The Velvet Fox

The Clockwork Crow #2

by Catherine Fisher

After rescuing Tomos from faery enchantment, orphan Seren Rhys wants nothing more than to enjoy her new life at Plas-y-Fran. But then a mysterious new governess arrives in a gust of leaves, bearing both a magical toy carousel and troublesome beliefs about Seren's right to an education.

As her new family falls under the governess's spell and the carousel figures stalk the house, Seren calls upon her old friend the Clockwork Crow for help. Yet even the Crow fears the creature known as the Velvet Fox, and Seren will need to use her smarts to overcome the dangers around her and protect what she loves.

Brimming with Welsh folklore and atmosphere, Catherine Fisher's latest tale of Plas-y-Fran will delight readers and wrap them within its spell.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Magic, Animals, Fiction

220 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2019

About the author

Catherine Fisher was born in Newport, Wales. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in English and a fascination for myth and history. She has worked in education and archaeology and as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. She is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy.

Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.

Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.

Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.

The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.

Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.

Reviews

[Quill&Queer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be a bit more trope heavy than the first book, which felt wonderfully unique. While the first book kept me guessing, the addition of a villain in this story who is a governess, and the use of making Seren look like she had been naughty, is an overused one and I was mostly just waiting to get to book three.

I did like the addition of the three extra villains though, aside from the Velvet Fox and the Governess there is also the actually scary Dancer, Juggler and Soldier, who terrorise Seren around the house at night. She has to work out unusual ways to defeat these three before she can begin to unwork the dark hold the governess has on Tomos.

This was a good book, and the addition of the sarcastic, pompous Clockwork Crow himself is always welcome, I just wish it had kept me flipping pages and guessing what would happen as much as the first book. I'm really hoping we start finding answers to breaking the Clockwork Crow's spell soon!

[Bookaviz · Rating 4 out of 5]

فضاسازی خوبی داشت و اتفاقاتش واقعا ذهنم رو درگیر میکرد، نسبت به جلد قبل ماجراجویی بیشتری داشت😁
بطور کلی من دوستش داشتم، ولی قصد ندارم ازش پستی تو اینستا بذارم چون حس میکنم اولین ها حتی اگر خوب نباشن هم برای ما جذابن و کلاغ کوکی هم جزء اولین های فانتزی من هستش😉❤

پ ن: لینک کتاب تو طاقچه:
https://taaghche.com/book/102731

[Milou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the first book, this was a Very quick read. Unlike the first book, I didn’t mind that. We don’t have to get introduced to the characters and the world anymore, so there is plenty of time for the action… which we fall straight into.

They are back… and They are very, very creepy. The atmosphere in this book is So Good! A new, strange, governess appears at Plas-y-Fran and she really wants to make life hard for Seren. She brings with her a mysterious carousel, which plays eerie music and whose toy riders stalk the house at night.

It did use the standard Faery tropes a bit much, which I can imagine being a problem who read about them a lot. For me it was fine though, and I did feel the frustration of Seren of being blamed for the trouble They caused.

And of course there was the brilliant, sarcastic, clockwork crow who is just a joy to read about. I cannot wait to see what the third book holds in store for him.

[Motive of the Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seren has to fight again with faes to safe her new family. The new governess is drawing Thomas away from Seren and his family. Dangerous, weird figures from a bewitched you carousel stalk the house and Seren has only one ally - a clockwork crow. Author user a few old motives: orphan blamed for things which she didn't do, sleeping beauty dreams and a clever, greedy fox.

The best character is still a clockwork crow. He's sarcastic and honest to the pain. Seren was a little annoying for me, naive but smart girl with strong observation skills.

For me is was a little better story than plot from first book, more dark and fairy but in the Grimm's style.
*
Seren musi po raz kolejny walczyć z wróżkami, aby ocalić jej nową rodzinę. Nowa guwernantka odciąga Thomasa od Seren i rodziny. Groźne, dziwaczne figury z zaczarowanej zabawkowej karuzeli prześladują dom, a Seren ma tylko jednego sojusznika - nakręcanego kruka. Autorka wykorzystała stare motywy: sierotę obwinianą za rzeczy, których nie zrobiła; sny śpiącej królewny i sprytny, chciwy lis.

