Of Constellations and Clockwork

by Alexandra Wendt

A city-state crumbling into ruins.
An ancient system of values torn down.
The noble families who upheld it, erased.

Clemenza Giudice, a dispossessed noble-turned-clockmaker, has one goal: do whatever it takes to regain her family’s social status. Even if it costs her soul. So when she is asked to steal an illicit piece of technology for the man who took everything from her, Clemenza negotiates in hopes of saving her family from utter ruin.

But people are harder to control than clocks. And now she’s stuck on a journey into the heart of a dangerous capital rumored to hide illegal experiments with corrupted aether. Her companions include her rival clockmaker, an ostentatious smuggler, his sister enslaved at a pleasure house, his apprenticed thief, and a handsome architect who harbors many secrets.

The true cost of helping her family might mean becoming like the man who ruined them, no matter the guilt she may feel. In an Italian Renaissance-inspired world, Clemenza and her companions must pursue their own interests—or protect their broken society, where betrayal, theft, and murder flourish.

Genres: Fantasy, Novels

ebook

Published November 20, 2024

About the author

Alexandra writes fantasy novels inspired by historical settings. After graduating with a BA in English and art history, she made it to Florence, Italy. There, she pursued her MA in Italian Renaissance art with a focus on fifteenth-century Siena and Florence and pictorial representations of sainthood and mysticism. She now uses her degree to influence her stories. She lives in northern Italy with her family.

Reviews

[Cheyenne Langevelde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was the copyeditor for this book and therefore come with a bias. That said though...

This book was phenomenal in every way. I loved the world-building, the setting, the characters, and the themes. I loved how the author tackled the challenges that the characters face, making them and their journeys of guilt and revenge seem so real, and contrariwise their journeys to faith and hope so beautiful. Tropes include a proper enemies-to-lovers, unlikely allies, underdog, banter, found family, and heists. This is definitely on my top 5 reads for this year, and I highly, highly recommend!! If you enjoyed SIX OF CROWS, THE GILDED WOLVES, and ILLUMINARE, you'll enjoy this one.

Content warnings: This book is geared toward New Adult audience and so the themes and conflicts are geared to an older audience than Young Adult, but the content is mostly clean. Mentions of alcohol abuse as well as brothels and pleasure houses, and one character attempts (and fails) to seduce another, but it's more a description of behaviour than anything explicit.

[Gabrielle Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

👏👏👏

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint.

The world was unique, the characters were memorable and complicated, and the plot was intriguing. But the thing I loved the most about this book was the theme and the questions it asked. And the world, characters, and plot all worked together to showcase the theme beautifully.

I loved seeing characters wrestle with how to deal with their guilt and how to do good and wonder if doing good is even possible. The questions weren't easy, the demons the characters struggled with weren't simple, and those things made the ending feel that much sweeter and that much more earned.

It's creative, it's clever, and it's powerful.

[Mary Emma Sivils · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a really interesting concept and setting! A good balance of adventure and philosophical exploration, the story left me with some food for thought.

I was invested in the main characters, but Clemenza rubbed me the wrong way for most of the book. She had such a chip on her shoulder that I often found myself rooting for Gianpaolo over her. There was definitely more to him than it seemed at first glance, and I enjoyed that!

[Amy Wendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new reader of fantasy, I was not quite sure what to expect when I picked up this book. What I found was a book that immediately drew me in with it's richly detailed world and cast of interesting, complex, characters. The fast paced narrative, intrigue, and plot twists made it difficult to put down, wanting to see what happens next. Overall, a delight to read, especially as it was so different from most of the books I've read. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the author’s writing style; it’s elegant and captures your attention. It doesn’t at all read like it’s her first published novel, it has the air of very experienced author - a clear voice. The characters are relatable and the character development is excellent, one of my favorite elements to a novel! A very enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book in the series!

[Julia Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very unique fantasy. To say I was drawn in from the first page would be an untruth. I think it was after the first chapter, but then I was locked in and buckled up for the ride.

Hoping there will be more stories from this author.

[Emily Vest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being the developmental editor of this book, my review does come with a bit of a bias, but I can honestly say Of Constellations and Clockwork was one of my favorite reads of the year! There is so much in this book to love.

