The Grandfather Clock
Graceful, slim pillars framed the three levels of the clock:
a lower compartment where the counterweights would be,
a mysterious middle compartment with a curved double door,
and a glass-covered upper section, which held the face,
faintly yellowed with age, and a curious, dark blue half-disk.
Stepping nearer, Cissy peered up at the disk. Royal blue,
with a storm-cloud face to the left and a smiling sun on the right.
And in the middle before them ...
Cissy blinked. "Is this a sheep?"
I’m a big fan of Studio Ghibli films like HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE or TONARI NO TOTORO and was determined to include a
reference to one of these films in my novel, which, after all, is full of intertextual references anyway. In addition, ever
since I first saw the film THE LAST UNICORN, a mysterious castle needs an equally mysterious grandfather clock in my
opinion. And it so happens that the Studio Ghibli film WHISPER OF THE HEART features a very special grandfather clock,
which is said to have once stood in a castle - absolutely perfect for my purposes!
WHISPER OF THE HEART is a coming-of-age story: we are introduced to young Shizuku, who lives in one of Japan's big
cities and is something of the poet among her friends. She has written a new text for John Denver's "Country Roads" -
"Concrete Roads" to reflect their experience of living in a city. ("Country Roads" is the theme song of the film and this
is the reason why I wrote CASTLE OF THE WOLF with a John Denver CD softly playing in the background.) (Please note that
nevertheless I manfully - or should that be "womanfully"? - refrained from including some ponies in the novel! *g*) One day
Shizuku meets a cat in the train and decides to follow him when he leaves the train. He leads her to a quaint shop in a
quarter high up over the city. The shop is stuffed with all kinds of strange objects and antiques, among them a small
figurine of a cat in a morning coat, "the Baron" as she later learns, and a mysterious grandfather clock. The shopkeeper
has just finished repairing the clock. He tells Shizuku the story of the star-crossed lovers and shows her how at the
stroke of twelve the enchanted princess is transformed into her true self.
At the shop Shizuku also meets the boy Seiji, who yearns to become a violin maker, and the two of them become friends.
The encounter with the Baron and the sight of the grandfather clock inspire Shizuku to start writing a novel. Seeing Seiji
strive to make his dream come real, she works hard at improving her own writing skills. The result is a beautiful, magical
story about the Baron and his lost love. (Shizuku should join RWA, I tell you!)
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