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The Clockwork Chronicles #1
The Clockwork Witch
The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, Arabella is destined to disappoint, when she was expected to shine. Though she descends from a long line of gifted witches she has earned the moniker of a "brown bud" showing no sign of magical talent.
When it truly seems her lot can grow no worse, she discovers an unnatural affinity for...of all things...technology. Not only are the mysteries of the mechanical world open to her, but her new-found ability allows her to manipulate them, making her the first ever clockwork witch and anathema to the nature of the witching world.
How will she come to grips with her new power when she must question if she will survive the judgement of her family and her peers?
When it truly seems her lot can grow no worse, she discovers an unnatural affinity for...of all things...technology. Not only are the mysteries of the mechanical world open to her, but her new-found ability allows her to manipulate them, making her the first ever clockwork witch and anathema to the nature of the witching world.
How will she come to grips with her new power when she must question if she will survive the judgement of her family and her peers?
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2018
58 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Michelle D. Sonnier
15 books37 followersMichelle D. Sonnier is an author of dark urban fantasy and classic horror, with occasional forays into other genres, such as steampunk and science fiction, as the story inspiration takes her. She enjoys writing anything that lets her combine the weird and fantastic in unexpected ways. She is particularly fascinated by the shades of gray in human behavior and took it as a great compliment when a reader said of her characters, “no one is pure.” She also enjoys sly dark humor and complex character relationships that draw you in deep and make you care. She admires Charles de Lint and Margaret Atwood, and is discovering the joys of Nnedi Okorafor and N.K. Jemisin. She enjoys reading a broad variety of books, and uses the annual Book Riot Read Harder Challenge to push her in new reading directions.
Ms. Sonnier has published short stories in a variety of print and online venues, as well as a collection of short stories, Charmed City, and a novel, The Clockwork Witch. She has upcoming projects with eSpec Books and Otter Libris. She lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and a variable number of cats.
Ms. Sonnier has published short stories in a variety of print and online venues, as well as a collection of short stories, Charmed City, and a novel, The Clockwork Witch. She has upcoming projects with eSpec Books and Otter Libris. She lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and a variable number of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
November 2, 2018
Not really steampunk, not much fantasy, mostly a badly written book.
It will take a while yet for this author to move from someone who writes to Writer. I suspect this is a patreon-funded work, so clearly someone did think she has some talent.
I am really sorry to say that I can't see it.
This novel is really thin on plot and that fleck you see is homeopathic in nature, so much diluted to be water. It had no substance nor an end. It simply stopped.
It doesn't have characters, but caricatures and broadly stroked at that. Superficial is a compliment. Cliché abound.
This is a young adult coming of age novel. They rarely appeal to a grown woman, but the best of them makes me forget that the MC is young and I don't have much in common with them. :)
Here it was impossible, Arabella is 17, and acting 12. There's not much to like about her and she doesn't really improve or grow up. The rest of the characters - as I said - are a caricature, a backdrop for Arabella story.
I'm struggling to find something positive to say, because no one deserves a bashing even if it's only my scattered thoughts. The only thing that I can think of is the idea behind the world building (again not much of it, but it was interesting).
It will take a while yet for this author to move from someone who writes to Writer. I suspect this is a patreon-funded work, so clearly someone did think she has some talent.
I am really sorry to say that I can't see it.
This novel is really thin on plot and that fleck you see is homeopathic in nature, so much diluted to be water. It had no substance nor an end. It simply stopped.
It doesn't have characters, but caricatures and broadly stroked at that. Superficial is a compliment. Cliché abound.
This is a young adult coming of age novel. They rarely appeal to a grown woman, but the best of them makes me forget that the MC is young and I don't have much in common with them. :)
Here it was impossible, Arabella is 17, and acting 12. There's not much to like about her and she doesn't really improve or grow up. The rest of the characters - as I said - are a caricature, a backdrop for Arabella story.
I'm struggling to find something positive to say, because no one deserves a bashing even if it's only my scattered thoughts. The only thing that I can think of is the idea behind the world building (again not much of it, but it was interesting).
September 19, 2018
Because this is a first novel, I'm cutting some slack, but damn this was a frustrating read.
The world building is what drew me in, and kept me going. Magic, which is the sole purview of women, exists beside an emerging technology, which is mostly created by men, and for some, a way to topple the witches who have power. Mundane women are mostly oppressed, and have few rights - a suffragette movement is mentioned about mid-way through the book, though it isn't explored.
Many of the witches are afraid of the potential of machines, and also of losing their fragile hold on the political power they have. So when Arabella shows signs of having power over mechanical things, it causes a frightening rift within the witch community.
There is a lot more, and I loved everything to do with magic, political maneuvering, the fight between magic and technology, the history of witchcraft etc.
So with all these awesome things happening, what was my problem? Arabella.
