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Children of the Flying City
Brought to the flying city of Highgate when he was only five years old, orphan Milo Quick has never known another home. Now almost thirteen, Milo survives one daredevil grift at a time, relying only on his wit, speed, and best friends Jules and Dagda.
A massive armada has surrounded Highgate's crumbling armaments. Because behind locked doors--in opulent parlors and pneumatic forests and a master toymaker's workshop--the once-great flying city protects a powerful secret, hidden away for centuries. A secret that's about to ignite a war. One small airship, the Halcyon, has slipped through the ominous blockade on a mission to collect Milo--and the rich bounty on his head--before the fighting begins. But the members of the Halcyon's misfit crew aren't the only ones chasing Milo Quick.
True friendship is worth any risk in this clever, heart-racing adventure from award-winning author and journalist Jason Sheehan. Sheehan weaves together wry narration and multiple points of view to craft a richly imagined tale that is dangerous and surprising, wondrous and joyful.
A massive armada has surrounded Highgate's crumbling armaments. Because behind locked doors--in opulent parlors and pneumatic forests and a master toymaker's workshop--the once-great flying city protects a powerful secret, hidden away for centuries. A secret that's about to ignite a war. One small airship, the Halcyon, has slipped through the ominous blockade on a mission to collect Milo--and the rich bounty on his head--before the fighting begins. But the members of the Halcyon's misfit crew aren't the only ones chasing Milo Quick.
True friendship is worth any risk in this clever, heart-racing adventure from award-winning author and journalist Jason Sheehan. Sheehan weaves together wry narration and multiple points of view to craft a richly imagined tale that is dangerous and surprising, wondrous and joyful.
416 pages, Hardcover
Published March 15, 2022
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595 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 15, 2022
3.5 Stars
Children of the Flying City has the makings of a promising new series, but it’s not without flaws.
First and foremost is Jason Sheehan’s prose, which takes some getting used to. The book is told by a narrator of sorts, who tends to ramble on in places and continually shifts points of view. Honestly, the points of view are easier to grasp than the rambling sort of way the story plays out. It appears the omniscient narration is supposed to lighten the story with some tongue-in-cheek commentary, but it often gets in the way.
Speaking of lightening the story, press materials call the novel “a richly imagined tale that is dangerous and surprising, wondrous and joyful.” Wondrous and joyful are not the words I would use to describe it. Children of the Flying City is dark, gritty and intense. There are moments of awe and delight, but they are few and far between.
A book doesn’t have to be all unicorns and puppies to be good, though. And those moments of brightness stand out more against the stark backdrop. The world that Sheehan has created has a dystopian/sci-fi/almost-steampunk feel to it. And while I did struggle to gain a full sense of that world, I did find the characters engaging and well-developed with room for growth.
Children of the Flying City is the first book in a planned series, and as you finish it, you get a real sense that Sheehan has left out a lot of information on purpose. It remains to be seen if he fills in those holes in later books. I hope he does, because there’s potential for so much more.
In the end, the mark of a good book is wanting to read more, and I left Children of the Flying City wanting to read its sequel. The publisher’s suggested age range is 10 and up, but because of the violence, I’d put it at a mature 11 and older.
Children of the Flying City has the makings of a promising new series, but it’s not without flaws.
First and foremost is Jason Sheehan’s prose, which takes some getting used to. The book is told by a narrator of sorts, who tends to ramble on in places and continually shifts points of view. Honestly, the points of view are easier to grasp than the rambling sort of way the story plays out. It appears the omniscient narration is supposed to lighten the story with some tongue-in-cheek commentary, but it often gets in the way.
Speaking of lightening the story, press materials call the novel “a richly imagined tale that is dangerous and surprising, wondrous and joyful.” Wondrous and joyful are not the words I would use to describe it. Children of the Flying City is dark, gritty and intense. There are moments of awe and delight, but they are few and far between.
A book doesn’t have to be all unicorns and puppies to be good, though. And those moments of brightness stand out more against the stark backdrop. The world that Sheehan has created has a dystopian/sci-fi/almost-steampunk feel to it. And while I did struggle to gain a full sense of that world, I did find the characters engaging and well-developed with room for growth.
Children of the Flying City is the first book in a planned series, and as you finish it, you get a real sense that Sheehan has left out a lot of information on purpose. It remains to be seen if he fills in those holes in later books. I hope he does, because there’s potential for so much more.
In the end, the mark of a good book is wanting to read more, and I left Children of the Flying City wanting to read its sequel. The publisher’s suggested age range is 10 and up, but because of the violence, I’d put it at a mature 11 and older.
April 29, 2024
One of the best reading experiences I've ever had. Awesome story and clever prose with vivid descriptions that transported me to the streets of Highgate. And come on...just look at that cover.
It's only three stars because of three things I was not a fan of.
1. A surprising amount of language for a kids' book. Mild stuff, but one unsavory word, in particular, is repeated throughout.
