A Very Unusual Pursuit: City of Orphans book one (Catherine Jinks, A&U)

Prolific author Catherine Jinks is back with a brand new series, ‘City of Orphans’. The first book, A Very Unusual Pursuit, is set in Victorian London and stars 10-year-old Birdie, ‘a bogler’s girl’. A bogle is a horrible creature that lurks in dark places (like chimneys) and eats children for breakfast. But life is tough and to earn her keep it’s Birdie’s job to lure these creatures from their lairs with her angelic singing voice. Then her master Alfred Bunce kills them with his trusty spear. When some of the young neighbourhood pickpockets go missing, Birdie and Alfred know it’s the work of a bogle. But their pursuit leads them to an unexpected place: the house of a doctor, who’s planned some traps of his own. Jinks’ attention to detail in conjuring the period shows a master at work. Illustrations of class structures are woven seamlessly into the plot, settings are vivid and characters speak in accents and slang (there’s even a glossary). It’s also a riveting read with some truly terrifying moments. A promising new series for the 8-12 age group.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews