A Very Singular Guild

City of Orphans / Bogle #3

by Catherine Jinks

Twelve-year-old Ned Roach used to scavenge for scraps along the Thames riverbank. But the recent plague of childeating bogles in London means that he's now working as an apprentice to Alfred Bunce, the bogler. Alongside Jem Barbary and (sometimes) Birdie McAdam, Ned must lure bogles out of their lairs so that Alfred can kill them. And this means spending a lot of time in the city's murky underground waterways-especially when Alfred is hired by the London Sewers Office to stamp out a deadly infestation. But times are changing. As magic and folklore give way to the machine age, Alfred begins to face an uncertain future-while Ned and his friends find themselves threatened by an enemy from their past who's even more dangerous than the bogles.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Young Adult, Historical

341 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Catherine 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

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It boggles the mind! Bogles in the laundry. Bogles in the chimneys. Bogles in the theater. Ever since Alfred Bunce, bogler and go-devil man was hired by the Sewers Office and the Metropolitan Board of Works to kill any bogles found lurking in the sewers, it seems that people are seeing bogles everywhere. With Alfred's original apprentice, Birdie McAdams now training as a singer, Ned Roach and Jem Barbary have taken positions as Alfred's helpers. Although bait might be a better word for it, since the children are what lure the bogles out of hiding so that they can be killed. That might not be necessary for long though, because the gentlemen who have been helping with charting the bogle sightings and trying to analyze the remains of the ones that are killed, are trying to find safer methods to deal with the bogles. In the midst of all this activity and possible progress, the group is still trying to deal with the criminal known as Salty Jack who wants Jem dead, Birdie's guardian Miss Eames has two possible suitors, and Alfred is researching the history of the spear that his bogling mentor gave to him.

I've followed this series from the first time I heard it described as Ghost Busters meets Charles Dickens. Each book is full of suspense, danger, the mysterious creatures called bogles, and entertaining characters. There's crusty old Alfred Bunce, Birdie with her amazing voice and spunk, Jem with his acrobatic ability and shady past, Ned and his loyalty and determination, and all their friends from the more genteel level of society. The descriptions of London during this time - the newsboys, pneumatic tubes being cutting edge technology, laundries still using hot closets like the ones I've seen at Biltmore House (or I suppose they have them on Downton Abbey), and gas street lamps - all create an atmosphere where it seems possible that bogles could exist.

If you enjoy ghost stories or series like Cornelia Funke's Ghost Hunters, tales of suspense and danger, or brave young protagonists, then you should read The Last Bogler and the earlier books in the How to Catch a Bogle series.

I read an advance copy provided by the publisher for review purposes.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book concludes the trilogy in a very satisfying fashion. Sentimental old me even cried at the prologue :-)

Just like the first book which centered on Birdie as a bogler's girl and the second which saw Jem become Alfred's bogler's boy, this book puts Ned Roach in the spotlight with Alfred. Each of the children has their strengths--Birdie sings, Jem dances and is quite acrobatic, and Ned has a mind for mechanical and scientific things. Ned needs this talent as he works with Alfred not because he enjoys the excitement but out of a sense of duty and obligation for the man who has taken him in.

Other dangers beside bogles plague the pair and these side adventures propel the plot into directions that aren't always foreseen.

This was a rollicking ride of a book with excellent narration and a satisfying conclusion.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the third in a middle-grade historical fiction/fantasy trilogy, and I found it a pleasing conclusion to the story of Alfred Bunce, who kills monsters (bogles) for a living, and his various young friends/apprentices. Each book focuses on a different one of the kids, and at the center of this one is Ned Roach, who's a bogler's apprentice somewhat reluctantly. I mean, it's better than being a mudlark or a fruit-seller, but it's scary and dangerous and Ned doesn't particularly think he wants to actually be a bogler when he grows up, though Alfred thinks he has the required thoughtfulness and cool-headedness. But in this book, other options open up for Ned, thanks to Alfred's position on the newly-formed Committee for the Regulation of Subterranean Anomalies, which is employed by the Board of Works and includes an engineer who notices and admires Ned's intelligence and interest in all things mechanical/infrastructural/logistical.

As with the other two books, this one alternates between bogle-hunting expeditions and other events, and it makes for a fun mixture of adventure and other aspects of the plot. And as with the other books, the details of Victorian-era London are satisfying: I love that at one point, the characters are looking at a map of all the bogles that Alfred has killed, which they then overlay with a map of the sewer system in a scene that feels like a nod to John Snow's map of the 1854 cholera outbreak.