2. Every character is a web of morally gray actions. Milo, growing up on the streets, is just as willing to beat the daylights out of someone as his enemies are. Meanwhile, a man who's murdered dozens of children is something of a hero for being fiercely protective of Milo.
3. There is a lot of violence. I get it, the main characters are gang members, but the sheer amount of killing brings this from middle-grade to YA. However, it's not gory or descriptive.
Artistically, this book hits every mark. It's simply a masterpiece. But when every one of the main characters is a murderer, thief, and liar, with no redemption in sight, it's hard to recommend it.
It's only three stars because of three things I was not a fan of.
1. A surprising amount of language for a kids' book. Mild stuff, but one unsavory word, in particular, is repeated throughout.
2. Every character is a web of morally gray actions. Milo, growing up on the streets, is just as willing to beat the daylights out of someone as his enemies are. Meanwhile, a man who's murdered dozens of children is something of a hero for being fiercely protective of Milo.
3. There is a lot of violence. I get it, the main characters are gang members, but the sheer amount of killing brings this from middle-grade to YA. However, it's not gory or descriptive.
Artistically, this book hits every mark. It's simply a masterpiece. But when every one of the main characters is a murderer, thief, and liar, with no redemption in sight, it's hard to recommend it.
April 4, 2022
Absolutely loved it. Great pacing, fantastic atmosphere, lovable characters and a real sense of friendship. The world really felt rich and I loved the spiraling mystery behind Milo as nefarious characters start to conspire against him, all against the backdrop of a floating city literally headed for doom. It was pretty dark and violent at times though, so I guess be wary of recommending it to younger or more sensitive readers. I can't wait to see what will happen next!
September 22, 2024
I like the way this book was written, and there were a lot of very interesting parts, but it also had a lot of moments where I put it down and then heavily considered whether I'd pick it back up again. which I did, so 3 stars
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August 21, 2022I have read a lot of books, but I have trouble reading this one. I will refrain from rating this book. The omnicious narrator, the many lapses, the 'the boy' and changing perspectives, it is absolutely not my style. And having read it start to end, it failed to grip me at any part, I have not felt interest in the boy or any of the characters, I still don't even know what I have been reading about. So I definitely have to read it a second time. But this did not work for me the first time round.
March 9, 2022
(Originally posted on The Nerd Daily)
Set in the mysterious city of Highgate, Children of the Flying City follows the tale of Milo Quick and his friends, orphans under the rulership of the iron-fisted Total King. While Milo and friends must bring tithes to the king to survive, Milo must dodge the searching eyes of the crew of the Halcyon, who search for him for unknown reasons.
Milo, Jules, and Dagda are such interesting and intriguing characters. They really jumped off the page with their wit and wisdom, and I found myself wanting to know more about Dagda than the rest of the characters. While the boys ignored her, Dagda seemed drifting in her own world, separated from the rest of the cast. It made me gravitate toward her, and I kind of started wishing that she were the main character instead of Milo. Not that Milo himself isn’t interesting. While things don’t seem to follow a set direction throughout the first half of the book, secrets of Milo’s past are slowly unwound, bringing the random elements together into one surprising ending.
While I really want to say that I loved this book, and that it was breathtaking and interesting all at the same time, I can’t. There were moments where the prose was gorgeous and the story itself heartbreaking, but there was just something about it that couldn’t hold my attention for very long. I feel that part of the reason is the pacing. The amount of detail that Sheehan puts in his story slowed the pace significantly. While it was nice reading about the many heists that the children pulled and the crooked tea parties and really seeing just how despondent they were, it also made things lag a little, especially in the beginning.
When things do pick up, pace-wise, the story takes a turn toward being a little dark. As someone with young siblings, I like to read middle grade fiction to find something they might be interested in. Unfortunately, Children of the Flying City would be a little too dark for them. There’s quite a bit of violence described, like one of the characters losing a few fingers due to an accident. If you’re sure that this wouldn’t bother your young readers, then I’m sure they’d enjoy the story either way, but if you have sensitive readers like my sisters, then that’s something to look out for.
The only major downside I can think of in this book is that there isn’t much described indicating that the city is floating, other than the airships. I was looking forward to descriptions of maybe some catwalks suspended beneath the city, or fog created by flying through clouds, or some other indication, but with the way things were, the city may as well have been on the ground.
Set in the mysterious city of Highgate, Children of the Flying City follows the tale of Milo Quick and his friends, orphans under the rulership of the iron-fisted Total King. While Milo and friends must bring tithes to the king to survive, Milo must dodge the searching eyes of the crew of the Halcyon, who search for him for unknown reasons.
Milo, Jules, and Dagda are such interesting and intriguing characters. They really jumped off the page with their wit and wisdom, and I found myself wanting to know more about Dagda than the rest of the characters. While the boys ignored her, Dagda seemed drifting in her own world, separated from the rest of the cast. It made me gravitate toward her, and I kind of started wishing that she were the main character instead of Milo. Not that Milo himself isn’t interesting. While things don’t seem to follow a set direction throughout the first half of the book, secrets of Milo’s past are slowly unwound, bringing the random elements together into one surprising ending.
