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Cover of Timekeeper

Timekeeper

Tara Sim (2017-10-31)

Subgenre
Age groupYA 12-17
Content ratingPG-13
Pages448 (Chunky (400-600))
Setting
CSM age14

Content levels

ViolenceModerate
Sexual contentMild
LanguageMild

Synopsis

**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.

Tags

Alternate Victorian FantasyClock MagicLGBTQ+ RomanceHistorical FantasyGaslamp Fantasy

Is Timekeeper appropriate for my child?

Suitable for most readers 14 and up.

This YA alternate-history fantasy features a gay romance between a clock mechanic and a clock spirit, with moderate action violence from bombings and terrorist attacks. The romance is tender and fade-to-black appropriate for teens.

What to know going in

This book has moderate violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include death, grief, and bombings (see the full list above).

Who'll love this

Teens will love the inventive steampunk world where time itself can be controlled, plus a forbidden romance that defies the rules.