Kate Morton Continues to Prove Why She is One of My Favourite Authors in "The Clockmaker's Daughter"

Title: The Clockmaker's Daughter
Author: Kate Morton
Publication Date: September 28th, 2018
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In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe's life is in ruins. 

Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist's sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river. 

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Review

I honestly believe that a reading experience can be greatly affected by the mood you're in or intentions you have whilst reading, which is to say that sometimes it's not fair to judge a book if I am never in a great mood while reading it or didn't feel like reading but forced myself to. I say this because for the first third maybe, or even half of this read, I wasn't in a terrible reading slump and was not enjoying any of the things that usually made me happy. I felt like I needed to read because if I didn't I was letting myself down and because of this, it caused me to read The Clockmaker's Daughter begrudgingly and very slowly. At first I put this down to the plot not being able to grab my attention and the pacing slow. There was a lot of jumping to and from different time periods and the voices and tense would change, causing me to become frustrated in the inability to understand what I was reading. So I put it down, for a very long time. 

To my surprise, I came back to The Clockmaker's Daughter after a few months and became completely enthralled. I was absolutely captivated by Morton's writing and the story that was unfolding in front of me. I couldn't believe I had doubted her storytelling ability, as there hasn't been one read from Morton I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst I plodded through the first half of the book, the second book I whizzed through before realising I had already reached the end. The characters began to jump out at me, with their voices drawing me in emotionally and compelling me to stay with them as each of them went through their own personal journeys, ultimately arriving at a somewhat destination, both literally and figuratively. I was also shocked at how much I still retained whilst I continued to read, which meant that even if I felt like I wasn't understanding, Morton still left quite an impression on me through her thorough and vivid writing. 

In fact, the beauty about Kate Morton's books lies in her incredible storytelling. She is able to devise a complex plot, spanning across many years and generations, involving many characters (although not always known to each other) and be able to tie it all together at the end with a flourish. If you ever need a reason to read anything from Morton, it's the shocking endings she drops on you, with absolutely no warning. There is simply no way to deduce what is to come, unless you're a psychic. When I read the plot twist to The Clockmaker's Daughter I realised just how wrong I was in judging the book the way I had previously. It was an immense shock and I immediately put the book down because I didn't want to believe that was had happened in the past. However, as much as I didn't like the revelation, it was more because I found it to be too heartbreaking and was only hoping for a somewhat happier plot progression, not because of Morton's writing and plot. If anything the truth behind the mystery was a lot more impactful, serving to emphasise the importance of not being judgemental and how there are always two sides to a story. Also, that humans are complex. We are a bundle of emotions that can really drive our way of thinking and behaviours, and whilst we may not act in a certain way, the ability to empathise/sympathise would do us a lot better than we think. I also liked the exploration of staying true to one self, how strong our desires can be and that we may not always have control over the situation we're in but rather control on how we react to those situations. 

Again, I can't believe I would doubt one of my favourite authors. Morton has managed, as always, to deliver a beautiful, thought-provoking and genius read that remains as memorable as her other reads.

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The Lake House by Kate Morton

Title: The Lake House Author: Kate Morton
Publication Date: October 20th, 2015
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In 1933, the Edevane family home, Loeanneth, hosts a grand party. Sixteen year old Alice Edevane is especially excited because she's about to share her great writing idea to a person she shouldn't have fallen in love with. By midnight, the family are torn apart and Loeanneth is abandoned forever.

Seventy years later, Sadie Sparrow is sent to her grandfather's for some time off from the Police force. She accidentally comes upon Loeanneth and the events of the night of the party unravel as Sadie begins to delve into the family history. In doing so, Sadie reaches out to Alice who has now become a famous detective novelist. Suddenly, Alice is thrusted back into her past but she's not sure she's ready to revisit it.

Review

Kate Morton seems to write according to a formula revolving around family mysteries that are resolved in the present time but always end up leaving me shocked and in awe at how well she writes.

Morton excels in writing vivid, descriptive imagery including the setting, character and context. It's very easy for me to visualise how a character looks like and the actual scenery. In The Lake House the  family's estate is grand and beautiful, and it's so easy to envision it because Morton is skilled in showing not telling. Even in its decaying nature, there is still a sense of the summery days where the story re-visits to recount the past. There's a nostalgic feeling as I read, and it's a common perception when reading any Morton novel.

I love that I got both the present and past, interweaved into each other so that I was literally on the same page as Sadie as she slowly inched to the truth. The more that was revealed, the more surprised but also saddened I was. Morton explores family ties, loyalty and trust, but also writes a great recount of PSTD that allowed me to further understand the tragedy of such a condition. 