While I really want to say that I loved this book, and that it was breathtaking and interesting all at the same time, I can’t. There were moments where the prose was gorgeous and the story itself heartbreaking, but there was just something about it that couldn’t hold my attention for very long. I feel that part of the reason is the pacing. The amount of detail that Sheehan puts in his story slowed the pace significantly. While it was nice reading about the many heists that the children pulled and the crooked tea parties and really seeing just how despondent they were, it also made things lag a little, especially in the beginning.
When things do pick up, pace-wise, the story takes a turn toward being a little dark. As someone with young siblings, I like to read middle grade fiction to find something they might be interested in. Unfortunately, Children of the Flying City would be a little too dark for them. There’s quite a bit of violence described, like one of the characters losing a few fingers due to an accident. If you’re sure that this wouldn’t bother your young readers, then I’m sure they’d enjoy the story either way, but if you have sensitive readers like my sisters, then that’s something to look out for.
The only major downside I can think of in this book is that there isn’t much described indicating that the city is floating, other than the airships. I was looking forward to descriptions of maybe some catwalks suspended beneath the city, or fog created by flying through clouds, or some other indication, but with the way things were, the city may as well have been on the ground.
April 9, 2022
Well, this was AWESOME. It's easily one of the best middle grade adventures I've read in years, and certainly the best MG Steampunk adventure I've read in a long while.
The plotting is tight, fast-paced, and full of tension, but still balanced with moments of calm wonder and irreverent delight. The elegant way the story plays out is seamless, muddled through via head-hopping narration that feels natural within the complicated confines of the Flying City's urban sprawl. The narration and head-hopping IS a bit confusing, and I would like to see it tightened up in subsequent installments, but the mental near-chaos truly does suit the city's setting.
The city itself is richly developed, given the weight of History long before the full breadth of its ancient-ness gets explicitly exposed. It has a flourishing burst of multi-culturalism that is vibrant and easy, its straightforwardly simple in a way that makes it feel as natural as it does in real-world cities.
This is one of very few "boys' stories" (meaning a story that aggressively glorifies the concept of boyhood) that both disparages the boys for being idiots (without dampening the glorifying aspect) and also does not neglect the girls' roles in things. The girls, though dramatically fewer in number, have just as fully fleshed out interior lives as the boys, and they have varied body-types, personalities, and tangible backgrounds.
And the solar/steam-punk vibe is epic. Though, I admit I am an absolute sucker for anything with flying sail-ships. Disney's Treasure Planet hit at exactly the right moment in my formative years to be the hit THING of my most favored fantastical realities.
Also, I ADORED about this was that the characters, every single one of them, was shown to have both admirable qualities and abhorrent ones, and that dualism is explicitly discussed. Additionally, the Narrator (an unnamed character, but one with a 1st pronoun and a snarkiness that I hope indicates we'll meet them eventually), is absolutely fantastic.
I am THRELLED that this exists and I am psyched for there to be more in the series. (Nothing's listed yet, but I can't imagine this won't take off well enough to get an expansive follow-up publishing deal).
I highly recommend it for MG readers over 9 years old, and to anyone who has ever wanted to hop on the Sky Pirate bandwagon. It's fabulous!
The plotting is tight, fast-paced, and full of tension, but still balanced with moments of calm wonder and irreverent delight. The elegant way the story plays out is seamless, muddled through via head-hopping narration that feels natural within the complicated confines of the Flying City's urban sprawl. The narration and head-hopping IS a bit confusing, and I would like to see it tightened up in subsequent installments, but the mental near-chaos truly does suit the city's setting.
The city itself is richly developed, given the weight of History long before the full breadth of its ancient-ness gets explicitly exposed. It has a flourishing burst of multi-culturalism that is vibrant and easy, its straightforwardly simple in a way that makes it feel as natural as it does in real-world cities.
This is one of very few "boys' stories" (meaning a story that aggressively glorifies the concept of boyhood) that both disparages the boys for being idiots (without dampening the glorifying aspect) and also does not neglect the girls' roles in things. The girls, though dramatically fewer in number, have just as fully fleshed out interior lives as the boys, and they have varied body-types, personalities, and tangible backgrounds.
And the solar/steam-punk vibe is epic. Though, I admit I am an absolute sucker for anything with flying sail-ships. Disney's Treasure Planet hit at exactly the right moment in my formative years to be the hit THING of my most favored fantastical realities.
Also, I ADORED about this was that the characters, every single one of them, was shown to have both admirable qualities and abhorrent ones, and that dualism is explicitly discussed. Additionally, the Narrator (an unnamed character, but one with a 1st pronoun and a snarkiness that I hope indicates we'll meet them eventually), is absolutely fantastic.
I am THRELLED that this exists and I am psyched for there to be more in the series. (Nothing's listed yet, but I can't imagine this won't take off well enough to get an expansive follow-up publishing deal).
I highly recommend it for MG readers over 9 years old, and to anyone who has ever wanted to hop on the Sky Pirate bandwagon. It's fabulous!
March 24, 2022
This was a fun book to read and I enjoyed it as an adult. Even though this story is written for a younger audience, I am a parent to a young teen I thought might enjoy the book and decided to read it before handing it over to my kid. I enjoyed the story enough that I thought a review is warranted, especially since there aren't many just yet.
The story has a kid's sense of humor and sense of adventure, keeping the reader on their toes throughout the entire book. I felt like the author captured that especially well, but again I have a kid just a little older than the kids portrayed in this book so it's quite familiar to me. This book grabs a hold of your imagination and runs with it, and it's been a while since I've read a fun story like this so I really enjoyed that.
I can see it being a little dark and scary for younger readers, but it didn't feel any darker or scarier than the typical adventure movie geared towards that age group to me. I would agree with another reviewer that if you have a sensitive younger reader, my kid was that way when he was younger, you may want to read it first (I bet you enjoy it as much as I did!) or read it together and talk through the 'scary parts'. I think the story is worth it.
I do not like to give things away, but I will say there are numerous twists and turns and the cliffhanger leaves me wondering what will happen next, but not in that obnoxious way some stories leave things. The characters are well developed throughout and while it may jump around a little bit, as a previous reviewer mentioned, it is easy enough to follow. I actually thought it was a clever way to backfill some of the story or character development that would be easy for a child/young teen to follow without slowing down the story much.
I recommend that you, the parent, read it as well as your kid. It was a fun book to read and I look forward to the continuation of this story in the next book!
The story has a kid's sense of humor and sense of adventure, keeping the reader on their toes throughout the entire book. I felt like the author captured that especially well, but again I have a kid just a little older than the kids portrayed in this book so it's quite familiar to me. This book grabs a hold of your imagination and runs with it, and it's been a while since I've read a fun story like this so I really enjoyed that.
I can see it being a little dark and scary for younger readers, but it didn't feel any darker or scarier than the typical adventure movie geared towards that age group to me. I would agree with another reviewer that if you have a sensitive younger reader, my kid was that way when he was younger, you may want to read it first (I bet you enjoy it as much as I did!) or read it together and talk through the 'scary parts'. I think the story is worth it.
I do not like to give things away, but I will say there are numerous twists and turns and the cliffhanger leaves me wondering what will happen next, but not in that obnoxious way some stories leave things. The characters are well developed throughout and while it may jump around a little bit, as a previous reviewer mentioned, it is easy enough to follow. I actually thought it was a clever way to backfill some of the story or character development that would be easy for a child/young teen to follow without slowing down the story much.
I recommend that you, the parent, read it as well as your kid. It was a fun book to read and I look forward to the continuation of this story in the next book!
May 16, 2022
My Thoughts:
This action packed first book reads like a Lemony Snicket story in that the narrator speaks directly to the reader. He warns us, in fact that things will go wrong and we should stop reading, which of course, forces me to read on. It also quickly pulls readers into the street life of a band of orphans banding together to steal enough to eat and pay tithe to the boy "Total King."
Milo Quick, the leader of his group was brought to Highgate when he was five. Although not quite 13, he is responsible for a family of children, including Dagda, also called Mouse, a "12-year old girl" who unbeknownst to the crew has been 12 for hundreds of years, and his backup "man" Jules. What he doesn't know is that ever since he arrived in Highgate, there have been powerful men paying The Sandman to both let Milo Quick grow up to be a boy on the streets as well as protect his life should harm come to him. This story is comfortably familiar like Oliver Twist meets Blade Runner.
When we enter the flying city, war is coming in the form of an Armada just outside the gates. These orphans, though, canʻt be bothered by grown up problems. They are just trying to survive. When Milo Quick is called to show up in the court of the Total King, he finds out that the captain of a flying mail ship has just snuck in and revealed Miloʻs real name. They have orders to take him alive so to stay hidden, the Total King wants Milo and his gang to provide more tithing from their spoils. This starts the series of "unfortunate events" for these groups. Not everyone survives and the story does not end with this book, but it is a fantastic ride: emotional, gripping, sweet and horrifying. Keep reading.
This action packed first book reads like a Lemony Snicket story in that the narrator speaks directly to the reader. He warns us, in fact that things will go wrong and we should stop reading, which of course, forces me to read on. It also quickly pulls readers into the street life of a band of orphans banding together to steal enough to eat and pay tithe to the boy "Total King."
Milo Quick, the leader of his group was brought to Highgate when he was five. Although not quite 13, he is responsible for a family of children, including Dagda, also called Mouse, a "12-year old girl" who unbeknownst to the crew has been 12 for hundreds of years, and his backup "man" Jules. What he doesn't know is that ever since he arrived in Highgate, there have been powerful men paying The Sandman to both let Milo Quick grow up to be a boy on the streets as well as protect his life should harm come to him. This story is comfortably familiar like Oliver Twist meets Blade Runner.
