Sean Lusk

Mary is a woman ahead of her time, living in the 18th Century she is under the control of her father and she does not want the marriage he has arranged. Eloping with Edward Wortley Montagu, Mary becomes the wife of a politician with social influence in London society. Manipulating a position for her husband in Istanbul, Mary experiences life with more freedom and where she can affect the lives of others but there are sacrifices to be made.
Mary Wortley Montagu is an early feminist whose life show more is not as well-heralded as it should be. She is most known for pioneering the idea of inoculation against smallpox, a process she observed in Turkey and brought back to England. However her story is so much more and here, Lusk has written a wonderful fictional biography which celebrates this idiosyncratic heroine. show less

"What is youth but the mainspring of a timepiece freshly wound, measuring the hours perfectly, ignorant that time must, sooner or later, outpace the tick and tock of his heart, leaving a man to rot until even his bones are turned to dust."

Thank you NetGalley and Random Things Tours for the chance to read and review The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley by Sean Lusk!

The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley came out on the 9th of June and was published by Transworld Publishers, a Penguin show more imprint. It’s 355 pages long and Sean Lusk’s debut novel. The book is a standalone novel that borders on historical fiction/fantasy, action, and literary fiction. It’s also a great read for Pride month, but I won’t tell you how!

While the blurb is lovely, The Second Sight easily has one of the most magical covers I’ve seen in a while!

The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley is set in 18th century London and Istanbul. It’s the story of loss and love and the ways in which love and loss can make us hurt the people we care about the most. It’s a well researched book and I love that the inspiration came from an English clock in Istanbul!

Zachary’s upbringing is an unusual one; with birds and clocks; fitting though, because he is an unusual boy, clever at understanding things just beyond the reach of others.

"‘Mrs Margesson is possessed once again,’ he says cheerfully.
‘Is it the devil this time, or her late husband?’
‘Only the devil on this occasion, I’m pleased to say.’"

After a terrible accident his father sends him away to live with his maternal great aunt and travels to Istanbul to unthought off consequences. As Zachary grows up and can see things that others can’t, things that turn out to be true, he travels to his father, long since presumed dead, to try and bring him home.

"Any fool can teach belief."

There was no uninteresting character in this story. Each of them is lovely and real and intensely human and fallible, from Abel and Zachary, his grandmother, Lenora and Mrs Morley, and Tom. I also felt a little sad to imagine that Zachary could see so many things when he touched a persons hand, but couldn’t see what his great aunt had been thinking about for so many years. I also feel bad for Lenore, because I genuinely feel like Mrs Morley will be pretty overbearing and I want her to be able to strike out on her own amidst such strong personalities.

"Is this moment not your answer?" show less

Born on the day his mother died, Zachary Cloudesley is the beloved son of a clockmaker in 18th century London. He is blessed with the gift of foresight but after a near fatal accident his leaves his father to live with his rich but eccentric maternal aunt. His father is forced to journey to Constantinople at the behest of the government and is imprisoned as a spy but Zachary never gives up hope and journeys to find his father.
This book is such a joy! The plot is preposterous but works so show more well, the characters are eccentric in their own ways yet the whole is life-affirming and a delight to read. show less