The Timekeepers
by Jill Archie
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Pub Date 8 Feb 2025 | Archive Date 3 Jan 2025
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Description
Onyx’s life revolves entirely around the Clockwork Lands: a world made of five colossal clock gears that power eternal time. As the assistant to her father, the immortal Timekeeper, her days are measured by precise schedules and the rhythmic ticking of her heart gears.
However, years filled with predictability take a swift turn when an unexpected arrival offers her the opportunity to explore beyond her sheltered life for the first time.
Stepping foot onto the bronze streets of Pendulum City and beyond, Onyx learns of secrets and ideologies she has never heard of, beginning a journey that makes her question the reality she always thought she knew.
Advance Praise
"“High praise for The Timekeepers! Masterful storytelling at its finest with unforgettable characters. Refreshing, ORIGINAL world-building that fills you with awe and coming back for more!
– C.C. Sunny, author of The Curse of Wrath
“Steampunk is tough to create and write, but Jill manages to conjure this beautifully complex world as if it were effortless.”
– A.J. Swift, editorial review
“Jill Archie’s debut novel is an enchanting and beautifully crafted story with well-developed characters and amazing intricate world-building. The Timekeepers whisked me away into the whimsical Clockwork Lands of adventure, betrayal, and heartbreak. It is everything I love in a story.”
– Living Red, author of So She Dances
Available Editions
ISBN | 9781964296002 |
PRICE | US$6.99 (USD) |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
The Timekeepers is a steampunk novel that follows sixteen-year-old Onyx Chime, the daughter of the Timekeeper of the Clockwork Lands. For years her life has followed a meticulous routine with every minute accounted for but that is abruptly interrupted when a mysterious stranger arrives. She soon finds herself on an adventure to not only save her father’s life, but the lives of everyone in the Clockwork Lands.
This book was written beautifully and was my introduction to the steampunk subgenre. The author paints a beautiful picture when describing the Clockwork Lands.
The story started off a little slow but once the action started, the chapters flew by. There was a recurring theme of the importance of time and what it means to be eternal throughout the book. Many philosophical conversations were held which could be boring if you aren’t interested in that. I didn’t enjoy them all but I do admit that some of them were thought provoking.
I loved the genuine friendship between Onyx and Edison and loved that a romantic side plot wasn’t shoehorned in. I felt that he was the perfect complement and stood on his own without overshadowing Onyx as the main character. Onyx herself was a very capable character and even though she made plenty mistakes, I found her to be very relatable. Her moments of self-doubt enhanced her character and made it easy to root for her.
Overall, The Timekeepers was an interesting read. If you enjoy steampunk tales and thought-provoking discussions about immortality, this may be the perfect book for you.
I don't tend to read Steampunk that often however, when i read the plot of this book, i was intrigued and I wasn't surprised. Of course there was times where I was confused as it wasn't my normal sort of read.
However Jill Archie have managed to pull be into a fabulous book.
This was a really cute story! It's suitable for YA readers as well as adults. The world being basically inside of a clock was unique and delightful and had steam-punk vibes. I very much appreciated the handful of illustrations that helped me visualize certain scenes and devices the characters used. The cast of characters was also delightful, and the story moved along at a good pace. All in all, this is an excellent debut novel. While this story comes to a satisfying end, I do hope the author writes more stories that take place in the Clockwork Lands.
*thank you to net galley for providing me with an e-arc in return of an honest review*
Well, I just loved this. I loved the concept of these worlds, if anything I would have actually wanted to explore them more and spend more time in each! It was an easy read, the illustrations really brought the world to life. I’m not sure if I’m happy or frustrated that there wasn’t illustrations of the people though, what exactly do they look like with the spaces for their heart keys, I NEED TO KNOW!
3.75 stars rounded up for NetGalley's metrics.
This was fun! I've never read a story that so fully embodied the steampunk aesthetic, and everything about the world felt so correct. The costuming, the world itself, the inventions, and the character design all fit the vibe appropriately and just made sense given the world. The maps and illustrations were very well done and complimented the written descriptions nicely, and I appreciated the fact that the author included a few solid male-female friendships.
I only have a few complaints. The writing tended to have a bit more telling than showing, and that made it feel a bit rough around the edges sometimes. Some of the plot beats and characters were also a bit stilted and could have used a bit more polish. That being said, I think this is the author's debut novel, so I have hope that the writing will smooth out as the author publishes more. I'm excited to read the next installment and jump back into this creative world!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you eARC publishing for a copy of The Timekeepers by Jill Archie. This is a wonderful steampunk novel about living life in the present. Not searching to live in the past or to want the future more than the present. To be happy to live knowing we have eternity in our future. Lots of adventure with Onyx and Edison racing to foil a few enemies from messing with time. Onyx learns a lot about herself while racing from wheel to wheel to stop a few people from disrupting everyone lives for their own pleasure or selfishness.
The Timekeepers is a wonderful story set in the Clockwork Lands. I loved the illustrations scattered throughout that really helped this world to come alive. The story centres around 16-year-old Onyx Chime who has until now lived a relatively sheltered life in the care of her father, the Timekeeper. There were several plot twists that kept me engaged and wanting to read more. It was an enjoyable 4 star read for me. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.