When we enter the flying city, war is coming in the form of an Armada just outside the gates. These orphans, though, canʻt be bothered by grown up problems. They are just trying to survive. When Milo Quick is called to show up in the court of the Total King, he finds out that the captain of a flying mail ship has just snuck in and revealed Miloʻs real name. They have orders to take him alive so to stay hidden, the Total King wants Milo and his gang to provide more tithing from their spoils. This starts the series of "unfortunate events" for these groups. Not everyone survives and the story does not end with this book, but it is a fantastic ride: emotional, gripping, sweet and horrifying. Keep reading.
August 16, 2022
This book had a lot of interesting concepts, but ultimately did not live up to its potential. I was excited to learn about the steampunk-esque world the story was set in, however the setting never felt developed enough for me to really grasp it. The novel seemed more focused on developing the plot and characters than actually establishing the world, which is a problem here because the setting is pretty important to the overall plot. I wish there had been some sort of map, at least, as the book constantly references different locations within the city that I struggled to keep track of as I was reading.
I don't really understand the point of the narrator, as the book is already set in third person omniscient perspective. They only seem to exist to provide random exposition and to add suspense every so often, spelling out different components of the story rather than showing us them.
I didn't find any of the characters to be that interesting or likable, and none of the kids in the main trio felt very distinct from one another. There didn't seem to be a clear antagonist, either, which made it difficult for me to figure out which characters are supposed to be 'good' and which ones are supposed to be 'bad'.
I was shocked at the amount of violence present in this book, especially in the third act of the story. I don't think it was necessarily bad, but I don't think it fits very well in a middle-grade novel. Honestly, I think this book would have worked better if it was young-adult instead, as the dark and intense themes of the story fit the YA genre better.
Overall, the concepts of the book are intriguing and could have made for a great read, but the convoluted writing failed to invest me into the story.
I don't really understand the point of the narrator, as the book is already set in third person omniscient perspective. They only seem to exist to provide random exposition and to add suspense every so often, spelling out different components of the story rather than showing us them.
I didn't find any of the characters to be that interesting or likable, and none of the kids in the main trio felt very distinct from one another. There didn't seem to be a clear antagonist, either, which made it difficult for me to figure out which characters are supposed to be 'good' and which ones are supposed to be 'bad'.
I was shocked at the amount of violence present in this book, especially in the third act of the story. I don't think it was necessarily bad, but I don't think it fits very well in a middle-grade novel. Honestly, I think this book would have worked better if it was young-adult instead, as the dark and intense themes of the story fit the YA genre better.
Overall, the concepts of the book are intriguing and could have made for a great read, but the convoluted writing failed to invest me into the story.
September 29, 2022
I loved this story which can't be pigeon-holed into one genre. Sheehan brings his characters to life and love or loath them, there is no denying their existence and ability to stay with the reader for some time after reading the final page.
Orphan Milo has been living on the flying/floating city of Highgate since he was 5 years old. He has experienced a huge diversity of life and hardship for someone so young. He is part of a band of young orphans and provides protection and leadership to the ragtag group. His two closest friends are Jules and Mouse (they are hugely significant to the story). The group survives by stealing and trading and avoiding the law. There is so much that is going on in the story and so many characters that are all interlinked that it makes it impossible to summarise so I'm not going to try but I will say that certain characters are very "interested" in the whereabouts and wellbeing of Milo, and that mystery abounds. This is also a twisty tale and so the reader can never be "comfortable" in their knowledge or understanding.
As well as loving the characters, I loved the way the story was told and how it unfolded. I'm looking forward to the next in the series - I have so many questions!
I note that some readers felt the "world" was not well developed/explained and when I think about it, I agree, more work could have been done in that area but it did not spoil the tale for me! Just be warned that it does contain some graphic descriptions of violence that may upset sensitive younger readers.
Orphan Milo has been living on the flying/floating city of Highgate since he was 5 years old. He has experienced a huge diversity of life and hardship for someone so young. He is part of a band of young orphans and provides protection and leadership to the ragtag group. His two closest friends are Jules and Mouse (they are hugely significant to the story). The group survives by stealing and trading and avoiding the law. There is so much that is going on in the story and so many characters that are all interlinked that it makes it impossible to summarise so I'm not going to try but I will say that certain characters are very "interested" in the whereabouts and wellbeing of Milo, and that mystery abounds. This is also a twisty tale and so the reader can never be "comfortable" in their knowledge or understanding.
As well as loving the characters, I loved the way the story was told and how it unfolded. I'm looking forward to the next in the series - I have so many questions!
I note that some readers felt the "world" was not well developed/explained and when I think about it, I agree, more work could have been done in that area but it did not spoil the tale for me! Just be warned that it does contain some graphic descriptions of violence that may upset sensitive younger readers.
May 20, 2022
There is unrest in the Flying City and rumors of war are everywhere. Soon to be thirteen year old Milo and his friends are runaways turned thieves, dependent on each other and what little kindness is given to them from the streets. They deal with truant officers, bullies, and secrets they keep from each other. However, Milo is being watched, and by more people than he thinks: some for his protection and others for their own personal gain or reasons. But the main question at the heart of the story, who is Milo really?
As a first time middle grade author, Sheehan creates a great balance between describing the heartfelt emotions, silliness and mindfulness we experience in childhood and the gritty reality of living in a grim and at times hopeless world. This book has a lot going on with intricate and mysterious storylines that weave together, keeping the reader in wonderment as to what exactly is happening and why. The characters are vividly described with empathy and harshness alike, impartially creating heroes and villains within the same skin.
Short chapters make it reasonably paced and as the Narrator tells the story, the reader becomes an active participant by being spoken to as a character would, making this fictional world all the more real and a fun reading experience. However, it is a better fit for older middle grade (12 and older) with physical violence being more prevelant and graphic than in typical middle grade adventure/sci-fi novels. One of my favorites this year for sure.
As a first time middle grade author, Sheehan creates a great balance between describing the heartfelt emotions, silliness and mindfulness we experience in childhood and the gritty reality of living in a grim and at times hopeless world. This book has a lot going on with intricate and mysterious storylines that weave together, keeping the reader in wonderment as to what exactly is happening and why. The characters are vividly described with empathy and harshness alike, impartially creating heroes and villains within the same skin.
Short chapters make it reasonably paced and as the Narrator tells the story, the reader becomes an active participant by being spoken to as a character would, making this fictional world all the more real and a fun reading experience. However, it is a better fit for older middle grade (12 and older) with physical violence being more prevelant and graphic than in typical middle grade adventure/sci-fi novels. One of my favorites this year for sure.
April 27, 2022
What I liked:
The plotting is tight, fast-paced, and full of tension but balanced with calm wonder and irreverent delight moments. Our story's city is richly developed and encompasses a wide variety of vibrant characters. This story definitely will able to the young men crowd as it glorifies all aspects of a young man's journey and does not shy away from some very dark moments. The narrator is genuine in the truths he delivers and, at one point, even tells readers they may want to stop right now before things get too dark.
Final Verdict:
The steampunk theme is played out expertly, and the characters are memorable. I was unaware that this would be a series, but I want more. Anyone who enjoys sky pirate-type stories will want to pick this one up and give it a listen.
Audiobook Review:
The narrator adds wit and charm and plenty of warnings as we meander through this at-time dark fantasy for middle-grade readers. Children of the flying city is a great start to a middle-grade series that moves along at a quick clip with short chapters with exciting titles that will keep readers listening tell the heart-stopping ending, which will leave you eager for the next installment.
The plotting is tight, fast-paced, and full of tension but balanced with calm wonder and irreverent delight moments. Our story's city is richly developed and encompasses a wide variety of vibrant characters. This story definitely will able to the young men crowd as it glorifies all aspects of a young man's journey and does not shy away from some very dark moments. The narrator is genuine in the truths he delivers and, at one point, even tells readers they may want to stop right now before things get too dark.
Final Verdict:
The steampunk theme is played out expertly, and the characters are memorable. I was unaware that this would be a series, but I want more. Anyone who enjoys sky pirate-type stories will want to pick this one up and give it a listen.
Audiobook Review:
The narrator adds wit and charm and plenty of warnings as we meander through this at-time dark fantasy for middle-grade readers. Children of the flying city is a great start to a middle-grade series that moves along at a quick clip with short chapters with exciting titles that will keep readers listening tell the heart-stopping ending, which will leave you eager for the next installment.
October 10, 2022
I'm going to preface this by saying I wanted to love this book more than I actually did, but that doesn't mean that it was a badly written book. The characters were fantastic, the setting really intriguing when we actually got some backstory, and the plot itself was amazing and enjoyable! There's definitely a hit here, and the lead-in to the sequel has me hoping for more. The one thing that didn't really click with me, however, was the writing itself. Normally I love the ominous first person but not an actual character thing that was sort of coined in children's books by Lemony Snicket, but something about it just... Didn't work here for me. The first half of the book was a bit of a slog, despite the short chapters and the quick pace, because I found the "narrator" to be a little grating and had to step back every once a while. I'm definitely still interested in a sequel, and it peters off towards the end when things start getting serious, however I don't think the tone really fit the book well, which is why I'm knocking this one down to 4 stars despite liking it quite a bit.
July 11, 2025
(8/10) This book has a great sense of what it is and how it wants to talk to its audience. Its wink-and-nod style of narration, and manner of gravely leveling with the reader, would have appealed to me hugely when I was a kid, and it has many other turns of phrase that paint small actions as lyrical, poetic events. The action in the book is off the charts in scrappiness per 60; it delivers much of what youd want from a vaguely steampunk story about scrappy orphans (and subsequently makes you much sadder than you expected about them).
YA book or not, there is a ton of depth to this worldbuilding, and the author has stayed quite focused in how it's delivered. What I mean by that is, this is a story about children, and the stakes never lose their focus on the children or the children's perspective. This is excellent for the story, but also tantalising and frustrating for the reader, because it's pretty clear than Sheehan knows lots more about the intriguing world that we just don't get to know, because the children wouldn't know. The ending seems like a prime setup for a sequel, so it's a shame that I can't see any indication of that actually happening.
YA book or not, there is a ton of depth to this worldbuilding, and the author has stayed quite focused in how it's delivered. What I mean by that is, this is a story about children, and the stakes never lose their focus on the children or the children's perspective. This is excellent for the story, but also tantalising and frustrating for the reader, because it's pretty clear than Sheehan knows lots more about the intriguing world that we just don't get to know, because the children wouldn't know. The ending seems like a prime setup for a sequel, so it's a shame that I can't see any indication of that actually happening.
April 15, 2022
I finished this book eager to read the next in the series. However, the story, at times, frustrated me, because it is targeted at middle-grade readers. I was going to review it and recommend it for our annual Great Books for Kids project at work (I've been assigned to the 10-13 age group) but throughout the read, I kept thinking this is more appropriate for teens so I'm not including it. The story was fast-paced, the plot was intriguing, and I fell in love with the main characters. However, the violence was eyebrow-raising when I would think of a 10-11-year-old reading it. Our middle son is 13 and I'd have no problem with him reading it. I'm not a prude by any means, but I do have standards for what kids are exposed to at certain ages. This isn't to take *any*thing away from this book; I look forward to continuing the adventure in the next book! But won't be recommending it to my J kids at work.
January 26, 2023
Children of the Flying City was not what I was expecting.
On the back cover it describes the books as “richly imagined” (true), “dangerous” true, “surprising”, true, and “wonderful and joyful.” These two last words would probably be the last words I would use to describe this book. It is more dark than I originally thought it would be.
Jason Sheehan’s writing style takes some getting used to, but once you’ve settled in you start to get used to it. The running narration throughout the book is supposed to serve as a breather/break from what is going on, often giving the reader insights into the future, or flashbacks to the past, although at some points it gets a bit tedious when it starts rambling.
The multiple points of views from different characters in the story makes it fast paced and easy to wrap your head around. The chapters are short, making it easy to stop and put down when needed.
Overall good book and would recommend to a friend.
4/5
On the back cover it describes the books as “richly imagined” (true), “dangerous” true, “surprising”, true, and “wonderful and joyful.” These two last words would probably be the last words I would use to describe this book. It is more dark than I originally thought it would be.
Jason Sheehan’s writing style takes some getting used to, but once you’ve settled in you start to get used to it. The running narration throughout the book is supposed to serve as a breather/break from what is going on, often giving the reader insights into the future, or flashbacks to the past, although at some points it gets a bit tedious when it starts rambling.
The multiple points of views from different characters in the story makes it fast paced and easy to wrap your head around. The chapters are short, making it easy to stop and put down when needed.
Overall good book and would recommend to a friend.
4/5
March 8, 2024
I read this book last year and loved everything about it. I found it in a used bookstore while traveling for one of my book events and proceeded to spend the trip home immersed in Milo's world. I am absolutely flabbergasted that it's not more popular, so I'm here to say GO READ THIS MASTERPEICE.
It was such incredibly creative and well-done world-building, with excellent plot twists and foreshadowing, and wonderful characters. I love love LOVE how much focus was put on the friendships in the book because I feel like that is missing from a lot of modern books. Reading it was an emotional rollercoaster and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. And then it ended on a cliffhanger and I NEED the sequel!
Content warning: A lot of violence and disturbing imagery. It's written tastefully, but several chapters made my stomach turn. This is purposeful--downplaying the horror of evil is rarely a good idea--but I definitely wouldn't hand this book to anyone under thirteen.
It was such incredibly creative and well-done world-building, with excellent plot twists and foreshadowing, and wonderful characters. I love love LOVE how much focus was put on the friendships in the book because I feel like that is missing from a lot of modern books. Reading it was an emotional rollercoaster and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. And then it ended on a cliffhanger and I NEED the sequel!
Content warning: A lot of violence and disturbing imagery. It's written tastefully, but several chapters made my stomach turn. This is purposeful--downplaying the horror of evil is rarely a good idea--but I definitely wouldn't hand this book to anyone under thirteen.
April 7, 2022
This book is really good. It is also dark, violent, and intensely depressing in places. As an adult, I found some of the violence coming from the children themselves to be a bit hard to handle. I'm a librarian and I just want to say that despite Milo's age (almost 12, I believe) and the tone the narrator uses to address the reader, I strongly feel that this should be in the YA collection, or if your library has one, the Middle Grade collection (we don't have one). I would feel very bad if an upward-reading 9 year old picked this book and unexpectedly came across many of these scenes.