What a drippy, spineless, dull excuse for a heroine. She had to be rescued multiple times, she did nothing but cry and sob at every minor problem she had to face. She never spent a moment thinking about the dire reality of being a magic-less witch in a society that doesn't value women. When her brother tried to talk some sense into her, and get her to try and figure out her future, she got mad at him, and turned into a pouty brat.
She eventually makes one real decision at the end of the book, and that was pretty much the only time I had some respect for her. Then the book ended.
Loved the world building, and I'll probably pick up the next book, but I don't look forward to spending more time with such a feather head who gets everything handed to her, because she can't be bothered to figure things out for herself.
The world building is what drew me in, and kept me going. Magic, which is the sole purview of women, exists beside an emerging technology, which is mostly created by men, and for some, a way to topple the witches who have power. Mundane women are mostly oppressed, and have few rights - a suffragette movement is mentioned about mid-way through the book, though it isn't explored.
Many of the witches are afraid of the potential of machines, and also of losing their fragile hold on the political power they have. So when Arabella shows signs of having power over mechanical things, it causes a frightening rift within the witch community.
There is a lot more, and I loved everything to do with magic, political maneuvering, the fight between magic and technology, the history of witchcraft etc.
So with all these awesome things happening, what was my problem? Arabella.
What a drippy, spineless, dull excuse for a heroine. She had to be rescued multiple times, she did nothing but cry and sob at every minor problem she had to face. She never spent a moment thinking about the dire reality of being a magic-less witch in a society that doesn't value women. When her brother tried to talk some sense into her, and get her to try and figure out her future, she got mad at him, and turned into a pouty brat.
She eventually makes one real decision at the end of the book, and that was pretty much the only time I had some respect for her. Then the book ended.
Loved the world building, and I'll probably pick up the next book, but I don't look forward to spending more time with such a feather head who gets everything handed to her, because she can't be bothered to figure things out for herself.
August 12, 2019
4.5 stars
Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased the hardcopy version of this book for full price.
As a reader who loves period dramas where the characters are often committed to the correct manners and more, importantly, the correct clothes, I couldn’t go wrong with a version of England with TWO forms of aristocracy. Even better, the second took the form of a female-driven society of witches.
I adored the world-building that went into this unique steampunk story, where magic and technology clash as a metaphor for societal gender dynamics. This book’s evolution of magic made me interested in so much more than the story I was given, and I’d be thrilled if the author revisited this world in the future.
As for the main events in the book itself, Arabella was a sympathetic character faced with multiple plights due to her unique magical abilities. It doesn’t help that her mother is a narcissistic sociopath or that the men in her family, whom Arabella goes to for safe harbor, don’t really see her as worth more than what her power can bring them either.
Unfortunately, I wanted more from the climax of this book. The trials mentioned on the back cover seemed like they should have been stepping stone toward a more dramatic conclusion, especially in regards to the larger issues at play. Like I said, I’d be happy to see more of this world — especially if it means that I get to see Arabella face off against the bigger picture Sonnier has created.
Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased the hardcopy version of this book for full price.
As a reader who loves period dramas where the characters are often committed to the correct manners and more, importantly, the correct clothes, I couldn’t go wrong with a version of England with TWO forms of aristocracy. Even better, the second took the form of a female-driven society of witches.
I adored the world-building that went into this unique steampunk story, where magic and technology clash as a metaphor for societal gender dynamics. This book’s evolution of magic made me interested in so much more than the story I was given, and I’d be thrilled if the author revisited this world in the future.
As for the main events in the book itself, Arabella was a sympathetic character faced with multiple plights due to her unique magical abilities. It doesn’t help that her mother is a narcissistic sociopath or that the men in her family, whom Arabella goes to for safe harbor, don’t really see her as worth more than what her power can bring them either.
Unfortunately, I wanted more from the climax of this book. The trials mentioned on the back cover seemed like they should have been stepping stone toward a more dramatic conclusion, especially in regards to the larger issues at play. Like I said, I’d be happy to see more of this world — especially if it means that I get to see Arabella face off against the bigger picture Sonnier has created.
July 9, 2018
Arabella is the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter in England's most powerful family of witches. The only problem is that she has no power. She can't light a candle with magic, she can't levitate, she can't predict the order cards will be drawn from a deck. Then, at a demonstration of a calculating machine, she discovers she has a power no other witch has. She can manipulate machines... in a world where machines are anathema to witches!
Once I started this book, I had a hard time putting it down. I was drawn into Arabella's world and enjoyed getting to know the people who surrounded her. The central conflict about whether "technomancy" would be accepted into the witching world was well presented. It's also a rare book in that some characters did horrible things that I didn't like and yet I still came away understanding why those characters felt their actions were necessary for the greater good.
Once I started this book, I had a hard time putting it down. I was drawn into Arabella's world and enjoyed getting to know the people who surrounded her. The central conflict about whether "technomancy" would be accepted into the witching world was well presented. It's also a rare book in that some characters did horrible things that I didn't like and yet I still came away understanding why those characters felt their actions were necessary for the greater good.