Each of Morton's characters all leave a distinctive impression, whether it be a relatable aspect - most often a flaw - or because I've become so involved in their life to let go. Sadie is definitely a vehicle to drive the story, but that doesn't deter from me admiring how hard-working and smart she is. Alice was the more intriguing character because I got to witness her both when she was young until old age, and how the events of the past had defined and changed her. I remember a lot about their lives and their history because of how involved I was in their story arc and how it progressed.

I liked the unraveling of the mystery, paced well enough, although I'm not going to lie there were parts I did gloss over. The ending was heartwarming, albeit a little too convenient but does play on the idea of fate a lot. I think what keeps me on edge all the time is how Morton will allude to a certain ending, but is so much further from the actual events that happen, which leads to a great surprise. A pleasant read, although not the best from Morton.

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The Secret Keeper - Kate Morton

Plot: 

1961 - Laurel, at 16, witnesses a crime from her hideout spot in the treehouse.

2011 - Laurel is now a famous actress but the event from her childhood begins to linger in her mind.

So begins her journey from the past to present, as she finds the answers to questions that have lasted for more than most her life. The lives of Dorothy, Vivien and Jimmy are slowly opened up in a fascinating recount of their sudden encounter during the 1940s.

Review:

Kate Morton really hits the marks with her novels and The Secret Keeper is no exception. It makes for a great mystery/crime type of novel that isn't loaded with guts and blood, and disturbing killers. Instead, she takes on adult fiction and puts a twist to it. I find that that makes the novel really interesting and whilst the premise of this certainly doesn't sound any unique, the plot is actually a lot more surprising than expected.

It's a pretty thick read but even with the size (500+  pages) I was really immersed in what was happening. Morton has a way of writing, which really draws me in and leaves me in that world. It's probably the way she paints the scenery and the characters of the novel. I've never really seen how London exists, besides photos, especially "back in the days" but from reading I could make out the countryside and the town in which Dorothy, Vivien and Jimmy exist in. Morton does get a little "artsy" in the way she writes, using really drawn out ways to explain something but it didn't detract from the story so I didn't mind much.

The plot quickens probably from part 3 onwards, which really helps with the intensity of the mystery. I think I got really hooked from that moment and had to finish the novel. The plot twist that came about really made the wait so much better. It really reminded me why I love reading Morton's novels, because she delivers in the end.

I loved Jimmy and Vivien despite the fact that they aren't major characters in the novel. I found Jimmy sweet and Vivien just wholeheartedly good. Dorothy, on the other hand, I could've done without just because she really got my nerves. There has never been a character that was insanely naive and pretty much delusional. She had ambitions but no solid plan and when it all fell apart, well then. Laurel, I felt, was only a vehicle to drive the stories of the three people in the past. She was the predominant narrator but with her moments, they were gateways to the stories that occurred during the 1940s.

The Secret Keeper has left much for me to think about, which I like. I like that I can still think about the plot and the characters involve and sort of mull over what happened. It's mean I was mentally engaged whilst reading, which is what I think most authors would want. It's not my favourite Kate Morton novel but it's definitely a very enjoyable read. I shall forever be her fan if she continues this streak.

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Rating: 4/5

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The Shifting Fog - Kate Morton

Plot:

Setting: England, 1924 and 1999.

Grace Bradley, 98, must revisit her teen years as lady-in-waiting to Hannah Hartford. More specifically, her memories recall those moments before the tragedy that turns sisters Hannah and Emmeline from each other. Grace realises she must rid herself from the memories that she has tried to ignore and so, begins to record these events for her grandson Marcus.

Review:

The fact that The Shifting Fog was set in a war period lost some of its appeal. That was before the end of the novel. By then, Grace's loyalties, Hannah's modern views and Emmeline's wild ways had me right in their palm.

Morton's ability to produce a captivating novel must be applauded. While the plot was creative and at times surprising, it was the characters that made the novel. Each of the characters had certain elements that made them real. Real and relatable. The setting didn't stop the fact that Hannah desired adventure, much like some of us. Or that Emmeline was a hopeless romantic. Even Grace, at her old age, could really touch a chord of sympathy from me. Her stories gave smiles and heartache, from the past and in the present.

At some point the novel is predictable and at others, a little dull. Fair enough, a novel of 400+ pages is bound to be. Yet, the ending - the answer to the tragedy - is worth the wait. Morton flows through the events without ever giving away the ending. There is no knowing what really happened and that is the satisfaction that comes out from reading The Shifting Fog. A novel of mystery, romance and a chilling twist - The Shifting Fog is an enjoyable read, worth the time.

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