The Chemistry of Tears

The Chemistry of Tears follows Catherine Gehrig, a horologist at London's Swinburne Museum, as she grapples with the sudden death of her married lover and colleague. Her supervisor assigns her to restore a mysterious mechanical automaton in a separate museum annexe, providing her with a project to channel her grief. The narrative alternates between Catherine's present-day story and the historical account of Henry Brandling, a 19th-century father who embarks on a quest to commission an elaborate mechanical toy for his ailing son. The two storylines intersect through Catherine's work on the automaton and her discovery of Brandling's notebooks. The book centers on the intersection of human emotion and mechanical precision, exploring the nature of grief through both Catherine's personal loss and Brandling's desperate mission. Both characters seek solace and meaning in the intricate workings of mechanical objects. The novel examines themes of love, loss, and the relationship between human consciousness and artificial creation. Through parallel narratives separated by centuries, it considers how people attempt to understand and control their world through technology and mechanical order.

Readers found the parallel narratives between Catherine's grief and the mechanical automaton story intellectually ambitious but emotionally distant. The technical details of clockwork mechanisms interested some while boring others. Liked: - Strong prose and metaphorical connections - Historical accuracy about automatons - Catherine's raw emotional state - Detailed descriptions of mechanical processes Disliked: - Confusing structure between timelines - Too much technical minutiae - Characters feel cold and detached - Ending leaves many threads unresolved "Beautiful writing but I never connected with the characters," noted one Amazon reviewer. "The automaton sections read like a technical manual," wrote another. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.2/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 3.3/5 (120+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.3/5 (380+ ratings) The book resonated more with readers who appreciate experimental literary fiction than those seeking traditional narrative satisfaction.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell The interweaving of multiple narratives across different time periods explores humanity's relationship with technology and power, mirroring the dual timeline structure and technological themes.

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton The connection between past and present through artifacts in a museum setting creates a narrative about love, loss, and the persistence of memory through time.

The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt This biographical novel about Nikola Tesla blends historical and contemporary storylines while examining the intersection of human emotion and technological innovation.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley Set in Victorian London, this tale of clockwork and science merges mechanical precision with human relationships in a museum setting.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke The historical setting and exploration of how people seek control through systematic pursuits connects to themes of order versus chaos in human experience.

🔸 Peter Carey is one of only four authors to have won the prestigious Booker Prize twice, receiving it for "Oscar and Lucinda" (1988) and "True History of the Kelly Gang" (2001). 🔸 The mechanical automaton in the book was inspired by Jacques Vaucanson's famous 1739 creation - a mechanical duck that could eat, digest, and defecate, causing a sensation in European society. 🔸 The field of horology (clock and watchmaking) featured in the book dates back to 1450 BCE, when ancient Egyptians first used water clocks to measure time. 🔸 The Swinburne Museum mentioned in the novel is loosely based on London's Victoria and Albert Museum, home to one of the world's finest collections of historical timepieces. 🔸 Though born and raised in Australia, Peter Carey wrote this book while living in New York City, where he has resided since 1990 and taught creative writing at Hunter College.