February 2, 2019
4.5 stars
This is an excellent start to what seems to be and I certainly hope is a series. While the book reaches a satisfactory climax on its own, there are a number of loose threads remaining. I would be disappointed if these were not addressed in future installments. Arabella is the youngest daughter in a powerful family of witches. As the Seventh Daughter of a Seventh Daughter great things are expected of her. Yet at an age when other witches have long passed their trials and been admitted to the sisterhood, Arabella has shown no magical ability whatsoever. She feels like she is a bitter disappointment to her mother who is the Grande Dame of the Council of Witches, not to mention an embarrassment and burden to her family. Until the day she sees the Machine. A wondrous clockwork calculator that glows and sparkles before her eyes. A witch draws power from the natural elements: earth, air, fire and water. Yet Arabella draws power from gears, levers and electrical wiring. Is she a new kind of witch or an abomination to be destroyed? Here we join Arabella on her journey to acceptance or death.
I felt the characters were well drawn. Background is woven throughout the book in a natural way. My only complaint would be that the book could have been expanded a bit to explore the familial relationships more. The ending was also a bit abrupt, with no kind of epilogue. A very good first book; one that satisfied but left me wanting more. Highly recommended.
This is an excellent start to what seems to be and I certainly hope is a series. While the book reaches a satisfactory climax on its own, there are a number of loose threads remaining. I would be disappointed if these were not addressed in future installments. Arabella is the youngest daughter in a powerful family of witches. As the Seventh Daughter of a Seventh Daughter great things are expected of her. Yet at an age when other witches have long passed their trials and been admitted to the sisterhood, Arabella has shown no magical ability whatsoever. She feels like she is a bitter disappointment to her mother who is the Grande Dame of the Council of Witches, not to mention an embarrassment and burden to her family. Until the day she sees the Machine. A wondrous clockwork calculator that glows and sparkles before her eyes. A witch draws power from the natural elements: earth, air, fire and water. Yet Arabella draws power from gears, levers and electrical wiring. Is she a new kind of witch or an abomination to be destroyed? Here we join Arabella on her journey to acceptance or death.
I felt the characters were well drawn. Background is woven throughout the book in a natural way. My only complaint would be that the book could have been expanded a bit to explore the familial relationships more. The ending was also a bit abrupt, with no kind of epilogue. A very good first book; one that satisfied but left me wanting more. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2022
I initially started reading this book as I was intrigued by the plot of magic mixed with science. It felt a little different to a lot of books within this genre that I have read lately. The Book wasn't at all what I expected. It had a much darker feel than I thought I would so, although that just added to the intrigue of the book. Surprisingly I didn't really click with the main character however there were enough other things going on in the book that instill found it enjoyable. I thought this was a good start to a new series and it left me wondering what was to come in Book 2.
August 7, 2018
A decent steampunk magic mashup flawed by some very dysfunctional ruling families (too much like reality!) and characters that are either very good or bad. Its a decent first novel, I'm cutting a bit of slack here, and while it doesn't end in a cliffhanger, there's obviously room for sequels.
December 28, 2018
Great Book
I really liked this book from the beginning to the end.
I liked that the main character wasn't made out to be dumb
I really liked this book from the beginning to the end.
I liked that the main character wasn't made out to be dumb
October 28, 2018
A new series with an interesting concept. One, what if magic were real and only women could use the power directly. Two what if a witch were born who had no normal magic, but could manipulate machines.
Great read. The lead character is not the oldest of the most powerful....at first. Keep your eyes on this series. It promises a bumpy ride.
Great read. The lead character is not the oldest of the most powerful....at first. Keep your eyes on this series. It promises a bumpy ride.
February 3, 2019
Oh, my! So marvelously delightful, so delightfully marvelous! Not at all what I was expecting -- it was so much better than expected!
October 3, 2018
2.5 stars. It felt like there was a lot of potential with this but it wasn't executed well. The characters including Arabella didn't feel complex enough and I wanted the world to be developed more. I think part of that mainly comes down to the fact that whilst this is set towards the beginning of the early stages of the industrial revolution, the characters felt very much tropey in an an almost comedic way.
It also felt like the gravity of different plot points wasn't fully developed both by the characters and the author. There was so much potential for the emotional abuse that Arabella touches on at the beginning of the story and which underlies most of the interactions she has with her mother and the majority of her sisters but it felt underdeveloped at best.
That said, while they won't be at the top of my tbr, I shall look forward to the rest of the series.
It also felt like the gravity of different plot points wasn't fully developed both by the characters and the author. There was so much potential for the emotional abuse that Arabella touches on at the beginning of the story and which underlies most of the interactions she has with her mother and the majority of her sisters but it felt underdeveloped at best.
