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How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys
London, England. 1840. Gangs of four- and five-year-old orphans are being used as "apprentice" chimney sweeps--they're the only ones who can fit down the narrow chimneys, taking brushes and baskets down with them into upper-class Victorian homes to scrape out the creosote. It's good for 'em, don'tcher know? Caroline, a.k.a. the infamous Smoke, is one of the older orphans, who help lift and lower the smaller ones, handle the customers, and keep the gang runner, Hasty Wallace, from flying off the handle. But rumor is, it's time to shuffle the sixteen-year-old orphan off to other business ventures. Ones with mattresses. Lots of mattresses. If it were up to Hasty (and it is), Caroline will disappear into a brothel in Whitechapel...or a ditch. Honestly, he doesn't care which. It's time for Caroline to get out of the chimney business. And maybe it's time that Hasty Wallace learned a thing or two about orphans...
31 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2016
9 people want to read
About the author
DeAnna Knippling
174 books282 followersDeAnna Knippling is a professional freelance writer, ghostwriter, and editor. She has a browser history full of murder, gore, and Victorian street maps. She writes across many genres, but has a soft spot for all things crime, horror, and gothic. Her latest book is the Gothic horror novel The House Without a Summer. You can find her in Colorado with her husband and daughter, on her website at www.WonderlandPress.com, or on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 16, 2017
Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)
*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
PROS
The settings – DeAnna researched a lot and I felt like I was walking beside Caroline through London’s streets and chimneys, haha! Also, the adventure and fast pace are amazing. DeAnna balanced wonderfully heavy and serious themes with the fleeting pleasure of a childish adventure <3
CONS
This story was SO GOOD! I need to read more of Caroline’s adventures, haha!
QUOTES
RECOMMENDED FOR
Historical books fans, obviously, short stories lovers and everyone that has already wondered how on earth people used to clean those high-as-the-sky chimneys on old European buildings, haha!
*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
PROS
The settings – DeAnna researched a lot and I felt like I was walking beside Caroline through London’s streets and chimneys, haha! Also, the adventure and fast pace are amazing. DeAnna balanced wonderfully heavy and serious themes with the fleeting pleasure of a childish adventure <3
CONS
This story was SO GOOD! I need to read more of Caroline’s adventures, haha!
QUOTES
“Look inside enough houses, and they start to come together like wooden puzzles.” – Caroline’s thoughts
RECOMMENDED FOR
Historical books fans, obviously, short stories lovers and everyone that has already wondered how on earth people used to clean those high-as-the-sky chimneys on old European buildings, haha!
May 13, 2018
NOTE: The author graciously gave me a copy of this book and asked me to write a review.
Thanks to Charles Dickens, I grew up with the idea that lower class children in Victorian England invariably made their living as pickpockets working for unscrupulous adults only a half step up on the societal rung from themselves. While not strictly true, this notion provided me with some colorful imagery of the era I retain today. Now, Deanna Knippling shows readers a slight, but in its own way memorable, variant on the Dickens street urchin in her offbeat historical tale, "How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys."
Although "smoke" (the rather sooty and highly visible reminder of a fire) figures prominently in this story, the “smoke” in the title is the narrator of most of the tale, whose given name is Caroline. Although a young teenager at the time of the story, Caroline is small for her age and works as a chimney sweep, getting paid to be lowered down into chimneys and scrub them out. She and a few younger children work for a thug named Hasty, barely past teen years himself, a man whose only skill seems to consist of bullying around and shaking down the youngsters in his crew.
Although Caroline’s occupation sometimes lends itself to larceny, she is completely unprepared for the shock she encounters in discovering a secret room in the latest house whose chimney she is cleaning. There, the owner indulges his passion for taxidermy, both by oddball artwork involving some common stuffed rodents, and by a much larger project involving a much larger subject, an actual person. And that’s not the only secret in the house, as Caroline encounters a woman being held hostage in the home, who enlists Carolyn’s help to escape.
Once Caroline discovers the secrets in the house, “How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys” turns into a cat-and-house game with Caroline at odds with the upper class owner, the cops (here referred to as “peelers”), and her own boss, as she tries to get a terrified woman and the kids in her care to safety. The story is fairly short but manages to be a bit confusing in spots. Nor does the author’s decision to switch from third person to first person narration help. But, there is a neat plot twist at the end, demonstrating that Caroline is far more resourceful than others, including probably some of the story’s readers, give her credit for.
Merely on its story value, “Smoke” would probably be worth a read, but what makes the story really entertaining is the period detail. The author has clearly done some research on the era, and the little tidbits of information, such as the details about what actually goes into cleaning a chimney, are fascinating. Plus, Knippling is able to work them into the narration seamlessly, without resorting to plot-stopping information dumps. The result is making readers feel as if they are walking (or occasionally running) their way through the streets with Caroline and her pals.