Najlepszą postacią jest nadal nakręcany kruk. Jest sarkastyczny i szczery do bólu. Seren była dla mnie trochę wkurzająca, naiwna, ale mądra dziewczynka z silnie rozwiniętym zmysłem obserwacji.

Dla mnie była to trochę lepsza fabuła niż w pierwszej części, bardziej mroczna i bajkowa, ale w stylu braci Grimm.

[Joey Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to firefly press and NetGalley for the ebook to read and review.

What a thrilling and fun story, I was enthralled into the story from the first page. The characters were all so perfectly written and intermingled perfectly. The way the story was written made you desperate to get the whole story and solve the mystery.

I love and adored Seren and Tomas’ relationship what perfect magical friends they were together. Seren was such a strong, brave, independent girl who would and did not stop at anything to save her best friend from the evil Faery folk who wanted him as theirs again.

This story was magical, adventurous, thrilling and captivating. From the first chapter as the Governess shows up surprisingly you knew you had a mystery to follow and solve and with that mystery are so many twists and turns.

I really enjoyed reading this book and loved how easily the story flowed and the way the story went even though some parts were kinda sad, it was just so well written and so well thought out, I loved it.

[Anna Kļaviņa · Rating 4 out of 5]

While The Clockwork Crow was a good book I wasn't sure if I would continue reading these series. I'm glad that I did. The Velvet Fox is delightfuly creepy. Tylwyth Teg or the Fair Folk are back. They never went away in the first place.

The Family live here. We lived here before you and we will be here after you. We're not going anywhere either. Remember that.

[Christina Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This return to Plas y Fran is even better than the first book, The Clockwork Crow. Catherine Fisher seamlessly blends folklore, fairy tales and traditional superstitions to creat a fast-paced adventure which simultaneously feels familiar and original. Seren is a fantastic character, I was delighted to see the Clockwork crow's return and the Velvet fox is a suitably tricksy opponent. My one small criticism is that poor Tomos and his family are hardly more than ciphers, as Tomos once again spends most of the book trapped in a fairy enchantment - would love to see him doing more in the next book. Cannot wait for Book 3 which I am sure is going to continue getting even better!

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Such a great sequel! Loving these! Serena is amazing. The Crow is still my favorite. I love his little cranky butt lol This time we had a whole new adventure, & a mystery of sorts behind it all. There’s even more of a magical element in this one, & I absolutely loved it. There are a few “bad guys” in this one, but the prominent villain throughout the story was awful(meant as a compliment lol) I couldn’t stand her! I wanted to slap her on behalf on Serena lol Such a creepy, magical read full of fae, magic, mystery, suspense, & adventure. Highly recommend! Beautiful cover again of course!💜

[Mary Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This welcome return to Plas-y-Fran is as enchanting, gripping and eerie as its' predecessor, The Clockwork Crow. Fishers' gift for story-telling and lyrical writing weaves a tale that consumes. The location, its' residents and all that happens has an urgent, tangible that wraps around the reader and transports back in time and across a magical veil. There is all the suspense, emotion and just the right amount of humour to keep the story from slipping fully into a nightmare. Rather, it is a dream, an echo that sinks into your imagination and calls to you, entreats you to join in. Fantastic, bold, and courageous Seren is utterly marvelous, once again. The mystical creatures have real texture and personality, making them utterly believable. Once again; unusual, intriguing and thoroughly magical. In short, I loved everything about this book.

[Soraya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its the Fey Way or No Way

What a wonderful, inventive, and creepy story. The second in The Clockwork Crow series starts months after the first book. Seren is enjoying her new family until her God brother annoys the Fey and they exact revenge. As an adult I enjoyed the chills and creepy imagery that Ms. Fisher writes, as a child I'm sure I would be slightly terrified. But the best thing aside from being a delightful fairytale is the heroine Seren. She is headstrong, smart and tenacious. We could all use a Seren in our lives. I cant forget Crow, he is even better in this book! I hope there is a third book, I look forward to more adventures of Seren and Crow.

