Beautiful illustrated and well written.
An adventure into another world, with realities surprisingly not all left behind.

Magical, enthralling MG adventure with brave girls, a boy prince and monsters, I loved it. Can’t wait to see the Chris Riddell illustrations as I read a proof but they will just be the icing on an already very enjoyable cake! Reminiscent of the great fantasy stories I read as a child and an absorbing read.

A fantastic start to a brand new series, with all the imagination and magic of the classic children's literature that came before it. The 'A Clock of Stars' series is going to be a one to watch out for for years to come.

I couldn’t wait to read this book and I wasn’t disappointed at all. With a great action packed story and awesome characters this book really does have it all. Can’t wait to see what happens next

When Imogen follows an unusual looking moth into the woods surrounding their grandma’s favourite tea rooms, she and little sister Marie step through a door in a tree and find themselves trapped in another world, where the inhabitants are attacked by strange creatures called the skret, and where the townspeople are just afraid of outcasts from the forest, who know that this world is under threat. Befriended by Miro, the naïve son of the former king, and aided by Lofkinye whom they break out of jail, the girls are swept up in a quest to save this hidden world and find their way back to their own.
Fraught with danger and duplicitous characters, the world of Yaroslav and its surroundings are vividly realised and the interactions between the wildly eccentric characters are filled with humour. The main characters have depth, especially Imogen and Marie as their sibling rivalry is put aside and Imogen begins to appreciate her little sister’s strengths, and Miro gradually recognises how his privileged upbringing have kept him ignorant of the harshness of his subjects’ lives.
This is a gripping adventure story, funny and exciting with plenty of tense moments, with added pleasure to be derived as a reader who knows so much more than any of the characters. This novel hooked me from the outset, and provided a long, thoroughly entertaining read.

This was a great read!

This is a new author for me but the illustrator is one of my favourites.

The world here was quite unique and I loved all aspects of the book.

Will definitely be continuing this series

Full of whimy and heart, my family adored this story just as much ad they loved the beautiful cover. I can't wait to share it with my Year 4 class!

A fantastic fantasy adventure for 9-12 year olds, brimming with the magic of old fairy tales and fireside stories.

A Clock of Stars created a magical world that had all the hallmarks of a Tolkien adventure - at once familiar, yet stamped with the authors own originality. Along the way there were some beautiful morals about family and friendship as well as bravery in all its forms.

Thoroughly enjoyed!

I can see exactly why Chris Riddell illustrated this novel - it's fast paced, brilliant and feel exactly like something he would write. However, I did feel like it was sometimes lacking in depth, both if character and plot, something that I hope will be fleshed out better in the coming sequels.

An intriguing story with some great writing and terrific world-building. The world building is well-paced and the gradual building up of layers gets you more and more immersed in this mysterious world. With three main characters, two sister Imogen, Marie and Prince Milo, non of which are sure at the start of the story they like each other, and all have a lot to learn about themselves and friendship. I read the first part of the book on net gallery without Chris Riddell’s illustrations and I have to admit it was slightly bizarre without them . The pictures really are important to developing the readers understanding of the story and Chris Riddell’s signature detailed pen and ink drawings add some additional magic.

One day when Imogen and Marie’s mum has gone out with her new boyfriend (which they aren’t too pleased about) there grandma takes them to tea at a county estate. Whilst there they wander off on their own into a mysterious garden, then through a portal of a tree find themselves in another world, which it gradually appears is quite different to their own.

There is plenty to unravel of a mystery of a monster in the mountains, who send a shadow moth as a messenger to help him. With an evil step-mum to be who wants to be rid of Milo to get power for herself. Various allies and alliances and not sure quite who to trust. A mystery about Milo’s past and what really did happen to his parents. And a precious stone that the King stole 5 years ago. There is plenty of action and world building to keep you intrigued.

I love how the sisters first arrive from outside the city and as they walk further into the small and fortified town more and more detail is revealed and you begin to realise all is not well. In this strange new world you do not want to be out after dark as the Skret, a kind of monster might get you.

“The deeper the girls walked into the city, the taller the houses grew, rising from hunched cottages to proud five-storey mansions. A grand house had skulls embedded in it’s walls. Marie paused to imagine one ‘Hey Imogen come and see this’.

Which is complemented by a wonderful sketch of this world by Chris Riddell

Family and friendship squabbles, adventures and danger collide with a strange world and almost mythical mystery about how the Skret (night-time monsters) came to be. Highly recommend for to be read aloud to children aged 9+ or for confident readers to read alone (as there is a lot to get your head around).

Strong characters and lively scenes, packed with actions and paced dialogues. This story book is sure to make children engaged and wanting to keep on reading. ‘A clock of stars - The shadow moth.’ is full of adventures but I really like how it is compelling characters driven. The characters are well constructed, with their particular characteristics that come through their actions, they truly drive the story. Imogen is strong and full of determination, letting out her sparkle of courage to inspire the young readers. Excellent mentor text if you want the children in your class (or at home) to write this way. I highly recommend it, especially to children with curious minds and who enjoy an adventure!

A story of moths, magic and monsters, The Shadow Moth will be a hit with young fantasy fans everywhere.

When Imogen and Marie follow a moth through a door in a tree, they find themselves in a world of night-roving monsters, princes in towers and a mountain with a missing heart. It is a world of wonder and adventure, of larger than life huntsmen, fortune telling clocks and prophecies of royalty and power. But it isn't home. And if Imogen and Marie ever want to return to their mother, they will first need to make friends with the prince, the monsters and - hardest of all - each other.

