

Seren is waiting for the train to bring her to her extended family. Her parents died and now she is supposed to live at her godfather's in Wales. While waiting for the train she is approached by a stranger who asks her to take care of a wrapped parcel.

When she arrives in Wales she is all alone. The servants in the mysterious manor won't talk to her about the family living there. They tolerate her presence but otherwise Seren is left to her own devices. She explores the house and, of course, opens the parcel. In it she discovers a clockwork crow who can talk.

I liked the dark, slightly haunted atmosphere of the estate in Wales. Unfortunately, we don't really get to see much of who Seren is. She's curious and intelligent, but it all feels very superficial. I'd have liked to see a bit more of her character. Since this is the first book in a series, I am hoping we'll find out more about Seren in the books to come.

I loved this book, I was able to read in one sitting as it brought back some memories of reading childhood classics when I was younger. The plot was magical, adventurous, and with elements of mystery. Will definitely be recommending this book to the pupils that I teach and will be reading again with my eldest child.

This is a super cute, slightly creepy story.
I really enjoyed the Welsh setting and use of Welsh fairy tales as inspiration, as this is something I don't think is seen very often.
I did have a few negatives however. I felt really sorry for Seren, as she was just carted off to this house and then left alone there while being threatened to be sent back to the orphanage. I didn't really understand her backstory. I assume her parents died, but when? How? Who were these long lost Welsh relatives and why did they leave her with a housekeeper? (Ok, I do know the answer to that one) It seemed overly convenient, and yes- I understand its a middle grade, but I still think there should have been some better backstory.
Then we get on to the crow. I still don't understand why the crow was cursed, who he was and why the man in the train station was so scared.
Overall- I enjoyed the story for what it was- however I did feel there were gaping plot voids that I think should have been addressed. I hope that they will be in the subsequent books.

The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher is a lovely pre/early teen, children's novel, full of mystery and suspense, coupled with the magic and traditional feel of the classics I grew up with.

The story follows young orphan girl Rees, who is being sent to live with her father's oldest friend and his family.
Whilst awaiting to board the train to her new home, Rees meets a strange and very nervous looking man, clutching a package. When he is alerted to a strange sound, he leaves to investigate, leaving Rees to look after his package, but never returns. To keep her promise to guard the package and keep it safe, Rees takes the package with her to her new home.

On arriving at her new home she is greeted by the caretakers, the family are nowhere to be found and noone will answer her questions as to where the family are or if they will ever return.
All alone with noone to talk to and no toys to play with, Rees opens the package and is shocked to discover a mechanical crow...who can talk.

This story has a lovely victorian era setting in a large stately home as the young girl, Rees attempts to solve the mystery of the missing family, the secret room noone can enter and what really happened to the boy.

This is a charming children's fiction which I'm sure my own children will enjoy. I have given it 4 stars and look forward to reading the next installment.

Thank you NetGalley and Candlewick Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Seren is an orphan. She learns that her godfather has agreed to take her in. On the trip there, she is given a mysterious package at the train station. Once she gets to her new home, she will try to figure out how to get it back to its owner. She is so excited for her new life. She's heard that the family lives in a mansion and are quite rich. She'll be there just in time to have a wonderful Christmas.
But when she arrives, the place is dark and cold. The disappearance of the young boy named Tomos has left a black cloud over the mansion. It's as if all the happiness disappeared with him. Seren decides to find him and make everything right again.

This is a great story. I love Seren. She is fearless. I look forward to the rest of the series.

I read this to my ten year old and he absolutely loved it. I will be using it with a class of ten year olds when school goes back to explore this magical fictional genre and character development.
He also read the following two books and is a decided fan of Catherine Fisher.
Awarded four and a half stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

E-Arc provided by the publisher via netgalley.

This really was quite the fairytale. It was a little slow going for me to start but once you were embedded in the story and the characters I really did enjoy my time at the Plas-y-Fran.

Following Seren on her adventure with the clockwork crow in search of Tomas kept me entertained and I think children will love it. I am looking forward to reading the 2nd book in the series and will purchase this ASAP.

3.5 stars but I'm going to round up to 4 and it deserves more than a 3 🙂.

