Clockwork - Philip Pullman

 

This is the first Philip Pullman book I have read which is outside of the His Dark Materials universe, and I was not disappointed! The novella is only around 90 pages so a super quick read and although it is a children’s/ YA book it’s pretty dark in places.

It tells the tale of a dark winter’s night, upon which a tale is told of a tormented clockmaker‘s apprentice, a menacing knight in a suit of armour and a child who has a heart of metal and cogs.

This dark and brooding tale is filled with suspense and will have you gripped throughout. It contains some witty and insightful asides from Pullman, as though the writer is addressing the reader directly, which is so much more user-friendly than footnotes. The copy I have is also illustrated which adds to the charm and personality of this quirky and unique novella.

Much like His Dark Materials, this story perfectly captures the moody and unforgiving atmosphere of a winter’s night, and the theme of clockwork is prevalent throughout not only the content of the story but permeates the language also, creating a sense of slow ticking and foreboding as the story unfolds. 

This is such a compelling and mysterious little tale which is quite folkloric in style (it reminded me of some of Angela Carter’s work, though more child-friendly!) and I would highly recommend it!