The Printer's Devil

Printer's Devil Trilogy #1

by Paul Bajoria

The notorious inhabitants of London's criminal underworld are all in a day's work for Mog, the printer's apprentice, who prints their "wanted" posters. A real-life meeting with a convict entangles Mog in a secret scheme in this suspenseful tale.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Historical, Adventure

377 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Paul Bajoria, filho de mãe inglesa e de pai indiano, estudou nas universidades de Oxford e Toronto e actualmente escreve e produz programas para a BBC Radio 4. O Segredo do Aprendiz é o seu primeiro livro e encontra-se também publicado em Espanha, Alemanha, Itália e Estados Unidos.

Reviews

[Writemom · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up as an "escape" book because it looked like it had a fun plot, and I'm interested in printing and publishing. Nonetheless, don't bother. While there were moments, it was largely uninteresting. There is not enough character development for me to get really engaged with the characters in the book. I don't feel I had a much better understanding of Dickens-era England through reading the novel. The thing that bothered me most is that the author introduces a wide variety of mysteries throughout the book, then fails to resolve a large number of them at the end. As a reader, I find this annoying and in violation of cardinal rules of writing. Unless it's clearly part of a series, there is no excuse for not tying up most, if not all, of the loose ends. Luckily I was disinterested enough in the characters that I got over it quickly, but I woudn't recommend the book.

[K8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Victorian London, this historical thriller features murder, intrigue, colonial interests, orphans, gender roles, and many many characters. I'll admit, the ending didn't satisfy. It felt anti-climatic after all of the twists and turns the plot took. At first, I wondered if this was because a second book/sequel was to come out, but I had the same issue with that book - The God of Mischief - as well.

The thing is, the endings weren't bad, but compared to the rest of each book they fell short. I was completely entranced by the suspense and action up until the end. I stayed up way later than I should have reading each book. I suspect there is a let-down because there is so much going on in each story. I think that as an adult, I want an equally complex conclusion. I'm not sure if kids (and here I'm thinking upper-elementary/middle school) would want the same thing. I must recruit some young readers to get outside opinions.

But, I would still recommend both books despite my quibbles with the endings.

[Mandy Eve-Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Great plot, characters and a real Dickensen feel to it. A lot of beautiful illustrations and a series of mysteries that kept me turning the pages. (One very unexpected!)
I would highly recommend this book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mog is a twelve-year old printer's devil, or apprentice, in Victorian England. One of his jobs is to print the WANTED posters of criminals. A chance encounter with a band of opium smugglers sets Mog on a dangerous adventure through London's underworld. Compelled by questions about his own past, Mog will risk everything he has to discover their plans and stop them. Full of plot twists, suspense, and just a tiny hint of magic, this book is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

I found this book to be enjoyable, if flawed. I am never entirely convinced why Mog insists on getting involved with the smugglers, nor is it clear why he feels he must see that they are caught. The ending is very abrupt, and rather unsatisfying. While it is probably more realistic that the law enforcement officials wouldn't reveal the details of the case to the children, and while I detest long monologues where the villain carefully explains all of his plans for world domination, it was highly unsatisfying to never really understand what happened. If the author was going for a clever ambiguous ending, he missed.

That being said, the characters were compelling, and the intrigue was well played out. The plot was twisty enough to avoid being painfully obvious, but not so twisty as to be unfollowable. While the setting was evocative, it wasn't particularly specific; to my mind, it could have been any early-industrial-age city. And I rather wish that the drug smuggling had been explained a bit more. While the subtle references will allow readers to see what they're ready to see, it may be a bit confusing to some. I would be interested to hear from some kids about that. I don't think it's an insurmountable obstacle in enjoying the book, though.

I would recommend this book to 6th-9th graders who enjoy mysteries and adventures. The narrative style (limited first person), age of the protagonist (12), and ever-present dog companion put this at the lower end of YA.

[Emily Lovitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, I didn't finish the whole thing. I got to around page 265 so I read like 2/3 of it. I'm really surprised at my self, but I couldn't finish it because I just couldn't take the story or the characters seriously. Not after the line on page 7 that goes "I seemed to be absolutely hungry all the time at the moment." Yeah...I'm not sure who's more to blame here: The author or his editor. That one line pretty much ruined the whole book for me.
It just snowballed into catastrophe from there. I just didn't like the writing style of the author. Something about it made it feel as though it dragged on and lost time focusing on unimportant things. Also just the way the story moved. I can't put my finger on it but something about the language of the book just grated at my nerves. Like later on in the book (I can't find the specific page number but I'm 100% sure it's there), the author uses the phrase "bursts of sleep." To me sleep doesn't occur in bursts but whatever. It was basically a lot of little things like that. I wouldn't tell this author to put his quill down for life, but maybe just try harder. He's got potential to improve.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, this book. How I wanted to love it... but in the end, I just couldn't. The three stars (really more like two and a half) are for the wonderful, Dickensian way that a vaguely-past London is described, for the twists and turns the mystery takes. I was especially impressed with the genuine surprise I had at one of the twists that came about two-thirds of the way through; usually (and especially with middle-grade books) I can see those kinds of things coming, but this was a true surprise that had only minimal hints throughout.

