A very unusual story brimming with colourful descriptions and odd characters.
As a debut novel it is quirky, eventful and obviously well researched so it is, in part at least, factual. In being so it not only entertains but educates as well..
Thanks to netgally for the opportunity to read a story which I would otherwise have sought out.

This is such a wonderful book brimming with colourful descriptions of exotic places, times and events it just draws you in from the start. It’s a magical tale with some weird and wonderful characters my favourite being Zachary who we first encounter on the day of his birth and then follow his journey through life and my goodness what a life it is. The book paints a vivid picture of so many places and was so well written you can feel the atmosphere of when the world was a different place it made me almost feel as if I was there it was so captivating.
It’s an adventurous story of many things but at its heart I think it was mainly about love in its many forms and the author really did pull this off I certainly loved it and was sad when I finished it I will miss all the magnificent characters, I really did feel I was on the journey with them all.
So it’s a book filled with subtle magic, historical facts that really filled my head with pictures and one I can highly recommend, many thanks to the author Sean Lusk.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK for the ARC.

I have to admit that I picked up this book - and put it down again - multiple times: I always endeavour to finish to enable me to give an honest review, but this one, well, I found it really hard to keep going. Part I started as quite interesting - we're introduced to the tragic start that Zachary has in life: mother Alice dies in childlbirth; Abel, his father is in despair; Grace Morley, together with her young daughter Leonora, becomes his wet nurse; Great Aunt Francis insists on playing a greater role in his upbringing. Abel continues to expand his clock-making business into fashioning automata with the help of Tom, until at 6yrs old, Zachary accidentally loses an eye in the workshop, resulting in him being sent to Great Aunt Francis to keep him safe. A year later Abel finds he can't refuse a clandestine job in Constantinople. Eight years later, disregarding rumours that his father had died, Zachary determines to set off across Europe to find him, with Great Aunt Francis in hot pursuit.

I think the characterisation was good as regards Zachary, Aunt Francis, Mrs Morley and Tom, but throughout it all, the idea of Zachary displaying powers of second sight seemed to be lost along the way. Yes, there were really good descriptions of Turkey, the landscape, political structures and warring factions along the way. However, underneath it all seemed to run a story of same sex love and commitment which, honestly, I wonder for its inclusion.

Overall, I found the premise of the story rather confusing. It reads slowly and, sometimes, tiresomely so. But somewhere along the road any "magical" element is lost - that's just my opinion of course.

It is 1754, and a child is born into a clock-work making family - a boy who from birth is described as unusual, and who after losing sight in one eye gains, like Odin, a different kind of sight: from now on he is able to see people's darkest desires, most extravagant hopes and deepest regrets. When his father is forced to travel to Turkey and vanishes, we follow Zachary on his quest to find him - to find out about his father's past and present, before he is lost forever.
The story takes us on a magical journey from the clockwork shop in London through 18th century Europe to Turkey; an enchanting and beguiling world full of breathtaking possibilities and memorable characters. Lusk's literary prose unfolds a world of love and loss, of magic and enchantment.

This is a spellbinding, magical debut of ethereal beauty and I loved every minute of it. I would recommend this if you liked The Night Circus, The Ten Thousand Doors of January or The Bone Clocks.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.

I received an ARC of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Cinematic and beautifully written, my jaw literally dropped when I read these words: "So there we were, the two of us, like Jupiter's moons, orbiting and thinking each other icy, simply because we could not touch." Also, I literally cannot fathom how Lusk managed to fit in so many deliciously complex characters whose appeal transcends through space and time within it's 300-odd pages and with such consistency! Tom was incredible on every front and hand's down the book's greatest triumph and while Franny may be a prick to him amongst others, her insecurities and fragilities as a human still shines through making her somewhat endearing nonetheless. Zachary's love story, despite being mostly downplayed, was also very inspiring as I appreciated how it engages with queerness without relegating it through the lens of marginalisation and violence. Altogether, this book is an absolute, must read.

