Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times

Gr 3–6—In this steampunk fantasy, Jack Foster, the oft-ignored son of affluent socialites in Victorian England, finds himself trapped in the land of Londonium after following an evil magician named Lorcan through a door at the base of Big Ben. Londonium, a land of metal automatons, sooty skies, and humanoid citizens with gear-augmented bodies, is run by a temperamental, ageless Lady who is desperate for a "perfect" (human) son. The story is alternately told from Jack and Lorcan's perspective, allowing readers to see London and Londonium through two very different pairs of eyes, one curious and vivacious, one warped by years of loyalty to the Lady. In Londonium, a thick layer of soot lays over the city and citizens, and there is a palpable air of hopelessness to life when Jack arrives. Jack has innate goodness and caring but is not without flaws, and his companions in this new world have their own quirks and motivations, making for a satisfying, multi-dimensional story. No one character is all good or all bad, and Trevayne explores their motivations and machinations thoroughly. The richly drawn world and inventive steampunk elements help this novel stand out from the pack of middle-grade fantasy.—Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla, Darien Library, CT