The Counterclockwise Heart
- Subject
- Fantasy & Magic
- Age
- 6-8 years
- Format
- Trade Paperback
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
- Size
- 13.7 cm × 20.8 cm
- ISBN
- 9781643753522
WINNER OF THE 2023 MINNESOTA BOOK AWARD FOR MIDDLE GRADE LITERATURE
“Entertaining, fast-paced and thoughtful.”
—The New York Times Book Review
In this thrilling fantasy novel from an award-winning author, a prince and a mage must untangle the riddles from their shared past to save the future of the empire--or risk seeing everything they both love destroyed.
Tick . . . tick . . . tick . . .
Time is running out in the empire of Rheinvelt.
The sudden appearance of a strange and frightening statue foretells darkness. The Hierophants—magic users of the highest order—have fled the land. And the shadowy beasts of the nearby Hinterlands are gathering near the borders, preparing for an attack.
Young Prince Alphonsus is sent by his mother, the Empress Sabine, to reassure the people while she works to quell the threat of war. But Alphonsus has other problems on his mind, including a great secret: He has a clock in his chest where his heart should be—and it’s begun to run backwards, counting down to his unknown fate.
Searching for answers about the clock, Alphonsus meets Esme, a Hierophant girl who has returned to the empire in search of a sorceress known as the Nachtfrau. When riddles from their shared past threaten the future of the empire, Alphonsus and Esme must learn to trust each other and work together to save it—or see the destruction of everything they both love.
“Entertaining, fast-paced and thoughtful.”
—The New York Times Book Review
In this thrilling fantasy novel from an award-winning author, a prince and a mage must untangle the riddles from their shared past to save the future of the empire--or risk seeing everything they both love destroyed.
Tick . . . tick . . . tick . . .
Time is running out in the empire of Rheinvelt.
The sudden appearance of a strange and frightening statue foretells darkness. The Hierophants—magic users of the highest order—have fled the land. And the shadowy beasts of the nearby Hinterlands are gathering near the borders, preparing for an attack.
Young Prince Alphonsus is sent by his mother, the Empress Sabine, to reassure the people while she works to quell the threat of war. But Alphonsus has other problems on his mind, including a great secret: He has a clock in his chest where his heart should be—and it’s begun to run backwards, counting down to his unknown fate.
Searching for answers about the clock, Alphonsus meets Esme, a Hierophant girl who has returned to the empire in search of a sorceress known as the Nachtfrau. When riddles from their shared past threaten the future of the empire, Alphonsus and Esme must learn to trust each other and work together to save it—or see the destruction of everything they both love.
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What reviewers said
*Winner of the Minnesota Book Award*
"Farrey conjures a world bristling with spells and secrets. Readers will revel in this gripping, fable-like adventure."
—Stefan Bachmann, author of Cinders Sparrows
"Filled with friendship and magic, mysteries and betrayal, and a race against a ticking clock, this is top-notch fantasy with a heart. I loved it!"
“The Counterclockwise Heart encourages readers to be true to themselves, and to consider the source when confronted with opinions that contradict their own experience. … [an] entertaining, fast-paced and thoughtful novel … wise.”
“A fascinating fairy tale.”
“Full of drama, twists and turns, and poignant points of view, the novel's storylines converge into an unforgettable ending that will leave readers thinking about the pesky element of time and the role it plays in their lives.”
“A pleasing mix of fantasy and mystery with compassion at its (ticking) heart.”
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