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City of Orphans / Bogle #1
A Very Unusual Pursuit
Monsters have been infesting London's dark places for centuries, eating every child who gets too close. That's why ten-year-old Birdie McAdam works for Alfred Bunce, the bogler. With her beautiful voice and dainty looks, Birdie is the bait that draws bogles from their lairs so that Alfred can kill them.One life-changing day, Alfred and Birdie are approached by two very different women. Sarah Pickles runs a local gang of pickpockets, three of whom have disappeared. Edith Eames is an educated lady who's studying the mythical beasts of English folklore. Both of them threaten the only life Birdie's ever known.But Birdie soon realises she needs Miss Eames's help, to save her master, defeat Sarah Pickles, and vanquish an altogether nastier villain.Catherine Jinks, one of Australia's most inventive writers, has created a fast-paced and enthralling adventure story with edge-of-your-seat excitement and chills.
330 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
48 people are currently reading
1867 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Jinks
62 books538 followersCatherine Jinks is the Australian author of more than thirty books for all ages. She has garnered many awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award(three times), the Victorian Premier’s Award, the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction, the Australian Ibby Award, and the Davitt Award for Crime Fiction. Her work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Thailand.
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.
From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.
She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.
Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.
Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
December 21, 2016
3.5 STARS!
This was a pretty fun read! I loved how it jumped right into action on the first page, though I do have to say 100 pages could've easily been cut from this, it dawdled on in parts when things could've been wrapped up very neatly and quickly. As I said it was a fun read, it had an awesome 9 year old feisty heroine, supernatural creatures, and it took place in the Victorian era, which we all know I love. I read this on audio as well, though the narrator's version of the main character annoyed me at times, I still liked it. I'm interested in the rest of the series and hope to continue on very soon. - Richard :)
This was a pretty fun read! I loved how it jumped right into action on the first page, though I do have to say 100 pages could've easily been cut from this, it dawdled on in parts when things could've been wrapped up very neatly and quickly. As I said it was a fun read, it had an awesome 9 year old feisty heroine, supernatural creatures, and it took place in the Victorian era, which we all know I love. I read this on audio as well, though the narrator's version of the main character annoyed me at times, I still liked it. I'm interested in the rest of the series and hope to continue on very soon. - Richard :)
October 18, 2013
This book is marketed to the 9 to 12 year old age group and seems perfect for that category of readers.* It's a cute fantasy tale set in Victorian England. Birdie is an eleven year old orphan girl who's apprenticed to a bogler named Alfred. A bogle is a child eating monster and Birdie, unfortunately, is the bait. She stands in the magic salt circle and sings in order to lure the monster out so Alfred can kill him. Then she runs like crazy so she doesn't get eaten.
Alfred and Birdie meet many friends and enemies in their line of work and have to try and figure out who is who. They meet gentry, physicians, and various workers including rag sellers and sewer scavengers. There's even a dictionary included that defines types of magical creatures as well as some more mundane terms. It's a great combination of learning and fun. There's an element of scariness to this book but mostly an adventure. I can't see anyone in this age group having nightmares after reading it.
*(Kids don't read the following: There are some wonderful lessons embedded in the book such as how to be a strong, independent girl, learning the criteria concerning who to trust, and what life was like for the lower classes in Victorian England in the 1870's.)
Alfred and Birdie meet many friends and enemies in their line of work and have to try and figure out who is who. They meet gentry, physicians, and various workers including rag sellers and sewer scavengers. There's even a dictionary included that defines types of magical creatures as well as some more mundane terms. It's a great combination of learning and fun. There's an element of scariness to this book but mostly an adventure. I can't see anyone in this age group having nightmares after reading it.
*(Kids don't read the following: There are some wonderful lessons embedded in the book such as how to be a strong, independent girl, learning the criteria concerning who to trust, and what life was like for the lower classes in Victorian England in the 1870's.)
September 16, 2014
Liked the idea, but the pacing was off. The central plot conflict doesn't really emerge until quite near the end, and the antagonist is terribly flat. He is a ruthlessly evil doctor, willing to kill lots of kids to get what he wants, and what he wants is... a bogle? Really? All they seem to do is live in dark holes and eat people, what's he going to do with it?
October 7, 2013
This is a wonderful book. I bought it for my 8 year old son, but I read it as well, and later my wife. It's kind of like Oliver Twist meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Really great historical detail. The author really seems to have done her homework. Great characters, and great soul. I love the moral choices the characters make.
