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The Watchmaker and the Duke #1
The Starlight Watchmaker
Wealthy students from across the galaxy come to learn at the prestigious academy where Hugo toils as a watchmaker. But he is one of the lucky ones. Many androids like him are jobless and homeless. Someone like Dorian could never understand their struggle - or so Hugo thinks when the pompous duke comes banging at his door. But when Dorian's broken time-travel watch leads them to discover a sinister scheme, the pair must reconcile their differences if they are to find the culprit in time.
A wildly imaginative sci-fi adventure from YA star Lauren James, particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 13+
A wildly imaginative sci-fi adventure from YA star Lauren James, particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 13+
119 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2019
9 people are currently reading
2125 people want to read
About the author
Wren James
20 books43 followersWren James is the award-winning British author of many Young Adult novels. Their books include Last Seen Online, Green Rising and The Quiet at the End of the World (previously published as Lauren James). The Loneliest Girl in the Universe is in development as a feature film with RK Films.
A story consultant on Netflix’s Heartstopper (Seasons 2 & 3) and a RLF Royal Fellow, Wren is also the founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League, creator of The Climate-Conscious Writers Handbook, and editor of Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change.
They have won the Sustainable Story Award and been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, Carnegie Medal and STEAM Book Award. Their books have sold over 200,000 copies in eight languages.
They are on the Society of Authors’ Sustainability steering Committee and work as a consultant on climate storytelling for museums, production companies, major brands and publishers, with a focus on optimism and hope.
Wren’s writing has been described as ‘gripping romantic sci-fi’ by the Wall Street Journal and ‘a strange, witty, compulsively unpredictable read which blows most of its new YA-suspense brethren out of the water’ by Entertainment Weekly. Their upcoming title is The Victors (May 2026), a graphic novel illustrated by Beth Fuller.
Wren was born in 1992, and has a Masters degree from the University of Nottingham, where they studied Chemistry and Physics. They run a Queer Writers group in Coventry. Follow them on Instagram at @wrenjameswriter or find out more at wrenjames.co.uk.
A story consultant on Netflix’s Heartstopper (Seasons 2 & 3) and a RLF Royal Fellow, Wren is also the founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League, creator of The Climate-Conscious Writers Handbook, and editor of Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change.
They have won the Sustainable Story Award and been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, Carnegie Medal and STEAM Book Award. Their books have sold over 200,000 copies in eight languages.
They are on the Society of Authors’ Sustainability steering Committee and work as a consultant on climate storytelling for museums, production companies, major brands and publishers, with a focus on optimism and hope.
Wren’s writing has been described as ‘gripping romantic sci-fi’ by the Wall Street Journal and ‘a strange, witty, compulsively unpredictable read which blows most of its new YA-suspense brethren out of the water’ by Entertainment Weekly. Their upcoming title is The Victors (May 2026), a graphic novel illustrated by Beth Fuller.
Wren was born in 1992, and has a Masters degree from the University of Nottingham, where they studied Chemistry and Physics. They run a Queer Writers group in Coventry. Follow them on Instagram at @wrenjameswriter or find out more at wrenjames.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
January 21, 2020
Rating: 3.75 stars
Delightful and sweet!
Delightful and sweet!
March 21, 2019
This is SUCH an adorable and fun short story about aliens, androids, and a university mystery. You're in for a treat.
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March 29, 2019COVER REVEAL!
The Starlight Watchmaker is a novella about a lonely android watchmaker at an alien academy, and the pompous Duke who drags him out of his attic workshop. It's coming out in paperback in July with Barrington Stoke, and it's designed to be really readable for struggling readers.
I had so much fun writing this, as I basically combined all of my favourite things into one story. There are hints of Binti, Starfleet Academy from Star Trek, Saga and The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. It's full of sentient volcanoes, bicycle-riding-butterflies, clockwork and gears.
I can't wait to tell you more about it over the next three months - and show you the gorgeous cover!
The Starlight Watchmaker is a 20,000 word novella which will be published in paperback and eBook by Barrington Stoke on 16th July 2019. Cover designed by Helen Crawford-White.
The Starlight Watchmaker is a novella about a lonely android watchmaker at an alien academy, and the pompous Duke who drags him out of his attic workshop. It's coming out in paperback in July with Barrington Stoke, and it's designed to be really readable for struggling readers.
I had so much fun writing this, as I basically combined all of my favourite things into one story. There are hints of Binti, Starfleet Academy from Star Trek, Saga and The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. It's full of sentient volcanoes, bicycle-riding-butterflies, clockwork and gears.
