For children who delight in the peculiar and brave, this story follows a seemingly ordinary girl uncovering strange secrets in a truly extraordinary, forgotten city.
Parents might reach for this book when their creative, quirky child feels like they do not quite fit in. It tells the story of Lucy Pennant, a lonely girl with the strange ability to hear objects whisper. Sent to live in a bizarre, cluttered London building, she befriends a boy made of clay and discovers a secret city called Lungdon hidden deep below. This city is made entirely of lost and forgotten objects that have come to life. The story explores themes of loneliness, finding one's identity, and the power of creativity. With a gothic and whimsical tone reminiscent of Roald Dahl or Neil Gaiman, it's a perfect read for imaginative middle graders who champion the unusual and celebrate what makes them different.
The main character is effectively an orphan and deals with feelings of deep loneliness.
Sensitive Topics
The story handles themes of orphanhood and abandonment metaphorically. Lucy’s parents are gone, and her deep loneliness is a primary driver of the plot. The villain’s desire to “still” living things is a metaphor for oppressive control and the stifling of creativity. There is no religious content. The resolution is hopeful, with Lucy finding a sense of belonging and purpose in her unique abilities.
Ideal Reader
The ideal reader is an imaginative 10 to 12-year-old who thrives on intricate world-building and peculiar details. This book is for the child who appreciates darker, gothic fantasy like Coraline, loves to draw, and suspects there is a secret life to the everyday objects around them. It will deeply resonate with kids who feel misunderstood or lonely because of their unique interests.
Parent Prep
Parents should be prepared for the book's macabre tone and Edward Carey’s distinctive, somewhat unsettling illustrations. The villain and his goals are genuinely creepy, and the concept of living things being forcibly made inanimate can be disturbing for sensitive readers. It can be read cold, but contextualizing it as a “wonderfully weird, Tim Burton-style” story can be helpful. A parent has overheard their child say, “Nobody understands me,” or has noticed them retreating into their own imaginative world because they feel out of place with their peers. The child’s creativity is a core part of their identity, and the parent is looking for a story that validates and celebrates that uniqueness.
Age Experience
A younger reader (9-10) will be swept up in the adventure: a secret city of talking objects and a clear good-versus-evil conflict. They will focus on the friendship between Lucy and Adam. An older reader (11-13) will grasp the deeper allegorical themes of conformity, creativity, memory, and what it means to be truly alive. They will also appreciate the sophisticated prose and the melancholic beauty of the world.
What Makes It Special
Unlike typical portal fantasies, Lungdon's world is built not on magic, but on a unique animism tied to everyday objects. The book’s singular vision is its greatest strength, with the author’s own gothic illustrations being inseparable from the narrative. The prose itself is lyrical and eccentric, making the book feel like a discovered artifact from a wonderfully strange and forgotten world.
Read plot summary
Lucy Pennant, an 11-year-old who can hear the “birth-cries” of objects, is sent to live with her uncle in Heap House, a bizarre mansion assembled from forgotten buildings in London. Feeling isolated, she befriends Adam, a boy made of clay. Together, they discover the secret, subterranean city of Lungdon, a sprawling metropolis made of lost objects that have gained sentience. They learn it is ruled by the sinister Robert Borough, who wants to keep everything permanently “stilled”. Lucy and Adam must unravel the dark history of Lungdon and its creator to save the living objects from a lifeless eternity.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
At the beginning of the story, Lucy is ashamed of her ability to 'listen' to objects. How do her feelings about this special talent change by the end, and why?
2
The city of Lungdon is made from objects that were lost, broken, or forgotten in the world above. Why do you think the author chose these specific kinds of objects to be alive? What does this say about finding value in things others discard?
3
The villain, Robert Borough, wants to keep everything in Lungdon perfectly still and unchanging. Why is this goal so dangerous for the city's inhabitants?
4
Lucy’s friend Adam is made from clay. What qualities make him such a good and loyal friend, and what does their friendship teach us about what truly matters in a person (or an object)?