March 9, 2014
How to Catch a Bogle is the story of orphan Birdie, apprentice to London's bogler Alfred, a man who destroys the monsters during the Victorian era. It's Birdie's job to lure the monsters out of their lairs so Alfred can kill them. It may seem a dangerous job, but she could be worse off. She feels that way until distinguished Miss Eames comes along to watch the mysterious business of catching and disposing of bogles. Miss Eames tries to convince her to pursue another line of work and even offers her a place to stay and singing lessons as she has such a lovely voice.
When more bogles start appearing in London and more children go missing, Birdie cannot possibly abandon her work and she's not fully convinced her life should be more than what it is. Who would take care of Alfred if she wasn't around? Together, Alfred and Birdie must discover who is attempting to control these horrible bogles and why they would do such a thing. It may be one of the most dangerous jobs they've taken on.
I really love the setting of Victorian London, especially when adding in a supernatural element. There's something so wonderful and charming about orphan stories. Birdie is a strong character, who knows she's better off with Alfred than in a thieving gang or living on the streets fending for herself. She trusts Alfred to keep her safe at all times and they are successful at their jobs. The bogles are varying and terrifying in their own manner. I was always on edge when they went on a job, waiting for something horrific to happen.
How to Catch a Bogle is clever in many ways, and I loved the variety of characters, especially strong female characters. I love seeing characters that are neither villains nor good people and there was so many of those, I really felt immersed in the slums of London during that time period. I'm not sure how this will fare as a series, but I'm excited to see where it is going.
When more bogles start appearing in London and more children go missing, Birdie cannot possibly abandon her work and she's not fully convinced her life should be more than what it is. Who would take care of Alfred if she wasn't around? Together, Alfred and Birdie must discover who is attempting to control these horrible bogles and why they would do such a thing. It may be one of the most dangerous jobs they've taken on.
I really love the setting of Victorian London, especially when adding in a supernatural element. There's something so wonderful and charming about orphan stories. Birdie is a strong character, who knows she's better off with Alfred than in a thieving gang or living on the streets fending for herself. She trusts Alfred to keep her safe at all times and they are successful at their jobs. The bogles are varying and terrifying in their own manner. I was always on edge when they went on a job, waiting for something horrific to happen.
How to Catch a Bogle is clever in many ways, and I loved the variety of characters, especially strong female characters. I love seeing characters that are neither villains nor good people and there was so many of those, I really felt immersed in the slums of London during that time period. I'm not sure how this will fare as a series, but I'm excited to see where it is going.
August 24, 2014
From page one, A Very Unusual Pursuit jumps straight into the action when Birdie, a ten-year old girl and Alfred, the Go-Devil man - the catcher of bogles - arrives on the door step of a well-to-do house in the streets of 19th century London. A child is missing and Alfred and his apprentice Birdie have been called in to catch the bogle lurking in the chimney.
'Monsters have been infesting London's dark places for centuries, eating any child who gets too close. That's why ten-year old Birdie McAdams works for Alfred Bunce, the bogler. With her beautiful voice and dainty looks, Birdie is the bait that draws bogles from their lairs so that Alfred can kill them.'
Soon after the killing of the chimney bogle, Alfred and Birdie are approached by two women - Sarah Pickles, who runs a gang of pick-pockets, and Mrs Edith Eames, an upper class lady who studies folklore. Sarah Pickles wants Alfred and Birdie to lure our the bogles that she suspects have killed her boys, while Edith Eames wishes to join Alfred and Birdie on their bogle hunts so she can study them.
Concerned for Birdie, Mrs Eames arrives with suggestions of other ways Alfred can lure the bogles, but Birdie feels threatened - being a boglers apprentice is all she knows - and without that - what is she? Birdie feels her life as a 'bogler's 'prentice' is a fortunate one, as an orphan in 19th century London she could have ended up in the workhouse or thieving, or working in the mines. So when Alfred plucked her from the canals after hearing her singing voice she learned to lure the child eating bogles from their lairs. And besides, how would Alfred lure them out without her - she had to help him catch bogles or more children would be eaten.
They begin their bogle hunt at the house of Dr. Morton where one of Sarah Pickles boys went missing, but it soon turns nasty when they are faced with a powerful bogle. The lives of Alfred and Birdie are threatened when the mysterious doctor forces them to help him capture a bogle for his own cruel intentions and they are drawn into Dr Morton's sinister world.
Catherine Jinks has painted pictures with her words of Victorian London and paired it with bogle-luring songs sung by Birdie, the cockney accents of the poor, the crisp words of the upper class and the old-fashioned descriptions of the times like 'cadger' for beggar and 'chink' for money. My only small complaint, which has nothing to do with the writing, is that perhaps the glossary of terms could have been at the front of the book instead of the back, as I didn't know they were there until I finished the book.
