Subtitled "The Watchmaker of Filigree Street #1.5" as the Japanese nobleman and future gazer, Keita Mori, gets a walk on part. It was brilliantly constructed and intriguing, although, as Natasha Pulley's books seems to be, often confusing and puzzling. Basically, it is 1859, and retired East India Company trader, Merrick Tremayne, is "encouraged" to accompany his former colleague, Clem, with Clem's wife Minna, to Peru. Their objective is to steal cuttings from Quinine trees as there is an epidemic of malaria in India, and Peru will not export the plants. The idea is daft - Merrick has a bad leg, and the Peruvian altitude and climate are hardly suited to his participation on the expedition. Also, smuggling the plants, if caught, carries a death sentence. There follows a long tale involving a community of invalids, magical statues, very old catholic priests, glass sided mountains, magical cities, the history of Merrick's father who came this way previously, a holy forest composed of lighter than air whitewood, explosive Phoenix like birds, and much more. There are also flashbacks, such as when a 12 year old Mori warns the East Indian trader Merrick of the danger many years into the future, and of Merrick's father on an expedition to Peru years before. Merrick befriends Raphael, a local Priest, who like others is destined to become petrified as a stone saint, with a role of protecting scared grounds for eternity. This is, as another reviewer wrote, a story of friendship, love, magic, different cultures, intrigue, tradition and adventure. It has marvellous descriptions and vivid images, and some subtle political messages about imperialism and religion. I enjoyed it very much, but had to persevere with much of the concepts and magical ideas.

Published July 2017. Read on Kindle.