Namely, the characters. Every time I thought I settled on a favorite character, I found new reasons to love another, and finally I had to concede that Alexandra Wendt left me with an impossible choice. The two leads are utterly compelling, individually and as a duo. Seeing how Clemenza and Gianpaolo grew as people throughout the book was so satisfying. They have a great dynamic—an enemies-to-lovers arc with witty banter and a genuine care for each other that had me gushing over their dialogue—but on their own they are just as fun. I especially enjoyed how they each had such passion for their crafts, clockwork and architecture respectively. It's not often enough in stories we see characters nerding out about their interests and learning for the first time how to use them to help others.

But all the secondary characters brought me such delight too. Helori, Benigna, Gryphus, Caterina—all had their quips and quirks that had me beaming, not to mention their well-written, heart-warming arcs in which they learned how to care for each other despite the mess. An underlying thread of this story focuses on the idea of learning how to love well. We are human, we are broken, we hurt each other and we hurt ourselves, but never for one moment believe that means we cannot be better. The characters Wendt wrote give hope for second-chances and redemption, proving that pride and guilt and loneliness can be overcome. It takes time and it'll never be perfect, but it will be progress and it will be worth it.

Of Constellations and Clockwork is a story with so many worthy themes. How we as humans have limits and must learn to trust and lean on others. How progress and tradition are in harmony, not in conflict. How society benefits from rules and a moral code. How we cannot perfectly model moral values but can look to the source of those values in order to become better. How doing the right thing often means sacrifice. How you don't need influence or status to do the right thing. How we all have that choice. What a joy to read such an intentional, clever, thought-provoking story!

There is so much more I could say about Of Constellations and Clockwork. It features a thrilling heist; beloved characters and found family; dedicated worldbuilding based on the Italian Renaissance; actual theological and philosophical research; a sophisticated, academic, clockpunk aesthetic; gorgeous motifs (I can't stop thinking about the culmination of the stars and water symbolism in Chapter 27). I could write a whole essay about this book—I've certainly thought about it—but in all honesty you really just ought to read it. Of Constellations and Clockwork is a brilliant novel, and Alexandra Wendt is a brilliant writer!

[Allison Hilleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of strangers, clockwork inventions, and nobility based on virtues.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding for this story. Inspired by renneisance Italy with an added magic system, unique political structure, and lots of clockwork.

Each of the point of view characters has darkness in their pasts and heavy motivations. Wendt doesn't shy away from difficult topics, but she doesn't glorify bad things and incorporates hope, learning, and change.

[Mbilmey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm in debate of 3 or 4 stars, 3 being my average. This book was such a rollercoaster and I have so many thoughts.
First of all, it's excellently written! The world building is awe-inspiring. It can be hard to keep track of, but in a way that made it feel so real. The different cities with their different cultures. Everything is given in vivid detail. It's impressive. The prose is wordy but solid. The characters are all lovely complex. I really enjoyed the group dynamic of enemies-to-allies. I was invested in the relationship as well. I enjoyed reading this book. Helori was my favorite character. It's a good journey-fantasy. Books that came to mind as I read it were Graceling and especially We Hunt the Flame.
However, it felt a little like the author had too many ideas and didn't know how to weave together. They were all good ideas, but like the book was already too long and none of the themes got the attention they needed. The character's moral compasses lacked consistency (except Helori tbh even if his was terrible haha). There was a lot that was told and not shown in this way, except that it also was left vague in a way that was complex like how real people are complex...but again, not enough time per theme or feeling like any growth was really earned. Instead, with problem after problem coming up, betrayal after betrayal, secret after secret, it felt sometimes more like watching like One Tree Hill...slightly melodramatic.
But in the end did the melodrama matter when I still enjoyed it? I found myself forgiving all of it when it ended well. Hence, I'm in debate with myself.
Things to be aware of: One character has a compulsions as reaction to anxiety, one character is an alcoholic, there's mild fantasy violence (non-graphic), there's vague prostitution implications and a lot of mention of casual sex (which took me off guard) though it's not painted as a good thing, and some brief zombie like beings

[funkelbunt.liest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Constellations and Clockwork is a very unique and intriguing story, a mix between historical and fantasy.

The worldbuilding is rich and vivid, the scenery influenced by Italian Renaissance with steampunk elements. The characters are complex and interesting, flawed but - or therefore - relatable. Themes like redemption and forgiveness are threaded through this fast paced plot.

High stakes and action scenes, philosophical thoughts and moral questions make for an interesting read that is very well written.

So why not 5 stars? While I had a few issues with the main character Clemenza, my main problem was the amount of information about the different families and houses, about the system of nobility, the characters backstory and their many, many secrets. I always read at least 3 books at the same time and maybe this is just a book that I should have read with undivided attention. Or maybe I’m just not clever enough, because while I could appreciate a lot of the aforementioned elements, I was confused more than once, had to go back to the introduction pages or previous chapters and definitely felt like there was a bit too much going on. (But again - maybe that was just me and my lack of focus/concentration.)

I obviously still recommend this book, it’s a highly creative story which you will probably especially enjoy if you’re interested in architecture and/or (the art of) clockwork, love redemption stories, the found family trope and fantasy blended with historical fiction.

* I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing (Early Reviewers). I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own.

[Brianna De Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was the acquisitions editor and proofreader for this book, so I come with a bias. But, that being said...

Of Constellations and Clockwork is such a clever story. From the Italian-Renaissance setting to the intricate clockwork, the world-building is classy, authentic, and refreshing. The cast is the perfect blend of conniving and tender, relatably flawed with vibrant personalities I had a lot of fun reading. If you like heists, political intrigue, and found family, you'll adore this NA fantasy!

The thing I love most about this book is the inner turmoil. The characters certainly face their own demons, but the book itself sits comfortably between some larger tensions it explores: industrialization, relativism, moralism, and more. It forces you to question how society is built and whether it could be built better, or whether we've forgotten what we should be building on. The struggles of the cast—"How do you live with the guilt?"—add a compelling, deeply personal layer to these discourses, and that makes the book cohesive and sophisticated. It makes you want the characters to be better, to face their demons and come out shining, but it also challenges you to wonder if you could learn to be better too. It's as reflective as it is argumentative, and it rallies for what's Good, True, and Beautiful.

"Yes, there is good! Yes, truth exists as much for you as it does for me! Yes, beauty is real and it matters as much as your heart tells you it does!" the book declares. "And no, guilt will not consume you. No, evil will not overcome hope, and I will do what is good because it is right of me to do so, and it is right for you to receive goodness."

[Kimberley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Constellations and Clockwork by Wendt is a breathtaking blend of historical fiction and subtle supernatural magic—a story that lingers in my thoughts.
With prose as intricate as the clockwork devices within its pages and a narrative that dances between betrayal and forgiveness, this book is unforgettable. It’s for you if you love rich atmosphere, emotional depth, and characters who are as flawed as they are unforgettable…reminding me of Six of Crows by Bardugo.
There were moments that broke my heart—and others that carefully stitched it back together with threads of grace, forgiveness, and hope. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, Wendt turned everything on its head with a twist that left me shocked and turning the pages.
Themes of trust, second chances, and the messy beauty of healing are woven throughout a world where the past may guide us, but the choices we make define us.
✨ Betrayal and Revenge.
✨ Redemption.
✨ Found family.
✨ Slow-burning tension.
✨ Historical worldbuilding so vivid, it feels like a dream you half-remember.
If you're drawn to stories that explore the shadows and the light—ones that make you ache and think—Of Constellations and Clockwork is a gem for lovers of historical fiction!
I can’t wait for book 2!

[Bayan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: I financially contributed to this novel’s Kickstarter campaign, which included an original copy of the book upon its release. Review contains spoilers.

There are many promising aspects of this debut novel, but clashing themes, third-act pacing, world-building issues, and confusing actions of the characters weigh it down. The author creates a compelling physical world and a hook. I read this debut novel quickly, a credit to the author’s pacing, moving from one set piece to another with efficiency. The physical world-building is beautiful and thoughtfully crafted. We see many different cities and lands, each with its distinct fashion, dialect, and architecture. Rarely did I ever confuse the houses and lands, thanks to the author’s careful repetition of physical motifs, symbols, and color palettes. Although Italian words and phrases are liberally used, sometimes untranslated, I never felt confused as a non-Italian speaker. The author uses Italian in such a specific context, one can understand the meaning without knowing the literal definition.