With all the magic and wonder of the Chronicles of Narnia, A Clock of Stars is set to be a future classic. Gibbons' writing is beautiful, and this is a lovely story to read aloud, so will be a huge hit at bedtime or in classrooms. The world building is also immersive and exciting. I'm so pleased that this is the start of a series as it's a world - and group of characters - I can't wait to return to.

Aside from the monsters and magic, this is also a story about friendship and sisterhood. The bond between Imogen, Marie and Prince Miro is very relatable and will really appeal to young readers. Their adventure is filled with sibling rivalries, loneliness and plenty of heated arguments, where people say things they don't really mean, but there is also laughter, fun and forgiveness.

There is a small taste of Riddle's artwork in the NetGalley version of this novel and I'd love to see the finished work.


I was sent an advanced copy by the publisher through NetGalley for review.

This is a wonderfully magical and unforgettable adventure. I love what Imogen, Marie and Miro learn about friendship, family and prejudices along the way in their story.

A great portal-based Alice in wonderland esque adventure. Fast paced and for the amount of pages the story really flew along. Hoping for a sequel!

I was expecting great things from this one but it really quite convoluted, with lots of side plots and extra detail. The main character is fairly unlikeable and difficult to warm to. I was left with a lot of questions at the end.

Imogen and Marie are sisters and they bicker - a lot! One evening, Imogen finds a moth with silvery grey wings and she nicknames it the shadow moth. It seems to follow them on their way to the tearooms with Grandma. Imogen has yet another argument with her sister and goes off in a sulk. She sees the shadow moth again and follows it through a gate. It guides her to a door in a tree trunk. Imogen can't help herself and follows the moth through the door. Her sister, Marie, sneaks through the door as well and they find themselves in the city of Yaroslav. The city is plagued by creatures called 'Skrets' that come out at night and the residents of Yaroslav must stay inside to avoid them. The girls meet the young Prince Miroslav whose Uncle is King of Yaroslav.
Imogen and Marie want to go home, but no one seems to have heard about a door in a tree. They find themselves mixed up in a disagreement between the Skrets and King Drakomor whilst still trying to enlist the people of Yaroslav to help them find the door in the tree and their way home!

The children find it difficult to get along at first, but learn that they have several things in common that actually make them a good team. Set in an intriguing world, with unusual characters and turns of event, there is plenty of scope for future stories!

A daring adventure story following two sisters who accidentally stumble through a portal to another world. A world where nothing is quite as it seems. Monster roam, kings scheme and stolen objects cause chaos throughout the land.

This was certainly a fast-paced and action-packed adventure. It was an unpredictable and unique story, which would be enjoyed by fans of the Narnia series or of Piers Torday. Francesca Gibbons has used language beautifully and I loved many of the descriptions contained in the book, particularly those of the forest.

Whilst I did enjoy the story, there were a few too many side plots that didn’t quite tie together within this book - perhaps paving the way for a sequel. The narrative structure is quite complex in parts and may be difficult for some younger readers to follow. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this preview.

A different genre for me but I was hooked.

The story sees the path of two human girls, Imogen and Marie, merge with a Prince and monsters. They are led through a portal, reminiscent of Narnia/Alice in Wonderland, by a shadow moth but can't find their way home. again. They go on an exploration to try and escape this new world and along the way they discover the importance of family and friendship.

Themes of treachery and bravery run throughout this fantasy novel. Some gruesome descriptions, so possibly suitable for slightly older children in the 8-12 age range.

A pacey story.

A kingdom under threat, a pair of sisters and moth loving monsters searching for their lost treasure are all you need to know as you join the adventure held between the pages of this book!
Imogen is cross with her mum and endless boyfriends, sister Marie and her Grandmother. She storms off into the gardens to cool off and get some space but is followed by her sister. When Imogen finds a door in a tree and steps through, Marie follows too. Following a moth, which Imogen has called her Shadow Moth, Imogen and Marie find themselves in a forest. .
Travelling through the forest, the soon find themselves In a strange city and are drawn near a castle. When the high pitched screeching starts the girls are terrified and start knocking on doors for help. A boy pulls them into the castle to save them.
Miro, the boy, must help them to understand what the noises are , where they are and hopefully help them find their way home. Miro is the prince living with his uncle, King Drakomor.
The monsters are called skret and they only come out at night. They are fast and strong and have a hatred towards humans. Legends and stories are interwoven into the narrative, filling the reader in on the history of forest dwellers, settlers and the skret. History tells of King Drakomor stealing from the skret and hiding their treasure in the castle, The skret hunt for their treasure nightly, killing those in the way but never managing to find it.
In order for the sisters to find their way home, they need to enlist the help of some interesting and dangerous characters. Lofkinye is a forest dwelling woman, with high spirits, a talent for storytelling and plenty of courage. She leads them up the mountain to the leader of the skret, who is their only hope of finding a door back to their world.
While Miro, Imogen, Marie and Lofkinye plot and plan their adventure, someone else has plans too. Future wife of King Drakomor, Anneshka is plotting and killing plenty of obstacles getting between her and the throne. An overtly devious character, she is ruthless and dangerous.
I was enthralled with this story, from the legend of the skret and their heart of the mountain, to the moths they use to communicate and send messages. I wouldn’t want to let any spoilers slip but I am completely enchanted and hope there may be more from this author.
Adventure, mystery and complex characters will have you turning the pages late into the night!