Listen free for 30 days
-
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
- Narrated by: Thomas Judd
- Series: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, Book 1
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £22.89
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: Thomas Judd
- Length: 13 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Thaniel Steepleton, an unexpected posting to Tokyo can’t come at a better moment. The London fog has made him ill and doctor’s orders are to get out. His brief is strange: the staff at the British Legation have been seeing ghosts, and his first task is to find out what’s going on. But staying with his closest friend, Keita Mori, in Yokohama, Thaniel starts to experience ghostly happenings himself. For reasons he won’t say, Mori is frightened. Then he vanishes.
-
-
The woman is a genius
- By Laura Bennewith on 24-03-20
-
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
- By: Susanna Clarke
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 32 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year is 1806. Centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation’s past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell.
-
-
Pleasingly long
- By Felix on 24-08-05
-
The Bedlam Stacks
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An astonishing historical novel set in the shadowy, magical forests of South America, which draws on the captivating world of the international best seller The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Deep in uncharted Peru, the holy town of Bedlam stands at the edge of a forest. The shrine statues move, and anyone who crosses the border dies. But somewhere inside are cinchona trees, whose bark yields quinine: the only known treatment for malaria. On the other side of the Pacific, it is 1859, and India is ravaged by the disease.
-
-
17 hours of my life I'll never get back
- By Ms. G. A. Sykes on 11-06-18
-
The Half Life of Valery K
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: Jot Davies
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1963, in a Siberian gulag, former nuclear specialist Valery Kolkhanov has mastered what it takes to survive. On one ordinary day, Valery’s university mentor steps in and sweeps him from the prison camp to an unnamed town hidden in a forest so damaged it looks like the trees have rusted from within. Here, Valery is Dr. Kolkhanov once more, and he’s expected to serve out his prison term studying the effect of radiation on local animals. As he begins his work, he is struck by the questions his research raises: what, exactly, is being hidden from the thousands who live in the town?
-
-
Very enjoyable but niggles
- By The Curator on 26-06-22
-
The Kingdoms
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: Theo Solomon
- Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The postcard has been held at the sorting office for 91 years, waiting to be delivered to Joe Tournier. On the front is a lighthouse - Eilean Mor, in the Outer Hebrides. Joe has never left England, never even left London. He is a British slave, one of thousands throughout the French Empire. He has a job, a wife, a baby daughter. But he also has flashes of a life he cannot remember and of a world that never existed - a world where English is spoken in England and not French.
-
-
I really wanted to like this book but ...
- By Jackie on 05-06-21
-
The Mangle Street Murders
- By: M. R. C. Kasasian
- Narrated by: Emma Gregory
- Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gower Street, London, 1882: Sidney Grice, London's most famous personal detective, is expecting a visitor. He drains his fifth pot of morning tea, and glances outside, where a young, plain woman picks her way between the piles of horse-dung towards his front door. Sidney Grice shudders. For heaven's sake - she is wearing brown shoes. The Mangle Street Murders is for those who like their crime original, atmospheric, and very, very funny.
-
-
Tries too hard
- By TAG on 28-06-18
-
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: Thomas Judd
- Length: 13 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Thaniel Steepleton, an unexpected posting to Tokyo can’t come at a better moment. The London fog has made him ill and doctor’s orders are to get out. His brief is strange: the staff at the British Legation have been seeing ghosts, and his first task is to find out what’s going on. But staying with his closest friend, Keita Mori, in Yokohama, Thaniel starts to experience ghostly happenings himself. For reasons he won’t say, Mori is frightened. Then he vanishes.
-
-
The woman is a genius
- By Laura Bennewith on 24-03-20
-
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
- By: Susanna Clarke
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 32 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year is 1806. Centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation’s past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell.
-
-
Pleasingly long
- By Felix on 24-08-05
-
The Bedlam Stacks
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An astonishing historical novel set in the shadowy, magical forests of South America, which draws on the captivating world of the international best seller The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. Deep in uncharted Peru, the holy town of Bedlam stands at the edge of a forest. The shrine statues move, and anyone who crosses the border dies. But somewhere inside are cinchona trees, whose bark yields quinine: the only known treatment for malaria. On the other side of the Pacific, it is 1859, and India is ravaged by the disease.