[J.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in this series has Ned Roach taking over as the bogler's boy. Birdie and Jem both seem to have their futures taking them in different directions - both get parts singing and dancing on the stage - which leaves Ned feeling a little left out. Alfred thinks Ned's a natural as a bogler - and he's had the presence of mind to kill a couple on his own - but he's more interested in the engineering of the sewers and he seems to have an aptitude for it even if he doesn't have much self-confidence. But Salty Jack is still a problem, so bogles aren't the only danger Ned has to face.

This was a very nice and satisfying conclusion to a great series. The characters are very likeable - and I liked that each book made a different child the focus. It's just frightening and tense enough without being too much for kids (and their parents, as well). (I received an advance copy from Amazon Vine.)

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 3rd and final part of the City of Orphans Trilogy. Like the previous two stories, A Very Singular Guild tells the tale of one of the young bogler's apprentices of Alfred Bunce. This time we learn more about Ned Roach and his past - and then his future in a quickly changing world of London's industrial revolution. This time Alfred has been commissioned by the Council to kill bogles in the myriad of sewers under the city. Will he succeed or will the bogles defeat them all...

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the last two books. By now the bogling escapades were monotonous. The point of view of Ned - the friend of Birdie and Jem who narrated the previous two books - was not as fun as the others. The characters seemed to be not as vividly drawn as before, sometimes acting differently than I had thought, and there were also too many new side characters (and indeed, plots) for me to keep invested in. The epilogue felt out of place and only took away from the rest of the story. I was imagining that Birdie and Jem would grow up to have a romantic relationship, not Birdie and Ned, who I found rather boring. I did love Jem, that's probably why.
However, the settings are still striking and the historical tidbits fascinating. The writing is dynamic and fluid, so I was still kept entertained, only not caring just as much.
All in all, the other two were better, but this was still interesting and exciting.

[Andy Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Catherine Jinks finishes her bogle series in fine fashion. Bogles are magical animals that infest the sewers and chimneys of 19th-century London. The bogler, Alfred Bunce, has hunted them throughout the series, using the children Birdie, Jem, and Ned, poor waifs off the streets of London, to lure them out, where he can kill them with his magical spear.

The last book unveiled a plague of bogles. They meet more and more, as the book goes on. But they're also plagued by a criminal seeking to kill the children and Bunce. Ned, a poor, but precocious boy, has so clever ideas to kill them en masse.

But will they work? Or will they become overrun with bogles? Ms. Jinks keeps the surprises coming, one chapter after another.

[G.Mohandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books ever!!! I was just reading it last night and suddenly found that it was 3 in the morning! It has a way of pulling you to know what's next. And for the ending... it actually couldn't be better.
Harewood married Ms. Eams and got three children: I'm crying. Alfred has retired and moved to Mother May's house and everyone is looking after him: My heart! Ned did become an engineer and is going to design a bridge: I'm a proud mother. Ned is going to marry Birdie: I'm drowning again. Birdie asked for Alfred to be the one to walk her: air is for the weak.
It's a book you won't regret reading.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book follows Birdie and the second follows Jem, so naturally the third follows Ned. This is a decent closing to the series and it has some helpful backstory about Mr. Alfred Buntz. By this point, the three main kids are joined by a whole bunch of adult characters that I didn't find as interesting, but as a whole, I liked this series.

[Diana Gagliardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous to the end (I love the epilogue style of "where are they now?")

Great trilogy, don't know why it's "City of Orphans" rather than "Bogler Trilogy" but that is a matter of the company, not the author.

Enjoy!

[BRT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good ending to this early young adult trilogy. The plague of boggles seems to be ramping up but Alfred Bunce the bogler, is now sanctioned by the government and has more help than ever. Fun theme, good characters, and good story.

[Jessica F · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying conclusion to a great middle grade trilogy full of adventure! Jinks struck just the right blend of fantasy and historical fiction.

[Ashley Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this series! I was sad to see it end. Now I’m off to search the chimneys... 😉

[Jack Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audio and enjoyed. This one also (the whole series) connected to our London vacation, where we climbed the Monument as happened at some point in this story.

[Heather Rauch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't have asked for a better ending to the trilogy.

[WroteTrips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Own and listened to the first two books on audio, had to read the last in the series to find out how at ended. Excellent fantasy story for children.

[Sarah Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew that a book about a child eating bogle’s could be such an entertaining and wonderful read?! Loved this whole series.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nice conclusion to the series.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The end of the trilogy and I can't say I love how everything was wrapped up. However it wasn't terrible and I enjoyed most of the ride to get there.

[Kasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 I just thought it very repetitive and it just got old after three books.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great narrator!!!

[Kim Gontarz]

London is having a major bogle problem and Alfred with his apprentice are having a hard time keeping up. The sewer's office hires them to solve the problem and word leeks out. Maybe bogles are not magical if the sewer's office is dealing with them.

