Time is the binding theme in this starkly imagined life in late medieval Europe. Sixteen-year-old Anne’s Uncle Albrecht, an ex-monk, seeks to order time as if thus to ascertain the mind of God. But rival forces\u2014a duke, the church, and the town merchants\u2014also seek control of this new power image, the clock, amid social upheavals of laborers, marauding soldiers, outbreaks of plague\u2014times of casual brutality, rape. Anne narrates this three-year account (her mute younger brother and his ever-present pet rabbit, her companion, and foil), from the horrendous opening scenes of her parents’ murder to a future made hopeful through her clock-making experience. There are wonderful minor characters, such as a crazed Knight Templar and a Jew who finds temporary refuge as a copyist. Although some characters are introduced or events staged to present special information (e.g., knighthood, taxation, housekeeping practices), the crafting is so good and the writing so vivid that readers will be grateful. There are a few sunny spots\u2014ice skating and delight in a spring day after being plague-bound, but the overall atmosphere evoked is somber and symbolic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Time is the binding theme in this starkly imagined life in late medieval Europe. Sixteen-year-old Anne’s Uncle Albrecht, an ex-monk, seeks to order time as if thus to ascertain the mind of God. But rival forces\u2014a duke, the church, and the town merchants\u2014also seek control of this new power image, the clock, amid social upheavals […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5143,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[1408],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5141","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-adult-books","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"yoast_head":"\n