That said, while they won't be at the top of my tbr, I shall look forward to the rest of the series.
May 7, 2018
I was thoroughly enchanted from the very beginning, which totally goes with the story line. Once started, I could not put it down, you will root for the main character through the whole book. Just fantastic!
May 7, 2018
Did you know this is the beginning of a series? It's not explicitly marked, but this is clearly the first book in a series. Ms. Sonnier is doing quite a bit of worldbuilding here, and explicitly marking our lines for both sequels and prequels.
Like any good gaslamp fantasy, the promise of the next age always lies in the blood of the past, and it's made quite clear here. Arabella is a sport, and a bit of heresy in the lovely decaying empire the witches have set up in the heart of Victoria's empire. The fortunate thing of having so many strongly named characters is that everyone gets to occupy a strongly defined role,
Every good bullets and ballgowns style novel has some strong British classist commentary, and this one is no different. The lines between the magickers and the ‘mundanes’, and the gender roles therein allow for some strong arguments — the main takeaway there seems to be that no one has got it quite right. I'm looking to see how that dichotomy widens in following stories, as factions solidify.
There's also a lot of heart. For all of the formality, power-mongering, and rampant ambition, it's very clear that Arabella has grown in a (relatively) healthy family, with much mutual support. Even the men in a witches' family — distinct second citizens — are not actually abused, merely disempowered, the same as women would be in other households.
Overall, the plot proceeds as expected, with the unlikely girl inheritor to a great legacy but unaware, and unappreciated by most of her peers. There's a bit of a romance subplot at the end, but most of the novel is dedicated to the finding oneself side of young adult literature — a benefits from the focus. As mentioned above, the character archetypes are well established, so even the antagonists provide inspiration and development. No one here is pure, everyone has multiple complicated motivations, and makes for a richer interaction.
If you liked The Doomsday Vault , or anything by Philippa Ballantine, this would be recommended. Not as baroque as Gail Carriger, so Brönte fans may want to steer clear.
Like any good gaslamp fantasy, the promise of the next age always lies in the blood of the past, and it's made quite clear here. Arabella is a sport, and a bit of heresy in the lovely decaying empire the witches have set up in the heart of Victoria's empire. The fortunate thing of having so many strongly named characters is that everyone gets to occupy a strongly defined role,
Every good bullets and ballgowns style novel has some strong British classist commentary, and this one is no different. The lines between the magickers and the ‘mundanes’, and the gender roles therein allow for some strong arguments — the main takeaway there seems to be that no one has got it quite right. I'm looking to see how that dichotomy widens in following stories, as factions solidify.
There's also a lot of heart. For all of the formality, power-mongering, and rampant ambition, it's very clear that Arabella has grown in a (relatively) healthy family, with much mutual support. Even the men in a witches' family — distinct second citizens — are not actually abused, merely disempowered, the same as women would be in other households.
Overall, the plot proceeds as expected, with the unlikely girl inheritor to a great legacy but unaware, and unappreciated by most of her peers. There's a bit of a romance subplot at the end, but most of the novel is dedicated to the finding oneself side of young adult literature — a benefits from the focus. As mentioned above, the character archetypes are well established, so even the antagonists provide inspiration and development. No one here is pure, everyone has multiple complicated motivations, and makes for a richer interaction.
If you liked The Doomsday Vault , or anything by Philippa Ballantine, this would be recommended. Not as baroque as Gail Carriger, so Brönte fans may want to steer clear.
February 15, 2022
Arabella Sortilege is a young witch who lives in Victorian England, she is the youngest of a large family, a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter to be exact but she is the only one out of all her female relatives who has not shown an ounce of magical talent. She is known as a “brown bud” and she is a disappointment to those around her, leading to her being shunned because of it, her family make her complete the mundane tasks so that they don’t have to get their hands dirty and can spend more time practicing their art and interact with her as little as possible, all apart from one who is her best friend and the closest in age as well.
One day, the Sortilege family are invited to an event where an invention is unveiled and Arabella is fascinated with it, especially when she can see it all shining with an inner glow, all apart from an area in the centre, when she asks her sister about it, she finds out that it is magic she can sense, but not in any way which would be classed as normal, her sister advises her to stay quiet about what she has seen until they return home.
As the days go on, Arabella begins to notice that she can see other aspects of technology shining like magic, however, this leads to trouble and Arabella begins to feel like she finally understands what her sisters feel, apart from it is with an element, which is not natural. As events continue, Arabella’s secret comes out and she is even more trouble than before, she now has to face the judgement of those around her and the Trials which every young witch has to go through, to enable her to declare her Technomancy and the fact that she both understands and can manipulate machinery.
Will Arabella be able to stay out of harms way long enough to pass the Trials and be finally accepted into the family and develop her talents, or will the danger she faces stop her in her tracks, or will the judgement she faces be the most severe possible? This is a sci-fi fantasy where magic and technology combine in a coming of age tale of one young witch finding her place within a world where the rules are absolute and anything outside of them is considered an abomination.