My 9 year old daughter loved this book, and has no read the next one in the series and about to start the third. Following Seren as a number of mysterious things happen, this was a twisty turny book full of heart and mystery.

I really enjoyed this book. It grabbed me from the beginning, a deserted railway station, a stranger and a mysterious package. An orphan searching for a home and a house full of sadness and mystery.
Definitely one for story time.

I raced through this magical story in record time - I couldn't put it down. The creepy atmosphere at the house and the mysterious stranger from the railway station give it a wonderfully Gothic feel and the titular clockwork crow is a fabulous character. The Family section of the book reminded me of the Faerie world in 'Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell', which I also loved. I definitely want to read the other books in the series now.

The Clockwork Crow is an engaging combination of Welsh folklore and clockwork magic. This gothic Christmas tale is a must read for every fan of fairies, frost and mysteries.

Seren Rees is an orphan who has lost everyone close to her. As she travels to live with her godfather and his family is a small village in Wales, she encounters a strange man who gives her an even stranger package.

When she arrives at the Victorian family home, it is not at all what she had been dreaming of. There is a strange feeling in the house – a secret sadness which she does not understand. With the help of a new, incredibly unusual friend, Seren decides to investigate and is shocked by what she discovers. In her quest to find out the truth, she is surrounded by magic and stories of fairies who control time.

The Clockwork Crow is a gripping tale with a unique, fascinating plot. Readers are compelled to turn the page for “just one more” chapter as they get lost in the chilling story. There is so much more to the Tylwyth Teg (Welsh fairies) than first meets the eye and I would love to read more stories about these mysterious creatures.

Thank you to Firefly and NetGalley for this wonderful mystery of time, loss, cold and finding a family.

A beautiful magical, mysterious adventure. The descriptions are fantastic and the story line. enthralling. It is hard to put down. Seren heads off to what looks a s if it is going to be a new life and full of joy, only to find she is surrounded by secrets and mystery.

A great winter tale that would fit well in Christmas reading. Can Seren settle in the new house, will she meet her relatives, where is Tomas, what is in the mysterious bundle?

A must read.

The storytelling here was great! Perfectly comprehensible and easy to understand for middle-grade children. It also has a rather whimsical and mysterious take on a Christmas tale. However, though the ending was neat, I still have questions about the Crow.

The world building was done greatly for I was able to imagine a snowy Wales. But, I find it a bit ambiguous where the connection to the normal world and the fae world was made. A bit more elaboration and descriptive approach would have helped with imagining the experience of being lured into the Fae world.

Plot development was smooth. I loved the transition that went from the train station to how Seren was pushed into the adventure she never saw coming.

This is a delightful middle grade read that I'd say would be perfect for 9 or 10 years old girls. The main character, Seren is stubborn and wilful but she also has a vulnerability to her and a craving to be loved. She's an orphan and at the beginning to the story is going to live with her Godfather. She's never met him but is looking forward to living in the big house. At the train station she meets a tall thin man with a newspaper parcel. He gives it to her to mind and she ends up taking it to her new home with her. Inside the newspaper is a myriad of clockwork pieces and a key. Seren assembles it and discovers a clockwork crow that can talk. He says he's a prince that has been cursed.

Seren's new home is cold and not at all what she'd hoped for. No one will speak of Tomos and when she discovers he's gone missing, she sets out on a grand adventure to rescue him.

It really is a lovely story, filled with magic, adventure, and of course a talking clockwork crow. It always amazes me how middle grade stories can bring me right back and remind me of why I fell in love with reading at such a young age. I'm looking forward to reading book 2 and seeing what adventures with Seren await.

