The watchmaker's daughter.
The Watchmaker's Daughter (2018) is the latest title published by the famous Australian novelist Kate Morton. As has happened with other of his previous works, Riverton's house (2006) and The forgotten garden (2008), this literary work has captivated critics and the international reading public. In advance, if you want to read this review, it is advised that you have spoilers.
It's the summer of 1862 and some young artists decide to seek inspiration in Berkshire. But, when the hot days are over, mysterious things happen. One of the girls disappears, another is shot and killed and there is a robbery. More than a century has passed since then and, in London, Elodie Wislow finds what looks like a notebook with two things inside that seem very familiar to her: a drawing of a house and a photo of a woman.
About the author, Kate Morton
Kate Morton was born in Berri, Australia, in 1976. From a very young age he showed his affinity for reading and letters, having a great preference for the books of the author Enid Blyton. His educational training began in a rural basic school near his home.
Then, in his maturity, he moved to London to study at Trinity College. There he obtained his BA in Speech and Drama. Later, back in his country, he studied at the University of Queensland, where he graduated with the highest score in English Literature.
His beginnings in writing
During her years of study, Kate wrote a couple of long stories, but never published them. It was not until 2006 that the novel author rose to literary stardom with the title Riverton's house. This work won several awards and managed to position itself as Best Seller number 1 in New York and the United Kingdom.
From there, Morton began to have a very loyal reading public despite having long periods, of two to three years, between each publication. His following books: The forgotten garden (2008) The distant hours (2010) The secret birthday (2012) and The last good-bye (2015) were very well received. Today, at 44 years of age, with millions of sales and works translated into more than 30 languages, Kate Morton is a classic of contemporary literature.
About the work The Watchmaker's Daughter
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Some call it one of Morton's most ambitious titles. It is a contemporary crime novel with light touches of suspense and terror. It is narrated from different voices and set in the Victorian era. It is characterized by being divided and at the same time connected between different timelines. The story combines a passion for art, death and love.
Sharp turns in time
The different timelines Kate Morton employs in this novel are now common. We are talking about one of the resources that have already been seen in its previous titles. The history of The Watchmaker's Daughter takes place in two different eras: the past (1862) and the present (1962).
Kate Morton.
The plot of the past has much more weight and hook, while that of the present is less exciting from the enigmatic point of view. The two connect at some point. Therefore, in order to locate the reader, each chapter of the book indicates the date on which the action is located.
Review
1862
The summer brought Edward Radcliffe, a young painter, along with his sisters and a group of artist friends to Berkshire. with the firm aim of finding inspiration and making creativity flourish. They stayed at Birchwood Manor, a riverside house previously purchased by Radcliffe.
The summer days come to an end and a series of very mysterious tragedies occur. Edward Radcliffe's fiancée is shot and killed, and his muse, Lily Millington - also known as Birdi - disappears along with a valuable family jewel: Radcliffe Blue. This makes Edward break down.
1962
Elodie Winslow works as an archivist in London. One day, as usual, he receives a package full of old objects to put away. When he opens it, he finds an old sketchbook belonging to a painter where there are drawings. Among them is a Victorian-style riverfront house that Elodie finds very familiar, but she doesn't know why. But that is not all. Also, there is a sepia photo that, although time has mistreated, makes clear the portrait of a beautiful woman in a twentieth century dress.
Love
Edward was betrothed to a future heiress of high birth. However, he fell in love with Lily and made her his muse.. Thanks to her - and because of her - he was able to succeed as a painter. However, the love of these two was impossible. At that time, a descendant of the Radcliffe could not marry someone of such dubious provenance as Lily.
The house
Birchwood Manor plays a major role in this story, as it is the cradle of everything. After that tragic event in the summer of 1862, the place served as a boarding school for young ladies, an art center and even as a kind of pension or hotel.
The stay of each of the people who were once in the house triggered their lives in one way or another to be linked. Through reading, everyone comes to narrate their experience at Birchwood Manor from their point of view. This is the way Elodie knows the house. His mother - who was a famous cellist - told him about her as if it were a fairy tale. For Elodie, Birchwood Manor was the special home of her childhood.
Weather
Through Lily's voice, little by little we know how the days have passed and no one else ever remembered her. It is confusing, because although new people have arrived at Birchwood Manor, for her the time has not passed.
Although the hours pass, she is not aware. He cannot perceive it because since that summer Lily has been trapped in time and in the house like a ghost. She doesn't remember either, but she is the watchmaker's daughter, which is quite paradoxical.
Quote by Kate Morton.
The mistery
At the beginning, the author provides some clues so that the reader can discover the mystery for himself. However, they are only distractions. At certain points in the story it is difficult to know where Morton wants to go. But it is not until the end that the whole truth is known.
There are too many questions and the great mystery crawls from the time of Lily. What happened to her? Who killed Edward's future wife? Where was the Radcliffe jewel?
Impact of the book
In addition to the fact that all of Kate Morton's works have an original plot, we are dealing with an author with a very well marked style. Style that your readers already know perfectly. The Watchmaker's Daughter it was a long awaited bookWell, it was a long time since we had anything new about the famous writer. Also because its previous title, The last good-bye, left a bad taste in the mouth of many, this despite having been a best seller.
Yes, expectations with The Watchmaker's Daughter they were really tall, and, In general terms, it is a very complete work, both argumentatively and for its well-achieved spaces. The book had a remarkable reach worldwide and a special reception in Spain. However, despite the abundance of good reviews, some expected much more from the writer Best seller.
What the critics said
The Cultural
"Without a doubt, this Australian is the writer of the moment."
ABC
"History, mystery and memory [...] remains faithful to its formula, a novel in which past and present, both with an English accent, are intermingled with the mystery to hopelessly catch the reader."
El País
"Morton is attractive for the way he weaves scenes in his novels to build a precious, intimate tapestry, full of chiaroscuro and subtle mysteries into which you fall without possible resistance."