BKMT READING GUIDES
The Clockwork Man
by William Jablonsky
Paperback : 288 pages
0 club reading this now
0 members have read this book
Introduction
Ernst's world is one of endless admirers, including foreign dignitaries and heads of state. Hailed as a marvel of late nineteenth-century automation, he is the crowning achievement of his master, Karl Gruber. A world-famous builder of automated clocks, Gruber has reached the pinnacle of his art in Ernst—a man constructed entirely of clockwork. Educated and raised in the Gruber household to be a gentle, caring soul, Ernst begins to discover a profound love for his master's daughter, Giselle. Just as their relationship becomes intimate, however, tragedy strikes and the family falls apart. Ernst's serene and happy existence is shattered and changed forever. Abandoned, knowing no other life but the one he has led, Ernst allows himself to wind down in a kind of suicide. Over one hundred years later, he awakens in a strange new land, the world he's known long gone. Along with his mentor and guide, a well-meaning if slightly unstable homeless man, Ernst attempts to piece together the events that brought him to his new home—and to let go of the century-old tragedy that still haunts him.
Discussion Questions
*What do you see as the book's central themes?*What does Ernst's "clockwork-ness" (other-than-human nature) contribute to his character and to the overall themes present in the novel?
*What do you see as the relation between Ernst and the modern concept of the super-hero?
*How do you feel about the sex scene? Did you find it alarming? Necessary to the plot? If so, how?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
Note from the Author: The inspiration for the novel came from seeing an antique mechanical man on the wall of a pancake-and-coffee place in Park Ridge, IL; my mind spun out the story in the car on the way home. I'd been thinking about a larger story that touched on some of my favorite themes (particularly those dealing with super-heroes and their cultural connotations in American society), and that heap of tin on the wall sent that ball rolling...out of control. I hope that upon encountering Ernst's recounting of his life and adventures (both big and small), the reader will forget that they're reading the words of an automaton, and that, despite his clockwork nature, they're encountering a soul, one capable of warmth and wrath, nobility and imperfection.Book Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.
Book Club HQ to over 88,000+ book clubs and ready to welcome yours.
Get free weekly updates on top club picks, book giveaways, author events and more
