Timekeeper by Tara Sim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Two o’clock was missing.

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.

It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.

And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.

But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

The stunning first novel in a new trilogy by debut author Tara Sim, Timekeeper is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Victoria Schwab.
 



This was one of the most surprising debuts I had the luck to read early! Timekeeper takes place in Victorian London, where time actually dictates the lives of every resident in the cities and the Timekeepers are tasked with protecting and fixing the clock towers which surround the cities.

In this pecurial position lives Danny, a boy who has a tragic past and also he tries to be as best as he can in his job. His encounter with the clock spirit on Enfield will arouse more questions about how time works and how easily if feels to let go of emotions.

I loved how Tara Sim gave the touch of the forbidden in this story! As also I never expected the mystery to occur in the plot. Moreover, Danny's friend and even the society seem to be more accepting of Danny's love preferences (in the actual Victorian London men were ostracized from society for being homosexual), which makes this book even more enjoyable.

The final pages had quite the action and I found myself wanting more of Danny's adventures. I can only hope that the sequel will be as amazing as the debut was! ;)




About the author:

Tara Sim is a YA author found in the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she's not writing about magic, clocks, and boys, she drinks tea, wrangles cats, and sings opera.

Tara grew up in California, but braved the elements of Virginia to study English/Creative Writing at Hollins University.

Half-Indian and full geek, she eats too many samosas and awkwardly dances to Bhangra music.

TIMEKEEPER (Sky Pony Press, Fall '16) is her debut YA novel.