I can understand why this book was nominated for a NSW Premier's Literary Award and short-listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia. A Very Unusual Pursuit is a wonderfully written historical fantasy with a great female heroine. Birdie is bright, brave and clever and I really enjoyed reading about this plucky young girl who is happy right where she is, thank you very much - she's a 'bogler's 'prentice', she is, and doesn't need rescuing by Mrs. Eames - but all bogler's apprentices grow up - and I cant wait to read what Birdie and her friends get up to in the next book A Very Peculiar Plague.
Read on my blog: http://illuminationsbylisafleetwood.w...
'Monsters have been infesting London's dark places for centuries, eating any child who gets too close. That's why ten-year old Birdie McAdams works for Alfred Bunce, the bogler. With her beautiful voice and dainty looks, Birdie is the bait that draws bogles from their lairs so that Alfred can kill them.'
Soon after the killing of the chimney bogle, Alfred and Birdie are approached by two women - Sarah Pickles, who runs a gang of pick-pockets, and Mrs Edith Eames, an upper class lady who studies folklore. Sarah Pickles wants Alfred and Birdie to lure our the bogles that she suspects have killed her boys, while Edith Eames wishes to join Alfred and Birdie on their bogle hunts so she can study them.
Concerned for Birdie, Mrs Eames arrives with suggestions of other ways Alfred can lure the bogles, but Birdie feels threatened - being a boglers apprentice is all she knows - and without that - what is she? Birdie feels her life as a 'bogler's 'prentice' is a fortunate one, as an orphan in 19th century London she could have ended up in the workhouse or thieving, or working in the mines. So when Alfred plucked her from the canals after hearing her singing voice she learned to lure the child eating bogles from their lairs. And besides, how would Alfred lure them out without her - she had to help him catch bogles or more children would be eaten.
They begin their bogle hunt at the house of Dr. Morton where one of Sarah Pickles boys went missing, but it soon turns nasty when they are faced with a powerful bogle. The lives of Alfred and Birdie are threatened when the mysterious doctor forces them to help him capture a bogle for his own cruel intentions and they are drawn into Dr Morton's sinister world.
Catherine Jinks has painted pictures with her words of Victorian London and paired it with bogle-luring songs sung by Birdie, the cockney accents of the poor, the crisp words of the upper class and the old-fashioned descriptions of the times like 'cadger' for beggar and 'chink' for money. My only small complaint, which has nothing to do with the writing, is that perhaps the glossary of terms could have been at the front of the book instead of the back, as I didn't know they were there until I finished the book.
I can understand why this book was nominated for a NSW Premier's Literary Award and short-listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia. A Very Unusual Pursuit is a wonderfully written historical fantasy with a great female heroine. Birdie is bright, brave and clever and I really enjoyed reading about this plucky young girl who is happy right where she is, thank you very much - she's a 'bogler's 'prentice', she is, and doesn't need rescuing by Mrs. Eames - but all bogler's apprentices grow up - and I cant wait to read what Birdie and her friends get up to in the next book A Very Peculiar Plague.
Read on my blog: http://illuminationsbylisafleetwood.w...
January 10, 2018
This was one of the most delightful middle grade books I’ve read in a long time. I love fantasy books, especially those that deal in the real world and incorporate different mythologies, so How to Catch a Bogle drew me in right away. It has a Charles Dickens flair, focusing on Birdie, who was the daughter of a tosher and who is now an apprentice to Alfred the Bogler. Their first assignment brings them into contact with a proper lady, Edith Eames, who’s interested in creating a more scientific approach to catching bogles, especially since it’ll help keep Birdie out of harm’s way. Birdie hates it, but with the money Edith brings in, goes along with it, and finds herself learning some proper manners along with it.
I love Birdie so much — she’s such a strong, independent character who knows her own mind and is super smart. She’s completely confident in her abilities and completely trusts Alfred to keep her out of danger, which somehow made it tense for me as a reader when they were bogle hunting, because I kept expecting something horrible to happen. When they weren’t bogle hunting, though, Birdie’s interactions with the pickpockets and the boys who seem to be sweet on her is absolutely hilarious.