Having recently re-read Catherine Fisher’s Snow-Walker Trilogy, I was more than pleased to receive a review copy of her later novel, The Clockwork Crow, and in fact then went on to also read it sequel, The Velvet Fox. Both novels are set in Wales and both concern the orphan Seren Rhys. Seren tells us the outset of the first book that she used to live in India. However,

her parents had both died out there, and she had been brought home on the ship and lived for twelve years at the orphanage of Saint Mary‘s.
I have to say that this did make me wonder initially if we were going to get some sort of retelling of The Secret Garden but this didn’t turn out to be the case. Nevertheless, Seren does find herself travelling to a new home, a house called Plas-y-Flan, to live with a family she has never met, in this case her father’s oldest friend, Captain Arthur Jones, his wife the Lady Mair and their son, Tomas. Her journey is hardly uneventful. Travelling by train in a period that feels around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, she encounters a strange man who speaks in terrified terms of ‘Them’ and who leaves behind him a mysterious parcel which Seren takes with her, hoping to be able to return it, but which she is eventually forced to retain. She arrives at Plas-y-Flan only to find a house inhabited solely by servants and in a state of gloom and despondency. Tomas has disappeared and unable to bear his loss the Captain and his wife have departed leaving Seren in the hands of Mrs Villiers, the housekeeper, Denzil, the general handyman, and Gwyn, the garden boy.

Much dismayed, her dreams of a Dickensian Christmas dashed, Seren unwraps the parcel that she has brought with her and discovers the pieces of what turns out to be the Clockwork Crow of the title. Once reconstructed and his key well and truly wound, he comes to life, informing her that he is a prince, magically ill-used and forced to live his life in the guise of a rumpled old mechanical bird. Seren is sceptical about the prince claim and we should be as well. However, he does turn out to have some idea of what might have happened to Tomas, explaining that he is almost certainly been taken by the Fair Family, the White People, adding you don’t mess with ‘Them’.

Seeking further information, Seren asks Gwyn who tells her

The Tylwyth Teg. The Fair Family. Everyone knows that’s what happens. They take children...They are magic, secret creatures. They never get old, and they can be beautiful, or they can be ugly and twisted and wild. They live under the ground. Or maybe in the lake. This used to be all their land, thousands of years ago, until people came. I think that’s the reason. The Joneses took their land. So They took the boy. My nain says it’s happened before, over and over, with the children. They take them to a place where they never get old.
There is only one hope for Tomas and that is if, a year and a day after he was taken, he can be rescued by someone brave and bold enough to make the attempt and Seren and the Crow are on hand to try.

Well, the very fact that there is a sequel in the shape of The Velvet Fox should tell you that they are successful and for almost a year Seren and Tomas live happily, becoming great friends, indeed such good friends that at the beginning of the second book Tomas gives Seren a bracelet that he has made for her with a secret sign imprinted on it in water from the spring. However, The Fair Family are not to be so easily robbed of their prey and onto the scene comes Mrs Honeybourne to be the governess that Captain Jones cannot even remember engaging and bringing with her a magical carousel and vast quantities of knitting. Clearly evil from the moment she steps through the door, Mrs Honeybourne sets about poisoning Tomas’s mind against Seren and making it appear to the rest of the family and household that the girl has become disruptive and destructive. Recognising that she cannot battle the magical characters from the carousel - the juggler the dancer, the soldier and the velvet fox - alone, Seren remembers the words of the Clockwork Crow, who, when he departed at the end of the previous tale, left with her a feather and the instructions if you’re ever in trouble, write a message to me with this quill. I will probably come.

Well, come he does, and together he and Seren defeat the juggler, the dancer and the soldier but then find themselves facing the most powerful and evil member of the foursome, the velvet fox himself. Can they rescue Tomas a second time or will the fox and Mrs Honeybourne, knitting ever at the ready, prevail? Perhaps the answer lies in the bracelet given by Tomas to Seren, while they gathered horse chestnuts for conkers, as a symbol of their fast-bound friendship.

Like The Snow-Walker Trilogy, as well as an emphasis on magic and myth these books celebrate the power of friendship and the fact that a strong female lead character can achieve pretty much anything that she sets her mind to.  Again, I would be reading these to classes of nine and ten year olds and good, independent readers of the same age should lap them up.

With thanks to Firefly Press and NetGalley for the review copy of The Clockwork Crow.

What a wonderful book! An intriguing, perilous and timeless adventure where orphan Seren is sent to stay in the remote wilds of Wales where she encounters a mystery estate, a locked attic room and “Them”. Ably assisted by a clockwork crow. I loved it. A classic.