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A creepy, spooky, magical story about fairy folk fighting for the soul of a young boy in a large Welsh house.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Velvet Fox, Catherine Fisher's sequel to The Clockwork Crow. Seren's courage and resilience makes her the most marvellous character.

[_ Mhtb _ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ی احساسی بهم میگفت بزرگوار تو جلدای بعدی پیشرفت می‌کنه:)
امیدوارم جلد بعدی هم پیشرفت کنه
توصیفات خوب بود شخصیت پردازی مثل همیشه عالی و دوست داشتنی


....... اسپویل*


فقط بنظرم جاداشت مشخص کنه که روباه چه مقامی بین «ازما بهترن»دارع

[Tammie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read- June 2021 for the Whatever-A-Thon
- This really isn't my favourite series. Don't get me wrong, it's fun. I'm just not loving it like I thought I would.

[Totoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://youtu.be/CMhOGExrfnk?si=M1YL2...

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting magical story with the evil undercover governess. The gift of a magic carousel possesses Tomos and he forgets his friend, and he will be lost forever if Seren cannot save him.
Seren’s friendship and love works to save his memories and him from evil.
A great book for 8-10 year olds , cannnot wait for the sequel.
Thanks to #NetGelley for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review

[Stine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sød, spændende og lidt uhyggelig serie til børn

[Cathie (ClassyLibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun fairy filled book. Adventure and magic!

[SarieBerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, while I did enjoy it I found some characters hard to deal with. I think because of the angst it took away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this even more than the first book in the series. Not a long book, but plenty of Fae and magic, and all our favourite characters return. I can’t wait to see what Seren, Tomos and the clockwork crow get up to next, in The Midnight Swan.

[Leonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sequel to The Clockwork Crow and like everything else of Catherine Fisher’s a gorgeous read. I wished occasionally that she’d pitched it for older children, but that takes nothing away from this being a fast-paced adventure with a wonderful dark-fae spin.

[Dreximgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Seren so much, she is a strong and capable protagonist and the Crow is just magnificent with his sarcasm and grumpy attitude. I really enjoy this series and this was a good installment. Looking forward to more.

[Nia Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel to The Clockwork Crow is as beautifully written as the first book. Catherine Fisher weaves Welsh folklore, adventure and a strong female character together to create an enhancing tale.

[*✧* candyocky58 *✧*]

This book is really interesting and intriguing.
I really recommend this book.🥳

[Karen Cotton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic follow-up

Don't think that the Family have forgotten - and most certainly boast that you have beaten them.They could return when you least expect it!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd in a series, and while it would be best to read the first book, since the background would enrich the characters and situation, it wasn't hard to fall into the adventure and enjoy every moment. So, while I would highly recommend reading the first book, it's not completely necessary, either.

Although Seren grew up in an orphanage, she's now found a home with her friend Tomas after their adventures in book one. Everything is going very well until Tomas' father decides to hire a tutor. The woman seems fine, but Seren feels the injustice and witnesses her snide grins more and more. When Seren finds her accused of ridiculous things more and more often, she's sure the woman is out to get her. The most disturbing thing, however, is a toy carousel, which plays a horribly familiar tune and is pulling Tomas into a strange state. Suspecting that the Family is back and up to no good, Seren calls the Clockwork Crow...but hopefully, she's not too late.

This is such a smooth, easy read and packed with tons of adventure and imagination. The stakes are high, the magic powerful, and danger real, and yet, it's perfect for the lower end of the middle grade audience. There are just enough descriptions to create a world, but it's the characters and situations, which hold the attention the entire way through. Every moment brings a new difficulty as the Family weaves its powerful magic and slowly spreads its evil grip. While Seren gives her best, she's definitely in for a fight, and it's this which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

We don't really get to know Tomas very well in this book, only that Seren's friendship with him is more than golden. It's Seren and the Crow, who stay front and center as they fight the various evils. There are quite a few characters in the book, and while none are given huge depth, it's enough to make each one interesting and either to like or hate. But then, the entire book dances by quickly for a light read. This is also seen in the plot itself. The solutions to fight the powerful magic isn't exactly difficult, but rather, often simply falls into place. If this were a novel for older readers, it'd be a problem, but it's great for the intended audience.

I did enjoy the tale quite a bit, plan on heading back and reading book one, and do hope we see more of Seren and the Crow in the future. I won a copy through Library Thing and really enjoyed the tale, characters and world.

[Shazza Maddog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seren's back in a new adventure, pitting her against the Tylwyth Teg again when Tomos, the son of Lady Mair and Captain Jones, makes the unfortunate boast of being free and safe from the Fair Folk. Immediately thereafter, Seren sees a coach with four chestnut horses and they're driven to Plas -y-Fran, where a woman alights, stating that Captain Jones had hired her while on his latest trip to London to be the children's governess.

Seren suspects something soon after Mrs. Honeybourne's arrival - the woman seems dead set on turning everyone against Seren and the family doesn't seem to realize it. Worse, the toy Mrs. Honeybourne brought Tomos seems to be bewitching him. Something is happening to the house itself, turning it darker and full of leaves, no matter what anyone does to keep them out.

Seren turns to her old friend, the Clockwork Crow, writing him a letter she hopes he'll get - but the letter gets blown away on the wind rather than put to post.

Will she be able to rescue Tomos again? Or will Mrs. Honeybourne manage to get her tossed out of the family and turned back to the orphanage?

A delightfully creepy followup to The Clockwork Crow.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do recommend reading this after book one. While the author does recap, it isn't for character development and some of the depth will be lost, leaving the reader slightly distanced from the main character—outside looking in on the crow and some magical elements. Expect similar amounts of fairy magic and more spine-tingling danger as Seren faces Them again. For me, though the details in this book were exquisite and the fear factor ramped up, the logic of the story was lacking. The plotting was straightforward, not as tight as the Clockwork Crow, and the solutions not as elegant. But I guarantee when you've read book #1, you'll be hungry for more. Book #2 certainly leaves the door chillingly open for yet another in the series and I will be the first in line to read it. This book is perfectly readable for middle graders—a wonderful gift of delightful prose, clever villains, beckoning world-building, and a celebration of childhood. The timeless feel of a classic with modern readability in n accessibly compact 200 pages.

[Lara Vehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book takes place a year after the first one. Tomos boasts about how he and Seren defeated Them once so they can do it again - so They are like: "Okay challenge accepted :D" - and they sent a governess for him - she dotes on him slowly enchanting him and she slowly turns the entire household against Seren making them believe that she is jealous of Tomos and that she wants to destroy things because of that - I did like the villains in this one. A fox that is a child's toy but becomes bigger as it tricks you, a juggler a dancer and a drummer- those three were really creepy once they popped up even though they are not the main villains. I genuinely liked this one even though the trope of turning the main character agains others can be a bit overused- I still liked this one and I loved the way the main characters defeat the villain. I also love that Crow came back after leaving at the end of the first book - he really makes these books 100000 times better.

[Nicole Jones]

This book is a sequel that I read without reading the first book, but I was still able to piece the backstory just fine. It starts with Tomos Joneses family taking in orphan Seren Rhys. A mysterious governess arrives at the house known as the Plas-y-Fran. She brings with her a toy carousel with figures riding the horses and a little velvet fox in the center for birthday boy, Tomos. Tomos is obsessed with the toy carousel and it's creepy tune more and more every day. Until it puts him in a trance.
Seren writes for help from the clockwork crow. Will the cloclwork crow arrive in time to save his friends, Tomos and Seren, from the supernatural fairy creatures?
I loved the book, but got annoyed with the main character constantly being called a "stupid girl." Despite that, she proves them wrong and is suprisingly clever!

Recommended for grades 7-9

[Allie Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows on from where the Clockwork Crow left off (it's definitely worth reading that book before starting this one).

The style is very similar, and it is just as easy to read, but if anything the tone is darker, and there were points when I felt the story had got very bleak and wasn't sure I wanted to keep reading, but I kept going and it was worth it.
The imagery is vivid, the characters easily come alive, and the easy weaving of place, plot and mythology makes for a page turner. I love the occasional uses of Welsh language too. I'm already saving the next book for when I need something to lose myself in for a little while.