[Tessa McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Alfred loses both Birdie and Jem to an acting company, he is left with Ned Roach to be his final apprentice. However, Ned is not a bad choice. Ned is enthusiastic and inventive as the pair tackles more official bogling jobs due to their status in The Committee for the Regulation of Subterranean Anomalies. During one bogling job, Ned kills his first bogle, but accidentally destroys Alfred’s legendary spear.

The Last Bogler is a fairly satisfying conclusion to Jinks' bogle trilogy. There are, however, some inconsistencies that seem to deflate the rousing plots and foundational character development Jinks established in her previous books. For example, in the first two novels, both Birdie and Jem felt profoundly loyal to Alfred for giving them a purpose and place in life. In this book, both Birdie and Jem quickly cast aside their devotion to Alfred when the acting company hires them. No consequences were really shown of how that made Alfred feel. Then Jinks’ treatment of ridding London’s society completely of bogles seems almost a copout to quickly end the series. Yet, Jinks is still gifted at creating suspenseful, heart pounding scenes without describing lots of gore. This book was a little more graphic because she describes, in few details, the death of Salty Jack Gammon. At the end of each book, Jinks includes a glossary of colloquial terms that were popular in 1870’s London. Overall, Jinks’ series is still a fun, inventive trilogy for fans of thrilling, monster-based books.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bogles are snatching young children from basements and sewers all over London, so Alfred's kept very busy getting rid of them. Something's different about these bogles, as they're more difficult to lure from their hiding places and don't burst and disappear after being killed. Ned becomes Alfred's sole helper and apprentice, but Salty Jack Gammon and his cronies are lurking about. Salty Jack is trying to eliminate witnesses to his crimes, so any bogle jobs in his territory are extra dangerous for Ned and Alfred. Alfred later finds out how to make new bogle-killing spears, and there may be a way to trap bogles without using children for bait. This will make the job safer for Ned, but it could also put Alfred out of business. They're going to need to do something big to save kids from disappearing across London.

You'll like the other two books in the series, but this book can be read by itself. The first two books will help you understand the characters and the whole idea of bogle-hunting. The action begins in the first chapter, as Mr. Bunce, Jem, and Ned battle a large bogle in a stinking sewer. Much of the book is non-stop bogle hunting, and the author presents an overwhelming number and variety of bogles. The issue of using kids as bait for bogles is debated throughout the plot. All of the characters know it's dangerous, but it's the only way to lure the monsters. Overall, this book is entertaining and brings the series to an exciting end.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being not even remotely close to the target audience, this series has been a little gem for me of late. I loved how Jinks changed main characters with each book while keeping the same group of characters and the same world and the same everything. I think the second book is still my favourite, but this was definitely a solid conclusion to the trilogy.

It seems to focus more on wrapping up things that happened in the second book than it does hunting bogles, and I felt the bogle conclusion was a little bit rushed, almost a bit of an afterthought. But I liked the characters so much that I didn't really care. I think the only thing I could have done without was the ten-years-later-all's-well-that-ends-well epilogue, which felt a little out of place in a middle grade book. But on the whole, it was a fast-paced and well written ending to the series.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying final episode in Jinks’ Bogle trilogy, it can also be read as a stand-alone story without missing much. Set in spooky Victorian London, amidst mudlarks and penny gaffs, child-eating monsters and good-hearted orphans, this story is compelling and deliciously creepy in just the right amounts. Jinks story takes her characters to a culminating event and on to discover the power of believing in magic (or not), as well as life after bogling. A rough map of the London locations involved along with a glossary of unfamiliar terms helps bring the story to life, as do chapter-heading illustrations throughout. Fans of fantasy and historical fiction will enjoy the descriptions and the action.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jinks finishes up this delightfully creepy series. Jem and Birdie find new careers on stage, while Ned, who cannot read but understands and adores basic engineering concepts, faithfully stands at the side of Alfred as they take on more bogles. Now employed by the government to rid London of bogles, the two have assistance from city officials. There are lots of bogles, suddenly, and just as suddenly it appears that the bogles are sick and dying. Meanwhile old business with Sarah Pickles must be resolved, since Alfred and his apprentices can't be on the run forever from the terrifying Jack Gammon. Good fun and a satisfying ending. Middle grades.

[Katharine (Ventureadlaxre)]

Katharine is a judge for the Sara Douglass 'Book Series' Award. This entry is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.

I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of great description of period London. And some action--what a fun movie in my head. I didn't look vet it quite as much as the first two books t that could be the headache I've been pushing away for the past twelve hours.
My favorite part might be the very last scene. Just before, also fun, but that very last one. Unexpected and priceless.

[Yeunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book is got to do with alot of bogle (monster) stuff