Although the book synopsis hints at themes of a crisis of faith and fighting for one’s values, after reading the novel, I came away with a completely different message that seems to be due to a clash between authorial intent and outcome. I believe this story functions best as a villain origin story or of a deeply tragic hero. The protagonist, Clemenza, is an unreliable narrator, a dispossessed noble desperate to return to an earlier time in history when her family had power, money, and status. The Value system itself is incredibly vague. We are supposed to take at face value that certain families were deemed as better than others at upholding Values (literally justice, faith, and hope, etc.) and therefore deserve the special inherited privileges by divine intervention. This is a great setup for a reversal in the novel (the system was corrupt the entire time) or a more nuanced understanding of the Value system and its flaws, as Clemenza’s journey forces her to realize that the world is more complicated (coming-of-age). Unfortunately, neither happens. Despite multiple characters questioning the existence of the Value system and providing compelling evidence arguing against it - the basis of Clemenza’s worldview and upon which the existence of the nobles depended - Clemenza never realizes how flawed and unequal her society is, even for nobles, if she had lived out the promise of her privilege. For example: There is gender-based violence and gender discrimination; pressure for nobles to marry; social stratification existed during the height of the Value system that was offset by an indeterminable amount by nobility-funded charity balls; at least in one of the fantastical realms, non-nobles are barred from entering a palace; and that the general population can apply to become nobles but seem to mostly be rejected for unclear reasons. Unfortunately, because her main cohort consists of other dispossessed nobles, Clemenza doesn’t receive another perspective of what life was really like for regular people before the Raids. So, in the end, Clemenza’s crisis of faith is really just her doubling down on her already-held beliefs, neither growing nor changing.

The third act is where character consistency and pacing issues throughout the novel become worse, with characters having spontaneous personal revelations and overcoming plot hurdles with minor difficulty. Character revelations are introduced far too late in the third act, which should have been foreshadowed in the first two-thirds of the novel. Characters often share very vulnerable personal details despite being on a secret mission with companions they’ve just met. Previously quarreling characters almost unanimously agree to outlandish plans in the final act that pan out because the book must eventually end. There were many fascinating lines and character details I thought would be foreshadowing for the final act of the novel, but were dropped or remained unaddressed. The strongest characters in the novel were the supporting characters like Benigna and Caterina, who have the most interesting plots and character growth. Benigna, for instance, has a complete character arc, going from enemy to friend, despite Clemenza's mistrusting her long after Benigna has proven her loyalty.

The romance between Gianpaolo and Clemenza feels forced and inauthentic because they seem to have misaligned values and personalities for most of the book. In the third act, they call each other out for things they hadn’t even shared out loud with each other earlier in the novel before, either projecting their insecurities onto each other or because the plot needs them to. They enable each other in the worst way; forgiving the parts of each other that should be scrutinized and moralizing the parts that could be given more grace by the other.

By the end of the novel, I found myself agreeing with the main antagonist, Ludovico Guerra, who correctly identifies the problems of society but attempts to fix them in the wrong way. Ultimately, I didn’t feel that the Value system was shown to be worth upholding, yet Clemenza clings to the goal of regaining noble status, as if her trauma has created blinders to a nostalgic past that may not have ever existed. To that effect, she is someone who either willfully or cannot help but mistake cause for effect. She is often cruel and vindictive to others for no reason, starting fights and making decisions without thinking about how it will endanger others. The purpose of the novel’s plot is to make the reader understand Clemenza’s struggle and support her goals. However, due to the novel’s inconsistent execution, I believe the novel is best enjoyed as a character study of a flawed character who refuses to interrogate her own reality. The novel’s premise leads us to believe that the main conflict will be Clemenza struggling against sacrificing her Values for her goal, but what were her Values exactly, and if her goal was returning to a time where her inherited wealth gave her power and privilege, was it ever truly worth fighting for?

[Norah Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader that prefers character-oriented stories, I loved this book. Wendt pulls out all the stops as she dives into the innermost workings of the characters, and I was struck by how human they were. Clemenza’s desire to restore her family’s noble status at any cost struck a chord with me and left me asking: What lengths would I be willing to go to if I was in her situation? These characters are not afraid of doing whatever it takes, but are deeply aware of their brokenness. As the story progressed, I loved watching them reach for redemption. Their arcs made them feel extremely realistic, and as a result, I became so invested in this story.

Also, the worldbuilding was fascinatingly complex. I was intrigued by the Italian inspired setting and loved how the architecture in particular was described. The world felt as vivid and fleshed out as the characters, and I loved how the events of the world’s past informed Clemenza and her peers' motivations and arcs.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment in this series!

[Judy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really held my interest and I just started reading some futuristic like book and think you would really find it interesting. The characters were likable. I can’t wait to read the following book!

[Benita Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is intricate, philosophical, and imaginative—I loved it. I tend to skim-read far too much, but I read every word of this. It's a book to savour.