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Hyacinth #1
Hyacinth and the Secrets Beneath
Magic is real. History is a big, fat lie.
Before Hyacinth Hayward moves from Illinois to London, she reads up on the city's history. Too bad for her. Because the books are wrong. The truth is, London was built on magical rivers, and all the major events in its past have been about people trying to control the magic.
Hyacinth discovers this when her mom is kidnapped. In the chase to get her back, Hyacinth encounters a giant intelligent pig in a bathing suit, a boy with amnesia, an adorable tosher (whatever that is), a sarcastic old lady, and a very sketchy unicorn. Somehow Hyacinth has to figure out who to trust, so she can save her mom and, oh yeah, not cause a second Great Fire of London."
Before Hyacinth Hayward moves from Illinois to London, she reads up on the city's history. Too bad for her. Because the books are wrong. The truth is, London was built on magical rivers, and all the major events in its past have been about people trying to control the magic.
Hyacinth discovers this when her mom is kidnapped. In the chase to get her back, Hyacinth encounters a giant intelligent pig in a bathing suit, a boy with amnesia, an adorable tosher (whatever that is), a sarcastic old lady, and a very sketchy unicorn. Somehow Hyacinth has to figure out who to trust, so she can save her mom and, oh yeah, not cause a second Great Fire of London."
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2017
About the author
Jacob Sager Weinstein
18 books53 followersJacob Sager Weinstein's work has appeared in The New Yorker and The Onion, and he has written for HBO and the BBC as well. He lives in London with his wife and children.
His latest book is HOW TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING: TIPS AND TRICKS OF THE MEMORY MASTERS.
His latest book is HOW TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING: TIPS AND TRICKS OF THE MEMORY MASTERS.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 21, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Hyacinth and her mother Cleo have come from living in America to move to the UK. For the time being, they are staying with Cleo’s sister. However, when they arrive at her flat on their first day they discover she has had to work away for a while and so they have the place to themselves.
Hyacinth can’t understand why the water in the UK comes out of two taps, you can either have it too hot or too cold but never just right unless you put the plug in and mix the water in the basin. Fed up of sore, chapped hands from the water she arranges a plumber to come and change the taps to a mixer unit, little did she know that by crossing the two streams of water she will unleash a terrible disaster on London and that a naughty water droplet would escape and she has to get it back or she will never see her mother again.
The City of Secret Rivers is the first book in a middle-grade series featuring Hyacinth and her gang of strange and unusual friends who are helping to stop a major disaster. You see the water under the city of London is magical and to stop it being used for bad some measures have been put in place such as keeping the water separate and special runes which look like an upside-down image of Sherlock Holmes – In fact in the story Sherlock was created to protect an area of London that is very magical.
The book is a whole lot of fun and with mentions to items and people from history and modern times Children will be able to use these visual clues to bring the story to life.
It is a strange book but that’s what I enjoyed the most, it doesn’t have any of the normal traits of middle-grade books, it isn’t set in school setting like a lot of them, this has a big portion of the book set in the sewers below London, in all its smelly, dirty, glory.
There is an element of magic to the story, not just the water, items such as lost property umbrellas too – you will have to read to find out why.
The book has an air of Mary Poppins to it which I loved as Hyacinth has help from one of her neighbours who lives in their apartment building and her job was to protect the magic so it is her job to help Hyacinth get that water droplet back. She speaks very poshly and her manners and attitude are what reminds me of Mary Poppins.
Overall The City of Secret Rivers is a wonderful, amusing adventure story and with the second book already out I can’t wait to pick it up and continue my journey with Hyacinth.
Hyacinth and her mother Cleo have come from living in America to move to the UK. For the time being, they are staying with Cleo’s sister. However, when they arrive at her flat on their first day they discover she has had to work away for a while and so they have the place to themselves.
Hyacinth can’t understand why the water in the UK comes out of two taps, you can either have it too hot or too cold but never just right unless you put the plug in and mix the water in the basin. Fed up of sore, chapped hands from the water she arranges a plumber to come and change the taps to a mixer unit, little did she know that by crossing the two streams of water she will unleash a terrible disaster on London and that a naughty water droplet would escape and she has to get it back or she will never see her mother again.
The City of Secret Rivers is the first book in a middle-grade series featuring Hyacinth and her gang of strange and unusual friends who are helping to stop a major disaster. You see the water under the city of London is magical and to stop it being used for bad some measures have been put in place such as keeping the water separate and special runes which look like an upside-down image of Sherlock Holmes – In fact in the story Sherlock was created to protect an area of London that is very magical.
The book is a whole lot of fun and with mentions to items and people from history and modern times Children will be able to use these visual clues to bring the story to life.
It is a strange book but that’s what I enjoyed the most, it doesn’t have any of the normal traits of middle-grade books, it isn’t set in school setting like a lot of them, this has a big portion of the book set in the sewers below London, in all its smelly, dirty, glory.
There is an element of magic to the story, not just the water, items such as lost property umbrellas too – you will have to read to find out why.
The book has an air of Mary Poppins to it which I loved as Hyacinth has help from one of her neighbours who lives in their apartment building and her job was to protect the magic so it is her job to help Hyacinth get that water droplet back. She speaks very poshly and her manners and attitude are what reminds me of Mary Poppins.
Overall The City of Secret Rivers is a wonderful, amusing adventure story and with the second book already out I can’t wait to pick it up and continue my journey with Hyacinth.
March 13, 2017
This was cute, and fast paced, but felt a little off in some places. I couldn't get a good feel for a couple of the characters, especially the mom. Why was she so spacey? Was there something wrong with her? That part was strange.
Overall a good, solid, fantasy for middle grade.
Overall a good, solid, fantasy for middle grade.
June 30, 2018
This book is hilarious and is such a great adventure full of fantasy and even the real-life strangeness of London. Hyacinth has recently moved to London, from America, where her whole family is originally from. But living in London is hard for Hyacinth, especially as she has to get used to how strange and different British life is, including the fact that hot and cold water aren’t mixed in our taps. One day Hyacinth’s has enough of scolding and freezing her hands, and finds a way to mix both waters together, unleashing a magical force that causes havoc around London.
This story is brilliant, although I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it when I began reading. The book is written in the first person making it easy to get into the action from her point of view, but I did find the way it sounded a bit difficult to get into. Hyacinth is twelve years old but sounds more like a teenager in the way she thinks. She’s an interesting character and I did enjoy the book the more I read it, but it sounded different from the many other children’s/middle grade books I’m used to reading.
When Hyacinth accidently unleashes magic into London’s sewers it starts off an adventure into underground London. The adventure is as madcap as you can get and completely fantasy with all sots of weird things happening. It’s a bit like Alice in Wonderland in how weird everything is but with a lot ofhumour making it the madcap caper it is! There are magical rivers that run along the now London sewer system, and all sorts of strange things happening and strange creatures throughout. The story is as daft as it looks on the cover with a very large pig dressed in a swimming costume involved in the action. You’ll find out who this pig is and I just loved his character! The book starts off a bit strange with the slightly older tone and a few things didn’t feel real like Hyacinth being able to do plumbing to fix the taps at just twelve years old, but once you move beyond that the story actually becomes brilliant and you start to understand the way everything is connected.
The hilarious tale becomes one that’s completely believable the more you read on, and it’s interesting because so many parts of the story you can trace back to real life London. The characters have an adventure around the city and visit lots of locations which all become connected with the story. Perhaps it’s my interest in London (the fact I live here) that makes me enjoy this so much but I found it fascinating the way that the story basically explains how everything in London’s history isn’t true and there’s a magical version of history that’s kept secret from everyone. I’ve always enjoyed stories that try to explain the strange things that have happened or exist and this book really does that and in a brilliant way.
The story has a great ending, it’s satisfying but does leave enough unanswered questions to leave you wanting to read the next book in the trilogy. There’s nothing offensive in the book and I think many kids will enjoy it. The slightly older tone might put some off at first, I also didn’t like Hyacinth finding a guy cute, which felt strange to read in the novel (perhaps because it’s a children’s book), and her mum’s silliness was odd, but all of those were forgiven when the story went on and some of these things which still feel out of place might well be explained in rest of the series. There are some illustrations in the book, it’s split into three parts, with each part being given a small illustration at the start of it, as well as one of a few re-occurring illustrations at the start of each chapter and an occasional extra within the text. The back of the book has authors notes and some really interesting information and pictures of some areas of London. It’s actually amazing, once you’ve read the story, to read about the areas of London and how strange they really are, and exactly the way they are described in the book. It makes you wonder if the whole magical fantasy adventure you’ve just read might have some truth to it!
I’ve really enjoyed this first novel and can’t wait for the next in the series. I think older kids will like this as well as possibly some adults. It will definitely appeal to those who those who live in London, or for anyone who is interested in London or a silly adventure.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy.