While How to Catch a Bogle gives a glimpse as to what life was like in Victorian England, it’s a book that’s based in pure, good adventure. There are tons of twists and turns, and plenty of creepiness with the bogle catching. There isn’t a dull moment in this story, and I cannot wait until I’m able to read the sequel. I definitely recommend this for those who like their fantasy books based in mythology. Middle graders and older readers alike will love Birdie’s strong spirit and the crazy adventures she has in this story.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I love Birdie so much — she’s such a strong, independent character who knows her own mind and is super smart. She’s completely confident in her abilities and completely trusts Alfred to keep her out of danger, which somehow made it tense for me as a reader when they were bogle hunting, because I kept expecting something horrible to happen. When they weren’t bogle hunting, though, Birdie’s interactions with the pickpockets and the boys who seem to be sweet on her is absolutely hilarious.
While How to Catch a Bogle gives a glimpse as to what life was like in Victorian England, it’s a book that’s based in pure, good adventure. There are tons of twists and turns, and plenty of creepiness with the bogle catching. There isn’t a dull moment in this story, and I cannot wait until I’m able to read the sequel. I definitely recommend this for those who like their fantasy books based in mythology. Middle graders and older readers alike will love Birdie’s strong spirit and the crazy adventures she has in this story.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
April 30, 2014
This book was recommended to me by my friend Kaethe, and let me just say, she suggests some excellent books!
How to Catch a Bogle was kinda sorta Harry Potter meets Charles Dickens, but more emphasis on Dickens than Potter. The story was engaging from page one, and I tore through this thing! Yes, the book is a young adult book, but it's a mature book. It doesn't shy away from the plight of poor people, children in particular, in Victorian England, and it paints a bleak picture of survival for those kids. Very few paths are open to them, and most end up thieving, locked up, or dead. Some of the dead ones wind up that way due to nasty, hungry bogles with a taste for kids. That's where Birdie comes in.
Birdie is a young heroine, but despite her small size she is plucky, strong, brave, and compassionate. She is a beautifully drawn character, and the reader would happily follow her anywhere as she practices her trade as a "'prentice" to a bogler (i.e., someone who dispatches the nasty buggers to the bogle afterlife).
The book is fast paced, and would appeal immensely to those kids out there who tend to like darker stories. I'm not sure what age range this would best suit. My niece is ten, and while I think she'd like the story, I don't think she'd quite understand all of the words, particularly the street slang that Birdie and her peers use. There is a glossary at the end of the book, so that would help, I'm just not quite sure how much. I guess the only way to know for sure is to hand her the book. Which I may just do tonight.
How to Catch a Bogle was kinda sorta Harry Potter meets Charles Dickens, but more emphasis on Dickens than Potter. The story was engaging from page one, and I tore through this thing! Yes, the book is a young adult book, but it's a mature book. It doesn't shy away from the plight of poor people, children in particular, in Victorian England, and it paints a bleak picture of survival for those kids. Very few paths are open to them, and most end up thieving, locked up, or dead. Some of the dead ones wind up that way due to nasty, hungry bogles with a taste for kids. That's where Birdie comes in.
Birdie is a young heroine, but despite her small size she is plucky, strong, brave, and compassionate. She is a beautifully drawn character, and the reader would happily follow her anywhere as she practices her trade as a "'prentice" to a bogler (i.e., someone who dispatches the nasty buggers to the bogle afterlife).
The book is fast paced, and would appeal immensely to those kids out there who tend to like darker stories. I'm not sure what age range this would best suit. My niece is ten, and while I think she'd like the story, I don't think she'd quite understand all of the words, particularly the street slang that Birdie and her peers use. There is a glossary at the end of the book, so that would help, I'm just not quite sure how much. I guess the only way to know for sure is to hand her the book. Which I may just do tonight.
December 13, 2013
Birdie is an orphan, one who was lucky to be found and apprenticed rather than sent to the local work house. In Victorian London, the work houses are notorious for starvation, over-work, and misery. Instead, Birdie has a home, food to eat, and a job. Only problem is, Birdie's job is to act as bait - for the bogles. When children start disappearing, Birdie finds that not all is as it seems...
I read a lot of "children" and "young adult" books for two reasons. One - I have two children and I like to be able to have read the same stories for the discussions and conversation that inevitably ensue. Two - I often find that books written for those age groups have much more imagination than those written for adults. In the fantasy genre, that is a definite necessity. However, even enjoying these books, it is rare that one catches my attention enough that, rather that simply enjoying the read, I end up reading into the night to finish it. This I did (last night!) with 'How to Catch a Bogle'.
The characters are very well drawn and interesting. The story line has plenty of excitement and a bit of spooky, and Birdie is a fantastic girl who is smart and strong. She is young still, but I look forward to reading more about her in the next book ('A Plague of Bogles').