But I just can't feel good about giving this book more than three stars (and I feel like that is being generous given the problems I'm about to describe) because of the magic and mysticism that surrounds India in the book. The snake-charmer, devious thief, magical powder that creates confusion type of magic portrayed in this book is a stereotype that desperately needs to be laid to rest, and my distaste with it seriously marred my ability to enjoy what was otherwise a fantastically engaging and original adventure book.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well…I had, for some reason, high hopes for this book. Maybe because i love letterpress, and to have a book start out in a letterpress shop seemed very promising. Especially since the book required that Victorian wood type be printed in the text, to make the point…

But it just didn't hold my interest. After a second day of leisurely reading (I started this as a chaser to a non-fiction book just completed), it just didn't grab me, and I had a sneaking suspicion that I would rather read MT Anderson's _Feed_ which is also on the bedside table.

So… skimmed, and then skipped to the end… not great. Not bad, but just not great. And, of course, it ends with a cliff-hanger… so be forewarned…


…oh just read someone else's review, and must agree with them: Phillip Pullman did a much better job of the underbelly of London during the same time period… would recommend those (Sally Lockhart) books over this.

[Marva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite finished, but I think as finished as I'll be for a bit.
SPOILER ALERT (not that any of you would bother to seek this book out).

About 2/3rds through the book, the MC, a boy named Mog, reveals he's a girl. This would be fine except that the whole 'feel' of Mog gets all squealy, girly, saveme, while Mog the boy was fearless, adventurous, sure, and all over solving a mystery. I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THIS AUTHOR!!!!!

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to give a 1.5, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and rounded up to 2 stars. I liked the concept very much and the description on the back cover, but I simply didn't care for the way it was executed by the author. To say the least, the description on the back cover held my interest more than the final product. Just like going to a movie theater with high hopes, but then coming out of it to realize the trailer was much, much better.

[Jued · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Some of its descriptions of Dickensian London were interesting. But, the story read like an old video game. Walk a little -- encounter a strange and mysterious character that gives a piece of vital information -- walk a little more -- explore a hidden room with an artifact.... I was underwhelmed.

[Heather Brush · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had some problems loving this book. First off, I couldn't tell who the audience was supposed to be. Adults? Children? Still not sure. It's dark for kids, but also a bit childish for adults. Loved the printing side of things, the insertions of posters, even the mice/rats running through the book (again - geared to kids?). Liked the mystery until it gets wrapped up. A few things still don't make sense, and I have no understanding of why they happened....the scene in the house?

Not likely to seek out the second book.

[LisaSunshineGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about this book is that the book-on-CD version was read by Katherine Kellgren, my all-time favorite audiobook readers, who sadly is no longer with us. The storyline was interesting and unpredictable, however, some of the plot points were not effectively wrapped up. It wasn't clear at the end, but it does appear that this book is the beginning of a series, so that might might explain the plot holes.

[Yami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this kind of stories,
but... whenever the story is narrated by the protagonist I become suspicious, they ALWAYS conceal something ,so ya I figured it out very early, there were many hints to be missed, and when it was stated , the element of surprise was gone, about Nick, again obvious.
I like that it left things hanging, and only now I found out it is a trilogy, definitely reading the rest.

[Kirsten Simkiss · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm DNFing this book at page 120. I just don't care about any of the characters and I feel like the writing is patronizing me as I read, which irritates me to no end. It's not a bad book, but it's just not for me. I hope if you choose to read this series that it's more to your taste than it was to mine.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the character development of Mog and Nick but the events were kind of all over the place, and the secondary characters blended together. Still a fun listen, especially for the time period and the (too brief!) scenes in the print shop!

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read. I like the portrayal of the time period. Also enjoyed pictures. Simplistic, but a nice read.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh.

[Patrícia Braz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7stars

[Lidik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the narrator for the audiobook, if not, I would have liked this book less.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to Enola Holmes series. If you like one, you'll like the other.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book written for a younger audience but it didn't feel juvenile or simple. It's a good, interesting story that keeps you wanting more.

[Ellen Spes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery in city.

[Morgan Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

"He was the ugliest, most evil-looking man I'd ever seen. He glared up at me from the poster, his outline glistening as the ink dried, making him seem more alive and threatening."

The Printer's Devil by Paul Bajoria, Mystery and Suspense thriller!

Mog is a twelve-year-old printers devil of the well respected Mr. Cramplock. He has the occasional job of putting up WANTED posters of murderers and thieves in Victorian England. A random encounter with a group of smugglers sets him on a dangerous adventure through England's underground world of criminals. More answers, yet even more questions about his past, Mog will be pushed to the limits as to what we is willing to sacrifice to put a stop a evil plan that could put everyone at risk.