This story is brilliant, although I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it when I began reading. The book is written in the first person making it easy to get into the action from her point of view, but I did find the way it sounded a bit difficult to get into. Hyacinth is twelve years old but sounds more like a teenager in the way she thinks. She’s an interesting character and I did enjoy the book the more I read it, but it sounded different from the many other children’s/middle grade books I’m used to reading.
When Hyacinth accidently unleashes magic into London’s sewers it starts off an adventure into underground London. The adventure is as madcap as you can get and completely fantasy with all sots of weird things happening. It’s a bit like Alice in Wonderland in how weird everything is but with a lot ofhumour making it the madcap caper it is! There are magical rivers that run along the now London sewer system, and all sorts of strange things happening and strange creatures throughout. The story is as daft as it looks on the cover with a very large pig dressed in a swimming costume involved in the action. You’ll find out who this pig is and I just loved his character! The book starts off a bit strange with the slightly older tone and a few things didn’t feel real like Hyacinth being able to do plumbing to fix the taps at just twelve years old, but once you move beyond that the story actually becomes brilliant and you start to understand the way everything is connected.
The hilarious tale becomes one that’s completely believable the more you read on, and it’s interesting because so many parts of the story you can trace back to real life London. The characters have an adventure around the city and visit lots of locations which all become connected with the story. Perhaps it’s my interest in London (the fact I live here) that makes me enjoy this so much but I found it fascinating the way that the story basically explains how everything in London’s history isn’t true and there’s a magical version of history that’s kept secret from everyone. I’ve always enjoyed stories that try to explain the strange things that have happened or exist and this book really does that and in a brilliant way.
The story has a great ending, it’s satisfying but does leave enough unanswered questions to leave you wanting to read the next book in the trilogy. There’s nothing offensive in the book and I think many kids will enjoy it. The slightly older tone might put some off at first, I also didn’t like Hyacinth finding a guy cute, which felt strange to read in the novel (perhaps because it’s a children’s book), and her mum’s silliness was odd, but all of those were forgiven when the story went on and some of these things which still feel out of place might well be explained in rest of the series. There are some illustrations in the book, it’s split into three parts, with each part being given a small illustration at the start of it, as well as one of a few re-occurring illustrations at the start of each chapter and an occasional extra within the text. The back of the book has authors notes and some really interesting information and pictures of some areas of London. It’s actually amazing, once you’ve read the story, to read about the areas of London and how strange they really are, and exactly the way they are described in the book. It makes you wonder if the whole magical fantasy adventure you’ve just read might have some truth to it!
I’ve really enjoyed this first novel and can’t wait for the next in the series. I think older kids will like this as well as possibly some adults. It will definitely appeal to those who those who live in London, or for anyone who is interested in London or a silly adventure.
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy.
October 27, 2022
This book was very detailed and allowed me to imagine every moment in the book, although it was very hard for me to start reading the book and get through the last few chapters because I wasn’t interested in the plot. The book was honestly really boring and took me a while to finish, but I’ve never made it through a book before that I felt that way toward. The story starts off in London with a twelve year old girl named Hyacinth moving to London with her mom. Hyacinth doesn’t enjoy the new environment and mostly hates the fact that the water is cold or really hot, not just warm. She decides to make the water warm with her own plumbing skills. She gets the water to be warm but something mysterious happens, the water starts glowing. The main character, Hyacinth, is very sarcastic when the story first begans. Her relationship with her mother isn’t strong. I disliked the dialogue that was used for the mother because I feel it was really unrealistic what a parent would do or say. Something else I didn’t like, is that there is one character that doesn't know why he is in the sewers and only remembers the things he read in newspapers that were in a room when he woke up. Why is a child in the sewers and not even know who he is? The author just doesn’t give enough background or dig into certain things once it's mentioned. Also to add, there are mythical creatures that come in later on in the book…but where do they come from? Although there are things with the book that I disliked, I did enjoy the author put into the book. I liked that he was connecting his story to real historical statues in London. The plot is adventurous and strange. The last few chapters were just shocking to me because it seemed age appropriate for younger children until violent language was being said. The book wasn’t my favorite but once the book I was determined to finish it.
March 3, 2018
It seems that unable to see the magic in London writers are obsessed with inventing underground magical spaces there . To be honest there is a lot of it underground . Think of this one as a modern fairy tale . Brothers Grimm meets Lewis Carroll . When your sidekicks are an amnesiac 12 year old boy and a giant pig wearing a swimming costume you get the drift . It is nevertheless a ripping yarn as they used to say even if a bit one dimensional at times . Altogether a good read and I assume from the ending that there will be more to come.
October 24, 2021
Libro davvero molto interessante. Nonostante il contenuto non sia moltissimo, la lettura è molto fluida e gli elementi sono ben trattati. La fusione tra fantasia e realtà è una delle migliori che abbia mai visto/letto e probabilmente non riuscirò mai più a pensare che una stazione sotterranea sia una semplice stazione 😂 Son sicuro che quando visiterò Londra mi farò moltissimi flash mentali, ma non la considero una cosa negativa. Lettura consigliatissima
July 13, 2017
At first you would think that a story involving the underground rivers of London, a pig in a bathing suit and police made from mud is a bit too random to be any good. You would be wrong. This 9 to 12 fiction book is a wonderful romp through the underground of London meeting interesting and rich characters along the way. Our main character, a young girl named Hyacinth, creates a problem that she needs to solve or not only her mother but all of London will be in serious trouble because of.
She finds out who she can and cannot trust along the way, while extracting herself from various dangerous situation using some good old fashioned logical thinking and tips she has inadvertently picked up from her extended family. Turns out that family are an important element when we get to the root of the story.
The writing is pretty superb and the humour is just at the right level for the intended audience but that doesn't mean other age groups won't enjoy the book also. I personally thought it was a fun adventure read that I will be recommending to customers of all ages. As a side note, I also absolutely loved the cover illustration by Euan Cook on my copy.
She finds out who she can and cannot trust along the way, while extracting herself from various dangerous situation using some good old fashioned logical thinking and tips she has inadvertently picked up from her extended family. Turns out that family are an important element when we get to the root of the story.
The writing is pretty superb and the humour is just at the right level for the intended audience but that doesn't mean other age groups won't enjoy the book also. I personally thought it was a fun adventure read that I will be recommending to customers of all ages. As a side note, I also absolutely loved the cover illustration by Euan Cook on my copy.
September 10, 2019
Our main character reluctantly moves to London and as expected, has trouble settling in. One of the things that irritates her immensely is the separate hot and cold water taps. Even a mixer tap doesn't solve this problem. She takes it upon herself to open up the pipes to see what can be done, and our adventure begins here.
This middle-grade book suddenly picks up speed and is so fast paced I felt exhausted reading it. I had to put it down every few pages because she is thrown from one danger to another. For the longest time, we don't really know who is friend or foe. I hadn't quite developed an attachment to her, so it was also hard to root for her despite all her encounters. For the pacing, I rate this book 2*.
I enjoyed the author's creativity in using history and the many London landmarks to carve out a magical story. Primary school children would have learnt about the Great Fire of London, Guy Fawkes, and the industrial revolution. So putting them into the story is good. So good that I want to take another trip to London to see all the places featured. For this creativity, I rate it 3*.
I was disappointed that not everything was resolved. I wanted to know more about Ben and the amazing pig and I wanted to know about our heroine's history. I kept going to see what the answers to my questions were, but I discovered at the end that this is part of a series.
Overall, I rate this book 2.5*.
This middle-grade book suddenly picks up speed and is so fast paced I felt exhausted reading it. I had to put it down every few pages because she is thrown from one danger to another. For the longest time, we don't really know who is friend or foe. I hadn't quite developed an attachment to her, so it was also hard to root for her despite all her encounters. For the pacing, I rate this book 2*.
I enjoyed the author's creativity in using history and the many London landmarks to carve out a magical story. Primary school children would have learnt about the Great Fire of London, Guy Fawkes, and the industrial revolution. So putting them into the story is good. So good that I want to take another trip to London to see all the places featured. For this creativity, I rate it 3*.
I was disappointed that not everything was resolved. I wanted to know more about Ben and the amazing pig and I wanted to know about our heroine's history. I kept going to see what the answers to my questions were, but I discovered at the end that this is part of a series.
Overall, I rate this book 2.5*.
August 28, 2021
I had all sorts of personal reasons for enjoying this delightful adventure. For instance, Hyacinth moves to London with her mother from the US to a house minutes from where we lived when we first moved to London. Also, I love underground stories. Maybe it has to do with growing up in big cities but you always know there just has to be something unique going on down there... be it alligators in the subway, or catacombs in Paris... such potential for mystery. But even if you don't share Hyacinth's experiences, and have never even been to London, this is a fast-moving and unique story. If nothing else, you'll love the well-spoken pig!
April 22, 2018
This was an annoying yet interesting book. I listened to the book on CD while traveling. There were parts in it that made me want to eject the CD I was listening to and throw it out the window. However this being a library copy that was not an option. There were also places where if I had had the book I would have need to reread to find out what was going on because it was just confusing.
March 5, 2018
I fell in love with this book and the fantasy world Weinstein creates based on real world London. I also especially liked Lady Roslyn and her dry humor. Looking forward to the sequel!
May 14, 2018
Hyacinth and the Secrets Beneath is a charming story for middle-grade readers. It suffers some pacing issues but all-in-all is well-executed.
August 26, 2017
The City of Secret Rivers is fun to read, with mad cap adventures and a fast-paced invitation down into the depths of London’s underground rivers.
The author actually did a lot of research whilst writing this book, which he talks about in the Author’s Note. The book features a lot of illustrations throughout the pages, which I think kids would love.
“During the creepiest and most disgusting day of my entire life, I thought I had handled everything pretty calmly, all things considered. But now there were rats swarming over my body, and all I could do was shriek really intelligent things like ‘Aaaaaaaa’ or ‘GET OFF GET OFF GETOFFGETOFFGETOFF’
The rats didn’t listen.”
The protagonist is a sassy, fast-talking young girl who embarks on the crazy journey under London to save her mother.
This book is supposed to be for children aged 9-12 but I definitely feel like it wouldn’t be suitable for some kids who fall into that lower age bracket. Some of the things that happen in the book (one character tries to kill another by slitting their throat) seem a little too much for young children, and I thought those parts of the novel should’ve either been diluted or cut out completely. Additionally, I feel like children’s novels should contain character names that are easy to pronounce. I’m an adult and I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce Hyacinth or Oaroboarus. Surely kids might struggle as well?
I think children who are avid readers will love this book, because they’ll stick with it to find out what happens to Hyacinth’s mother. But for children who struggle with reading, I don’t think this is the book to give them.
“I had never really thought much about what kind of spiral staircase I prefer, but as we got higher and higher, I started thinking about it more and more. Some spiral staircases have walls on both sides. Those, I decided, are the right kind.”
I felt like this story was too chaotic — too disjointed and fast-paced. I understand some kids might find this exciting, but so much was happening that I couldn’t quite take the time to understand or appreciate the characters. Everything was moving so fast and there were so many things being thrown at the reader in each chapter, that I felt a little lost throughout the book and the characters weren’t really that memorable. I got the end of the book and most of the plot was lost on me, and I didn’t feel overly attached to any of the main characters.
I think Jacob Weinstein has done a good job of bringing together a unique storyline, I just wish he’d taken out some of the ‘twists’ and ‘adventures’ and filled the book with more characterisation and depth.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The author actually did a lot of research whilst writing this book, which he talks about in the Author’s Note. The book features a lot of illustrations throughout the pages, which I think kids would love.
“During the creepiest and most disgusting day of my entire life, I thought I had handled everything pretty calmly, all things considered. But now there were rats swarming over my body, and all I could do was shriek really intelligent things like ‘Aaaaaaaa’ or ‘GET OFF GET OFF GETOFFGETOFFGETOFF’
The rats didn’t listen.”
The protagonist is a sassy, fast-talking young girl who embarks on the crazy journey under London to save her mother.
This book is supposed to be for children aged 9-12 but I definitely feel like it wouldn’t be suitable for some kids who fall into that lower age bracket. Some of the things that happen in the book (one character tries to kill another by slitting their throat) seem a little too much for young children, and I thought those parts of the novel should’ve either been diluted or cut out completely. Additionally, I feel like children’s novels should contain character names that are easy to pronounce. I’m an adult and I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce Hyacinth or Oaroboarus. Surely kids might struggle as well?
I think children who are avid readers will love this book, because they’ll stick with it to find out what happens to Hyacinth’s mother. But for children who struggle with reading, I don’t think this is the book to give them.
“I had never really thought much about what kind of spiral staircase I prefer, but as we got higher and higher, I started thinking about it more and more. Some spiral staircases have walls on both sides. Those, I decided, are the right kind.”
I felt like this story was too chaotic — too disjointed and fast-paced. I understand some kids might find this exciting, but so much was happening that I couldn’t quite take the time to understand or appreciate the characters. Everything was moving so fast and there were so many things being thrown at the reader in each chapter, that I felt a little lost throughout the book and the characters weren’t really that memorable. I got the end of the book and most of the plot was lost on me, and I didn’t feel overly attached to any of the main characters.
I think Jacob Weinstein has done a good job of bringing together a unique storyline, I just wish he’d taken out some of the ‘twists’ and ‘adventures’ and filled the book with more characterisation and depth.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2017
Not gonna lie... I picked this based on the cover.
When our hero Hyacinth accidentally unleashes an ancient and powerful force,she discovers history is really just a cover story for enchanted rivers and magical politics. The journey to retrieve an ornery drop of magic water becomes an adventure involving monsters and underground sewer systems all while figuring out who to trust and what to believe.
This adventure is fast-paced and fun to read. Hyacinth keeps a level head while running from danger and is a refreshing character in her balance of strength and wit. The writing keeps everything light and humorous with varying levels of jokes (from potty humor to puns). Young readers will be treated to an important lesson as they learn more about Hyacinth's friends and enemies as well as the history of magic, learning that good and evil may not always be black and white. Real history seems to take a backseat to Hyacinth's story, but the author employed some research from London's past, particularly in regards to architecture, allowing readers to glean some facts from an afternoon's romp through the streets of this old city.
While entertaining, this book does not offer much in the way of memorable characters. The plot itself is wonderfully intricate but poorly executed as new ideas seem to be tossed out with every other chapter without time to develop.
A good read for fans of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians.
When our hero Hyacinth accidentally unleashes an ancient and powerful force,she discovers history is really just a cover story for enchanted rivers and magical politics. The journey to retrieve an ornery drop of magic water becomes an adventure involving monsters and underground sewer systems all while figuring out who to trust and what to believe.
This adventure is fast-paced and fun to read. Hyacinth keeps a level head while running from danger and is a refreshing character in her balance of strength and wit. The writing keeps everything light and humorous with varying levels of jokes (from potty humor to puns). Young readers will be treated to an important lesson as they learn more about Hyacinth's friends and enemies as well as the history of magic, learning that good and evil may not always be black and white. Real history seems to take a backseat to Hyacinth's story, but the author employed some research from London's past, particularly in regards to architecture, allowing readers to glean some facts from an afternoon's romp through the streets of this old city.
While entertaining, this book does not offer much in the way of memorable characters. The plot itself is wonderfully intricate but poorly executed as new ideas seem to be tossed out with every other chapter without time to develop.
A good read for fans of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians.
June 27, 2018
Hyacinth is a young American girl who has just arrived in London. She is struggling to settle in and doesn't seem to have made any friends. Then one day she gets fed up with the tap in the bathroom which just won't mix the hot and cold. The rest is an exhausting and frankly quite mad rush through London.
I quite enjoyed this book and can quite see its appeal for a junior school aged child. It is quite frantic with plenty of action & zany creatures. There are elements of history thrown in - Bazelgette's sewers and the Monument spring immediately to mind.
As far as structure and the plot goes this book is a little shaky. I am not sure that I kept up with people switching sides, who was really who they claimed to be and exactly why everyone was chasing this drop of water. The book did jump around quite a bit with people appearing and reappearing in different guises. They are a lot of characters to get your head around and I am really not sure that I succeeded.
On the whole this is a fun book. There are many places where children will smile and laugh. I doubt most children would keep up with everything in this book but I have no doubt that readers will enjoy it and take away at least something.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I quite enjoyed this book and can quite see its appeal for a junior school aged child. It is quite frantic with plenty of action & zany creatures. There are elements of history thrown in - Bazelgette's sewers and the Monument spring immediately to mind.
As far as structure and the plot goes this book is a little shaky. I am not sure that I kept up with people switching sides, who was really who they claimed to be and exactly why everyone was chasing this drop of water. The book did jump around quite a bit with people appearing and reappearing in different guises. They are a lot of characters to get your head around and I am really not sure that I succeeded.
On the whole this is a fun book. There are many places where children will smile and laugh. I doubt most children would keep up with everything in this book but I have no doubt that readers will enjoy it and take away at least something.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
April 1, 2019
Hyacinth has just moved to London with her rather surreal mother who talks about growing up in Hampstead surrounded by green fields and sheep.
The act of adapting her new taps to mix the water in the taps rather than the sink sets off a sequence of events involving towels, monster postmen, sewers, umbrellas and the Circle Lane, little boys and printing presses, a porcine creature in a bathing suit, toshers (treasure hunters), a Royal Mail Sorting office, Monument, the former site of Newgate Prison and a Steam era sewage processing plant.
No spoilers as to how that all links together other than the concept that the Rivers of London are magical and events in History often revolve around attempts to control or release the power of said magic and our Hyacinth is somehow essential to sorting things out.
Much is left dangling for us to ponder but Weinstein isn’t going to play all his cards at once because there are several subplots or questions set up for future novels. A Solid, Funny and playful start to an imaginative series.
No spoilers as to how that all links together other than the concept that the Rivers of London are magical and events in History often revolve around attempts to control or release the power of said magic and our Hyacinth is somehow essential to sorting things out.