I can't wait to tell you more about it over the next three months - and show you the gorgeous cover!
The Starlight Watchmaker is a 20,000 word novella which will be published in paperback and eBook by Barrington Stoke on 16th July 2019. Cover designed by Helen Crawford-White.
March 30, 2021
This is such a fantastic, accessible novella. The main character, Hugo, is an android who works as a watchmaker, and when Dorian comes into his shop, his life is turned upside down. They have to solve a mystery together, but mainly, Hugo realizes that he's been very lonely and that it would be wonderful to be friends with Dorian. Lauren James captures loneliness really well, and it made this story into such a heartwarming read. Combined with the fun worldbuilding, I absolutely adored this book. There were clear hints of Hugo and Dorian falling in love as well, so I can only hope for a sequel!
Rep: hints of m/m romance
CWs: oppression, loneliness
Rep: hints of m/m romance
CWs: oppression, loneliness
childrens-books
March 12, 2022
Hugo suddenly felt strange all over. He realised with a shock that he was happy. For the first time in ages, Hugo felt happy. It wasn’t terrible at all, talking to Dorian and getting to know him. It was actually nice.
Oh my goodness, what a gem of a find! I stumbled across the sequel story, The Deep-Sea Duke, on Scribd (what an entrancing cover, oh my gosh) and read a couple of pages before realising it was the second in the series, so I quickly zipped back and picked up this one. It’s so, so good! Charming, sweet, wholesome, feel-good. And it really just confirms for me how much I adore novellas. Smaller stories that pack a punch are just such wonderful creations! This book moves at a cracking pace, but the world-building is exceptional and slick. I’m really impressed.
The different types of aliens and planets are so creative and diverse! One of the characters that you meet is an island well on her way to becoming a planet. One of the main characters is an android. The other survives off algae grown in a tank in their enormous penthouse room. The author’s descriptions are just phenomenal.
The library was full of different bushes and shrubs lined up in rows. To choose a book, you walked down the stacks until you found the right plant and picked one of its flowers. Each petal unfurled to become a page, and black veins on it formed writing. The longer the book, the larger and fluffier the flower, with hundreds of petals covered in writing.
I also really loved how much agency each character gets, and the androids’ storyline was especially poignant. The Starlight Watchmaker reminded me a bit of Blade Runner 2049 and To Be Taught, If Fortunate, at least in terms of themes. Obviously vastly different fictional universes, but the emphasis on the humanity of androids and aliens is emphasised in The Starlight Watchmaker in a similar way to Blade Runner 2049’s depiction of android falling in love; and the importance of alien life in To Be Taught, If Fortunate. And let’s not forget the CUTE FACTOR.
Hugo and Dorian are the sweetest characters. Huge is a shy, uncertain android who was abandoned by his previous owner with no warning or explanation. He described watching the Earl’s ship fly away and it’s so, so heartbreaking. In contrast, Dorian is the son of a duke with wealth enough to afford a watch that will take him back in time. And it’s one such broken watch that brings the duke and the watchmaker together. THEY ARE SO ADORBS.
This is a must-read for all fans of science fiction!
☆ Blog | Twitter ☆
Oh my goodness, what a gem of a find! I stumbled across the sequel story, The Deep-Sea Duke, on Scribd (what an entrancing cover, oh my gosh) and read a couple of pages before realising it was the second in the series, so I quickly zipped back and picked up this one. It’s so, so good! Charming, sweet, wholesome, feel-good. And it really just confirms for me how much I adore novellas. Smaller stories that pack a punch are just such wonderful creations! This book moves at a cracking pace, but the world-building is exceptional and slick. I’m really impressed.
The different types of aliens and planets are so creative and diverse! One of the characters that you meet is an island well on her way to becoming a planet. One of the main characters is an android. The other survives off algae grown in a tank in their enormous penthouse room. The author’s descriptions are just phenomenal.
The library was full of different bushes and shrubs lined up in rows. To choose a book, you walked down the stacks until you found the right plant and picked one of its flowers. Each petal unfurled to become a page, and black veins on it formed writing. The longer the book, the larger and fluffier the flower, with hundreds of petals covered in writing.
I also really loved how much agency each character gets, and the androids’ storyline was especially poignant. The Starlight Watchmaker reminded me a bit of Blade Runner 2049 and To Be Taught, If Fortunate, at least in terms of themes. Obviously vastly different fictional universes, but the emphasis on the humanity of androids and aliens is emphasised in The Starlight Watchmaker in a similar way to Blade Runner 2049’s depiction of android falling in love; and the importance of alien life in To Be Taught, If Fortunate. And let’s not forget the CUTE FACTOR.
