Customer Reviews

A Clock Without Hands: A Novel

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After a death in the family, Alex has returned to his childhood home, which prompts him to re-live the events in his life in which he has purposefully chosen to forget. Throughout the novel, he seeks to understand how the events of one summer could change his life forever.

The majority of the novel takes place in Alex's childhood, where he and his best friends Anna and Jamie stumble upon "the hermit" in a deserted chapel. The hermit is a mystery- he is critially wounded yet pleads that the children don't seek help for his injuries. Instead, the three friends take it upon themselves to care for the hermit for the duration of that summer. The secret kept among Alex, Jamie, and Anna forms an unbreakable bond, yet they soon realize that knowing the true nature of the hermit may haunt them for the rest of their lives.

As you follow the three friends into their teenage and adult lives, Alex struggles to keep their friendship strong, not fully understanding the consequences of that summer's events. It is only in retrospect that Alex begins to realize how fluid time is- how things sometimes cannot be fully understood until it's too late to change them.

Guy Burt has written the novel in a style which reflects the scattered memories of the narrator, which lends credibility to the emotional impact of the story. Although some plot lines where somewhat predictable, there were other events in the novel which were completely shocking. I was touched by this novel, and I would strongly recommend this book.

This is a beautifully written and absolutlely haunting book, the plot of which travels effortlessly back and forth through time. I read the book in one sitting, only stopping to eat and sleep briefly. It has elements reminiscent of two of my favorites: John Fowles, and Alfred Hitchcock. There is real suspense in this book, and deeply moving relationships. Guy Burt understands the fluidity of time well, which is surprising in one so young (judging from the author's photo). I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who remember their childhood as a mysterious time, full of clues needing to be uncovered. My only criticism is that I felt it should have ended a chapter earlier, and didn't care for the last chapter as it leaned toward sentimentality which the author had managed to avoid up until then.

Perfect condition! Excellent shipping time and condition! Would recommend for everyone! Excellent price! Like new but about 99% off the price, which can't get any better!