Many self-published Amazon writers try to emulate a famous author or work in their chosen genre and, as a result, their results are often cookie cutter products. I have read several of Deanna Knippling’s stories, and she definitely does not adhere to a formula, instead, seemingly going in whatever direction inspiration takes her. In this case, it’s a caper story from two centuries ago that is a solid period piece. I’m not just blowing smoke here, but “How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys” will definitely brighten up the evening for readers.
Thanks to Charles Dickens, I grew up with the idea that lower class children in Victorian England invariably made their living as pickpockets working for unscrupulous adults only a half step up on the societal rung from themselves. While not strictly true, this notion provided me with some colorful imagery of the era I retain today. Now, Deanna Knippling shows readers a slight, but in its own way memorable, variant on the Dickens street urchin in her offbeat historical tale, "How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys."
Although "smoke" (the rather sooty and highly visible reminder of a fire) figures prominently in this story, the “smoke” in the title is the narrator of most of the tale, whose given name is Caroline. Although a young teenager at the time of the story, Caroline is small for her age and works as a chimney sweep, getting paid to be lowered down into chimneys and scrub them out. She and a few younger children work for a thug named Hasty, barely past teen years himself, a man whose only skill seems to consist of bullying around and shaking down the youngsters in his crew.
Although Caroline’s occupation sometimes lends itself to larceny, she is completely unprepared for the shock she encounters in discovering a secret room in the latest house whose chimney she is cleaning. There, the owner indulges his passion for taxidermy, both by oddball artwork involving some common stuffed rodents, and by a much larger project involving a much larger subject, an actual person. And that’s not the only secret in the house, as Caroline encounters a woman being held hostage in the home, who enlists Carolyn’s help to escape.
Once Caroline discovers the secrets in the house, “How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys” turns into a cat-and-house game with Caroline at odds with the upper class owner, the cops (here referred to as “peelers”), and her own boss, as she tries to get a terrified woman and the kids in her care to safety. The story is fairly short but manages to be a bit confusing in spots. Nor does the author’s decision to switch from third person to first person narration help. But, there is a neat plot twist at the end, demonstrating that Caroline is far more resourceful than others, including probably some of the story’s readers, give her credit for.
Merely on its story value, “Smoke” would probably be worth a read, but what makes the story really entertaining is the period detail. The author has clearly done some research on the era, and the little tidbits of information, such as the details about what actually goes into cleaning a chimney, are fascinating. Plus, Knippling is able to work them into the narration seamlessly, without resorting to plot-stopping information dumps. The result is making readers feel as if they are walking (or occasionally running) their way through the streets with Caroline and her pals.
Many self-published Amazon writers try to emulate a famous author or work in their chosen genre and, as a result, their results are often cookie cutter products. I have read several of Deanna Knippling’s stories, and she definitely does not adhere to a formula, instead, seemingly going in whatever direction inspiration takes her. In this case, it’s a caper story from two centuries ago that is a solid period piece. I’m not just blowing smoke here, but “How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys” will definitely brighten up the evening for readers.
March 17, 2020
Well, I liked the story, it is well written, and the characters developed well. BUT! It is only 31 pages! It is a VERY short story. I checked this out in digital form under the impression that it would be a full novel, so I enjoyed it, thinking it was the beginning and was doing a really good job of introducing the characters, but then I hit "Author's Note" and realize that's the end!
Very disappointing, Ms. Knippling, you should expand the story, you have really cool characters!
Very disappointing, Ms. Knippling, you should expand the story, you have really cool characters!
January 28, 2017
The short story How Smoke Got Out of the Chimneys by Deanna Knippling captures the tone of old England to perfection. Knippling has created a likeable main character in Smoke, a sharp young girl on the street who eeks out her living as a chimney sweep, and as one follows her brief tale, one can’t help but long to see her succeed. Short, but well crafted and quite entertaining, this tale is everything a short story should be.
Read my full review on my blog: https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/...
Read my full review on my blog: https://kayelynnebooth.wordpress.com/...
December 29, 2016
Smoke is one of the child chimney sweeps of London. But she has a problem. She is growing up and will soon no longer be able to be a chimney sweep. She needs to find a way out before she is forced out.
This is a fun little story. It has a good premise, flows well, and is a nice mix of intrigue, adventure and even a little humor.
This is a fun little story. It has a good premise, flows well, and is a nice mix of intrigue, adventure and even a little humor.
December 19, 2024
Fun, imaginative and a kick ass heroine. The downside is that this is a short story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews