A Plague of Bogles

City of Orphans / Bogle #2

by Catherine Jinks

“This is top-notch storytelling, full of wit, a colorful cast of rogues, and delectable slang.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review of How to Catch a Bogle

Jem Barbary spent most of his early life picking pockets for a wily old crook named Sarah Pickles—until she betrayed him. Now Jem wants revenge, but first he needs a new job. Luckily Alfred the bogler, the man who kills the child-eating monsters that hide in the shadows of Victorian London, needs a new apprentice. As more and more orphans disappear under mysterious circumstances, Alfred, Jem, and Birdie find themselves waging an underground war in a city where science clashes with superstition and monsters lurk in every alley.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Audiobook, Childrens

341 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

Catherine Jinks is the Australian author of more than thirty books for all ages. She has garnered many awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award(three times), the Victorian Premier’s Award, the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction, the Australian Ibby Award, and the Davitt Award for Crime Fiction. Her work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Thailand.

Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.

From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.

She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.

Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.

Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin

Reviews

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the first in this series I immediately purchased all three for our school library. A Very Unusual Pursuit certainly deserved to win CBCA's Book of the Year for younger readers. It is a mixture of historical fiction, horror and thriller - in one story! It is well written and the characters are clear and consistent. The settings and character descriptions are so vivid and interesting, they would spark great discussions with students.

Although it is on the yrs 7-9 PRC, I would be happy with children from 10+ reading this story - so long as they are aware that it can get quite scary. I will be reading A Very Singular Guild before it makes its way to the library shelf!

[Georgann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great second book. As always, the people are waaay worse than the monsters. And the monsters were quite monstrous!

[Sarah Waters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would love to give this 3 and half stars. Such a great series!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of the audiobook version. First thing I have to congratulate the narrator on truly bringing the story to life! Her various voices, ability to sing the singing parts, and perfect East End accents were great. On to the book itself...I actually picked this up not realizing that it was the middle book of a trilogy, but I wasn't lost at all. The author is skilled at introducing readers to the historical setting, characters, and, most importantly, the practice of bogling. I was engrossed with the suspense throughout the book as over and over young Jem (and sometimes Birdie) stood in the salt circle singing to attract one of the gruesome and deadly bogles. Jinks also aptly captures the nature of her characters, from enterprising Jem to tired and resigned Alfred to indomitable Birdie. The story was an excellent mixture of adventure, history, fantasy, and character study. I can't wait to read/listen to the others in the trilogy!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Jinks' writing is always a joy to read and this story, concentrating on Jem who begins to lure out bogles, is rich in detail and characterisation.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd in the City of Orphans Series. Jem Barbary is working with Alfred Bunce now.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd in the City of Orphans Series with Jem Barbary being Alfred Bunce's key assistant. Jem is keen to seek revenge on Sarah Pickles who sold him as bait for a Bogle, but at what cost?

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping and immersive. I liked this one even more than the first in the series, A Very Unusual Pursuit, as it goes deeper into the setting of creepy 1890s London, and into the motivations and emotions of characters.
The main character, Jem, is hugely likeable. He is a former pickpocket who takes over Birdie's job of bogling with Alfred Bunce. He is spirited, sharp and simply adorable. I have always loved pre-teen Dickenson pickpocket boys who can't keep their mouths shut. I loved learning about Jem's past and also having a deep insight into life in this place and time.
Birdie, too, continues to be fiery, brave and just. The other characters are various, interesting and all have their own flaws and strengths.
The plot was perhaps less tight than the previous book. And like that one, it sometimes got repetitive and predictable. But I felt the focus on backstory and the setting allowed for more crackling dialogue and a focus on nuances of the characters' relationships, as well as vivid descriptions of the dark alleyways, foggy streets and murky waters in London.
Highly enjoyable. I really liked it.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book of three doesn't focus on Alfred's first apprentice bogler Birdie but instead follows Jem Barbary, a somewhat minor character from book one, as he tries to take Birdie's place as Alfred Bunce's assistant while following the trail of his prior boss who betrayed him in book one.