Catherine Jinks has written a compulsively readable book that bodes well for the remaining books in this new trilogy. I don't believe I've ever read any of her books before, but I will certainly be checking them out!
Comment
I read a lot of "children" and "young adult" books for two reasons. One - I have two children and I like to be able to have read the same stories for the discussions and conversation that inevitably ensue. Two - I often find that books written for those age groups have much more imagination than those written for adults. In the fantasy genre, that is a definite necessity. However, even enjoying these books, it is rare that one catches my attention enough that, rather that simply enjoying the read, I end up reading into the night to finish it. This I did (last night!) with 'How to Catch a Bogle'.
The characters are very well drawn and interesting. The story line has plenty of excitement and a bit of spooky, and Birdie is a fantastic girl who is smart and strong. She is young still, but I look forward to reading more about her in the next book ('A Plague of Bogles').
Catherine Jinks has written a compulsively readable book that bodes well for the remaining books in this new trilogy. I don't believe I've ever read any of her books before, but I will certainly be checking them out!
Comment
May 16, 2014
The computers were down at work, which meant I got to read! I finished this quickly, racing to get to the end. I loved Birdie, she was a great, strong female lead. Brave and realistic, though a tad stubborn and headstrong, but who isn't? The setting was one of my favorites, Victorian England and it was told well. It was believable and matched what I know of that time period. The bogles were deliciously frightening. The danger and suspense was very real, I truly worried for Birdie. It wasn't all about her though. The cast of characters was varied and interesting. No love interests, just danger and bravery and fun. Very good read, 4.5 stars.
September 26, 2014
Read this aloud with three kids 7-9. We all liked it, but I think it is better to read than to be read to. This is a throughly researched book by Australian Jinks, very much a kind of mix of Dickensian Victorian England and Harry Potter fantasy (a bogle is a spook or monster and the main characters work as boglers, hired to get bogles out of houses like soot out of a chimney… only they are monsters. The language is sometimes dense, meaning Jinks uses precise language from the period for authenticity (and maybe urging readers to do a little etymological research… which we didn't really do…). But it's a good story with good writing and characters and a pretty interesting plot.
January 10, 2016
Narrated by Mandy Williams, this haunting children's book is a must read or listen - set in Victorian London, the story follows Birdie, "a bogler's girl", apprentice to a "Godevil" man, Alfred. She lures dark creatures who are powered by their diet of children, with her beautiful voice into salt rimmed death traps. Jinks presents the reader with a strong young female character and an interesting mystery with just the right amount of suspense and action. I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and must recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction weaved with the supernatural.
April 9, 2021
Very fun read. I was impressed that Jinks didn't shy away from the huge class/caste divides in Victorian London, or the treatment of the mentally ill. It's good when authors for younger readers show those readers respect.
September 10, 2016
One Sentence Review: Top notch, thoroughly enjoyable, and the kind of book you just sink into and enjoy like a warm, hot bath.
June 26, 2020
Before reading Catherine Jinks adult novel ‘Shepherd’ I read her children’s trilogy City of Orphans. The stories captured my interest from the first page and held it to the last. Following the adventures of young orphan Birdie McAdam, a lively, focused girl with a beautiful singing voice, I soon blended into the damp, grimy streets of 1870s London.
Birdie has entertaining friends, although she wouldn’t admit that to urchins Ned or Jem who also get to shine. Birdie is a bogler's assistant, a stout defender of Alfred Bunce and his unusual profession. The ‘unusual pursuit’ relates to luring and eradicating child-eating bogles by using Birdie as bait. Her songs sometimes quaver when a foul bogle leaves its lair but she holds firm. Split second timing is needed and old Alfred is the man for the job.
After the messy dispatch of a chimney bogle in a fancy parlour, the story kicks up a notch with overlapping events; Fagan-like Sarah Pickles with her young thieves and no scruples; well-to-do Miss Eames with an interest in mythology and the rehabilitation of young Birdie; the very unpleasant Dr Morton. Characters are strongly and consistently written, the youngsters face adversity with strong wills and uneasy friendships.
I loved the levels of intrigue, grim deeds, and disagreeable behaviour which surround Birdie and Alfred. As true protagonists, they rise to every challenge. The chapters are vividly written but the scare factor is tempered. This plot builds and moves forward with purpose, the second book well in sight. All three books are worth reading although the mood does get darker and the bogles get messier!
NOTE: This trilogy has been given different titles in different countries and it does ruin the atmosphere. GBW.
Birdie has entertaining friends, although she wouldn’t admit that to urchins Ned or Jem who also get to shine. Birdie is a bogler's assistant, a stout defender of Alfred Bunce and his unusual profession. The ‘unusual pursuit’ relates to luring and eradicating child-eating bogles by using Birdie as bait. Her songs sometimes quaver when a foul bogle leaves its lair but she holds firm. Split second timing is needed and old Alfred is the man for the job.
After the messy dispatch of a chimney bogle in a fancy parlour, the story kicks up a notch with overlapping events; Fagan-like Sarah Pickles with her young thieves and no scruples; well-to-do Miss Eames with an interest in mythology and the rehabilitation of young Birdie; the very unpleasant Dr Morton. Characters are strongly and consistently written, the youngsters face adversity with strong wills and uneasy friendships.
I loved the levels of intrigue, grim deeds, and disagreeable behaviour which surround Birdie and Alfred. As true protagonists, they rise to every challenge. The chapters are vividly written but the scare factor is tempered. This plot builds and moves forward with purpose, the second book well in sight. All three books are worth reading although the mood does get darker and the bogles get messier!
NOTE: This trilogy has been given different titles in different countries and it does ruin the atmosphere. GBW.
April 7, 2017
In the book How to Catch a Bogle, the author creates a compelling and kind of confusing book. The author Catherine Jinks published this on the first of January in 2013. she is a great fiction novelist who makes well reading books with interesting characters. The downside to the entire book is that it gets confusing rather quick. They add and take characters as they want to and creates an upset in the flow of this book. The main characters are Alfred and his apprentice Birdie. They live in the unsanitary side of town along with thieves and scavengers. Alfred is a scruff old man in his fifties that has a harsh Scottish and British accent. On the other hand we have Birdie. She is twelve and is more than polite for an orphan. She has a more light British accent. The plot is why this book, for me, got four stars. It is confusing and takes more than one read to understand the book. The main plot is that they try to help a girl wright a novel on Bogles and how they live. They end up getting in trouble with a doctor and he tries to kill them. In the book these lines are two pages apart. "I'LL KILL YOU" and "i say we should go for breakfast." After 150 pages or so becomes overly confusing and hard to follow. The books concept was great and I recommend it to anyone who has time to re-read things one or two times. As long as you don't use this as a kind of grade I would say give it a try.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2020
This was a great entry to the canon of "monsters exist and they DO kill children, but they disappear when they die so there is no fossil record of them." I'm looking forward to jumping right into the next book in the series, so I'm sad my library doesn't have it. Birdy is a great character and I look forward to reading more about her.
March 22, 2019
How to Catch a Bogle is a very interesting book about a young girl named Birdy who has quite the talent for singing. She works for a Bogler- a person who hunts a kills Bogles. Throughout the book, you will learn about the dangers of Birdy's job, singing to lure Bogle's out of their hiding places. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a funny book with a fantasy twist.
April 1, 2021
Absolutely delightful, with ingenious characters and plot developments. Special kudos not only for depicting the class and gender politics of Victorian London in starkly honest terms, but making them fairly central to the plot.
August 17, 2022
This was a great story! What a terrific and brave heroine! It had some truly creepy moments, and a couple places I was worried about her, even tho I could guess at the ending. Those were the awful-est songs!! So good to have a much-needed glossary in the back. How people ever survived in 1870's London is more that I can fathom.
August 22, 2022
Though the setting and accents were very entertaining, the pacing was very slow. Same story over and over again. Couldn't quite picture what the bogles looked like and the villain didn't come about until the end of the book.
June 17, 2017
Even though I like the author i put off reading this book because of the atrocious cover. Quite enjoyed it once I actually started into it though. Genuinly creepy at times and funny at others.
June 19, 2024
This was a nice story. I’m looking forward to the sequel being available at my library.
September 30, 2013
I found this to be a truly satisfying historical fantasy. It has scary bits, funny bits, and thoughtful bits. It has a great central character, who's both believable and likable, and a nuanced supporting cast (including adults who are interesting people too!). And it has a really good story.
As an impoverished (but plucky) Victorian orphan, Birdie knows what it's like to live on the edge of nightmarish destitution. So she considers herself fortunate to be the apprentice of Alfred the Bogler. Sure, she's the one who baits the bogle traps, siting in an unfinished circle of salt and singing to lure the bogle out of hiding. And yes, the reason bogles need dispatching is because they eat children. Alfred, though grumpy, is not abusive, and the money, though not enough for much in the way of creature comforts, keeps them going. They are a good team.
In this alternate London, the educated rich consider bogles the childlike superstition of the lower orders. But there are two who don't. One is a well-off woman engaged in the academic study of supernatural creatures of the British Isles, keen to use Alfred and Birdie as a means of observing the creatures first hand (which leads to amusing situations in which she is desperately out of place), and, as the story progresses, keen to introduce science into bogle trapping and save Birdie from danger (though Birdie is hostile to this idea, as it would put her out of work...).
And then there is the second well-off person who believes in bogles...who doesn't care a whit how many children they eat. He, too, is keenly interested in Afred's bogling skills, but his interest is much, much, more dangerous than any monster Birdie's ever faced.
If you are looking for books for young readers of fantasy of the alternate worlds/quests/heroic kids saving the day with magic who are reluctant to try anything real world, or historical, offer them this one. They'll get a nice introduction to Victorian London along with the brave kid, the magic, and the monsters.
I enjoyed it lots myself, and highly recommend it to both kids and grown-ups. Perhaps more to the kids, because it is written with them in mind. There's a nice solid simplicity to the progression of the story which makes is very satisfying. Though pleasing complexities of plot and character are introduced, they are done so without any teasing of the reader. It's a complete story in its own right; the ending is an ending, though there's room for more fun with bogles.
As an impoverished (but plucky) Victorian orphan, Birdie knows what it's like to live on the edge of nightmarish destitution. So she considers herself fortunate to be the apprentice of Alfred the Bogler. Sure, she's the one who baits the bogle traps, siting in an unfinished circle of salt and singing to lure the bogle out of hiding. And yes, the reason bogles need dispatching is because they eat children. Alfred, though grumpy, is not abusive, and the money, though not enough for much in the way of creature comforts, keeps them going. They are a good team.
In this alternate London, the educated rich consider bogles the childlike superstition of the lower orders. But there are two who don't. One is a well-off woman engaged in the academic study of supernatural creatures of the British Isles, keen to use Alfred and Birdie as a means of observing the creatures first hand (which leads to amusing situations in which she is desperately out of place), and, as the story progresses, keen to introduce science into bogle trapping and save Birdie from danger (though Birdie is hostile to this idea, as it would put her out of work...).
And then there is the second well-off person who believes in bogles...who doesn't care a whit how many children they eat. He, too, is keenly interested in Afred's bogling skills, but his interest is much, much, more dangerous than any monster Birdie's ever faced.
If you are looking for books for young readers of fantasy of the alternate worlds/quests/heroic kids saving the day with magic who are reluctant to try anything real world, or historical, offer them this one. They'll get a nice introduction to Victorian London along with the brave kid, the magic, and the monsters.
I enjoyed it lots myself, and highly recommend it to both kids and grown-ups. Perhaps more to the kids, because it is written with them in mind. There's a nice solid simplicity to the progression of the story which makes is very satisfying. Though pleasing complexities of plot and character are introduced, they are done so without any teasing of the reader. It's a complete story in its own right; the ending is an ending, though there's room for more fun with bogles.
May 4, 2018
This is a fun and fast-paced novel with characters and milieu to spare. Ms. Jinks’s novel is almost Dickensian in its sweep of jolly old London. She describes a variety of people and places, manners and mores, interiors and exteriors. From the elegant and well-meaning Miss Eames to the unscrupulous Sarah Pickles, the book teems with a panoply of fascinating men, women and children, each lending their particular color to the plot.
Holding these various strands together is Birdie McAdams. She is a feisty, shrewd and nimble lass. She looks eight but is ten and has the courage of a lion. It’s wonderful to read about her enthusiasm for the bogle trade and her gratitude and fierce devotion to Alfred Bunch, the bogler. Together she and the old man hunt and kill deadly creatures that feast on children. They have a genuine, if unspoken, love and devotion to each other and it permeates the novel, even as they wrestle with those who would do them harm, even by way of helping them.
You come to understand Birdie’s dedication to her craft. She knows that things could be so much worse for her: being nabbed as a pickpocket, forced to grub through muck and grime for things to sell or packed off to the workhouse where she’d have to work day and night and starved to boot. But it’s her love of Mr. Bunce that sustains her. It’s an unusual relationship in a novel, to see a young girl and an old man so attached to each other. But Ms. Jinks makes you believe in them, even as altered circumstances contrive to force them apart.
The book is part of a series but I think this first novel is good enough to stand on its own.