What better way to exit a reading slump than 2 days in steampunk England and the Ottoman Empire? Nodding vigorously along as strong female characters express opinions more at home in the 21st century, and queer characters live out their free lives?
The book is really engaging. It has a lovely occult vibe. It would make a good autumn or summer read - the stuff of warm, drowsy afternoons in front of a window overlooking some greenery.

I was drawn to The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley by the setting – 18th century Constantinople – but I wasn’t sure that it would really be my sort of book. From the blurb, I was expecting a strong magical realism element, something I don’t always get on with. However, I was pleased to find that this aspect of the novel was actually much more subtle than I’d expected.

The story begins in London in 1754 with the birth of Zachary Cloudesley. Sadly, his mother dies giving birth to him, leaving little Zachary to be raised by his father Abel, a clockmaker and inventor of automata. Fortunately, Abel doesn’t have to do this alone – help soon arrives in the form of wet nurse Mrs Morley and the eccentric Aunt Frances, two very different women who go on to play important roles in Zachary’s life.

From an early age, it becomes apparent that Zachary possesses the gift of ‘second sight’ which allows him to see into the future and this gift only becomes stronger following a serious accident for which Abel blames himself. In order to keep his son safe, Abel is persuaded to accept a commission which takes him far away from his London workshop, to Constantinople. But when Abel fails to return from his journey, Zachary is determined to follow him and do whatever it takes to rescue his missing father.

The first half of this novel has a very Dickensian feel. I was particularly reminded of Dombey and Son, which also begins with a baby being born, the death of the mother in childbirth and the arrival of a wet nurse. I enjoyed getting to know the characters who make up the Cloudesley household: the forthright, opinionated but warm-hearted Grace Morley and her little daughter Leonora; the larger-than-life Aunt Frances who takes her crow and two parrots everywhere she goes; and Abel’s apprentice Tom, an intelligent, talented young man with a not-so-well hidden secret. All of these people have interesting histories of their own, which are revealed during the early stages of the novel.

When the action moves away from London, to the heart of the Ottoman Empire, we are treated to some colourful descriptions of Constantinople, the sultan’s palace, and the seraglio, presided over by the kizlar agha (the head of the eunuchs). However, this is where I felt the story lost its way a little bit and for a while I struggled to stay interested. I think this could have been partly due to the focus switching to Zachary who, despite being the title character, was not as engaging as Frances or Mrs Morley. I’m also not quite sure what the point was in the ‘second sight’ aspect of the book as it didn’t really seem essential to the plot. Still, this was an entertaining debut novel by Sean Lusk.

a lovely historically rich story which is very well written and keeps the reader enthralled. i loved the humour and the very interesting history. My first read from this author and I look forward to reading more.

3.5★
“Why can these clocks not be made to run backward and take him to the day before, to the life he had supposed he would have? That, he thinks, would be a worthwhile pursuit for a clockmaker, not simply to mark off time as it passes, but to tame the beast, to make it run this way and that; to make time man’s servant, not man its ever more obedient slave.”

Who hasn’t wished they could rewind time, enjoy a favourite holiday again, fall in love again, or cancel a tragedy. It’s this last one that London clockmaker Abel Cloudesley wishes he could do. Alone in his workshop, surrounded by ticking clocks, widowed with a newborn son, Abel is miserable.

The year is 1754. He has had an interesting life already, having spent time in Constantinople, and as the story progresses, he ends up there again. But first, the baby. Zachary. His mother, Alice, dies as she delivers him. Abel doesn’t know what to do.

“Abel takes him and holds him, looking into his fierce dark blue eyes, their gaze fixed and penetrating, as unnerving as some creature wrenched from another universe entire. . . “

At that moment, we know something is unusual. Newborns aren’t known for fixing anything or anybody with a penetrating gaze. Abel is so overcome with grief, that it falls to Alice’s maid, Kate, to locate a wet nurse who has a tiny daughter of her own. Mrs Morley and Leonora become major characters and remain in Zachary’s life for many years.

Zachary is a gifted, brilliant little boy, the kind of child who will read anything he can find and probably remember most of it. The publicity for the story reveals that Zachary later loses the sight in one eye and develops a kind of clairvoyance, although he never seems quite certain what is true or not.

Abel is devoted to Zachary but doesn’t understand him at all. His unusual young apprentice, Tom, tries to explain the boy in a language Abel will understand.

“‘I cannot believe I am telling you of it now, but to convince you that Zachary is remarkable, gifted in ways even the child himself cannot perceive.’

‘Perhaps,’ said Abel, reluctant to believe that Zachary suffered from such an outlandish affliction.

‘He is, I think, Master Abel,’ said Tom with a smile intended in the direction of reassurance, ‘like the best clock we could ever hope to make.’

Puzzled, Abel asked him to say more.

‘He is like a clock that tells of time to come and of time past and missed, yet is driven by blood and a beating heart, not by mainsprings and ratchets and bobs of steel and brass.’”

It’s not a bad description. Alice’s Aunt Frances adored her niece and she lavishes the same attention on Zachary, wanting to whisk him away from his father. She is a colourful character with another storyline about her independence. She conspires to encourage Abel to return to Constantinople, leaving Zachary with her.

All manner of adventures ensue, including spying on the sultan, infiltrating the harem, and forming helpful alliances against terrifying opponents.

As I said, it’s an ambitious story, with so much in it that I think it could have been broken up into a couple of books.

I’m sure this will appeal to a lot of fantasy and science fiction readers.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @RandomHouseUK for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.

I was intrigued by the concept of the novel, and I am not afraid of undertaking an epic. The novel spans the life of Zachary Cloudesley from his birth (and the tragic death of his mother) through his childhood and into young adulthood.

With a father tied up in international espionage and Zachary’s own mystical talents this story is rather remarkable. It is also certainly epic in its scope. The writing style is archaic and despite being a keen reader with a decent vocabulary, I enjoyed looking up the more obscure words in the novel - ‘peruke’ and ‘ormolu’ being two such words. The use of such obscure vocabulary does lend a certain authenticity to the narrative style, but can be a little intimidating.

I did find that I needed to put the novel aside from time to time for a bit of respite. However, the last quarter of the book I found more gripping as Zachary travels to Constantinople and frees his father from his imprisonment.

On reading the author’s notes at the end of the novel, despite its seemingly fantastical premise, this novel is thoroughly researched, and as such has merits as an historical novel. The characters are certainly varied and interesting, and it was a book I enjoyed, despite finding it hard going at times.

Firstly I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This is an incredible book, transportive, compelling and sprinkled with interesting scenery and details that draw you in to this tale of a baby through to becoming an adult.

The main thread of the story is the work of Zachary’s father – clocks and automata, which in itself is alluring and fascinating. This takes the reader in a journey from England to Constantinople that is rich and colourful in both setting and characters.

I recommend this book from Sean Lusk and look forward to the next!

A historical novel set in the 18th century - with a slight fantasy element. Quite good.

A difficult one to review as I enjoyed the initial premise but didn't find the end result as satisfying as I'd hoped. Zachary is born with a form of second sight as the title implies. As he grows up, he embarks on a set of adventures mostly concerning his father, a creator of clocks and automatons and involving foreign intrigue resulting in time spent in Constantinople. There are quite a few interesting and well-developed characters with a variety of traits. It's not a very long novel and generally is an eye-opener and fun in some ways. As previously written, I have mixed feelings about the book but generally enjoyed the experience. I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

An absorbing historical novel, this is a wonderful debut which was a pleasure to read. A tale of journeys both physical and emotional.

Set in the 1750s - 70s, the first part of the story is about Abel, a maker of clocks and automata, whose wife died giving birth to his son Zachary. Possessed of the strange power to look into people's minds and prophesy the future, little Zachary is almost blinded in a workshop accident which only strengthens his gift. His father goes away on a secret mission to the court of Constantinople (Istanbul) in the Ottoman Empire and never returns, thought to be dead. The second part of the story sees teenage Zachary go on a quest to find his father. There are an interesting cast of characters and evocative array of settings. The book is clearly well-researched yet there is just the right amount of historical detail, which enhances the story rather than getting in the way of the telling.

