By Angela Bell
“You need to embrace the starry-eyed wanderlust God has placed in you. Explore the wonders of the world and let Him be the one to carry it. Let Him be the one to carry us.”
– Angela Bell
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* This book club guide was written by An Open Book and produced by Baker Publishing Group
Storyline
Reminiscent of Around the World in 80 Days, Up (yes, the Disney Pixar movie that had me bawling like a baby within minutes 
) and the Nutcracker, this historical adventure tale has the perfect amount of mystery, whimsy, romance, and travel! Miss Clara Marie Stanton’s family are the most eccentric collection of people living in London during the 1860’s, but their quirks they’re certainly not insane! When Clara’s ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, she must do everything in her power keep her beloved Grandfather Drosselmeyer safe from a lifetime in an asylum.
Drosselmeyer is not helping, as he spontaneously decides to take a trip around Europe in his flying owl machine, leaving Clara with no choice but to pursue him on this scavanger hunt, and, much to Clara’s displeasure, accompanied by Drosselmeyer’s mysterious new apprentice.
This Book is for you if you enjoy…
• Reluctant to fall, dreamy, and sweet romances
• Scavenger Hunts
• Sightseeing in Europe
• A villain you can love to hate!
• Non-magic magical inventions
• A woman ahead of her time & hilariously outspoken against animal cruelty (with a conviction to care for God’s creation so greatly that she’ll hold a funeral for an animal)
• Deep back stories and well-developed characters
• Letters of wisdom and faith
Content Warnings
War Violence; vivid dreams of a battlefield; dead bodies and lost limbs
Father Hurt; verbal, emotional, and physical abuse
Maternal death, Night terrors, abduction, and restraint/captivity
Gambling to the point of Bankruptcy, the cruelty and horrific conditions and practices of 19th century debtors’ prison and ‘insane asylums’.
This book is overtly Christian, and follows the two main characters as they grow in their faith and love for God; Clara learns lessons in God’s sovereignty, while Theodore learns about God’s unconditional love. Grandfather Drosselmeyer is a wisdom character who shares his life-long experiences and knowledge of God through scavenger hunt letters with Clara and Theodore.
Vision of God; One character has a vision/dream/encounter with God, which includes an audible voice.
