The Counterclockwise Heart

December 1, 2021
A boy with a clockwork heart, a magical girl, and a damaged young man, all orphaned, cross paths with dramatic consequences. Each is on a quest: Alphonsus wants to find who made his heart; Esme wishes to use her magic to kill the Nachtfrau, a sorceress; and Guntram hopes to soothe his emotional pain by gaining power. But each is missing accurate historical information as well as self-knowledge. In a world that evokes medieval Europe, the action ranges from palace and town to forest and canyon, forcing the threesome on a collision course. The Hierophants, a magical race, abused their power by granting life to and then abandoning creatures who turned murderous. Only one heroic Hierophant remained, trying to contain the peril posed by the monsters; over time, her role became shrouded in rumors and lies. In a fast-paced series of encounters, Alphonsus and Esme open their eyes to the past. They meet and learn from colorful, memorable characters who are rarely as they first appear, while the treacherous landscape they traverse mirrors their interior journey. In the process, they leave childish whims behind, find their voices, and learn selflessness. An epic fight that demands a sacrifice made with love enables them to move forward, in counterpoint to Guntram's desires. The well-developed setting lends an otherworldly historical atmosphere. The cast is default White, although Alphonsus and one of his adoptive mothers have dark skin. Laced with ethical questions and examples, this is a thought-provoking coming-of-age story. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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January 1, 2022
Grades 5-8 Time is of the essence in more ways than one in Ferry's tale of dark portents, magic, danger, and love. When a strange statue appears in Rheinvelt that predicts trouble for the empire, Empress Sabine sends her son, Prince Alphonsus, to calm people's fears. Their concerns are not unfounded, however, as the magic-wielding Hierophants have abandoned the land, leaving it vulnerable to the beasts of the Hinterlands. Furthermore, Alphonsus is having heart trouble; namely, the clock that sits in his chest, in lieu of a heart, has begun inexplicably running backwards, which can't be good. He finds hope and help in the form of Esme, a Hierophant girl on a quest of her own. Full of drama, twists and turns, and poignant points of view, the novel's storylines converge into an unforgettable ending that will leave readers thinking about the pesky element of time and the role it plays in their lives.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 7, 2022
Prince Alphonsus, who has brown skin and was adopted as a foundling by the empress of Rehinvelt and her wife, has an ornate clock embedded in the middle of his chest instead of a human heart—and he soon discovers that it’s running backward and beating “in perfect time” with a similar clock in the Onyx Maiden, a statue of unknown origin that looms over a nearby village. Alphonsus’s path soon crosses that of pale-skinned, magic-wielding Esme, 12, who has been sent, on behalf of the reclusive Hierophant Collective, to kill the sorceress Nachtfrau, ensuring the Collective’s survival. Together, Esme and Alphonsus must save the empire, uncover the Onyx Maiden’s true purpose, and defeat a jealous, power-hungry royal advisor. Farrey (The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse) steadily draws in readers with a solemn, brisk tone and a setting reminiscent of classic fairy tales, adroitly working in complex issues, including the price that magic demands and the need for compassion and forgiveness, even in the face of evil. Ages 8–12.