One day, the Sortilege family are invited to an event where an invention is unveiled and Arabella is fascinated with it, especially when she can see it all shining with an inner glow, all apart from an area in the centre, when she asks her sister about it, she finds out that it is magic she can sense, but not in any way which would be classed as normal, her sister advises her to stay quiet about what she has seen until they return home.
As the days go on, Arabella begins to notice that she can see other aspects of technology shining like magic, however, this leads to trouble and Arabella begins to feel like she finally understands what her sisters feel, apart from it is with an element, which is not natural. As events continue, Arabella’s secret comes out and she is even more trouble than before, she now has to face the judgement of those around her and the Trials which every young witch has to go through, to enable her to declare her Technomancy and the fact that she both understands and can manipulate machinery.
Will Arabella be able to stay out of harms way long enough to pass the Trials and be finally accepted into the family and develop her talents, or will the danger she faces stop her in her tracks, or will the judgement she faces be the most severe possible? This is a sci-fi fantasy where magic and technology combine in a coming of age tale of one young witch finding her place within a world where the rules are absolute and anything outside of them is considered an abomination.
February 2, 2022
I love all things having to do with witches and magical beings so I was absolutely excited to give this book a try. This book lived up to all expectations having read it in two days or mostly nights. I do not recommend reading this late because you will definitely get sucked in and may find yourself losing sleep over having to find out what happens next.
We start out meeting Arabella the seventh daughter of a seventh witch who has seemed to do nothing except embarrassing her extremely gifted witching bloodline. Called a brown bud for lack of revealing any magical talent or affinity whatsoever it seems the heard prophecy may not be about Arabella at all. This all changes when for the first time Arabella is around working machinery and she sees the glow which is the tell tale sign of magical ability. As she now must prove to her family what she can do with her technomancy power and now her future seems more uncertain than before. Will the council acknowledge this new magical power or will it result in Arabella’s death if she cannot manifest other normal abilities?
This book is a force to be reckoned with and unfortunately my good nights sleep was the loser. From the world Ms. Sonnier builds to the characters she describes and their interactions are phenomenal. This is an amazing book written by an amazing author and I for one can not wait to read the second book in this series!
We start out meeting Arabella the seventh daughter of a seventh witch who has seemed to do nothing except embarrassing her extremely gifted witching bloodline. Called a brown bud for lack of revealing any magical talent or affinity whatsoever it seems the heard prophecy may not be about Arabella at all. This all changes when for the first time Arabella is around working machinery and she sees the glow which is the tell tale sign of magical ability. As she now must prove to her family what she can do with her technomancy power and now her future seems more uncertain than before. Will the council acknowledge this new magical power or will it result in Arabella’s death if she cannot manifest other normal abilities?
This book is a force to be reckoned with and unfortunately my good nights sleep was the loser. From the world Ms. Sonnier builds to the characters she describes and their interactions are phenomenal. This is an amazing book written by an amazing author and I for one can not wait to read the second book in this series!
February 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The main character is Arabella, a young woman in a family of seven witch sisters. Unfortunately for her, though, she seems to be the only one which has no magical ability at all, a situation that results in her basically being made fun of by her sisters and treated rather shabbily by her mother.
The world set up here is that witches are real and helped pull England out of the plague years. There is some technology that exists and which the witches don't care for.
Arabella goes to a showing of machines and it is there that she begins to realize just what her ability actually is.
It's an ability that will have an inventor stalk her and threaten her. It's an ability that could cost her her life if the witches find out about it. Yet it's an ability that she really delights in using and which seems to be getting stronger the more she uses it.
There's also a prophecy that just might have something to do with her.
There's a lot of bullying that goes on in this story but it's a credit to the author how the Arabella character is drawn as a very strong young woman. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
The world set up here is that witches are real and helped pull England out of the plague years. There is some technology that exists and which the witches don't care for.
Arabella goes to a showing of machines and it is there that she begins to realize just what her ability actually is.
It's an ability that will have an inventor stalk her and threaten her. It's an ability that could cost her her life if the witches find out about it. Yet it's an ability that she really delights in using and which seems to be getting stronger the more she uses it.
There's also a prophecy that just might have something to do with her.
There's a lot of bullying that goes on in this story but it's a credit to the author how the Arabella character is drawn as a very strong young woman. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.
February 14, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and the way the author has woven the idea of magic and technology together to enhance witches around the world abilities. Arabella has a harder time proving herself to her Mother, who is the Grand Dame, than those of mundane society. I felt a connection to her, as the main character, as in my mind, she is the black sheep of her family, and really, of witches all together. She wants to make everyone proud, and happy to call her daughter, sister, friend, and will do everything to see to it that that is the case. It can feel a little long-winded at times, though.