-
-
17 hours of my life I'll never get back
- By Ms. G. A. Sykes on 11-06-18
-
The Half Life of Valery K
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: Jot Davies
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1963, in a Siberian gulag, former nuclear specialist Valery Kolkhanov has mastered what it takes to survive. On one ordinary day, Valery’s university mentor steps in and sweeps him from the prison camp to an unnamed town hidden in a forest so damaged it looks like the trees have rusted from within. Here, Valery is Dr. Kolkhanov once more, and he’s expected to serve out his prison term studying the effect of radiation on local animals. As he begins his work, he is struck by the questions his research raises: what, exactly, is being hidden from the thousands who live in the town?
-
-
Very enjoyable but niggles
- By The Curator on 26-06-22
-
The Kingdoms
- By: Natasha Pulley
- Narrated by: Theo Solomon
- Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The postcard has been held at the sorting office for 91 years, waiting to be delivered to Joe Tournier. On the front is a lighthouse - Eilean Mor, in the Outer Hebrides. Joe has never left England, never even left London. He is a British slave, one of thousands throughout the French Empire. He has a job, a wife, a baby daughter. But he also has flashes of a life he cannot remember and of a world that never existed - a world where English is spoken in England and not French.
-
-
I really wanted to like this book but ...
- By Jackie on 05-06-21
-
The Mangle Street Murders
- By: M. R. C. Kasasian
- Narrated by: Emma Gregory
- Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gower Street, London, 1882: Sidney Grice, London's most famous personal detective, is expecting a visitor. He drains his fifth pot of morning tea, and glances outside, where a young, plain woman picks her way between the piles of horse-dung towards his front door. Sidney Grice shudders. For heaven's sake - she is wearing brown shoes. The Mangle Street Murders is for those who like their crime original, atmospheric, and very, very funny.
-
-
Tries too hard
- By TAG on 28-06-18
-
To Capture What We Cannot Keep
- By: Beatrice Colin
- Narrated by: Charlotte Strevens
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Emile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris. But back on firm ground, their vastly different social strata becomes clear. Cait is a widow, forced to chaperone two wealthy Scottish charges. Emile is expected to take on the bourgeois stability of his family's business and choose a suitable wife. As the Eiffel Tower rises, a marvel of steel and air and light, Cait and Emile must decide what their love is worth.
-
-
Another brilliant book from Beatrice Colin
- By Bookaholic on 22-08-17
-
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
- By: Stuart Turton
- Narrated by: Jot Davies
- Length: 16 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
'Somebody's going to be murdered at the ball tonight. It won't appear to be a murder, and so the murderer won't be caught. Rectify that injustice and I'll show you the way out.' It is meant to be a celebration, but it ends in tragedy. As fireworks explode overhead, Evelyn Hardcastle, the young and beautiful daughter of the house, is killed. But Evelyn will not die just once. Until Aiden - one of the guests summoned to Blackheath for the party - can solve her murder, the day will repeat itself over and over again.
-
-
Oh My Goodness
- By PJM on 09-06-18
-
Things in Jars
- By: Jess Kidd
- Narrated by: Jacqueline Milne
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
London, 1863. Bridie Devine, the finest female detective of her age, is taking on her toughest case yet. Reeling from her last job and with her reputation in tatters, a remarkable puzzle has come her way. Christabel Berwick has been kidnapped. But Christabel is no ordinary child. She is not supposed to exist.
-
-
A wonderful delight of a book
- By Michelle Callaghan on 15-05-19
-
The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire
- The Complete Series
- By: Rod Duncan
- Narrated by: Gemma Whelan
- Length: 29 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The complete set of The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire trilogy, featuring The Bullet Catcher's Daughter, Unseemly Science and The Custodian of Marvels. Elizabeth Barnabus lives a double life - as herself and as her brother, the private detective. She is trying to solve the mystery of a disappearing aristocrat and a hoard of arcane machines. In her way stand the rogues, freaks and self-proclaimed alchemists of a travelling circus....
-
-
Steampunk Adventuress rights wrongs
- By Andrew on 23-02-18
-
The Storm Keeper's Island
- Storm Keeper, Book 1
- By: Catherine Doyle
- Narrated by: Patrick Moy
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Fionn Boyle sets foot on Arranmore Island, it begins to stir beneath his feet.... Once in a generation, Arranmore Island chooses a new Storm Keeper to wield its power and keep its magic safe from enemies. The time has come for Fionn’s grandfather, a secretive and eccentric old man, to step down. Soon, a new Keeper will rise. But deep underground, someone has been waiting for Fionn. As the battle to become the island’s next champion rages, a more sinister magic is waking up, intent on rekindling an ancient war.
-
-
Classic magic
- By A Wagener on 21-02-19
-
The Hourglass Throne
- The Tarot Sequence, Book 3
- By: K. D. Edwards
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As Rune Saint John grapples with the challenges of assuming the Sun Throne, a powerful barrier appears around New Atlantis’ famed rejuvenation center. But who could have created such formidable magic...what do they want from the immortality clinic...and what remains of the dozens trapped inside? Now, the rulers of New Atlantis must confront an enemy both new and ancient as the flow of time itself is drawn into the conflict. And as Rune finds himself drawn back to the fall of his father’s court and his own torture, the secrets that he has guarded will be dragged into the light.
-
-
Not my fave of the series...
- By BevS on 13-06-22
-
Halfpenny Dreams
- By: Frances Brody
- Narrated by: Maggie Mash
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Previously published as Sisters of Fortune. Sophie and Rosa Moran are born into a working-class family struggling to rise above poverty. Their father is a lowly employee at Thackreys' Bank, a powerful family-run concern. Sophie and her sister first come into contact with the Thackrey family - especially young Lydia - as children through their father's job. In spite of the social differences between them, they form an enduring friendship.
-
-
Brilliant
- By Mrs. J. E. Hingley on 29-11-18
-
The Wolves of London
- Obsidian Heart, Book 1
- By: Mark Morris
- Narrated by: Ben Onwukwe
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alex Locke is a reformed ex-con forced into London's criminal underworld for one more job. He agrees to steal a priceless artefact - a human heart carved from the blackest obsidian - but when the burglary goes horribly wrong, Alex is plunged into the nightmarish world of the Wolves of London, unearthly assassins who will stop at nothing to reclaim the heart. As he races to unlock the secrets of the mysterious object, Alex must learn to wield its dark power - or be destroyed by it.
-
-
Can't wait for the next one!
- By Magenta on 24-01-15
-
The Gravedigger’s Son and the Waif Girl
- Volume 1
- By: Sam Feuerbach
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Farin, the gravedigger’s son, lives in the medieval village of Heap. The 18-year-old is an outsider who is bullied and ostracized by the villagers. His father has succumbed to a life of drinking, and the young man has no option but to take over the job of gravedigger. But Farin’s life takes a dramatic twist when the village witch dies. As he prepares her for burial, he finds an amulet hanging around her neck, and he can’t resist trying it on.
-
-
Thoroughly Enjoying This Series
- By Gillian on 08-06-22
-
If I Could Tell You
- By: Elizabeth Wilhide
- Narrated by: Lucy Price-Lewis
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Suffolk, 1939: Julia Compton has a beautifully well-ordered life. Once a promising musician, she now has a handsome husband who pays the bills, a young son she adores and a housekeeper who takes care of her comfortable home. Then, on the eve of war, something unexpected happens. She falls in love. Cut off from family and friends, Julia loses everything. Penniless and denied access to her son, she is cast adrift in wartime London with her bohemian filmmaker lover, Dougie.
-
The Captains and the Kings: A Novel
- By: Jennifer Johnston
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mr. Prendergast, an elderly Anglo-Irishman, is living out his last years in the decaying splendour of his family mansion. As his mind wanders through the gloom he finds it peopled with memories of his neglected wife, his pale shadow of a father, his icily glamorous mother and Alexander, the son she so jealously loved, killed in the First World War. With only his ill-tempered alcoholic gardener left to attend to him, Mr. Prendergast is content to pass his days in such ghostly company.
-
The Hoarder
- By: Jess Kidd
- Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Maud Drennan - underpaid carer and unintentional psychic - is the latest in a long line of dogsbodies for the ancient, belligerent Cathal Flood. Yet despite her best efforts, Maud is drawn into the mysteries concealed in his filthy, once-grand home. She realises that Cathal, and the junk-filled rooms, are opening up to her. With only her landlady and a troop of sarcastic ghostly saints to help, Maud must uncover what lies beneath Cathal's decades-old hostility and the strange activities of the house itself.
-
-
Beautifully written, beautifully read Irish novel
- By Amazon Customer on 11-03-18
Summary
It's 1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the listener on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles longstanding traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.
Critic reviews
More from the same
What listeners say about The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tales of a Librarian
- 04-10-15
Clever as Clockwork
Where does The Watchmaker of Filigree Street rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Ranks within the top twenty audiobooks I've listened to.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street?
The explosion during the operetta was one of the more memorable moments.
Which character – as performed by Thomas Judd – was your favourite?
Thaniel Steepleton
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Loved the moment when Mori and Thaniel called each other by their first names.
Any additional comments?
This book has a very slow start. You need to be a good third of the way into it before the pieces start to fit together, so if you are someone who isn't bewitched by prose for its own sake or you need dropping in the middle of the action, then this is probably not for you. That coupled with Thomas Judd's peculiar way of half swallowing words during the first third of the book is a bit off-putting. However, persevere and you will be rewarded. On the surface this appears to be a straight forward tale but it is multi-layered, shifting and ultimately very satisfying. What is truth? Well in the end you'll find yourself doing as Thaniel did and making up your own mind. Aside from the richly depicted historical setting, the political intrigues of both England, Ireland and Japan, this is an unusual and gorgeously woven love story.
Part of it's charm for me was that you can only really be sure of Thaniel throughout the entire story. Any of the other characters might be lying or giving abbreviated accounts of the truth. You come to feel as torn as Thaniel over Grace and Mori, which is where the slow build up pays off with an explosive finale. This is one of the best books I've read this year. As fiendishly clever as clockwork and quietly encompassing some big ideas on cause and effect, probability and remembered futures - look back and marvel where a different decision was nearly made each time. Definitely one to bring your brain for but still fascinating, entertaining and haunting. Highly recommended.
45 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Beccameriel
- 27-01-16
An alternative Victorian London full of surprises
It did take me a few chapters to get into it but ultimately I'm glad I persevered. It's good to see other cultures included in a fantasy novel particularly one set in London. The characters turn out to be quite unlike any I've encountered before and if you are able to predict the story arc then you clearly have special powers!
I don't like things too steampunky but this was fine - no airships. Huzzah!
I like Thomas Judd's narration. His range of accents is good and he has a gentle but expressive reading style although a few mispronunciations jarred a bit (I'm ludicrously sensitive and it's really only about 5 words in total)
31 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jeremy
- 28-10-17
Complex
What on earth was that all about? Precocious and too clever by half. Really struggled to stay with it. Really, really weird. Did not hold together well. Abstract and disjointed. Like a dull dream.
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- anne
- 15-08-15
An enchanting read
What a lovely gentle book. Not my usual kind of book so the author and narrator were new to me. However I will definitely look out for them again! The characters were well drawn and engaging. The narrator voiced them all beautifully and the story was fairy tail perfect.
58 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anna
- 17-09-15
Twists and turns surprisingly interesting
It's hard to guess what's coming next and that makes it a good read. Not a conventional story and the main characters are also odd for the time period this is set in. I enjoyed being surprised on more than one occasion and the story drove on whilst I got my head around what I'd just heard.
Somehow it reminded me of The Bone Clocks but not as polished or complex.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephen
- 03-08-15
A little gem
What made the experience of listening to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street the most enjoyable?
The story is very good, but flags in places and the ending very very rushed - but I found the performance by Thomas Judd to be excellent - much more subtle accents than usually provided which underlined a key plot-line - very well done indeed.
What other book might you compare The Watchmaker of Filigree Street to, and why?
The premise is a bit science-fiction, but because of the West to Japanese cultural exploration, the 1000 Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
I liked the relationship between Grace Carrow and Matsumoto, particularly the early scenes in Oxford.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The sadness of Grace when she realised her hopes and dreams may get dashed.
Any additional comments?
Can't believe it's a debut novel!
30 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Georgia
- 27-08-15
Slow to start but totally worth it
It took me about 6 chapters or so to get into this however it is mysterious in all the right ways and has some massive unseen plot twists that left me reeling. Utterly fantastic!
21 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- pookie2shoes
- 14-04-18
I listened whilst I walked the dog each day. .
I listened whilst I walked the dog each day... my walks with Bumble dog got longer as I walked further to listen to another chapter... round the block two, three, four more times.
I loved the characters in this book. ..not the usual predictable types.
Interesting. Surprising. Give it a listen, you'll love it.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J. Finch
- 20-07-15
Excellent story, good performance
This story is full of twists and turns and is definitely for anyone who enjoyed books like His Dark Materials or Harry Potter. I hope Pulley writes more.
The narration is marred a little by a repetitive tone in the actor's voice which grates after a while. I did manage to relax and enjoy it, however, and his characterisation is very good, indeed.
17 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- A. E. Wright
- 20-09-15
Unexpected pleasure.
A confident first novel, and excellent narration. Well written apart from a couple of historical mistakes. Unusual topic, good character development and good plotting. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to more from this author.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jennifer Wadsworth
- 05-09-15
Beautiful Story
There is so much going on in this book that it’s hard to isolate just a few things I liked. I’ll talk about a couple here, but there are so many great parts in this book.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street sets a touching love story against a historic time of social and political unrest — Irish terrorists are bombing London in protest of British rule; women in England and other parts of the world are dissatisfied with their inability to vote and restricted independence; and Japan’s feudal and agrarian society is fighting a losing battle against the influence of Western culture and technology. After doing a little web surfing, I discovered that a lot of the history relayed in the book is accurate, including the bombings that are central to the story. I find historical fiction much more impressive when it can deliver a mostly-accurate history lesson at the same time it’s entertaining.
Another part of this story I appreciated was the subtle descriptions of what true love really looks like. In one part of the story, Mori encourages Thaniel, who has synesthesia, to draw and paint when he sees when he listens to music. Mori insists on hanging the drawings on the wall, even though Thaniel believes they are worthless. Mori describes Thaniel’s drawings as much more interesting than the paintings he just bought by that depressed Dutchmen (referring to, I’m assuming, Van Gogh).
In another part of the book, when Mori visits Grace and Thaniel’s new home, he is obviously unhappy that the music room is unfinished and there is no piano, though Grace’s laboratory in the basement is completely finished. Later, the reader learns that Mori sees Thaniel as a pianist while Grace sees him as an ordinary man who occasionally plays the piano. This makes a difference to Thaniel and affects his future choices. These are subtle parts of the story, but they say quite a lot about the relationships between the characters.
The narrator, Thomas Judd, did a great job with the voices. As I was listening, I didn’t think there was a lot of obvious variations in voice; but in hindsight, I never had any trouble distinguishing between characters. In particular, Thaniel’s, Mori’s, and Grace’s voices were perfect for their characters.
There is also the sock-stealing clockwork octopus, the cheeky workhouse orphan, the way clairvoyance is imagined, the wide range of diversity in the story, and the scientific cleverness displayed at the end. I can’t say more without giving too much away, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it. :)
This is just a fraction of what is so fascinating about The Watchmaker of Filigree Street. There are layers and layers of personal and social commentary in this book that, though presented in a historical setting, are so appropriate for today’s culture.
Really there isn’t much about this story I didn’t like. I only want to note that it is a slow, quiet story. For some people, slow and quiet stories can be hard to read and even harder to hear. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I found my attention wandering at times. But if you like the slow and quiet story, then give this book a try. It’s pretty impressive.
Copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review courtesy of One Book Two book review blog.
50 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Gloria
- 26-08-15
Steam punk multi-verse with Japanese flair
The book starts off slowly and I found myself put it aside from time to time. But it gradually built to a great pace and narrative, with a surprising ending that was delightful and touching. Worth sticking through to the end.
28 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Lorfet
- 29-04-16
A Thinking Story
I went back and re-read others' reviews to see what was liked and disliked about this book so that I could see how my review might stack up. I must say that I enjoyed the book and did not agree with most of the negatives listed by audible reviewers. I thought the story was fascinating and the ideas and suppositions that were generated within the story about pre-determination and whether one is able to change their destiny were fascinating.
I liked Mori and Thaniel a great deal; however, I did not find Grace to be a very charming or personable character. She was very distant and academic. She was obviously intelligent but her inability to connect with most people was disconcerting. She was openly hateful and dismissive to her own parents and acted very narcissistically. I am glad she had some measure of happiness at the end of the story, but I felt she still had a looooong way to go before redemption.
To the reviewer who was angry with the homosexual story line. I am sorry if you were put off by this, but it was handled exceedingly well and there were no over-the-top displays of affection to deal with or even a large part of the story that spoke of this. But it was very integral to the story and if you had not determined that this is where the story was heading, then I fear you were not paying a lot of attention in the first place.
One must listen closely to this story or you might miss small clues that will become important later in the book. I liked the way the story went back and forth in the timeline as a device to explain Mori.
Thomas Judd was AWESOME with the narration of this story. Bravo!
I would recommend this book as an awesome book when you are wanting to hear something intriguing and thought-provoking but not action-packed or vulgar. It was quite humorous at times and the descriptions of the clockwork items Mori designed were imaginative and made me wish for a clockwork Octopus. I will be watching for more from this author.
33 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Joe Kraus
- 02-03-16
Murakami without the Lightness, and with Confusion
Any additional comments?
I probably needed to spend more time on this intriguing book. On the plus side, it reminds me a bit of Haruki Murakami’s work. It reminds me as well that, while Murakami makes that blend of magic, science, and self-discovery look easy, it’s actually very difficult to pull off.
In this one, we have a trio of central characters. Thaniel and Grace are Londoners with assorted family issues, and Mori is a master clockmaker (and more) with strange powers for influencing others.
At its best, the book raises striking questions about the nature of time and the capacity for an individual to make choices in a world that may be predetermined. The late touch that calls for a series of coin tosses as a means of escaping apparent predestination is really striking, both as a plot device and as a philosophical idea.
The uncertainty at the heart of those questions is hard-wired into the story, though, and a chief result is that the often out-of-sequence narrative calls for real care in reading it. I don’t mind having to work my way through a book, but this one has an odd habit of seeming to say, “You should have been paying closer attention a chapter ago when things seemed light-hearted or concerned with detail.” As someone reading it quickly, I kept missing those details, and I often found myself bewildered. If I’d realized the book was expecting me to read in such a different fashion, I might have been more taken with its striking irregular rhythms.
On the plus side, this held my interest even as I discovered there were huge parts I’d simply missed. Pulley has a capacity for strong detail to go along with the philosophical questions she raises, so I held on through my frequent confusion to see how it all wraps up.
I have to agree with others who have complained that the start is simply too slow. I’d add as well that I found the conclusion confusing, but that may well be my fault since I allowed my confusion to grow as fully as I did.
Bottom line: there seem to be real virtues here, but don’t underestimate it as you go in. It has the tone of a light read, but it demands your attention throughout. It’s a compliment to compare this to Murakami, but if it has some of the impressive weight of Murakami’s questions, it lacks the powerful lightness that Murakami manages to maintain through so much of what he does.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Gail N.
