City of Secrets
by Victoria Ying (Author)
Read the graphic novel that Caldecott medal-winning illustrator, Dan Santat, calls, "An edge-of-your-seat thriller!"
Ever Barnes is a shy orphan guarding a secret in an amazing puzzle box of a building.
Most of the young women who work at the building's Switchboard Operating Facility, which connects the whole city of Oskar, look the other way as Ever roams around in the shadows. But one of them, Lisa, keeps an eye on the boy. So does the head of the Switchboard, Madame Alexander . . . a rather sharp eye.
Enter Hannah, the spunky daughter of the building's owner. She thinks Ever needs a friend, even if he doesn't know it yet.
Good thing she does!
Lisa and Madame Alexander are each clearly up to something.
Ever is beset by a menacing band of rogues looking to unlock the secret he holds--at any cost.
And whatever is hidden deep in the Switchboard building will determine all of their futures.
On a journey that twists and turns as much as the mechanical building Ever Barnes calls home, he and his new friend Hannah have to - and out what's really going on in this mysterious city of secrets . . . or else!
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Kirkus Reviews
Ying’s full-color illustrations are cinematic in scope, spotlighting the nonstop action.... Thrills and fun galore.
School Library Journal
Gr 3-6—A scrappy orphan named Ever Barnes knows the city of Oskars is hiding something important—but what? He spends his days hiding in the Switchboard Operating Facility, a building made up of cogs and interconnected layers. Mr. Morgan, the facility's new owner, is proud of his acquisition. His daughter, Hannah, is eager to explore the building and perhaps befriend this orphan boy she keeps hearing about. Hannah often feels constrained by her mother's expectation to act like a lady and would much prefer to wear pants and get into scrapes. Ever overcomes his initial reluctance to let Hannah into his life when it becomes clear that the men who killed his father are now after him, too. Lisa, a plucky switchboard operator, is a fantastic side character who's hiding a few secrets of her own. Underground societies, family codes, and danger abound. While there's a lot of story to keep track of, it all comes together in the end. The primary mystery is revealed at the last moment and sets up the potential for future volumes. Ying's panels are fluid and inviting. Vibrant action scenes are mostly wordless and showcase the intricate and impressive design. Exploring the steampunk city is an adventure for Hannah and Ever and for readers. VERDICT An appealing steampunk graphic novel for fans of Jen Wang's The Prince and the Dressmaker.—Gretchen Hardin, Bee Cave P.L., TX
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"A delightful adventure set in an imaginative world built on gears, pistons, and brass . . . City of Secrets captivates the heart and imagination!" —Armand Baltazar, author-illustrator of Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic 'Ying has constructed a thrilling genre-bender . . . full-color illustrations are cinematic in scope, spotlighting the nonstop action." —Kirkus Reviews
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV062000 - Juvenile Fiction | Steampunk
Orphans
Spies
Secret societies
Cartoons and comics
Comics (Graphic works)