The way the author wove new ideas with old ideas was brilliant, and the way she built up the characters throughout the novel was well done. I found that just when I felt a character was starting to lack sustenance, more information came to light, and the reader is pulled right back into this historical treat. You have some thoughts by the end of it that lead you to believe you’re in for another enjoyable adventure next time round too, which is nice. Truly a fun read, I held my breath on more than one occasion, and I look forward to reading the next installment. Well done!
The way the author wove new ideas with old ideas was brilliant, and the way she built up the characters throughout the novel was well done. I found that just when I felt a character was starting to lack sustenance, more information came to light, and the reader is pulled right back into this historical treat. You have some thoughts by the end of it that lead you to believe you’re in for another enjoyable adventure next time round too, which is nice. Truly a fun read, I held my breath on more than one occasion, and I look forward to reading the next installment. Well done!
February 16, 2022
Hmm… where to begin. The Clockwork Witch was better than expected. I struggled at the beginning, it started off slow. So listen to me when I say don’t give up if you feel the same way. It’s worth touching it out.
Arabella, the 7th daughter of Minerva who is the 7th daughter was thought to be the one who filled the prophecy that would change the way the witches in this story exist. Unfortunately though Arabella seems to be a dud. No magical powers. She’s a fascinating character to watch develop as the story goes on. At the same time you feel for her. She’s an outcast to her mother by lacking magical ability, an outcast to her father because she’s not a son. A sister that’s looked down upon by all in exception to Rowena. Her life is not easy and it makes her a target.
One night she’s fascinated by machinery and the light she sees flying through it. Come to find out that could lead to her having magic after all. Unfortunately not a type of magic that’s accepted.
It’s all about how she navigates her situation.
Does it help her?
Does it make her more vulnerable?
Again when I say read it, even if you’re like me and think it’s starting slow. Push through it won’t disappoint. I’m now looking forward to book 2, when I wasn’t at 1st. The author turned me around!
Arabella, the 7th daughter of Minerva who is the 7th daughter was thought to be the one who filled the prophecy that would change the way the witches in this story exist. Unfortunately though Arabella seems to be a dud. No magical powers. She’s a fascinating character to watch develop as the story goes on. At the same time you feel for her. She’s an outcast to her mother by lacking magical ability, an outcast to her father because she’s not a son. A sister that’s looked down upon by all in exception to Rowena. Her life is not easy and it makes her a target.
One night she’s fascinated by machinery and the light she sees flying through it. Come to find out that could lead to her having magic after all. Unfortunately not a type of magic that’s accepted.
It’s all about how she navigates her situation.
Does it help her?
Does it make her more vulnerable?
Again when I say read it, even if you’re like me and think it’s starting slow. Push through it won’t disappoint. I’m now looking forward to book 2, when I wasn’t at 1st. The author turned me around!
February 15, 2022
A great story with lots of conflict and high emotion. Arabella has grown up in the shadow of her powerful mother and 6 talented older sisters. Having displayed no witchy talents, she is an embarrassment to her mother, and basically ignored by most of her sisters. When her talents appear after everyone had given up hope, Arabella is bewildered and very curious. But, as her world functions around Technology vs. Witches, neither side respects her talent nor wants her anywhere near them. Arabella must find a way to develop her new powers without much support, and navigate those in the witchy world who think she is an abomination and call for her death.
Arabella is a loveable character, full of curiousity, and possessing humility and strength. As she learns who her allies are, and becomes more powerful at wielding her power, her confidence grows and limitations are exceeded. The friendship between she and her sister, Rowena, is a source of strength for her, and she finds love and support from her estranged brother as well. The ending of the story is exciting and made me want to start book 2 immediately!
Arabella is a loveable character, full of curiousity, and possessing humility and strength. As she learns who her allies are, and becomes more powerful at wielding her power, her confidence grows and limitations are exceeded. The friendship between she and her sister, Rowena, is a source of strength for her, and she finds love and support from her estranged brother as well. The ending of the story is exciting and made me want to start book 2 immediately!
February 15, 2022
This was an enjoyable and engaging read which kept me happily turning the pages eager to be immersed in the story. Arabella is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, in a long line of gifted witches, but who has no magical talent herself. Even her disappointed family refer to her as a ‘brown bud’. Arabella then discovers an affinity for technomancy and her ability not only opens up the mechanical world’s mysteries but she can also manipulate them. Arabella is the first ever clockwork witch which is seen as unnatural in the witching world. As Arabella tries to get to grips with her new power she also has to deal with her family and peers judgement. To complicate her life further she then learns about ‘The Trials’, which she may or may not survive. The detailed world building along with the descriptive narrative brought the setting vividly alive for me, making me feel immersed in the story. I loved the main character, Arabella and found her a likeable and relatable heroine and enjoyed following her adventures as she came into her powers. The storyline was exciting and the plot had me hooked from start to finish.