- 29-12-17
Interesting but pretentious and overly precious
The question of fate and free will are deep philosophical issues at the heart of this composite genre novel. The story is part mystery, part fantasy, part love story, part historical fiction, part sci-fi super powers, part psychological drama, part Victoriana, part comedy of manners, with a bit of feminist story line for good measure - I think that covers most of it. It is mainly entertaining but also rather annoying because of its over the top preciousness and its heavy handed pseudo-science. As to preciousness, consider the name of the main character, Nathaniel who is called Thaniel for short - not Nat or Nate. For some reason the way the reader said this name every minute or so really got on my nerves. Or the oh-so-adorable mechanical confections made by Mr. Mori such as a golden pear which falls off a tree at the right time of year and grows into a golden mechanical pear tree before our eyes. As to pseudo-science, the girl with all the brains physics major from Oxford is trying to prove the existence of the ether and a driving part of the plot is that she needs a laboratory to continue her research. For the record the "ether" theory of light travel was debunked by the Michaelson-Morley experiment of 1887, but apparently the author decided to ignore this fact in order to rationally explain the clairvoyance of Mr. Mori. To read this novel and enjoy it, you must willingly suspend all manner of disbelief. For example, the main character is introduced as a quiet, simple young man toiling away at a government telegraph office, and yet in the course of the story, he magically morphs into rather a super hero. All that said, there is also quite a lot here to enjoy. The intellectual ferment of the period is captured very well. The mechanical wonders created by our clairvoyant are clever and magical. The characters are fully fleshed out and have both a dark and light side. No one is given a free pass for bad behavior, which all of them are guilty of. And the question of whether we can in some way outwit our fate or if in fact there is a road map to the future that we can trifle with is examined rather well. If you enjoy a challenging read, a genre hopping adventure, some engaging characters and a complicated plot with a satisfying denouement, give "The Watchmaker of Filigree Street" a try. Keeping in mind that this was Ms. Pulley's first novel, I am looking forward to her next work.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- kimberly
- 11-02-16
A bit odd...
And not easily followed. Not sure what the point of all of it was. Interesting enough, but odd.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- kayla.the.librarian
- 22-09-15
Victorian Steampunk Mystery that Wasn't for Me
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
I never really connected with the characters, but I detested the ones that I liked by the end. I liked Grace enough, but I was put off by some of her behavior toward the end of the book. I did NOT like Mori, though I can't really say way. Thaniel was too wishy-washy for my taste.
Would you ever listen to anything by Natasha Pulley again?
Just because The Watchmaker of Filigree Street did not work for me does not mean that I would avoid her writing in the future. This was her first novel, and I'm sure that her future work will only improve.
What about Thomas Judd’s performance did you like?
Thomas Judd did a great job of keeping all of the characters from different cultures distinct. He was able to mimic other accents without making them cartoonish.
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
The book started off swimmingly, but it started to drag with the flashbacks (which didn't translate to audio very well). I loved the descriptions of all the locations, and Katsu, the clockwork octopus, was adorable.
Any additional comments?
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street reminded me of The Night Circus, and I think TNC's fans would really enjoy this book.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Marjohn Love
- 17-08-16
Full of intelligent surprises.
I am often dismayed when I know a plot before it unfolds but this one had a number of twists and turns. The ending was delightful.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Angel's
- 01-12-16
ok
somewhat hard to follow sometimes in the story . Things would change and you would think what happened. Did I miss something
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- WA islander
- 02-11-15
Wildly Creative and well written
What made the experience of listening to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street the most enjoyable?
It's creative story telling and imaginative and inventive sense of time and space and mix
of cultures. The addition of Gilbert and Sullivan into the plot, as I am a big fan of G&S.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
My criticism is not of the ending but of the authors view of women. I don't think
he trusts women to be straight forward and compassionate. I was a bit disappointed
in his treatment of the female character.
Which scene was your favorite?
Many scenes were colorful and magical. It is hard to pick one scene, but the development
of plot was engaging
If you could rename The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, what would you call it?
I like the name
Any additional comments?
Alternate realities and relative time create intriguing themes.
4 people found this helpful