Josef Kronecker is a brilliant horologist whose expertise goes beyond mere clocks. His shop in the 18th century Salzburg hides wonders unheard-of by his contemporaries, like a mechanical boy who can dance and play. Then Josef falls in love with a beautiful noblewoman Klara, who has different plans for his inventions. At the same time, Josef’s disfigured assistant, Anna, hides a deep love towards him. Anna is, in turn, wooed by the young pianist Pascal recovering from a terrible accident.
So begins Gordon Gravley’s OF GILDED FLESH. To tell more would mean spoiling all the delicious twists and turns in the story. The novel could be best described as a historical fantasy romance. Set in the Habsburg Empire in the mid-18th century, the story takes inspiration from the real-life craze for automatons. In the decades leading up to the First Industrial Revolution, complex and expensive clockworks were among most advanced devices in the world. While nobility played with wind-up toys, inventors built chronometers for nautical navigation and early mechanical calculators. But real-life history is merely an inspiration for fantastic contraptions Josef the clock maker builds to help others. But does he aid them? Or does he instead make them dependent on technology they can barely comprehend? This classic science fiction conundrum is nicely counterbalanced by a charming and humorous story. Wonderful sardonic wit permeates dialogues and descriptions throughout the novel.
While the principal characters in OF GILDED FLESH are imperfect, they all possess certain melancholic wisdom borne out of personal suffering. This turns out to be not only their strength but a redeeming feature as well. Furthermore, a reader gains an impression that Gravley seems to honestly care about his fictional creations – just as Josef, the clock maker, cares about his inventions. The author might even like his characters a bit too much since the happy ending doesn’t feel entirely earned. It isn’t difficult to imagine this tale taking a darker, more tragic turn by the end. Would this make it more impactful? Possibly. Would it make for a more enjoyable read? Certainly not! Readers can construe Gordon Gravley’s OF GILDED FLESH as an allegory about a difference between wants and needs; how things we want may not be the ones we need, even if augmented with fantastic clockwork contraptions. Or they can read it is an escapist, fantastical romance. In either case, OF GILDED FLESH is a treat.
Gordon Gravley’s historical fantasy romance OF GILDED FLESH is a smart, charming, witty novel that’s a joy to read from start to finish.
~Danijel Štriga for IndieReader