Hugo and Dorian are the sweetest characters. Huge is a shy, uncertain android who was abandoned by his previous owner with no warning or explanation. He described watching the Earl’s ship fly away and it’s so, so heartbreaking. In contrast, Dorian is the son of a duke with wealth enough to afford a watch that will take him back in time. And it’s one such broken watch that brings the duke and the watchmaker together. THEY ARE SO ADORBS.
This is a must-read for all fans of science fiction!
☆ Blog | Twitter ☆
August 5, 2019
3.5 stars
First thing - Can we all take time to admire this cover!
I love a good book promotion so when I want to YALC I saw that if you bought this book you got a free little cog-necklace, which is super cute.
This book is only 100 or so pages which is great if you fancy reading something a bit different without needing to know a load of pretext and spending the first half of a book scene setting.
I was transported into the world of Hugo the Watchmaker instantly and learnt about the world in which it is set a long the way.
Its a beautiful little story about a lonely android, Hugo the Watchmaker. He was left on an Academy planet, (a sort of university that only some of the most prestigious beings in the universe can go to) after his owner decided he wanted to upgrade to a newer android. One day a student named Duke visits Hugo to get his time-travel watch fixed before his big exam the next day. Hugo comes to find that the power behind the watches is being stolen from other students watches too. Duke & Hugo develop an unlikely but heart-warming friendship and take it upon themselves to investigate the strange goings-on.
For 100 pages the world building is brilliant, I could picture the characters and world vividly. The plot is simple, but I didn't expect anything else with it being so short. It would be great to have a continuation of the story, I felt like it can easily to built on in an 'Adventures of Duke & Hugo' series of books which is what I love most about Sc-fi, that you can keep exploring without end.
First thing - Can we all take time to admire this cover!
I love a good book promotion so when I want to YALC I saw that if you bought this book you got a free little cog-necklace, which is super cute.
This book is only 100 or so pages which is great if you fancy reading something a bit different without needing to know a load of pretext and spending the first half of a book scene setting.
I was transported into the world of Hugo the Watchmaker instantly and learnt about the world in which it is set a long the way.
Its a beautiful little story about a lonely android, Hugo the Watchmaker. He was left on an Academy planet, (a sort of university that only some of the most prestigious beings in the universe can go to) after his owner decided he wanted to upgrade to a newer android. One day a student named Duke visits Hugo to get his time-travel watch fixed before his big exam the next day. Hugo comes to find that the power behind the watches is being stolen from other students watches too. Duke & Hugo develop an unlikely but heart-warming friendship and take it upon themselves to investigate the strange goings-on.
For 100 pages the world building is brilliant, I could picture the characters and world vividly. The plot is simple, but I didn't expect anything else with it being so short. It would be great to have a continuation of the story, I felt like it can easily to built on in an 'Adventures of Duke & Hugo' series of books which is what I love most about Sc-fi, that you can keep exploring without end.
October 31, 2021
➸ Trigger warnings for abandonment and homelessness.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
Want to read
April 8, 2020Just sayin’... what a beaut of a freakin’ cover!
June 28, 2022
In many ways, the Starlight Watchmaker was an incredibly enjoyable read. Despite the novella format, James manages to establish a compelling, inventive world that truly lives and breathes. I adored its creativity of it, and how seamlessly it was woven into the mystery. A couple of my favourite elements included the clockwork moths Hugo, the titular watchmaker, uses to illuminate his work, the books concealed inside plants, and the alien who was herself a future planet. It was whimsical and fantastical, and it made me really want to return to the world.
Hugo and Dorian are the only two characters we really have time to explore, but both are hugely likable and their blossoming relationship is genuinely touching. Though a huge rift exists between them in terms of privilege and experience, both have the opportunity to learn from each other as they unravel the mystery of Dorian’s broken watch- their relationship feels mostly like it’s on equal footing. It’s quite impressive for them to go, entirely believably, from animosity to friendship in the space of just a hundred pages.
However, despite all that I liked about this novel, the overall message really ruined the read for me- spoilers to follow from this point.
The Starlight Watchmaker introduces us to a world where androids are essentially a slave race, purchased by organic individuals, and often abandoned when the next model comes along. James paints a landscape of systematic disadvantage, with outdated androids struggling to find employment whilst being punished by the system for their unemployed status. The resolution to this conflict is that the protagonists recognise the latent skills of the outdated androids, and more job opportunities are created for them, so they can be employed again.
