A conservator in a rather prim London museum, grieving for her lover, is given the job of restoring a mystery automaton. She becomes fascinated by the diaries of Henry, the endearing eccentric who travelled to Germany two centuries ago to commission the 'duck'. He and the fairy-tale like Germans he has to grapple with are all over-the-top but brilliantly imagined. The writing is rich but economical and both past and present stories equally absorbing. Wonderful!
(Victoria Grey-Edwards - bwl 65 Summer 2012 ) |
