Zachary Cloudesley is gifted in a remarkable way, beyond even his own understanding. But not all gifts are a blessing...
Leadenhall Street, London, 1754.
Raised amongst the cogs and springs of his father's workshop, Zachary Cloudesley has grown up surrounded by strange and enchanting clockwork automata. He is a happy child, beloved by his father Abel and the workmen who help bring his father's creations to life.
He is also the bearer of an extraordinary gift; at the touch of a hand, Zachary can see into the hearts and minds of the people he meets.
But then a near-fatal accident will take Zachary away from the workshop and his family. His father will have to make a journey to Constantinople that he will never return from.
And years later, only Zachary can find out what happened.
A beautifully crafted historical mystery bursting with wonderfully realised characters, a sense of fizzing energy that brims over every page and immersive storytelling that will take the reader from 18th century London, across Europe and, finally, to the bustling city of Constantinople.
I'm honoured to be hosting the blog tour for The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley today. Many thanks to Sean Lusk, Doubleday and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley is Sean Lusk's beautifully crafted debut novel filled with marvels and mystery but, despite the astounding inventions and singular gifts, is really a heartwarming, unforgettable story about acceptance and love.
The book opens at Zachary Cloudesley's birth but rather than being a joyous moment, it signals the tragedy that determines the lives of both the infant son and his father, Abel. Even as a baby, it is obvious that Zachary isn't like other children and as a small boy raised in his clockmaker father's workshop, he questions and debates, reads and absorbs with a precociousness far beyond his years. Nevertheless, Sean Lusk ensures he is also a believable child, prone to over-excitement and vulnerable to accidents. These opening chapters introduce many of the characters who become as family to Zachary and they are a wonderfully eccentric bunch; the forthright wet nurse, Mrs Morley and her fractious daughter, Leonora, the waiflike Tom and his secrets hidden in plain sight, Samuels, the enigmatic manservant and perhaps most notably, Aunt Frances.
The first part of the book is mostly written in the third person from Abel's perspective and though he makes errors of judgement, it's impossible not to warm to this loving, magnanimous man. The love he possesses for his son is obvious and abundant and yet it's this devotion which ultimately causes them such anguish. Meanwhile, although Frances is both a benevolent and domineering, even conniving teacher and benefactor, she remains a sympathetic character throughout as we are allowed to see past her flaws and understand why she behaves as she does. The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley examines blessings that become more like curses, gifts that bring torment and love leading to despair but it is also a delightfully humorous novel with the bickering relationship between Frances and Grace Morley being the source of many of the lighter moments. Grace is more aware of societal expectations whereas the remarkable Frances lives amongst owls and parrots and defies convention, yet they are both strong, proud women who refuse to be anything less than equal to men.
The richly atmospheric prose is a joy throughout but especially so in the scenes set in Constantinople which is evocatively brought to life. It's a place of wonder and subterfuge, opportunity and danger, first for Abel and later for Zachary who sets out to find his father but learns more about who he really is. Abel's incredible automata are so vividly described, I could believe they were real – and indeed some are based on actual eighteenth century inventions while Zachary's miraculous abilities to see beyond the present add a intriguing layer of magical realism to proceedings without ever becoming more important than the story itself.
The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley takes its characters and readers on an extraordinary journey; from eighteenth century England to the capital of the Ottoman Empire but beyond that, it's an exploration of what it means to forgive, hope and belong. With its superbly imagined, diverse cast of characters and deeply moving, captivating storyline, I was utterly entranced by The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley and cannot recommend this exceptional book highly enough.
The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudeseley is published by Doubleday, purchasing links can be found here but please consider supporting independent bookshops whenever possible.
Don't miss the rest of the blog tour, details are below.
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