If you are on a tantalizing search for a story that provides you with mystery, suspense, and a little bit of history than look no further. The book is very enjoyable, the writing is very detailed and explains the world in a very positive way. However, I felt that ending kind of fell on its face. There are some twists this story has to offer, but one in particular changed the entire arc of the book and I feel was very unnecessary. It was a choice that simply didn't need to be there but overall if your searching for a tale with suspense and thrills then The Printer's Devil is for you

[Judith Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA novel does a great job of creating the sense of a time and place, London in the 1700s. The main character, Mog, is apprenticed to a printer after "escaping" from an orphanage. We're never told the ages of the characters, though 10 or 11 seems about right. Mog is beaten by toughs when he's mistaken for "the bosun's son." Mog soon discovers the real bosun's son, a boy less fortunate than the overworked Mog as he's in the hands of an abusive father and his even more abusive "girlfriend." The pair become involved with a mysterious ship recently returned from India, a bronze camel with a sinister cargo in its hollow interior, and "the man from Calcutta" who owns a basket with a cobra he can apparently send on murderous missions. Just when it seems there's no one the pair can depend on, a dwarf bookdealier gives them sanctuary. The weakness of the story is the ending, where some of the mysteries are explained, but in more realistic than exciting and clever ways. What's supposed to be a dramatic twist falls flat for me, but I won't spoil it for anyone else reading the book.

[Jenny Staller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this book on my library's shelf and liked the cover, so I thought I'd give it a try. It's set in Dickensian England and is about a plucky orphan who gets mixed up in some mysterious and sinister happenings surrounding a ship, a valuable camel statue, and a case of mistaken identity. Unfortunately these elements didn't really come together for me. I didn't understand what motivated Mog to get involved in the mystery and didn't buy Mog's continued sleuthing, at great personal risk, when it felt like there was nothing personally at stake. I thought that the plot dragged on and I had trouble getting through it, and the ending wasn't satisfying to me at all. I know a lot was left unresolved because there is a sequel, but I would have liked some closure and what loose ends were tied up were done through unbelievable coincidences and deus ex machina means. I probably wouldn't recommend this book for many students--The Great Trouble by Deborah Hopkinson would be a better choice for a Victorian London mystery.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of the printers devil trilogy - the last of which I read last year when I randomly picked it up and read it - I know never a good idea reading the last book in a series but each one presents its own story which only slowly reveals the larger picture which represents the underlying trilogy.
The book is fun and fast paced and effortlessly creates the atmosphere and feeling of the London it was set in - something of a cliché these days but still a pleasure to read (there is nothing worse that a writer who puts more in to the ambience that the actual story line) .
The storyline is pretty straight forward however its good to portray characters you can not only believe in and understand but which have that something special that will see them through the trails and events in the story - there is also a twist in the tail for the main narrator of the storyline. A fun read and one I am glad I tracked down to begin with.

[Christina Getrost · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in the abrupt ending to this book, which is a real obvious set up for the sequel, but overall I thought it was very entertaining. Twelve-year-old orphan Mog works as a printer's apprentice, or "devil", in London in the early 19th century, and gets into all sorts of trouble just trying to solve a mystery that involves his past life. There's a major plot twist in the middle of the story that smart readers will figure out early on, but the rest of the plot--involving opium smuggling, a mysterious man from Calcutta who has a deadly cobra, mean sailors and mistaken identity--is convoluted and keeps you guessing. If you like "Oliver Twist"-type stories, you'll like this one. I enjoyed the setting, and feeling like I was really there among the cutthroats and pickpockets of London.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick and pleasing read, and if the plot is sometimes over-full and over-twisty, I didn't really care: it's full of wonderful descriptions, both of the city and the details and objects of everyday life. I love the dark alleyways and narrow streets, where "the houses on either side of the lanes leaned inwards at the top until they almost touched, so the sunlight could hardly get through" (p 10), and the crowds and noise of the docks by the Thames, where Mog, the twelve-year-old "printer's devil" (apprentice) of the title goes to see a ship just back from India called the Sun of Calcutta. Mog witnesses a theft and gets caught up in a series of events that's bigger than anyone quite understands: mm, London, and mm, historical fiction, and mm, mysteries and (mis)adventures.

[Kyra Dune · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the sort of book I usually read, but one day while digging through a bargain bin I came across The Printer's Devil and it's sequel, The God of Mischief. They were cheap, so I picked them up. Now, I'm very glad I did so.

The Printer's Devil takes place in 19th century London. It's a YA adventure story about 12 year old Mog Winter, who gets involved in a dangerous plot involving thievery, deceit, and murder. The point of view is, for the most part, Mog's. Mog is a charming character whose adventures make for an enjoyable read.

Why is there a camel in London, and what makes it so precious people are willing to kill to get their hands on it? Who is the man from Calcutta, and what truth does he know about Mog's past?

You'll have to buy the book to find out.

[D. Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Printer's Devil was a likable book once you realize it is best suited for young adults/teens. It tells the story of a young printer's apprentice in a Dickensian setting, full of mysterious strangers and new-found friends in unlikely places.

Mog, our hero, inadvertently stumbles into an international drug ring and must both solve the mystery of the camel as well as extricate himself from the clutches of the evil-doers.

Thankfully the story is not as long and drawn out as the Dickens stories it seems to liken itself to; instead, it gets right to the point and, though a bit obvious at times, manages to keep the reader engaged.