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Robert and Marisee were great main characters, and their journey trying to wake London from a Sleeping Beauty-esque curse by finding her missing Grandma was compelling. There was a line early on about how the dragons “were not forgiven for the unfortunate incident of 1666. The idea that the four ‘elements’ – earth, water, air and fire – make up all matter was the cornerstone of philosophy, science and medicine for nearly 2,000 years. This beautifully written story is set in an ancient London filled with dragons, ghosts and water spirits – it is absolutely bursting with magic, bound to enchant fans of books such as Nevermore and Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines series. Set within the ancient streets of London, the world that Lawrence has created is one which is ruled by the Elemental spirits – the Dragons (fire), the Fumis (air), the Chads (water) and the Magogs (earth).
The sleeping sickness affects poor people because they yearn for so much, yet rich people are not susceptible because they don’t face such struggles. Indigo Donut was shortlisted for the Bookseller YA Prize and the Carnegie Award, was Book of the Week in The Times, The Sunday Times and The Observer, and was one of The Times’ top children’s books in 2017. The system is a bit confusing at first, and the names of each elemental we’re introduced to were not easy to remember. But humans have been causing chaos for centuries, trampling through the landscape trailing noise, mess and pollution. The climax of this was super enthralling too, and I’m most definitely going to be continuing in the series.Exploring deep themes of slavery, child endangerment, and poverty in Georgian London through the eyes of two Black children, one enslaved and one an apprentice to her grandmother, is a very interesting premise and it was very well done.
I'm disappointed, because a magical story set in historical London should have been right up my street. It beggars belief that there are so many rich people with no one to miss – and this gaping plot hole often took me out of the story when it was mentioned. This book (and its characters) focuses strongly on the inequality of eighteenth-century society, and I was glad to see it. I really couldn’t put it down” Reya, The Week Junior’s Summer of Reading 2023 “I loved reading about a re-imagining of London with so much invention and energy. Alex Wheatle, author of Cane Warriors “BRILLIANT… history and fantasy woven magnificently into a thrilling, magical adventure” – Sophie Anderson, author of The House with the Chicken Legs “A fantastic adventure, packed with rich world building and stunning elemental magic.Instead, it just seems to be the real Georgian London… only with a bunch of spirits lurking around corners.
This one is a bit baffling: there are two names used in this book that are the names of real historical characters, but they aren't those characters. It explores themes of social injustice, such as slavery and poverty, with a clear eye, while the character twists and turns will keep the reader hooked. A novel where the key characters aren't white, male and middle class and don't have to have special powers to be the heroes. A London where magic sparks just beneath the surface – this book is set to ignite young imaginations.
A wonderfully busy cast of characters include the Cursing Boar of Fleet Ditch, versed in 83 languages (learn your London Horse! Her writing has won awards including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Children and The Bookseller YA Book Prize. p. 3-4) This is what I’d like to see more of – if there are elemental spirits, they probably interacted with human history! A stunningly imagined, action-packed fantasy adventure for fans of Nevermoor, Neverwhere and Mortal Engines, from bestselling and award-winning author Patrice Lawrence. The Elemental Detectives is a rip roaring magical adventure… Patrice Lawrence has done a marvellous job of building an imaginative and creative mythology which lurks just under the city streets.
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