This is problematic for several reasons. Firstly, the fact that this suggestion comes from the protagonists- specifically from Dorian, who had known about the android’s plight for all of five minutes- undermines their own independence and intelligence. It seems ludicrous that they wouldn’t have thought of this solution themselves. Perhaps it would have worked more smoothly if they knew their own skills, but needed Dorian to exercise his privilege and talk the administration into giving them a chance. Secondly, it obscures the actual issue- abandoned, jobless androids should not be struggling to survive regardless of their employment status. On a planet where students are able to live luxuriously, it’s utterly immoral that androids have been forced to live underground, slowly perishing without access to the stellar power that keeps them alive.
The parallels between this conflict and countless people’s real-world struggles are uncomfortably impossible to ignore. The result is a “pull yourself up by the bootstraps,” message that falls incredibly flat. I couldn’t bring myself to smile over a happy ending that involves the androids teaching the very population that threw them away, just to be afforded the necessities that had been denied to them. A person should not have to be useful- and especially, they should not have to be useful to the upper class- to earn the right to survive. I’m sure this message wasn’t James’ intention- I suspect that the moral just wasn’t sufficiently thought out. But the utter injustice of the ending of this novella, framed as a triumph, did ultimately spoil this read for me, hence my rating.
Hugo and Dorian are the only two characters we really have time to explore, but both are hugely likable and their blossoming relationship is genuinely touching. Though a huge rift exists between them in terms of privilege and experience, both have the opportunity to learn from each other as they unravel the mystery of Dorian’s broken watch- their relationship feels mostly like it’s on equal footing. It’s quite impressive for them to go, entirely believably, from animosity to friendship in the space of just a hundred pages.
However, despite all that I liked about this novel, the overall message really ruined the read for me- spoilers to follow from this point.
The Starlight Watchmaker introduces us to a world where androids are essentially a slave race, purchased by organic individuals, and often abandoned when the next model comes along. James paints a landscape of systematic disadvantage, with outdated androids struggling to find employment whilst being punished by the system for their unemployed status. The resolution to this conflict is that the protagonists recognise the latent skills of the outdated androids, and more job opportunities are created for them, so they can be employed again.
This is problematic for several reasons. Firstly, the fact that this suggestion comes from the protagonists- specifically from Dorian, who had known about the android’s plight for all of five minutes- undermines their own independence and intelligence. It seems ludicrous that they wouldn’t have thought of this solution themselves. Perhaps it would have worked more smoothly if they knew their own skills, but needed Dorian to exercise his privilege and talk the administration into giving them a chance. Secondly, it obscures the actual issue- abandoned, jobless androids should not be struggling to survive regardless of their employment status. On a planet where students are able to live luxuriously, it’s utterly immoral that androids have been forced to live underground, slowly perishing without access to the stellar power that keeps them alive.
The parallels between this conflict and countless people’s real-world struggles are uncomfortably impossible to ignore. The result is a “pull yourself up by the bootstraps,” message that falls incredibly flat. I couldn’t bring myself to smile over a happy ending that involves the androids teaching the very population that threw them away, just to be afforded the necessities that had been denied to them. A person should not have to be useful- and especially, they should not have to be useful to the upper class- to earn the right to survive. I’m sure this message wasn’t James’ intention- I suspect that the moral just wasn’t sufficiently thought out. But the utter injustice of the ending of this novella, framed as a triumph, did ultimately spoil this read for me, hence my rating.
September 21, 2023
4,5 ⭐
I adored this!! Such a wholesome sci-fi novella that warmed my heart. Explores themes of loneliness and belonging and hints of a m/m romance. Will definitely read the sequel
I adored this!! Such a wholesome sci-fi novella that warmed my heart. Explores themes of loneliness and belonging and hints of a m/m romance. Will definitely read the sequel
November 5, 2020
Original Review at Jaunts & Haunts
5/5
I gave this book five stars!
Man oh man did I love this book! I didn't know what to expect having never read anything by Lauren James, but I was seriously impressed.
In a nutshell, this book centralizes on the life of an android named Hugo, who works as a watchmaker/repairer on a university campus on a distant planet. When a student brings a time-travelling watch to be repaired, it sets forth a journey of self discovery that will forever change Hugo's life.
How do I love this book? Let me count the ways.
Obviously the star of this book is Hugo. Oh, Hugo, you amazing android spirit. I sympathized with Hugo from the get go. This guy's had a tough life and is just scraping by. Alone, Hugo does what he knows best, watchmaking. His story reminded me of the Velveteen Rabbit and in spots really tugged at my heart strings. Hugo isn't used to the waking world and has suffered abandonment in the past, so I was rooting for him the entire time. Great character progression.
I also enjoyed Dorian and how he progressed throughout. Ada gets the vote as a solid support character.
The plot was pretty simple in concept. Dorian brings Hugo a broken time-travelling watch and the plot thickens from there. At first I thought this would be a simple adventure, a whodunit, but it turned out to be so much more. The plot got deeper and plucked at my heartstrings. I was totally surprised at the reveals that happened along the way.
The writing was simple and easy to follow, and I appreciated that. The KISS method works, people!
But ultimately it is the tenderheartedness of this story that really impacted me. It left a warm feeling in my heart, and I definitely won't forget it in the years to come. I highly recommend checking this book out. You'll be glad you did!
5/5
I gave this book five stars!
Man oh man did I love this book! I didn't know what to expect having never read anything by Lauren James, but I was seriously impressed.
In a nutshell, this book centralizes on the life of an android named Hugo, who works as a watchmaker/repairer on a university campus on a distant planet. When a student brings a time-travelling watch to be repaired, it sets forth a journey of self discovery that will forever change Hugo's life.
How do I love this book? Let me count the ways.
Obviously the star of this book is Hugo. Oh, Hugo, you amazing android spirit. I sympathized with Hugo from the get go. This guy's had a tough life and is just scraping by. Alone, Hugo does what he knows best, watchmaking. His story reminded me of the Velveteen Rabbit and in spots really tugged at my heart strings. Hugo isn't used to the waking world and has suffered abandonment in the past, so I was rooting for him the entire time. Great character progression.
I also enjoyed Dorian and how he progressed throughout. Ada gets the vote as a solid support character.
The plot was pretty simple in concept. Dorian brings Hugo a broken time-travelling watch and the plot thickens from there. At first I thought this would be a simple adventure, a whodunit, but it turned out to be so much more. The plot got deeper and plucked at my heartstrings. I was totally surprised at the reveals that happened along the way.
The writing was simple and easy to follow, and I appreciated that. The KISS method works, people!
But ultimately it is the tenderheartedness of this story that really impacted me. It left a warm feeling in my heart, and I definitely won't forget it in the years to come. I highly recommend checking this book out. You'll be glad you did!
July 29, 2020
so cute!
[RTC]
[RTC]
December 23, 2020
Trigger warnings: sabotage, bullshit attitudes towards minority populations.
3.5 stars.
I love Lauren James' writing so I really wanted to see what she could do with something short given that this was published by Barrington Stoke. I thoroughly enjoyed it but also wished it was, like, 50 pages longer than it was because it literally just hurls you into the deep end. There's no world building at all. There's not a huge amount of introduction to the characters and all the different alien species. The time travel thing is almost a side note - thrown in to get the story going and then essentially abandoned. Maybe it'll be more significant in the sequel??
Anyway. This was pretty fun. I liked the characters and their interactions. I just wanted sliiiiiightly more from it.
3.5 stars.
I love Lauren James' writing so I really wanted to see what she could do with something short given that this was published by Barrington Stoke. I thoroughly enjoyed it but also wished it was, like, 50 pages longer than it was because it literally just hurls you into the deep end. There's no world building at all. There's not a huge amount of introduction to the characters and all the different alien species. The time travel thing is almost a side note - thrown in to get the story going and then essentially abandoned. Maybe it'll be more significant in the sequel??
Anyway. This was pretty fun. I liked the characters and their interactions. I just wanted sliiiiiightly more from it.
March 19, 2022
First read Jan 2020, reread March 2022
Re-reading this novella in preparation for the sequel was such a great choice and I’m really glad I revisited it. Turns out there was a lot I didn’t remember about this sweet little story and I’m excited to finally read the second instalment.
~~~~~~~~~
‘The cogs in Hugo’s chest whirred into motion. He felt like he was filled to the brim with glowing starlight.’
It’s been a good few years since I’ve picked up a YA short story or novella, and this was such a lovely change of pace.
The Starlight Watchmaker is the story of an Android, a Duke and a threat to an elite intergalactic academy. Barrington Stoke books are written and published with reluctant and dyslexic readers in mind, and I love that accessible stories need not be dull or lacking heart. At only 120 pages the plot is simple but fast paced, with a lot to keep the read engaged. It’s an absorbing read, with some dreamy world building (I would LOVE to visit a library like the one in this story!) and sweet characters.
I’m always fond of space stories but often find them bleak, so this sweet little tale of friendship and hope was a fun, soft read.