Much is left dangling for us to ponder but Weinstein isn’t going to play all his cards at once because there are several subplots or questions set up for future novels. A Solid, Funny and playful start to an imaginative series.
August 25, 2022
I am going to affectionately refer to this book as a nonsense read. That classification is not meant to be negative at all. It’s very descriptive of how the story and characters act in this novel. I got it on audio from the Dollar Book Swap in Dayton, OH, so I didn’t pay much for it. I probably wouldn’t have picked it myself but my friend’s six-year-old daughter was with me and told me I should buy it so I did.
Without spoiling anything, this book is simply a fun, fast read. I was never really bored and it always kept me guessing. The fun part is how absurd it is, without becoming overwhelmingly stupid. While yes there is a giant pig and magic mud people and a lot of ridiculous explanations, those things never felt out of place in an annoying way. The main character’s narration keeps things interesting and actually helped maintain a more serious view of many situations that were, arguably, absolutely silly.
If you want a simply fun, magical adventure with high stakes and absurdity, then check out this book. It won’t disappoint.
Without spoiling anything, this book is simply a fun, fast read. I was never really bored and it always kept me guessing. The fun part is how absurd it is, without becoming overwhelmingly stupid. While yes there is a giant pig and magic mud people and a lot of ridiculous explanations, those things never felt out of place in an annoying way. The main character’s narration keeps things interesting and actually helped maintain a more serious view of many situations that were, arguably, absolutely silly.
If you want a simply fun, magical adventure with high stakes and absurdity, then check out this book. It won’t disappoint.
July 22, 2018
I was asked to review by Nudge
This is a really fun book for 9-12 years but equally entertaining for the adult (or child within the adult)
A girl called Hyacinth and her Mother move to London. Her Grandmother gives her a book about the sewers of London for a going away gift ( a strange gift I hear you say- this is a strange story) She finds out that they are not at all right. They move to a flat that her family owns. there are plumbing issues in the bathroom, there is a problem with the tap. Then the fun begins.
It is rather mad over the next 36 hours - there are Sewers, giant pigs, talking mosquitoes in tuxedos and all added to the mix- her mother is kidnapped and it is Hyacinths quest to get her back.
Magic water, good and bad who do you trust?
A really funny story well written with sprinkles of magic and some mad capped characters.
I do hope I will see kids on sun beds reading this book, just watch your taps.
This is a really fun book for 9-12 years but equally entertaining for the adult (or child within the adult)
A girl called Hyacinth and her Mother move to London. Her Grandmother gives her a book about the sewers of London for a going away gift ( a strange gift I hear you say- this is a strange story) She finds out that they are not at all right. They move to a flat that her family owns. there are plumbing issues in the bathroom, there is a problem with the tap. Then the fun begins.
It is rather mad over the next 36 hours - there are Sewers, giant pigs, talking mosquitoes in tuxedos and all added to the mix- her mother is kidnapped and it is Hyacinths quest to get her back.
Magic water, good and bad who do you trust?
A really funny story well written with sprinkles of magic and some mad capped characters.
I do hope I will see kids on sun beds reading this book, just watch your taps.
January 23, 2018
This is the true story of the sewers of London. Hyacinth and her strange Mother are moving to London. Her Grandmother gives her a book about the sewers of London for a going away gift. She finds out that they are not at all right. They move to an apartment that her family owns. There is something wrong with the plumbing in her bathroom and they call in a plumber to fix it. That's when the Adventure begins. A drop of water gets away and a whole lot of problems and weird things start to happen. Someone kidnaps Hyacinth Mother and she is going to get her back. Hyacinth meets a lot of interesting cast of characters in this quest. Not knowing who to trust or not to trust. It's a cute story for younger Children.
June 4, 2019
Fantastical, adventure story about an 11-year-old American girl who moves to London with her clueless mom. Hyacinth finds out that a lot of British things (putting milk in your cup before the tea, having a hot and cold water tap separate, monuments, the postal station, the underground sewer system) have secret magical meanings. It felt like an American writer went on vacation in London and then invented magical purposes behind each of these things. I felt that some of it was a bit silly, however it was a fun story and could be interesting to a younger reader. I listened to the audiobook which had an excellent narrator, Jessica Almasy, who did lots of cool British voices. I'll definitely look for more audiobooks read by her.
July 8, 2020
What a romp! This book for kids is non-stop action as Hyacinth is led under- and over-ground through the sewer system and the once-rivers (which, if you have an ounce of magic in your blood, can also be seen in their beautiful, magical state) and up to several monuments and famous places.
