Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | FICTION BEL | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Wildwood Library (Mahtomedi) | FICTION BEL | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane. London, England, 1860 When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost. "Utterly charming! What an original and adorable story. Angela Bell's debut is a book I can, without hesitation, highly recommend." --JEN TURANO, USA Today bestselling author "Bell's voice will draw you immediately into her world, and her characters will hold you there. A must-read!" --ROSEANNA M. WHITE, Christy Award-winning author
Author Notes
Angela Bell is a 21st-century lady with 19th-century sensibilities. She resides in Texas with her charming pup, Mr. Bingley Crosby. One might categorize her books as historical romance, but Angela likes to describe them as a cuppa Victorian whimsy. Whenever you need a respite from the 21st-century hustle, you're welcome to visit her imaginary parlor at authorangelabell.com, where she can be found waiting with a pot of tea and a great book.
Reviews (2)
Booklist Review
Clara Marie Stanton is doing everything she can to keep people from thinking her lovably quirky family should be put in a lunatic asylum, as her ex-fiancé suggests. So, it certainly makes Clara's task that more difficult when her clockmaker grandfather C .E. Drosselmeyer, is spotted flying over London in a mechanical owl. This turns out to be the start of a scavenger hunt her beloved grandfather has concocted for Clara's amusement, but Clara becomes even less amused when she discovers she will need the help of her grandfather's new apprentice, the maddeningly enigmatic and annoyingly cheerful Arthur (actually Theodore) to successfully follow her grandfather's clues. Bell's delightfully entertaining debut is a thing of whimsy and wonder itself. From the novel's engagingly eccentric cast of characters that includes Clara's mother, who rivals Dr. Dolittle with her cute menagerie of four-legged friends, to a madcap plot that sends the protagonists careening around Victorian Europe dodging danger and searching for cleverly hidden clues, Bell successfully marries faith-based historical romance with an inventive, Jules Verne--like story line.
Library Journal Review
DEBUT Bell's debut novel turns The Nutcracker into a Christian-fiction romance set in 1860 London. Her once adventurous spirit broken by betrayal, Clara Stanton finds herself battling the rumors that her ex-fiancé has spread about her family. With a grandfather who creates strange automatons, a mother who rescues wild animals, and an eccentric uncle, Clara has her work cut out for her. When Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes off via flying owl, leaving a trail of clues across the continent, his mysterious apprentice Arthur, Clara, her mother, and a menagerie of animals follow. Suspicion and acrimony abound, as Arthur refuses to reveal his last name. He views himself as little more than a faulty spare part, but his unique skills may save the day. Wound tighter than her grandfather's automaton due to Victorian societal expectations, Clara slowly begins to see the wonder and adventure around her. VERDICT Full of whimsy and laugh-out-loud adventure, Bell's novel will appeal to readers who like period romances with zany characters and surprising depth, similar to those from Mimi Matthews and Carolyn Miller. She is an up-and-coming author to watch.