Re-reading this novella in preparation for the sequel was such a great choice and I’m really glad I revisited it. Turns out there was a lot I didn’t remember about this sweet little story and I’m excited to finally read the second instalment.
~~~~~~~~~
‘The cogs in Hugo’s chest whirred into motion. He felt like he was filled to the brim with glowing starlight.’
It’s been a good few years since I’ve picked up a YA short story or novella, and this was such a lovely change of pace.
The Starlight Watchmaker is the story of an Android, a Duke and a threat to an elite intergalactic academy. Barrington Stoke books are written and published with reluctant and dyslexic readers in mind, and I love that accessible stories need not be dull or lacking heart. At only 120 pages the plot is simple but fast paced, with a lot to keep the read engaged. It’s an absorbing read, with some dreamy world building (I would LOVE to visit a library like the one in this story!) and sweet characters.
I’m always fond of space stories but often find them bleak, so this sweet little tale of friendship and hope was a fun, soft read.
September 10, 2019
The Starlight Watchmaker was is an incredible read. You would not believe the size of this book when you think of how rich the world building was, and all the incredible characters that live within it. Everything was thorough and complex, and so easy to visualise - therefore, making it so easy to become invested in the story being told. I would 100% buy and support a full length novel set within this world.
Hugo and Dorian were the cutest characters, and I just adored their relationship and them as individuals. Both characters went through a character development, which I found to be very well done within just 119 pages.
Overall, this was such a great novella. The world was interesting, the plot was exciting, and the characters were amazing. Lauren James never disappoints.
Hugo and Dorian were the cutest characters, and I just adored their relationship and them as individuals. Both characters went through a character development, which I found to be very well done within just 119 pages.
Overall, this was such a great novella. The world was interesting, the plot was exciting, and the characters were amazing. Lauren James never disappoints.
February 2, 2021
Reread Feb 2021 - I still adore this book and the characters. The plot is so solid and so much expressed in just over 100 pages. Lauren James is a genius.
In just over 100 pages Lauren James manages to not only build a vivid incredible world but also make you fall in love with a brand new cast of characters who are varied and beautiful in their own ways. I adored this and I really really hope there is more to come because I refuse to accept this is all I will see of Hugo and Dorian.
In just over 100 pages Lauren James manages to not only build a vivid incredible world but also make you fall in love with a brand new cast of characters who are varied and beautiful in their own ways. I adored this and I really really hope there is more to come because I refuse to accept this is all I will see of Hugo and Dorian.
September 9, 2019
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I absolutely love Lauren James’s The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, so I was naturally thrilled to pick up a copy of her latest book, The Starlight Watchmaker. A novella from Barrington Stoke, a publisher that focuses on readable books for dyslexic and reluctant young readers, I couldn’t wait to get my paws on this little book. I did enjoy it, but I found that I couldn’t quite turn off my detail-obsessed adult sci-fi brain!
There is a lot to love in The Starlight Watchmaker. The thing that stands out the most is the astonishing world building and detail. The various alien species that attend the academy and the planets they come from were absolutely wonderful to read about -- I would happily read more set in this wide universe. I particularly loved Dorian and Ada’s people, their respective planets, and the hints of their cultures. My only issue is that my sci-fi brain needed more information! How does the academy accommodate a student that is literally growing up to be a continent? How do they feed a species that consume mostly algae? What are the laws surrounding androids and who creates them? Not to mention the questions of how quantum energy is regulated and how time travel works. I wasn’t able to shut off this part of my brain while reading it and I just wanted more, more, more.
The characters in this book, particularly Hugo, were really lovely. Watching him go from a lonely but content watchmaker alone in his attic room to a confident character with friends was very rewarding. I love books that feature friendships, especially platonic friendships as well as friendships that have the potential to develop into something more, and this book gives you exactly that.
Overall, The Starlight Watchmaker was a really lovely surface-level story. Due to its length and age range, it doesn’t go particularly deep into the science fiction elements. I thought it was a nice read, but will probably not be the most memorable. However! I think that if you’re more into middle grade than I am, The Starlight Watchmaker will be a very rewarding read.
I absolutely love Lauren James’s The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, so I was naturally thrilled to pick up a copy of her latest book, The Starlight Watchmaker. A novella from Barrington Stoke, a publisher that focuses on readable books for dyslexic and reluctant young readers, I couldn’t wait to get my paws on this little book. I did enjoy it, but I found that I couldn’t quite turn off my detail-obsessed adult sci-fi brain!