The plot is fairly simple and wasn't quite enough for me, but I didn't mind, as the other aspects, such as the clockwork animals and the details of the palace, are enthralling. There is also a diversity of characters with regards to ethnicity, sexuality and gender, which bring a modern tone to the novel and increase its relevance to today's society.

[Review to be published on my blog, 22nd May]

This is a debut. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next. I thought the characters were well-written, quirky and interesting. I liked the way the book books between different places. The book is quite slow and times and occasionally gets bogged down by flowery writing but it was so interesting I got used to the language after a while. I enjoyed this a lot.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot...

This is a bit of a quirky read, populated by interestingly quirky characters. The pace is quite slow, and the point of view switches between characters - which whilst being an interesting touch, can be a little confusing until you get to know the characters!

As the title would suggest, there's an element of the supernatural to this novel - you have to suspend your belief at times, but it all fits the plot. The story moves between different locations - London, the countryside, Lundy Island, Turkey and more - all well described and adding to the interest.

Overall I enjoyed this novel, but it took me quite a long time to finish it due the slow pace - it didn't "demand" my attention in the way that some books do. However this was a great debut, and I would read other titles by the author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

This novel is quite a journey but for me the take away was the strength and endurance of love between father and son set.
The story opens in 18th Century England with Abel, a clockmaker and inventor, newly widowed with a newborn son Zachery.
From the offset it is clear Zachery is a gifted and unique child and grows up around his father's workshop, adored by all especially his father. There are so many elements to this story with elements of Dickensian Humour interwoven with supernatural elements similar to David Mitchell's writing. The story of father and son spans across Europe and in to Turkey and is littered with wonderful supporting characters.
I did however find it dragged at stages and while it is full of beautiful illustrative and descriptive writing, there were points in the book that I passed over.
If you like Dicken's with a dash of David Mitchell you will enjoy it

This is a rather whimsical story, and a very promising debut novel. In 18th century London Zachery’s mother dies during his birth and he is brought up by his father Abel. He also seems to have inherited his mothers second sight. Abel is a clockmaker and also makes automatons. When Abel has to go to Turkey, on a rather strange mission Zak stays with his eccentric aunt. The story takes unexpected twists, and many characters are involved. It’s not really my normal choice of read but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

As a debut novel, this shows a lot of promise. London, 1754. Zachary inherits his (dead) mother's second sight, which shows itself even as a small child. After an accident in which he loses an eye, he seems to have even more visions, sometimes of the future, sometimes of the past. His father, Abel, runs a clockmaking business which also makes automata, fantastic creations, very popular with the aristocracy. After his accident (for which Abel blames himself) Zak is raised in the country by his bonkers Aunt Frances, and the indomitable Mrs Morley who was Zac's wet-nurse and whose daughter, Leonora, is like a sister. The first part of this book is Zac growing up and the various incidents. It's difficult to tell who is the focus of this story. For the first part it's definitely Abel with side trips to the Morley household. It's not until Abel is sent off to Constantinople (as a spy) and disappears into the Sultan's palace, never to be seen or heard from again, that Zak (now aged 15) comes into his own and at last becomes the main protagonist. There's a Dickensian cast of fascinating and quirky characters, but I confess I found this a little slow at times. I didn't really become attached to any of the main characters, though Zachary grows on me towards the end. Of the secondary characters I really liked Tom and Mrs Morley.

This is a gorgeous, rich tapestry of a tale weaving together historical fiction, magical realism and a touch of steampunk! I really appreciated the research that went into the crafting of this novel and, combined with the diverse characters and evocative prose, it held great promise. But for me, there were just too many loose threads, characters woven in briefly just to tie up plot, and plotlines that resolved too superficially. Despite the richness this book sadly lacked depth and this let the imaginative story down.
With thanks to Netgalley and Transworld for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thanks to Penguin Random House UK for inviting me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to give this novel a go because the synopsis sounded like it could be good. However, this book really isn't for me. It's taken me months to read because I just wasn't invested in any of the characters.
I don't know if it's because I read an ARC version but it irritated me that perspectives of chapters just change without any notice, you've just gotta keep reading and figure out whose perspective you're now in.