Customer Reviews

The Clockwork Girl

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Reason for Reading: I've enjoyed other books by Sean O'Reilly and this one sounded wonderful, plus I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie (which doesn't have a release date as of yet).

First of all, an absolutely beautiful book. Illustrations are gorgeous and the book is just pleasure for the eyes to read. It's book like this I'd never trade for an ereader. The story centres around two scientists who live next door to each other, one who is a technical scientist building robots and automatons, whilst the other works with biological science creating new forms of life. They are enemies. Last year Dendrus won the annual fair with his "mutant boy" named Huxley. This year he has come with Huxley and to watch his students' presentations but without an entry himself. But The Tinkerer has finally created his masterpiece "The Clockwork Girl" who later names herself Tesla. Tesla and Huxley meet at the Fair and develop a friendship later secretly meeting between their respective castles, though their fathers are warring with each other, ala Romeo & Juliet.

The robot and the mutant like each other but it isn't anything more than platonic, there is a third child involved who it is unclear but I think is either Dendrus' assistant or own son. I'm glad the story doesn't enter into a romance as I'm not fond of that sort of thing, though the plot does enter the dramatic and intensiveness of a life and death situation such as is found in Romeo & Juliet. The plot actually has quite a few Shakespearean elements and is honestly, just a wonderful story to read. The characters are all quirky and fun, from the children to the adults to the creatures. The fair is a wonderful chapter with all sorts of weird and wacky inventions being displayed and causing trouble. But ultimately it is a story of lonely people, finding happiness in friendship and the despair one will only find in feuding with others. An adorable story suitable for all ages, some scenes may be too intense for little ones but otherwise young and old alike with love this wonderful story.

The Clockwork Girl and Huxley live in two different worlds and have fathers who hate each other. Huxley's father, Dendrus the Grafter, made a castle "as an ode to the beauty and power of nature." The Clockwork Girl's father, Wilhelm the Tinkerer, made a castle "narrow and precise...as a tribute to technology."

Huxley is a mutant circus boy with one horn, fangs, and two hearts. The Clockwork Girl is her father's own scientific creation, born of his need to be a respected man of science. He creates her in order to win an award and gain respect, but he doesn't anticipate that Huxley, whom he hates, will fall in love with her. Huxley meets up with the Clockwork Girl and teaches her some independence since she was only just created and still doesn't know about the world.

The Clockwork Girl is called a "futuristic Romeo and Juliet." It isn't exactly the same, and it doesn't have the sad ending, but there are definite similarities. On one hand, this graphic novel is covering well-known, archetypical ground, with aspects reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast and other beloved tales. On the other hand, it's been made unique with its sci-fi atmosphere and the fact that the characters are a mutant and a robot. It asks the question science fiction books have asked for years: Can a robot love?

There's a flashback that shows why Wilhelm hates Huxley, and in the main story Huxley comes to believe--erroneously--that the Clockwork Girl is going to hurt him because of who her father is. The opposite is true, and the misunderstanding that occurs revs up the plot.

The fact that the two main characters are each outsiders in their own way adds to the appeal, because everyone has felt like an outsider at some point. The story is fairly simple, but it's also touching, especially when Huxley's two hearts come into play toward the end.

All of the pages are in color, and the style would lend easily into that of a cartoon. This works well, in fact, because a Clockwork Girl animated movie is in the works. At the end of the book, there's a bonus picture gallery showing the characters in different art styles from different artists. Because of the way The Clockwork Girl is written and drawn, it should have a wide audience, as
both children and adults would be able to enjoy it.

-- Danica Davidson

The Clockwork Girl is a beautifully illustrated story that my entire family enjoyed. The artwork is especially stunning for a comic book and the story is fresh and engaging.

"The Clockwork Girl". Recieved it quickly, and in the codition specified (new). Hassle free purchase. Excellent book, wirh delightful PG story and wonderfully illustrated. THANK YOU.
-Richard