There is a lot to love in The Starlight Watchmaker. The thing that stands out the most is the astonishing world building and detail. The various alien species that attend the academy and the planets they come from were absolutely wonderful to read about -- I would happily read more set in this wide universe. I particularly loved Dorian and Ada’s people, their respective planets, and the hints of their cultures. My only issue is that my sci-fi brain needed more information! How does the academy accommodate a student that is literally growing up to be a continent? How do they feed a species that consume mostly algae? What are the laws surrounding androids and who creates them? Not to mention the questions of how quantum energy is regulated and how time travel works. I wasn’t able to shut off this part of my brain while reading it and I just wanted more, more, more.
The characters in this book, particularly Hugo, were really lovely. Watching him go from a lonely but content watchmaker alone in his attic room to a confident character with friends was very rewarding. I love books that feature friendships, especially platonic friendships as well as friendships that have the potential to develop into something more, and this book gives you exactly that.
Overall, The Starlight Watchmaker was a really lovely surface-level story. Due to its length and age range, it doesn’t go particularly deep into the science fiction elements. I thought it was a nice read, but will probably not be the most memorable. However! I think that if you’re more into middle grade than I am, The Starlight Watchmaker will be a very rewarding read.
January 11, 2020
My star rating:
Cover: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World: 3/5
Enjoyment level: 4/5 stars
Cover: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World: 3/5
Enjoyment level: 4/5 stars
November 9, 2019
ahhh i love it!!
April 21, 2023
A cute novella about a privileged duke and an android watchmaker as they attempt to foil a terrorist bomb threat.
Read it super quickly, and I'm looking forward to getting the next one!
Read it super quickly, and I'm looking forward to getting the next one!
May 16, 2019
This title from Lauren James is an original, surprising science fiction story that has strong themes of equality and social justice – albeit for androids in this case. Android watchmaker Hugo doesn’t think he could ever form a friendship with a human but when he meets Dorian, a duke no less, he begins to change his opinion and is drawn into an adventure that gives him the opportunity to break out of his self-imposed solitude and help his fellow androids. A good read that would hopefully tempt teens into reading more of this genre.
July 18, 2019
This book is definitely for younger readers, with a very simple ending, but I love anything Lauren James writes
March 25, 2021
4.25 stars
January 16, 2020
(only set as "spoilers" because of the excerpt that most people would want to discover themselves)
I will be forever amazed by how Lauren James' mind works. I don't even know where to start with describing how amazingly whimsical and unique this cute little middle grade story was. At only 120 pages long, this story had EVERYTHING, a character that could turn into stone and will one day grow to be a planet, an android that can make the flower tattoos on his body move and bloom and a world beneath a world beneath a world.
An excerpt from the book (because I don't know how else to explain its amazingness);
"The library was full of different bushes and shrubs that lined up in rows. To choose a book, you walked down the stacks until you found the right plant and picked one of its flowers. Each petal unfurled and became a page, and black veins on it formed writing. The longer the book, the larger and fluffier the flower, with hundreds of petals covered in writing.
You could snip the blossom and take away the book. If you pressed the flower under something heavy, it would dry out and the book would last for years. Then tenant would grow another flower for anyone else who wanted to read it"
I just loved this story so much. Will not forget this one any time soon.
I will be forever amazed by how Lauren James' mind works. I don't even know where to start with describing how amazingly whimsical and unique this cute little middle grade story was. At only 120 pages long, this story had EVERYTHING, a character that could turn into stone and will one day grow to be a planet, an android that can make the flower tattoos on his body move and bloom and a world beneath a world beneath a world.
An excerpt from the book (because I don't know how else to explain its amazingness);
"The library was full of different bushes and shrubs that lined up in rows. To choose a book, you walked down the stacks until you found the right plant and picked one of its flowers. Each petal unfurled and became a page, and black veins on it formed writing. The longer the book, the larger and fluffier the flower, with hundreds of petals covered in writing.
You could snip the blossom and take away the book. If you pressed the flower under something heavy, it would dry out and the book would last for years. Then tenant would grow another flower for anyone else who wanted to read it"
I just loved this story so much. Will not forget this one any time soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2020
Absolutely loved this book, the only thing that stopped me from giving it 5 stars was that I felt it was cut far too short and the book could have been made a lot longer.
First they make a great discover, then solve a problem for lots of things and before you know it that was the end of the book.
I think this could have been made so much more especially including the second adventure discussed and it really could have been made an epic book. It was well written though for what was there and for me like I said this was like the beginning of a great book.