The tale in this book had a few unexpected twists and might frighten younger readers due to the number of bogles being faced. Some older children will ask questions about some of the settings and some of the unfortunately accurate professions being practiced by various characters. Dickensian London of the poor is described quite well based on my knowledge of the times, and some of it is rather grim. The story is told well, however, and the narrator does a wonderful job with the characters and the singing involved.

[Kristie J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story about more bogles in 19th century London. This book focuses on Jem as the main character with Birdie making some appearances. It's a bit unusual for the main character in a trilogy to switch like that, but Jem is a likable character so I didn't mind. I thought Miss Eves was kind of annoying in this book. She kept complaining about the bogling and she didn't seem as interested in it like she was in the first book.

I listened to the audiobook. Mandy Williams is such an excellent narrator that it really brings this story to the next level. I felt that the story ended kind of abruptly so I'm eager for the next audiobook to come out to finish the trilogy.

[Lindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally, I don’t think A Plague of Bogles does justice to How to Catch a Bogle. Whether or not you should read this book depends on what characters you liked in the first book. The story is written from Jem’s perspective, so we see deeper into his character. I enjoyed seeing more of Alfred’s character. We also see more of Birdie, Ned, Miss Eames, and Sarah Pickles. However, at the end of the story, the character of Birdie loses all of her appeal for me. That’s the majority of the reason I rated this book with 3 stars.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jem is the main character in this book, not Birdie McAdam, who was the main character in the first book. That's a bit of a shame because I liked Birdie's character better and was interested in what was going on with her when the story followed Jem, but the book is still enjoyable and a bit dark and spooky despite the mild middle school target audience. There are still some cool folk songs that the reader sings to great effect. I'm looking forward to the final installment.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series more than this one, but A Plague of Bogles was still good for multitasking. It is obvious with the way the book suddenly ended that there is/was another book to come. "The Last Bogler" is not available through my library, but I may get to it someday. I don't like to leave a series without completing it.

[BRT · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun second in this series. Mr. Bunce has retired from bogling but when there's a rash of missing children, he's pulled back into the dangerous craft. With his star apprentice now studying music, he takes on Jem. But the bogles aren't acting normal and Jem's old mentor resurfaces so dangers abound. Fun characters, good plot in this young adult but still enjoyable for older adults novel.

[Andy Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot to enjoy in this book. Aside from an urban fantasy set in 19th-century London, it also has multiple coming-of-age stories in the book. Then add in vivid characters, both good and evil, and a spine-tingling plot in which children risk their lives to kill other world horrors and you've got a crackling good book.

[Stacy Mozer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Two in this dark, middle grade historical fantasy by Catherine Jinks was just as exciting as the first. I would definitely recommend the book for an older middle grader and lovers of the last books in the Harry Potter series.

[Michael Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched and exciting follow-up. Characters are heart-felt and nuanced. Action is wall-to-wall and surprising. A bit dark in places but my kids hung in there. Led to frank family discussion about life in 19th century England.

[Lgordo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of this book. The author projected a shitton of 21st century moral values into a 19th-century street scene, some characters were a bit weak, and the ending felt abrupt, but these are minor complaints.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Human trafficking mentioned
Child abuse
Alcohol consumption
Murder mentioned
Axe violence mentioned
Physical assault
Strangulation
Fire recounted
Caning of a child

[Jessica F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid sequel. Looking forward to the finish!

[Susan Forsgren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not really like this series.
I could not understand all the stories that were happening at the same time.

[Jack Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audio book on a car trip and enjoyed.

[Heather Rauch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book is as adventurous as the first. Don't look for anything deep here, just interesting characters doing interesting things.

[Peter Skurr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the series

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed another adventure with this crew of bogle hunters.

[Saundra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment!

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoying this very different supernatural actions.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

16 hours to finish it … book 3 is next

Book 3 now has a different title: Last Bolger

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Near Perfect Fantasy Adventure for Younger Readers

I'm a big fan of the "Last Apprentice", (aka "Spook's Apprentice"), series by Joseph Delaney. It's rich, deep, and filled with action, suspense, and deeply engaging characters. It does no disservice at all to these books to observe that this series is very much like a simpler, crisper, more accessible variation on that story for younger readers.

Here, our hero, Jem, wants to be an apprentice to a retired/reluctant Bogle hunter. We have a bright, sharp, courageous lad. We also have Birdie, a smart, feisty female sidekick. We have a grizzled weary Bogle hunter. And, we have a vast collection of Victorian characters - colorful, engaging, and covering the spectrum from comic diversions to weighty presences.

I say this is for younger readers just because everything is laid out in an entertaining and rich, but entirely accessible fashion. Good guys are good guys. Bad guys are bad guys. Action is crisp and clear. The plot is straightforward. While there are no info dumps there are many conversations that lay out and explain the action in an unobtrusive way. The setting is Victorian London, but the setting offers color and fun and isn't at all just a dreary or tedious reflection of the author's research into the era. Indeed, while we occasionally go off on a bit of a Victorian London city tour those bits are interesting and spirited enough to not slow down the action or the pacing.

Alfred Bunce, the Bogle Hunter, is a bit crusty around the edges, but he is fundamentally sound, wise and reliable. So, we end up with two juvenile heros being guided, protected and watched over by an experienced, dependable adult. The whole feeling is upbeat and comfortable, even in the most dire predicaments.

The characters develop as the story progresses, but this is a suspenseful actioner first and foremost. The pacing is fast and furious, with occasional pauses for comic, plot, or local color relief. Bogles devour babies and children, but this isn't a gore fest or a creepy horror tale. It's fantasy, but without magic or sword-in-the-stone angles, so it reads much more like a ripping yarn than like a magical fantasy.

This is the second book in the series, but it seems that a lot of people have come across it without the benefit of having read Book One. That's O.K. because the author fills in the backstory in the first chapter such that a new reader will feel comfortable and oriented from the start. This book is written from the point of view of Jem rather than Birdie, (who was featured in Book One), but that just adds variety to the series as a whole. And since Jem is a personable, appealing and relatble narrator, with just the right touch of innocence and vinegar, he works very well as the central character.

The upshot is that this works on a lot of levels - characters, plot, quality of writing, ability to engage the reader - and seems to be a solid choice for a new fantasy reader.

Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sequel to How to Catch a Bogle, and like that book, it's middle grade historical-fiction/fantasy: Victorian London, with child-eating monsters called bogles. Birdie McAdam was the child protagonist of that book, and she's still present in this one, but now her acquaintance Jem Barbary takes center stage: Birdie is no longer an apprentice to the bogler Alfred Bunce, and Alfred is maybe not even killing bogles anymore anyway, though Jem would love to be his apprentice if he were. Early in the book, a barmaid changes Alfred's mind about his decision to stop bogling: a scullery maid has gone missing in the basement of the place where this barmaid works, presumably eaten by a bogle, and the barmaid harps on how she'd hate for the next child her boss hires to suffer the same fate. Alfred is a tender-hearted guy and can't say no, and ends up taking Jem along to help with the job.

Once word gets out that Alfred is killing bogles, he keeps getting requests for further jobs: lots more kids have gone missing, all in the same neighborhood. Which is weird, because bogles are normally solitary creatures who don't live too close to one another. Jem is excited to be working as Alfred's apprentice, but also having kind of a hard time: being a bogler's apprentice means acting as bait to lure the bogle from its lair, and that's pretty terrifying. But his athleticism serves him well: he has tumbling skills and uses them to get out of a bogle's reach more than once. Meanwhile, though, he's not just thinking of bogles: he wants revenge on his former master, Sarah Pickles, who ran a gang of child pickpockets. Some people say she's dead, but Jem doesn't believe it, so he's keeping an eye out for her as he and Alfred go about their bogling work.

While I was sad, at first, that this book had shifted focus from Birdie to Jem, I was won over pretty quickly. I like how the book explores how Jem's past has shaped him (he's shrewd, and doesn't trust adults; it's not until the end of the book that he realizes he can actually trust Alfred, who really is a good guy), and I like the descriptions of how he uses his physical skills in his work: there's a whole section of descriptions of Jem climbing up things that made my rock-climbing self really happy because it captured the experience/focus of climbing so well. I also like how much cool Victorian infrastructure this book has in it: the newly-constructed Holborn Viaduct, and sewer tunnels, and the railway sidings at Smithfield Market.