February 14, 2022
I really enjoyed the world building and descriptions in this book. The idea of blending magic and technology is a new approach, and the theory of it is very interesting.
Where I had issues was the bullying and snarkiness in this book. Whether it be towards witches, sisters, daughters, neighbors, etc, there was a lot of nastiness towards people in this book. That treatment also led to Arabella being meek and immature, which would realistically be how an abused person could be...but it was to the point that it sometimes it was distracting from an otherwise very intriguing storyline and beautiful descriptions.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and think it is a wonderful idea to blend magic and technology. The descriptions of how Arabella saw magic and that that is how other witches see it made it easy to picture in my head, exactly how the author envisioned it in their writing. I'll follow future additions to this series!
Where I had issues was the bullying and snarkiness in this book. Whether it be towards witches, sisters, daughters, neighbors, etc, there was a lot of nastiness towards people in this book. That treatment also led to Arabella being meek and immature, which would realistically be how an abused person could be...but it was to the point that it sometimes it was distracting from an otherwise very intriguing storyline and beautiful descriptions.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and think it is a wonderful idea to blend magic and technology. The descriptions of how Arabella saw magic and that that is how other witches see it made it easy to picture in my head, exactly how the author envisioned it in their writing. I'll follow future additions to this series!
July 18, 2018
I received this arc from netgalley for an honest review.
I love me a good witch book...but this book blew me away. Michelle Sonnier writes in a way that wholly envelopes you to a point you forget you are not Arabella. This book has some steampunk vibes which makes it even more amazing. Each character has a well developed personality and the world building is so vibrant and detailed. You will like some characters and you will despise some even after you realize their motivations and intentions. The story moves along at a good pace and you are never bored. My only issue is the ending and that's only because I need more Arabella and her magic...I chomping at the bit for more of the clockwork witch!!
I love me a good witch book...but this book blew me away. Michelle Sonnier writes in a way that wholly envelopes you to a point you forget you are not Arabella. This book has some steampunk vibes which makes it even more amazing. Each character has a well developed personality and the world building is so vibrant and detailed. You will like some characters and you will despise some even after you realize their motivations and intentions. The story moves along at a good pace and you are never bored. My only issue is the ending and that's only because I need more Arabella and her magic...I chomping at the bit for more of the clockwork witch!!
February 16, 2022
Arabella is the 7th daughter of the most powerful witch in the UK. So because of this, everyone was expecting her to be a powerful witch as well. As it turns out, Arabella has shown no signs of any kind of powers.
Arabella and her family attended an event where they were introduced to a big machine that can do calculations on its own. As soon as Arabella sees this machine, her magic kicks in. She sees magic in the machines.
Usually magic and technology do not mix but somehow Arabella can make it work.
This book hit all of the witch tropes with a splash of historical steampunk. The author took two popular topics and mashed them together. There were too many tropes. It was like the author purposely tried to hit them all right down to the names. The concept was great on it’s own so all the tropes were kind of overkill.
Arabella and her family attended an event where they were introduced to a big machine that can do calculations on its own. As soon as Arabella sees this machine, her magic kicks in. She sees magic in the machines.
Usually magic and technology do not mix but somehow Arabella can make it work.
This book hit all of the witch tropes with a splash of historical steampunk. The author took two popular topics and mashed them together. There were too many tropes. It was like the author purposely tried to hit them all right down to the names. The concept was great on it’s own so all the tropes were kind of overkill.
July 17, 2018
In an England where females have few rights, except for witches who are all females and have their own government. Arabella is expected to have strong magic as the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. But her lack of abilities disappoints her mother who is one of the most important, and powerful, witches in the land. But when she sees the Distinction Engine, a rival to Babbage's Difference Engine, she discovers she has magical powers over technology. But the other witches hate technology as an opposing force to their natural powers.
This is a fun, quick-moving fantasy with some steampunk elements. Also, I almost never notice covers but this one is really striking.
This is a fun, quick-moving fantasy with some steampunk elements. Also, I almost never notice covers but this one is really striking.
November 3, 2019
I read many reviews from others and use it as an aid in deciding what to read. The story line pulled me in. I enjoyed it overall even with some negative reviews.
I found the premise so interesting, the cast of characters intriguing. I would have liked a little more character development to understand the family dynamics especially with sisters like Elizabeth. I would have liked The author to take the story with more time advancement so Arabella’s skills were stronger before facing trials, which should have been much more difficult and intense. I would have liked a different closing outcome.
Arabella needed to show more strength and start her own house and add new sisterhood witches that have no house like the three before her in the trials.
Might have given a twist for anymore books as a series.
I found the premise so interesting, the cast of characters intriguing. I would have liked a little more character development to understand the family dynamics especially with sisters like Elizabeth. I would have liked The author to take the story with more time advancement so Arabella’s skills were stronger before facing trials, which should have been much more difficult and intense. I would have liked a different closing outcome.