But, if you're a fantasy-reading teen or adult, go for it! It's got fascinating world-building, great characters, a complex plot, layered morality and tons of fun surprises. It's also the first of a series, with a cliffhanger ending. Well worth the time spent, and the few shockingly violent moments.
But, if you're a fantasy-reading teen or adult, go for it! It's got fascinating world-building, great characters, a complex plot, layered morality and tons of fun surprises. It's also the first of a series, with a cliffhanger ending. Well worth the time spent, and the few shockingly violent moments.
May 13, 2022
This book blends steampunk and science fiction together to make an original setting. The narrator is a bit all over the place and has some snarky direct references to the reader, which I enjoyed. What was less enjoyable was the lives of the children who live in the Flying City, specifically Milo Quick. It isn’t until 2/3 of the way through that we find out key plot points and characters and how they all connect. The pacing took longer, but if you are invested in the story that is not an issue. The violence inflicted on the children, and the violence they inflicted on others was a little too much for me. The ending (spoiler alert) was a literal blood bath. No swears, just lots of violence. 7th grade and up.
May 29, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! It is a steampunk/sci-fi story with major Arcane vibes. Because of the violence in it though I would say it is for older MG/YA audience as it does not have a ton of lighthearted joy like a lot of MG has. The omniscient voice and the pov changes made the story extremely interesting but more attractive to an older audience. And there are so many quotes from this book I loved. My jaw dropped with the bigger reveals toward the end and it made the longer build up worthwhile. I cannot wait for the next book and I am interested in where it is going bc I really can’t tell, and I love that!
May 12, 2022
ok so…WOW! one would think that 400 pages of a book being devoted to only a timeline of three days would be a bit too much, but this was a wild ride from start to finish!
my ONLY complaint was the amount of characters we were introduced to. i understand that an entire city was basically involved in this story, but when I see a character introduced by first and last name, my brain usually throws a flag up to remember that character. but when it came to this book, I had to only actually remember a handful of the characters.
my ONLY complaint was the amount of characters we were introduced to. i understand that an entire city was basically involved in this story, but when I see a character introduced by first and last name, my brain usually throws a flag up to remember that character. but when it came to this book, I had to only actually remember a handful of the characters.
June 13, 2023
At almost 400 pages this was longer than what I usually prefer in a novel but my interest didn't wane. There was plenty of action and intrigue, with some mystery and suspense.
I did have a problem with the the amount of technical descriptions which I didn't feel were necessary and I couldn't follow.
I liked the ambiguity of the character's intentions which caused me to question where I wanted the story to go. This made for a much more interesting read than a simple case of good guys and bad guys.
I really hope there is a sequel.
I did have a problem with the the amount of technical descriptions which I didn't feel were necessary and I couldn't follow.
I liked the ambiguity of the character's intentions which caused me to question where I wanted the story to go. This made for a much more interesting read than a simple case of good guys and bad guys.
I really hope there is a sequel.
December 9, 2025
3.5 stars for me. I heard that this will become a series (I'm hoping) which makes me feel better about the ending. What a whirlwind! I really enjoyed learning about and following the different characters.
I'm really confused about the setting and sometimes it feels like the narrator adds unnecessary things into the story. It's such a cool concept so I really wished they explained the world a bit better.
The suspense by the end was insane. I hope more is explained in the next book because there are a lot of questions unanswered.
I'm really confused about the setting and sometimes it feels like the narrator adds unnecessary things into the story. It's such a cool concept so I really wished they explained the world a bit better.
The suspense by the end was insane. I hope more is explained in the next book because there are a lot of questions unanswered.
May 22, 2023
Jason Sheehan, you bastard! I loved this book and cried (profusely) during the entire last third of the book. I’m actually dehydrated. For the young and sensitive, read this book until the point when the author tells you everything past that point is going to go badly. Trust him on this. Everyone else, enjoy all the ways this book is action-packed, wondrous, dark, sweet, but above all as we reach the end, heartbreaking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2023
I read this with Matthew. He liked it but we were both confused by the ending until we realized there will be other books to follow. It's adventurous and kept his attention but I felt like there were way too many characters and the author described situations that were in the most excessive details I've ever read. It was a very long book and I could've cut out half of it and still got the point across.
July 13, 2023
My 11 year old fell apart emotionally at the end of this book. I read it as well and actually really liked the writing and the premise of the story was unique and fun. It was pretty violent and sad, however. Similar to Lemony Snickett, the author gives you hints throughout the story of what's to come.
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November 7, 2024Loved it and thought steampunk adventure fun!
August 7, 2022
The story doesn't pick up until late into the book. I wouldn't mind if I enjoyed the writing style. Unfortunately, Sheehan breaks the story up into fragments that can be difficult to follow or disrupt the flow. A great story, but the prose was not for me.
March 24, 2023
I LOVED this book! It was exactly what I was expecting with a little extra thrown in. The imagery was perfect and the characters well thought out. There has to be a follow up and I can't wait! Contains some violence but suitable for ages 12+.
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