tricked into releasing the evil spirit ruin while attempting to close the well of ascension new emperor elend venture and his wife the assassin vin are now hardpressed to save the world orphan clock keeper and thief hugo lives in the walls of a busy paris train station where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity but when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station hugos undercover life and his most precious secret are put in jeopardy a cryptic drawing a treasured notebook a stolen key a mechanical man and a hidden message from hugos dead father form the backbone of this intricate tender and spellbinding mystery