Instead, by his own account, he found himself thinking of an evil Duke, a lovely princess, and thirteen clocks. He headed to Bermuda, in hopes that the change of scenery would encourage him to get some work done. In 1949, James Thurber was nearly completely blind, and behind schedule on a book. But when the bold Prince Zorn of Zorna arrives, disguised as a wandering minstrel, and helped by the enigmatic Golux, the cold Duke may at last have met his match. To thwart that fate, he sets impossible tasks for Saralinda’s suitors. The Duke fancies he has frozen time, for he is afraid that one day a Prince may come and win away the hand of the Princess-the only warm hand in the castle. The hands of all thirteen clocks stand still in the gloomy castle on a lonely hill where a wicked Duke lives with his niece, the beautiful Princess Saralinda. Thankfully Penguin Deluxe brought this back with Neil Gaiman's doing the introduction, so maybe people will check their clocks and have time to read 13 Clocks.

Maybe it's because James Thurber is more of an adult humorist, but he can write a good children's book. Makes you think about the time of knights and chivalry. Reminded me of those children's fairy tale books from the 50's were the art is good and all, but they seem dated too. I mean it fits with the story well, but it fits with the time this was written too. The art in this book is the only thing I kind of liked, but at the same time I didn't like. However there is a scene with a woman that weeps jewels, well that's not that weird if you read the story. Maybe it's a little like Wonderland (but less weird). I liked the use of rhyme and the names of the characters, particularly Zorn, Golux, and Hagga. Very different form other things, but at the same time felt familiar. Kind of what I was expecting when I found out I actually have read a little bit of James Thurber before. If you asked me to compare this book with another, Fractured Fairy Tales came to my mind reading this whimsical tale.

I read this book in the voice of Edward Everett Horton.

The thirteen clocks by james thurber