This could have been a book 3-400 pages long and it would have made for an amazing middle grade adventure. For what it is though it’s great, loved the concept, the atmosphere and the characters and it was a great little read.
If I could recommend anything to Lauren James take what you already have and build upon it more with the new characters that came up in this and give the watchmaker his adventure. Republish as a 3-400 page book and you would have a fantastic selling book
First they make a great discover, then solve a problem for lots of things and before you know it that was the end of the book.
I think this could have been made so much more especially including the second adventure discussed and it really could have been made an epic book. It was well written though for what was there and for me like I said this was like the beginning of a great book.
This could have been a book 3-400 pages long and it would have made for an amazing middle grade adventure. For what it is though it’s great, loved the concept, the atmosphere and the characters and it was a great little read.
If I could recommend anything to Lauren James take what you already have and build upon it more with the new characters that came up in this and give the watchmaker his adventure. Republish as a 3-400 page book and you would have a fantastic selling book
January 7, 2022
Hugo works as a watchmaker at an elite academy. The students comes from all over the galaxy and, since it costs to send off your child to another planet, are among the wealthiest in the galaxy.
But that is not Hugo. He's an android that was abandoned by his owner. At the same time he is one of the lucky ones. He has a home, in a dusty attic, and a job. Many of the abandoned androids dont have that.
Dorian, a wealthy and privileged student, comes and demand that Hugo have to fix his Time-travel watch and that he wait there, in Hugos apartment. Hugo sighs. He like to be on his own. When he opens the watch the problem is obvious, the little glowing ball of quantum energy is gone and it seems like it has been intentionly removed. Quantum energy is highly dangerous and can easely explode. What if someone is building a bomb and plan to destroy the academy?
But that is not Hugo. He's an android that was abandoned by his owner. At the same time he is one of the lucky ones. He has a home, in a dusty attic, and a job. Many of the abandoned androids dont have that.
Dorian, a wealthy and privileged student, comes and demand that Hugo have to fix his Time-travel watch and that he wait there, in Hugos apartment. Hugo sighs. He like to be on his own. When he opens the watch the problem is obvious, the little glowing ball of quantum energy is gone and it seems like it has been intentionly removed. Quantum energy is highly dangerous and can easely explode. What if someone is building a bomb and plan to destroy the academy?
October 3, 2023
Hugo lives on the fringes of the academy, making the best living he can fixing watches. But the android's quiet is abruptly ruined when Dorian, a student, barges in abruptly demanding an impossible fix. Hugo gets dragged into a whirlwind quest and meets a variety of students on campus as he and Dorian try to get to the bottom of the mystery, but even if they can't fix Dorian's watch, they may find something even more important.
This book isn't terribly original, but the beautiful descriptions and the heartfelt themes shine through clearly, making this a perfectly lovely cozy fantasy novella. I'll definitely be following this author with interest.
This book isn't terribly original, but the beautiful descriptions and the heartfelt themes shine through clearly, making this a perfectly lovely cozy fantasy novella. I'll definitely be following this author with interest.
April 14, 2021
This was so adorable and heart-warming!
The setting of an academy for students from different planets all across the galaxy was genius and I loved the advanced technology that existed. The characters were wonderful and I loved seeing the friendship form between Hugo, Dorian and Ada.
The plot was fantastic and even though it was a middle grade, it had enough mystery and intrigue to keep me captivated.
About the only negative thing was the price for such a short book. For something that took almost no time to read, it was very expensive.
The setting of an academy for students from different planets all across the galaxy was genius and I loved the advanced technology that existed. The characters were wonderful and I loved seeing the friendship form between Hugo, Dorian and Ada.
The plot was fantastic and even though it was a middle grade, it had enough mystery and intrigue to keep me captivated.
About the only negative thing was the price for such a short book. For something that took almost no time to read, it was very expensive.
February 24, 2022
Short and sweet, this book is exactly what I need with imaginative world building, interesting mystery, and great friendship dynamics between Ada, Hugo and Dorian- and potential for something more. I might be read too much between the lines, but it feels like it's a commentary for social issues like class and power dynamics, environmental issues, ageism and even homelessness.
It certainly took me by surprise and I wish it was longer!
It certainly took me by surprise and I wish it was longer!
December 3, 2024
this is a great quick read, a wholesome a tale of an alien and a robot becoming the best of friends and helping other robots feel needed. It was so easy to read. Hugo felt so much better having a friend by his side, I really resonated with Hugo telling himself he was fine in his little attic alone but in all reality that was only what he was telling himself and having friends made is life feel more fuller.
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