Holding these various strands together is Birdie McAdams. She is a feisty, shrewd and nimble lass. She looks eight but is ten and has the courage of a lion. It’s wonderful to read about her enthusiasm for the bogle trade and her gratitude and fierce devotion to Alfred Bunch, the bogler. Together she and the old man hunt and kill deadly creatures that feast on children. They have a genuine, if unspoken, love and devotion to each other and it permeates the novel, even as they wrestle with those who would do them harm, even by way of helping them.
You come to understand Birdie’s dedication to her craft. She knows that things could be so much worse for her: being nabbed as a pickpocket, forced to grub through muck and grime for things to sell or packed off to the workhouse where she’d have to work day and night and starved to boot. But it’s her love of Mr. Bunce that sustains her. It’s an unusual relationship in a novel, to see a young girl and an old man so attached to each other. But Ms. Jinks makes you believe in them, even as altered circumstances contrive to force them apart.
The book is part of a series but I think this first novel is good enough to stand on its own.
June 24, 2015
Bridie is a ten year old apprentice to a Bogler. This is a respectable trade in 19th Century London – ridding the city of monsters who snatch children from cupboards, chimneys and other dark places.
They meet Miss Edith Eames, a wealthy lady who has researched all manner of monsters, and who pays to come along and watch them work. Bridie is bait – singing to draw out the monster. Alfred then slays it with his spear.
But bogles aren't the only thing they will have to defeat. Someone in town is summoning terrible things, even worse than bogles....
Action, creepy, and monsters aplenty.
A great read for those young readers who need something a little more substantial but without the more teen/adult themes. This is the first in a series set in Victorian London. I enjoyed the whole series.
They meet Miss Edith Eames, a wealthy lady who has researched all manner of monsters, and who pays to come along and watch them work. Bridie is bait – singing to draw out the monster. Alfred then slays it with his spear.
But bogles aren't the only thing they will have to defeat. Someone in town is summoning terrible things, even worse than bogles....
Action, creepy, and monsters aplenty.
A great read for those young readers who need something a little more substantial but without the more teen/adult themes. This is the first in a series set in Victorian London. I enjoyed the whole series.
July 18, 2015
You can find this, and other reviews, on my blog.
I picked this book up on a whim, and was well-rewarded. A Very Unusual Pursuit follows Birdie McAdams as she assists her master, Alfred Bunce, in capturing bogles - fey beasties that like to eat children.
Birdie is a delightfully feisty young lady, who wants nothing more than to help Mr Bunce in his attempts to save London’s children from all the lurking nasties. Not everyone wants the bogles to be vanquished, however, and so they must pit themselves against a much more human foe.
This book had me entertained from beginning to end. Told from Birdie’s perspective, it’s fun and has the perfect pacing to keep the story moving along. While it does work nicely as a self-contained novel, I do look forward to seeing what other mischief Birdie can get into.
I picked this book up on a whim, and was well-rewarded. A Very Unusual Pursuit follows Birdie McAdams as she assists her master, Alfred Bunce, in capturing bogles - fey beasties that like to eat children.
Birdie is a delightfully feisty young lady, who wants nothing more than to help Mr Bunce in his attempts to save London’s children from all the lurking nasties. Not everyone wants the bogles to be vanquished, however, and so they must pit themselves against a much more human foe.
This book had me entertained from beginning to end. Told from Birdie’s perspective, it’s fun and has the perfect pacing to keep the story moving along. While it does work nicely as a self-contained novel, I do look forward to seeing what other mischief Birdie can get into.
January 23, 2016
An enjoyable little piece of historical fantasy-- think Oliver Twist with supernatural elements. Recommended for fans of Fly by Night, Peter and the Starcatchers, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
June 23, 2015
I enjoyed this audio-book. The narrator did a nice job with all of the voices. The story itself was entertaining. I liked Birdie as a main character. The boys were fun too.
For those of you unfamiliar with bogles, they are child-eating monsters. Alfred is a bogler (meaning he kills them), and Birdie is a child and therefore bait. Don't worry, it isn't as bad as it sounds, she's pretty safe. Sort of. The two of them, as well as a few others, have quite the adventure.
For those of you unfamiliar with bogles, they are child-eating monsters. Alfred is a bogler (meaning he kills them), and Birdie is a child and therefore bait. Don't worry, it isn't as bad as it sounds, she's pretty safe. Sort of. The two of them, as well as a few others, have quite the adventure.
June 8, 2020
Really enjoyed this - read it with a group of Grade 5/6 students as a literature circle text. It's definitely a bit gruesome (which they loved) and has old fashioned vocabulary that will push them out of their comfort zones. The characters are well written and multi dimensional and I loved seeing a strong female lead character who can stand up for herself, despite the low goals others set for her.
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