Cosimah2o
Active Member
In 1874 in Edinburgh, newborn Jack is near death from a frozen heart when his teenage mother abandons him. Dr. Madeline is a midwife to fallen women who can't afford to keep their bastard children. On the coldest night of the year, she adopts a baby boy with a faulty heart and replaces it with a cuckoo-clock. Little Jack's heart beats with an odd tick and strange tock, Dr. Madeline warns Jack as he grows that his heart is too fragile for strong emotion and he should, therefore, never fall in love.
Ignoring her wisdom, and as Jack becomes a young man, he ventures out into the world to one day meet a beautiful singing girl in the town square. Her angelic voice beckons, his heart thumps wildly, and Jack must have this street singer called Miss Acacia. This stimulates his heart to a point where if it does not ease off it will kill him.
The story sweeps across Europe taking in Edinburgh, London, Paris and Andalucia. Along the way our protagonist meets a diverse assortment of individuals including George Melies and Jack the Ripper. There are some funny or delightful moments like when Little Jack sees a clock tower and asks "Is that my father?"
The main theme of the book really is about seizing the moment, not being afraid to live & not letting life pass you by.
Stylistically, Malzieu's prose is beautiful and poetic, scattered with so many metaphors. This little book has the feel of a fairy tale with a touch of Tim Burton. In fact, the cover art reminiscent of films such as:`The Corpse Bride' `Edward Scissor-hands' & `Big Fish'.
There are a fair few sexual references as the book progresses and even early on in the story there are a few innocently erotic remarks.