Arabella needed to show more strength and start her own house and add new sisterhood witches that have no house like the three before her in the trials.
Might have given a twist for anymore books as a series.
February 2, 2022
3 Stars
The Clockwork Witch is the first instalment in The Clockwork Chronicles series by Michelle D. Sonnier. This is my first read from this author, so I was intrigued by what the story would be like. It turned out to be a fun read- a young adult story with sci-fi elements, all wrapped up in steampunk/gaslight fantasy. This was such an original and creative story with magic, witches, wonderful world building, prophecy, threats, danger, and some illustrations sprinkled through to highlight the story.
Arabella is a great character, a witch with technomancy magic- which makes her a bit of an outcast in the witching world. But with her ability to manipulate all things mechanical, a prophecy, and a little danger, things are about to get interesting.
A great start to this imaginative series… looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Michelle D. Sonnier!
The Clockwork Witch is the first instalment in The Clockwork Chronicles series by Michelle D. Sonnier. This is my first read from this author, so I was intrigued by what the story would be like. It turned out to be a fun read- a young adult story with sci-fi elements, all wrapped up in steampunk/gaslight fantasy. This was such an original and creative story with magic, witches, wonderful world building, prophecy, threats, danger, and some illustrations sprinkled through to highlight the story.
Arabella is a great character, a witch with technomancy magic- which makes her a bit of an outcast in the witching world. But with her ability to manipulate all things mechanical, a prophecy, and a little danger, things are about to get interesting.
A great start to this imaginative series… looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Michelle D. Sonnier!
February 12, 2022
This book is an interesting blend of steampunk and fantasy. It is a world where witches have power and technology is just starting to gain precedence and there is a clash between the two as magic breaks technology. I found the political system interesting, as well as the fact that witches are all female and thus have status and standing, but mundane women are considered inferior.
The story is centered on Arabella, the youngest daughter of the Grande Dame of the witches and her embarrassing lack of magic, until she discovers her affinity for technology. I did not connect well with the characters. Arabella is young at 17, and quite sheltered. There are things that happened that I didn’t like, but I am rarely a fan of ‘the ends justify the means’ thinking. The author is new to writing and while that shows, the story is interesting. I intend to read the next book in the series.
The story is centered on Arabella, the youngest daughter of the Grande Dame of the witches and her embarrassing lack of magic, until she discovers her affinity for technology. I did not connect well with the characters. Arabella is young at 17, and quite sheltered. There are things that happened that I didn’t like, but I am rarely a fan of ‘the ends justify the means’ thinking. The author is new to writing and while that shows, the story is interesting. I intend to read the next book in the series.
February 16, 2022
I tried to love this book. It had so much potential but it never fully came to the point where I just loved it. I will say based on the world building aspect and the deep internal battles I will give it a solid 3 out of 5 stars.
As I was reading this book, I experienced a whole rainbow of emotions. The MC mother and older sisters angered me at their treatment of Arabella just because she failed at being magical which she had no control over. The relationship between her and her mother was one of extreme abuse and very degrading which led me to feel sadness for the MC.
I look forward to reading the second book in this series to see if we find answers to some of the questions left at the end of this book.
As I was reading this book, I experienced a whole rainbow of emotions. The MC mother and older sisters angered me at their treatment of Arabella just because she failed at being magical which she had no control over. The relationship between her and her mother was one of extreme abuse and very degrading which led me to feel sadness for the MC.
I look forward to reading the second book in this series to see if we find answers to some of the questions left at the end of this book.
February 2, 2022
3.5 stars
This is the second book in the series. I am not sure what genre this falls under, paranormal or fantasy or steampunk. But I have decided it fits best under Gaslamp Fantasy. It does ends rather suddenly with cliff-hangers. The concept is interesting with a lot of potential. There are witches and magic, mysteries and trials and tribulations, danger. It is fast paced with an intriguing plot.
Arabella is tasked by the witch’s council to investigate rumours of a famine in Ireland. Will she uncover the truth, or will she face roadblocks by those who hates witches?
This is the second book in the series. I am not sure what genre this falls under, paranormal or fantasy or steampunk. But I have decided it fits best under Gaslamp Fantasy. It does ends rather suddenly with cliff-hangers. The concept is interesting with a lot of potential. There are witches and magic, mysteries and trials and tribulations, danger. It is fast paced with an intriguing plot.
Arabella is tasked by the witch’s council to investigate rumours of a famine in Ireland. Will she uncover the truth, or will she face roadblocks by those who hates witches?
February 1, 2022
Quite an interesting read! This may have been my first historical mixed with magic read. I really enjoyed the book and the authors perspectives. There was a perfect balance of happy, peril, mystery, and definitely had me turning the pages quickly! The plot flowed nicely and didn't give me the start, stop, start feeling! Was grateful for the lack of cliffhanger. I was overall just impressed and intrigued with the author's writing style and look forward to finding more from her!
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