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City of Secrets #1
City of Secrets
Read the graphic novel that Caldecott medal-winning illustrator, Dan Santat, calls, "An edge-of-your-seat thriller!"
Ever Barnes is a shy orphan guarding a secret in an amazing puzzle box of a building.
Most of the young women who work at the building's Switchboard Operating Facility, which connects the whole city of Oskar, look the other way as Ever roams around in the shadows. But one of them, Lisa, keeps an eye on the boy. So does the head of the Switchboard, Madame Alexander . . . a rather sharp eye.
Enter Hannah, the spunky daughter of the building's owner. She thinks Ever needs a friend, even if he doesn't know it yet.
Good thing she does!
Lisa and Madame Alexander are each clearly up to something.
Ever is beset by a menacing band of rogues looking to unlock the secret he holds--at any cost.
And whatever is hidden deep in the Switchboard building will determine all of their futures.
On a journey that twists and turns as much as the mechanical building Ever Barnes calls home, he and his new friend Hannah have to - and out what's really going on in this mysterious city of secrets . . . or else!
Ever Barnes is a shy orphan guarding a secret in an amazing puzzle box of a building.
Most of the young women who work at the building's Switchboard Operating Facility, which connects the whole city of Oskar, look the other way as Ever roams around in the shadows. But one of them, Lisa, keeps an eye on the boy. So does the head of the Switchboard, Madame Alexander . . . a rather sharp eye.
Enter Hannah, the spunky daughter of the building's owner. She thinks Ever needs a friend, even if he doesn't know it yet.
Good thing she does!
Lisa and Madame Alexander are each clearly up to something.
Ever is beset by a menacing band of rogues looking to unlock the secret he holds--at any cost.
And whatever is hidden deep in the Switchboard building will determine all of their futures.
On a journey that twists and turns as much as the mechanical building Ever Barnes calls home, he and his new friend Hannah have to - and out what's really going on in this mysterious city of secrets . . . or else!
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2020
48 people are currently reading
1913 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
April 29, 2022
⋇⋆✦⋆⋇Exceeded my expectations!⋇⋆✦⋆⋇
Highly recommended for older elementary school readers and middle grade readers, but this book can also be wonderful for adults as well. If you like intrigue, mysteries, adventure, fantasy, scifi, and/or steampunk, City of Secrets might be right up your alley!
Highly recommended for older elementary school readers and middle grade readers, but this book can also be wonderful for adults as well. If you like intrigue, mysteries, adventure, fantasy, scifi, and/or steampunk, City of Secrets might be right up your alley!
November 19, 2021
Plot and characters were formulaic and predictable, and the action was implausible (ten year old rich girl with no training beats up multiple armed assassins? come on) but the art was pretty and it was a fun enough quick read.
Part of the quickness was actually too quick -- there were a lot of wasted panels with not much in them. I wasn't surprised to find at the end that the author works in animation; this felt a lot more like film stills than comic panels. You know, for graphic novels you don't actually need to draw all the intermediate motions of one person kicking another, etc.? You could use that room for more plot or dialog instead?
Part of the quickness was actually too quick -- there were a lot of wasted panels with not much in them. I wasn't surprised to find at the end that the author works in animation; this felt a lot more like film stills than comic panels. You know, for graphic novels you don't actually need to draw all the intermediate motions of one person kicking another, etc.? You could use that room for more plot or dialog instead?
September 27, 2021
This was quite a long graphic novel yet it felt very rushed. Everything from the sudden friendship to the last minute ‘deus ex machina’-style, happily-ever-after ending felt like the author didn’t fully utilise the extended number of pages or know how to properly pace this story.
The art also felt rushed. It was the sketchy style you’d find in a sketchbook or a movie storyboard and it didn’t do the steampunk aspects any justice. The amazement of the moving platforms was lost in the loose shapes and simple arrows drawn.
The protagonist’s character growth was somewhat present, but the strength and clarity of Ever’s characterisation was muddied by his newfound friendship with Hannah. She seemed to have little personality or purpose other than to move the plot along and be conveniently linked to the mystery.
Overall, this wasn’t necessarily bad, but there were many aspects that could’ve been improved.
The art also felt rushed. It was the sketchy style you’d find in a sketchbook or a movie storyboard and it didn’t do the steampunk aspects any justice. The amazement of the moving platforms was lost in the loose shapes and simple arrows drawn.
The protagonist’s character growth was somewhat present, but the strength and clarity of Ever’s characterisation was muddied by his newfound friendship with Hannah. She seemed to have little personality or purpose other than to move the plot along and be conveniently linked to the mystery.
Overall, this wasn’t necessarily bad, but there were many aspects that could’ve been improved.
August 9, 2020
3.5 stars. This was a fun read, with its secret societies, orphan boy, adventurous girl, assassins, massive gears, codes, maps, secrets and betrayals. It was also a little derivative, and I could predict a few events, though I didn’t expect the Pacific Rim reference/homage. The story’s full of adventure, and the characters were a little predictable in their actions, but I loved the illustrations.
September 12, 2020
Rating: 4 Stars ★★★★ (maybe 4.5? Still deciding on a rating!)
City Of Secrets is a steampunk graphic novel that tells the story of a shy orphan and an upper class girl named Hannah who embark on an adventure to uncover the secrets of a safe within their city! Friendship, adventure, followed by magnificent artwork bring this world to life!
This was such a fast-paced and cinematic graphic novel! I loved the main characters, learning about the mechanical city of Oskar and all the mystery envelops this vibrant world!
Ever is an orphan who lost his father and now lives alone traversing the depths of the city's renowned Switchboard Operating Facility, managing the levers/mechanisms of the building, and protects a rather elusive safe hidden within its depths. Right away what makes this world standout is the heavy steampunk elements with gears, mechanisms, and introducing a world divided by levels!
Hannah is the daughter of the building's owner and is prone to adventure, when she learns of Ever, though he's hesitant at first, the two slowly build a lovely friendship! That was another one of my favorite parts of the story, just seeing it develop over the course of the book!!
We learn a mysterious guild of assassins are trying to get rid of Ever and uncover the secrets of the building! There's a lot of mystery and while some of the major plot points come at you quickly, your left shrouded in secrecy as to what could possibly be in the safe!!
The art is magnificent, almost cinematic with how quickly the pages fly by! Its use of a warm, almost cozy fall color palette bring a sense of wonder as you immerse yourself in this fascinating world. Although for me it felt like at some points the paneling cut rather quickly to the following scenes, each page was like a work of art. Ying's art is both lively and captivating, that's what originally drew me to this graphic novel and it will not disappoint!
Its just such a fun story that layers in themes of friendship, conspiracy, adventure, and lots more! Its nice to see what seems to be an ensemble cast, so there's always a new character to learn about!
There's a nice mix of political intrigue and dark moments while its got a very light-hearted feel to it overall!
My only issues which make me kind of lean towards a 4 (though I adored this graphic novel a lot) was the fact that the panels do jump very quickly from scene to scene, so there were multiple times I had to reread pages because the pacing was very quick. Also, while there may be some foreseeable plot points, my only issue was that it felt rushed at points and the ending caught me off guard because I wasn't entirely expecting it. I definitely love the unique way Ying wraps it up to hint at more to come and the more I let the wonder of this book simmer I really do appreciate the surprising end. Again, I think just on the first read I wasn't entirely sure how I felt because while lots of threads wrap up nicely, it feels rather abrupt because it comes rather quickly.
Will I be reading the sequel though? Absolutely, this story is just so magical and the friendship between Ever and Hannah is just too wholesome, I loved them a lot and I can't wait to see where their next adventure leads!! <3 <3
City Of Secrets is a wondrous, cinematic graphic novel set in a steampunk world! As Ever and Hannah team up to solve a conspiracy, they embark on a adventure of epic proportions! The enchanting art and immersive story fuses with intrigue, mystery and is an absolute delight to read from start to finish! You'll adore these characters and the unique world, eager to see what's next!
City Of Secrets is a steampunk graphic novel that tells the story of a shy orphan and an upper class girl named Hannah who embark on an adventure to uncover the secrets of a safe within their city! Friendship, adventure, followed by magnificent artwork bring this world to life!
This was such a fast-paced and cinematic graphic novel! I loved the main characters, learning about the mechanical city of Oskar and all the mystery envelops this vibrant world!
Ever is an orphan who lost his father and now lives alone traversing the depths of the city's renowned Switchboard Operating Facility, managing the levers/mechanisms of the building, and protects a rather elusive safe hidden within its depths. Right away what makes this world standout is the heavy steampunk elements with gears, mechanisms, and introducing a world divided by levels!
Hannah is the daughter of the building's owner and is prone to adventure, when she learns of Ever, though he's hesitant at first, the two slowly build a lovely friendship! That was another one of my favorite parts of the story, just seeing it develop over the course of the book!!
We learn a mysterious guild of assassins are trying to get rid of Ever and uncover the secrets of the building! There's a lot of mystery and while some of the major plot points come at you quickly, your left shrouded in secrecy as to what could possibly be in the safe!!
The art is magnificent, almost cinematic with how quickly the pages fly by! Its use of a warm, almost cozy fall color palette bring a sense of wonder as you immerse yourself in this fascinating world. Although for me it felt like at some points the paneling cut rather quickly to the following scenes, each page was like a work of art. Ying's art is both lively and captivating, that's what originally drew me to this graphic novel and it will not disappoint!
Its just such a fun story that layers in themes of friendship, conspiracy, adventure, and lots more! Its nice to see what seems to be an ensemble cast, so there's always a new character to learn about!
There's a nice mix of political intrigue and dark moments while its got a very light-hearted feel to it overall!
My only issues which make me kind of lean towards a 4 (though I adored this graphic novel a lot) was the fact that the panels do jump very quickly from scene to scene, so there were multiple times I had to reread pages because the pacing was very quick. Also, while there may be some foreseeable plot points, my only issue was that it felt rushed at points and the ending caught me off guard because I wasn't entirely expecting it. I definitely love the unique way Ying wraps it up to hint at more to come and the more I let the wonder of this book simmer I really do appreciate the surprising end. Again, I think just on the first read I wasn't entirely sure how I felt because while lots of threads wrap up nicely, it feels rather abrupt because it comes rather quickly.
Will I be reading the sequel though? Absolutely, this story is just so magical and the friendship between Ever and Hannah is just too wholesome, I loved them a lot and I can't wait to see where their next adventure leads!! <3 <3
City Of Secrets is a wondrous, cinematic graphic novel set in a steampunk world! As Ever and Hannah team up to solve a conspiracy, they embark on a adventure of epic proportions! The enchanting art and immersive story fuses with intrigue, mystery and is an absolute delight to read from start to finish! You'll adore these characters and the unique world, eager to see what's next!
July 2, 2021
Gorgeously illustrated graphic novel with creative world building.
Set in a steam-punk-esque world where the city operates on gears and the center hub is known as the Switchboard, an orphan boy guards a safe that no one knows what's inside. His mission is to protect the city, but protect it from what?
Soon the city is on the brink of war with its neighboring government. There's a threat of missile launches. Spies in cloaks roam the Switchboard and you don't know who to trust.
Ying's City of Secrets is a stunning, earth-toned graphic novel with elaborate mechanical drawings and limited text. Some readers may struggle with understanding the fast-paced threat of war as there is very little text to explain what's happening, rather the book relies on movement based scene spreads. The characters are interesting, and I would've liked to see them developed even more, but the book ends somewhat ambiguously, so there's a chance we'll see more of them in a sequel or series.
-Jess, Youth Services
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Set in a steam-punk-esque world where the city operates on gears and the center hub is known as the Switchboard, an orphan boy guards a safe that no one knows what's inside. His mission is to protect the city, but protect it from what?
Soon the city is on the brink of war with its neighboring government. There's a threat of missile launches. Spies in cloaks roam the Switchboard and you don't know who to trust.
Ying's City of Secrets is a stunning, earth-toned graphic novel with elaborate mechanical drawings and limited text. Some readers may struggle with understanding the fast-paced threat of war as there is very little text to explain what's happening, rather the book relies on movement based scene spreads. The characters are interesting, and I would've liked to see them developed even more, but the book ends somewhat ambiguously, so there's a chance we'll see more of them in a sequel or series.
-Jess, Youth Services
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
September 1, 2021
Steampunk middle-grade graphic novel--what's not to love? A quick, fun read with plenty of action, mystery/secrets, and neat characters, particularly the orphan hero Ever Barnes. ^_^ Reminds me a little of some of my favorite graphic novels--Compass South and Knife's Edge. (Not that I've read very many yet!) Fun. :)
June 13, 2025
I wanted to love this steampunk graphic novel, but unfortunately, it was too visually confusing for me. I often wasn't sure which order to read the panels in and the depictions of the different levers and slides and levels of the buildings were too complicated.
The art style was beautiful, though.
The art style was beautiful, though.
June 14, 2022
Cute graphic novel, loved the artwork! But it was surprisingly a little violent to me for a kids book lol
January 24, 2021
A fast paced steampunk graphic novel about a boy named Ever who has an important secret and a girl named Hannah who’s a rich girl with a taste for adventure. Together they uncover the secrets of the city they both dearly love.
Overall, a great start. It does wrap up fairly nice with a somewhat open ending for a sequel. The only thing I didn’t like was that the action scenes are somewhat difficult to tell what’s happening. Otherwise, I love the art, the story, and I wish there was more!!
Overall, a great start. It does wrap up fairly nice with a somewhat open ending for a sequel. The only thing I didn’t like was that the action scenes are somewhat difficult to tell what’s happening. Otherwise, I love the art, the story, and I wish there was more!!
May 25, 2022
A lot of fun with captivating world building and stunning illustrations. This would make the most fantastic movie.
August 28, 2024
★★☆☆☆
I picked up this book cause of the pretty cover and intriguing description, but didn’t really enjoy the novel itself.
The art style was cool and unique, but pretty sloppy. I was constantly confused, especially during the fight scenes/any scenes with the moving platforms and such.
The plot felt super duper rushed (and yes, I understand plots often are with graphic novels) but I still felt it could’ve been crafted better.
*kinda spoilers*
The way Ever went from “you’re a spoiled rich girl leave me alone” to holding her hand and promising he’ll always be there for her forever in 35ish pages bugs me. I want there to be more development there yknow?
*end of kinda spoilers*
All aside, The concept is really interesting and I’d love to read a redone novel or even a fully written book.
I picked up this book cause of the pretty cover and intriguing description, but didn’t really enjoy the novel itself.
The art style was cool and unique, but pretty sloppy. I was constantly confused, especially during the fight scenes/any scenes with the moving platforms and such.
The plot felt super duper rushed (and yes, I understand plots often are with graphic novels) but I still felt it could’ve been crafted better.
*kinda spoilers*
The way Ever went from “you’re a spoiled rich girl leave me alone” to holding her hand and promising he’ll always be there for her forever in 35ish pages bugs me. I want there to be more development there yknow?
*end of kinda spoilers*
All aside, The concept is really interesting and I’d love to read a redone novel or even a fully written book.
May 1, 2023
My mom always says she hates fantasy because no matter how creative the magic system is, the world is always set in the same time period. That has never been more glaringly obvious than when in graphic novel form.
I also found out that for graphic novels, there is a job title called colour assistant. The one for this book should feel ASHAMED!. There was no colour brighter than like a light brown and it was all so bland to look at.
No good plot, no good drawings. Not exactly the makings for an awesome graphic novel.
I also found out that for graphic novels, there is a job title called colour assistant. The one for this book should feel ASHAMED!. There was no colour brighter than like a light brown and it was all so bland to look at.
No good plot, no good drawings. Not exactly the makings for an awesome graphic novel.
May 27, 2023
3.5 stars
a cool graphic novel!
i thought it was really cool world building, but ngl i was kinda lost at times and i wish it would’ve been explained more
the plot felt a little rushed and and the ending was really sudden for the amount of buildup there was in the middle
the drawings were cute, but the background of most of the scenes were like the same brownish tanish color and i would’ve liked to see more pretty and detailed backgrounds
also for a kids graphic novel, it was a little more violent than i expected 😅
but overall i thought it was pretty good and i enjoyed it :)
RATINGS✨
overall rating - 3.5 stars
writing/art - 4 stars
characters - 4 stars
plot - 3 stars
a cool graphic novel!
i thought it was really cool world building, but ngl i was kinda lost at times and i wish it would’ve been explained more
the plot felt a little rushed and and the ending was really sudden for the amount of buildup there was in the middle
the drawings were cute, but the background of most of the scenes were like the same brownish tanish color and i would’ve liked to see more pretty and detailed backgrounds
also for a kids graphic novel, it was a little more violent than i expected 😅
but overall i thought it was pretty good and i enjoyed it :)
RATINGS✨
overall rating - 3.5 stars
writing/art - 4 stars
characters - 4 stars
plot - 3 stars
December 21, 2020
SO CUTE. And yet so violent. I was pretty afraid for most of it and loved it all. Will be looking out for the sequel!
August 31, 2021
Spencer rated this book 4 stars.
This book was a lot of fun, and the world its set in is beautiful and intriguing!
This book was a lot of fun, and the world its set in is beautiful and intriguing!
February 2, 2023
Very cool! I look forward to more in this story.
October 15, 2020
the art in this comic was PHENOMENAL, victoria ying's colors are so warm and lush. the steampunk setting is super fucking cool too—if you love clockwork cities and 1800's mechanical aesthetics, the world of this book will be a delight. i did expect it to be a standalone though!!! i really thought this was a little too short and not as emotionally gripping as i'd hoped it would be, but i'm definitely looking forward to any sequels to the story if they ever arrive.
July 27, 2020
Interesting and action-packed, steampunkesque fantasy. The writing felt a little clunky and the plot was a little hard to follow at times, but a perfect readalike for fans of the Amulet series.
*Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.*
*Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.*
June 20, 2021
3.75⭐️
A fun middle grade story of a steampunk town with a main switchboard station, a hidden boy in the shadows, a girl who loves adventure a secret society, and a traitor who employs assassins
A fun middle grade story of a steampunk town with a main switchboard station, a hidden boy in the shadows, a girl who loves adventure a secret society, and a traitor who employs assassins
July 2, 2021
Gorgeously illustrated graphic novel with creative world building.
Set in a steam punk-esque world where the city operates on gears and the center hub is known as the Switchboard, an orphan boy guards a safe that no one knows what's inside. His mission is to protect the city, but protect it from what?
Soon the city is on the brink of war with its neighboring government. There's a threat of missile launches. Spies in cloaks roam the Switchboard and you don't know who to trust.
Ying's City of Secrets is a stunning, earth-toned graphic novel with elaborate mechanical drawings and limited text. Some readers may struggle with understanding the fast-paced threat of war as there is very little text to explain what's happening, rather the book relies on movement based scene spreads. The characters are interesting, and I would've liked to see them developed even more, but the book ends somewhat ambiguously, so there's a chance we'll see more of them in a sequel or series.
Set in a steam punk-esque world where the city operates on gears and the center hub is known as the Switchboard, an orphan boy guards a safe that no one knows what's inside. His mission is to protect the city, but protect it from what?
Soon the city is on the brink of war with its neighboring government. There's a threat of missile launches. Spies in cloaks roam the Switchboard and you don't know who to trust.
Ying's City of Secrets is a stunning, earth-toned graphic novel with elaborate mechanical drawings and limited text. Some readers may struggle with understanding the fast-paced threat of war as there is very little text to explain what's happening, rather the book relies on movement based scene spreads. The characters are interesting, and I would've liked to see them developed even more, but the book ends somewhat ambiguously, so there's a chance we'll see more of them in a sequel or series.
December 24, 2021
The story itself - I don't know how to describe it but it's like we were dumped into this world and I didn't personally think much of it was very well thought through. The art was really good, yes, but the story kinda felt like a kid making it all up and not really caring whether or not any of it actually made any sense or connected together as cohesively as one might wish. This also ties back in part to HOW the story was told through the panels. It was hard to follow in above itself, because it didn't have a good flow to it. The story jumps around; panels are "hasty"; everything just feels quick.
And while the story was inventive, it was also a bit of a hodgepodge. There was a lot of stuff going on: and while I understand that this is the first in a series, I'm not sure I have ANY idea why any of the story happened. We have no reasoning behind anything as far as I could see.
And while the story was inventive, it was also a bit of a hodgepodge. There was a lot of stuff going on: and while I understand that this is the first in a series, I'm not sure I have ANY idea why any of the story happened. We have no reasoning behind anything as far as I could see.
September 2, 2020
Incredibly cute, and an absolutely lovely world! I really hope there are more, because I would love to learn about all of the secrets revealed within.
December 7, 2020
I definitely enjoyed reading this graphic novel. The artwork is excellent, the characters are well developed, and the storyline was interesting.
Perfect for kids around 7 and up.
Perfect for kids around 7 and up.
June 23, 2021
An excellent adventure about going against what everyone expects of you in a wonderful gaslamp fantasy setting.
November 8, 2021
This was so so cute and exactly everything I wanted it to be 💕💕
March 10, 2022
This was great, I loved the art and the characters and the whole story. Can't wait to read the next one!
December 19, 2023
This book was amazing! I wish it was longer and more in-depth, though. It was a very fast read since it's a graphic novel. I would also like to see a sequel.
September 10, 2020
An interesting enough graphic novel if you suspend your disbelief. It’s not that I don’t believe there might be a giant clockwork city where levers moved buildings, but I never really felt that Hannah should have been able to act the way she did among the mechanisms.
Reminded me of Castle in the Sky or the Newsprints series, but needed a bit more development in terms of plot and characters, as those fell short. The neighboring “enemy” was extremely vague, which I think even for a kids GN, should’ve had a bit more context/expansion. Is there a phrase for cog-and-gear-only steampunk?
Drawing style was nice in terms of character design and expressions, but the fight sequences were very hard to follow and often appeared extremely ungainly. Action, on the other hand, had very smooth, flowing lines and it was fun seeing the cast glide down pulleys and leap over moving pieces of buildings.
I might read a second if it’s in the works to see if the world-building and plot improves!
Reminded me of Castle in the Sky or the Newsprints series, but needed a bit more development in terms of plot and characters, as those fell short. The neighboring “enemy” was extremely vague, which I think even for a kids GN, should’ve had a bit more context/expansion. Is there a phrase for cog-and-gear-only steampunk?
Drawing style was nice in terms of character design and expressions, but the fight sequences were very hard to follow and often appeared extremely ungainly. Action, on the other hand, had very smooth, flowing lines and it was fun seeing the cast glide down pulleys and leap over moving pieces of buildings.
I might read a second if it’s in the works to see if the world-building and plot improves!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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