I love the way the author has taken real curiosities and woven his tale around them. There is a segment at the end of the book which tells us just what is factual and what is not, and I enjoyed reading that. I also love the crazy creatures that inhabit the magical world under London, and not knowing whether they're good or bad (or some combination. . .).
I'm eager to see what happens in the next book in this series.
I love the way the author has taken real curiosities and woven his tale around them. There is a segment at the end of the book which tells us just what is factual and what is not, and I enjoyed reading that. I also love the crazy creatures that inhabit the magical world under London, and not knowing whether they're good or bad (or some combination. . .).
I'm eager to see what happens in the next book in this series.
July 1, 2017
I am not sure how to rate this book. It has an interesting premise. It is well written. But it is odd.
In a case of alternative history, many events of the past in London and the world have been shaped/caused by who controls magical rivers.
Hyacinth moves to London with her mother. After a short introductory section on that topic and the fact that Hyacinth is getting chapped hands from the hot and cold water being separated, the rest of the book takes place in about 36 hours. It is fast paced and rather nonsensical.
I don't really feel bad having spent time reading the story but it isn't one I would recommend if asked for a recommendation.
In a case of alternative history, many events of the past in London and the world have been shaped/caused by who controls magical rivers.
Hyacinth moves to London with her mother. After a short introductory section on that topic and the fact that Hyacinth is getting chapped hands from the hot and cold water being separated, the rest of the book takes place in about 36 hours. It is fast paced and rather nonsensical.
I don't really feel bad having spent time reading the story but it isn't one I would recommend if asked for a recommendation.
August 11, 2017
When Hyacinth moves to London with her mother, she is quickly shocked to learn that water of London is teeming with magic and her accidental use of that water results in the kidnapping of her mother. Hyacinth teams up with a helpful neighbor to complete the quest that will release her mother – jumping into the secret, magical subterranean world of the London sewer system. Nothing and no one are what they seem in this funny, fast paced kickoff to a planned trilogy. Fantasy fans should race just as fast as Hyacinth through this adventurous story.
October 12, 2018
Hyacinth and her mother have moved back to London, but when she accidentally unleashes a magic drop of water that threatens the entire city, she will have to risk it all to save her new home, even if it means teaming up with some of the strangest folk on - and under - the streets. Weinstein is sure to please young readers with this creative story that mixes history with magic in an entertaining way. Time for all her plumbing skills to finally come in handy outside the home!
May 10, 2017
I enjoy books with twisted history. This is a great book that those that enjoy that added tier in their stories. I did find that some of the scenes of the book did drag on a bit for juvenile fiction. The book does wrap up nicely, but still leads well into more of this series.
I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 10, 2017
I really liked this fiction book. The author is extremely imaginative and the world he created is out of this world. From strange mystical creatures like evil unicorns running on a treadmill to a posh loyal pig. I recommend this book, it's a bit like a detective mystery book and so much happens in it I hope there's a sequal
December 9, 2017
It's was fun!!! The story is crazy and fun and magical and quirky. Sewers, giant pigs, talking mosquitoes in tuxedos, just weird but so fun. Super fun for young kids, the sewer stuff was a little yuck.... but if you stop thinking about the fact that they spend a large amount of the book in the sewers than you are good to go! Just a fun one.
July 5, 2018
Staff Pick
Heather
I love this book because you think you know what's happening, and then everything changes. Just like Hyacinth, you're trying to figure out who's good and who's bad, and maybe everyone's a little bit of both. I also love how sarcastic and witty Hyacinth is. She had me laughing out loud numerous times. I'm looking forward to more.
Heather
I love this book because you think you know what's happening, and then everything changes. Just like Hyacinth, you're trying to figure out who's good and who's bad, and maybe everyone's a little bit of both. I also love how sarcastic and witty Hyacinth is. She had me laughing out loud numerous times. I'm looking forward to more.
September 21, 2019
Don't you love when your books lead you places you never saw coming? And when giant pigs show up? And then when you check on some of the amazing things mentioned in the book and find out they are REAL PLACES that you yourself could VISIT IN PERSON if you are in London?
Ooh. That's what you'll get when you open up Hyacinth and join the adventure.
Ooh. That's what you'll get when you open up Hyacinth and join the adventure.
June 26, 2020
This book was pretty good. At first I did not want to read it but I started to enjoy it more towards the end. One reason I enjoyed this book was because it had magic in it. It also took place in London which is a place I want to go someday. This book at some points was sad but it was still a good book.
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