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    Black Hearts in Battersea
    Black Hearts in Battersea
    Black Hearts in Battersea
    Ebook217 pages4 hours

    Black Hearts in Battersea

    By Joan Aiken

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    In this hilarious classic adventure, an innocent boy and his friends must stop a plot to topple the King of England.

    Simon, the foundling from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, arrives in London to meet an old friend and pursue the study of painting. Instead he finds himself unwittingly in the middle of a wicked crew’s fiendish caper to overthrow the good King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. With the help of his friend Sophie and the resourceful waif Dido, Simon narrowly escapes a series of madcap close calls and dangerous run-ins. In a time and place where villains do nothing halfway, Simon is faced with wild wolves, poisoned pies, kidnapping, and a wrecked ship. This is a cleverly contrived tale of intrigue and misadventure.

    Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl

    “It’s a marvel!” —The New Yorker

    “A wild yarn, not to be put down once it is started.” —Washington Post

    “A riot of wildly improbable adventures happening to absurd and loveable characters with Dickensian names in a time that never was . . . Heartrending, hair-raising, rib-tickling, and delightful.” —New York Times

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateOct 25, 1999
    ISBN9780547530710
    Black Hearts in Battersea
    Author

    Joan Aiken

    Joan Aiken, daughter of the American writer Conrad Aiken, was born in Rye, Sussex, England, and has written more than sixty books for children, including The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

    Read more from Joan Aiken

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    Reviews for Black Hearts in Battersea

    4/5

    219 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Book two in the alternate history kids' series that started with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. After hearing more than one person praise these books as bone fide children's classics, I was quite underwhelmed by the first volume, which I found readable but pretty unmemorable. I was told, though, that this one was better, and I do think that's true. I still don't quite see why it's rated as such a classic -- I think maybe you just have to read it at the right age to fully appreciate it and imprint on it -- but it is an entirely decent kids' story. There's a mysterious disappearance, an insurrectionist plot, some adventures at sea, and the revelation of several true identities. All of which admittedly feels quite contrived, and the main mysteries are wrapped up a bit abruptly, but I guess that's hardly unusual for this sort of thing. It's entertaining enough, anyway, and I'm sure I would have found it fairly exciting if I'd read it as a child. (And quite how I missed out on this series as a kid, I'm not remotely sure.) It's also got some fun and colorful dialog, which may or may not be historically accurate, but is rather charming, anyway.
    • 3/5
      This was one of my absolute favorite books growing up. Rereading it as an adult was an interesting experience. The writing style is still lovely, the characters engaging (especially Sophie, the extremely self-possessed lady's maid who keeps saving the day through the creative deployment of a tapestry she's embroidering; and Dido Twite, the bratty, neglected little girl who becomes the protagonist in later books), and there's plenty of excitement and humor.Otoh, the number of coincidences in this book--both plot-propelling and otherwise--is completely ridiculous. They seemed unremarkable to me as a child, but I confess I rolled my eyes more than once rereading the book now. And the classism, which also went over my head as a child, is similarly blatant. As one illustrative example: There's a scene where two teenaged boys and Dido are on a sinking ship. Teenaged boy #1, the protagonist, gets the second boy secured to a barrel and gives him an oar and lowers him into the water first, since, as he says, "you're a Duke's nevvy." And then the protagonist and little Dido--the latter of whom can't swim--make do with a broken spar that they both cling to, as that's all that's left!Not-so-minor quibbles aside, however, I did enjoy rereading the book, though I don't know how appealing it would be if it weren't so colored by nostalgia for me.Final note: I recommend reading an edition illustrated by Robin Jacques, if you can find one. I was surprised when googling his name just how many of his illustrations--from this series and from numerous other books--had made a deep and lasting impression on me, and I think his art really enhances the story.
    • 3/5
      The first thing Ms. Aiken wants you to know about Black Hearts in Battersea is that it takes place in the same time period as The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, near the beginning of the nineteenth century. The second thing you should know is that some characters in Wolves are also in Black Hearts. Simon, an orphan who lived in a cave and came to the rescue in Wolves is the main character in Black Hearts. This time Simon is looking for his friend, Dr. Gabriel Field who has mysteriously disappeared after inviting Simon to come study art with him. A mystery ensues when everyone Simon encounters denies even knowing Dr. Field. It is as if the man never existed in Battersea. While waiting for Dr. Field to reappear Simon befriends the Duke of Battersea, gets a job with a blacksmith, and rooms with a suspicious peasant family. It's a fun tale of adventure, especially after Simon meets bedraggled Dido who gets him in all sorts of trouble.
    • 5/5
      Like its predecessor, this novel is fun and quirky. There are loads of things that are simplified or incredibly unbelievable but they are presented in such a fun way that you really don't mind. Or at least, I don't. I liked that this novel featured Simon; he was an interesting character in the previous novel, and this one allowed me to get a better glimpse of him. There were times when I wish the author had given a bit more detail; I'll admit that I was confused when the character of Sophie was introduced and if that had had a little bit more information, then this novel would have been even better. What I like about this story is that it is short, sweet, and entertaining from beginning to end. I was also surprised to read about Dido; her character was the reason I got into the series in the first place so seeing her introduction here in this novel was really great! Overall, this novel was just as good (if not better) than the previous one in the series, with lots of adventure and entertainment along the way! Can't wait to read the next book in this series!
    • 4/5
      Two orphans, Simon and Sophie are at the heart of this story. Simon arrives in London at the invitation of a doctor friend who wishes to encourage him in his art studies, but the good Dr Field seems to have vanished into thin air. Simon soon meets the Duke of Battersea who invites him to play chess and before he knows it, he is embroiled in a plot to depose the fictitious King James III, this series being set in an alternate reality which is a bit beyond my comprehension, having not yet sorted out who the various English kings were in reality, let alone in an alternate history version! Must admit it took me a while to get into the story and about halfway through I was ready to give up because I found there were lots of disjoined bits, none of which seemed to connect, but I was well rewarded for sticking to it till the end, when it all came together beautifully. Lots of Dickensian touches with a great big cast of London characters including an impish pest of a girl you can't help but liking, and of course, this being a children's book from the 20th century, you can expect a happy ending.
    • 4/5
      Just as much fun, and in the same vein, as Wolves of Willoughby Chase; melodrama on all sorts of levels. Here the alternate history does come into play - the villains are Hanoverians, who want to put Prince George on the throne instead of King James (the reverse of our history). But that's just a side-story (though it drives the rest) - there are mysterious disappearances, eccentric nobles, a long-lost heir or two (plus a pretender), multiple attempted assassinations, on and on. Not to mention fighting off wolves in Hyde and Battersea Parks in London, a shipwreck, and a long trip by balloon. I'm a little surprised the kitten never got a name. And I'm very glad that I know the series goes on with Dido - her loss is a hard blow for Simon. Great story - next, please!
    • 4/5
      Young Simon arrives in London, expecting to meet Dr. Field, who has promised to help him enroll in the art academy. But Dr. Field is nowhere to be found, and no one appears to have any recollection of him.So begins a delightful romp full of intrigue and mystery in early nineteenth century London. If you've already had the pleasure of reading The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, then you should enjoy this follow up story as well. Not just for kids!
    • 4/5
      This second volume in the Wolves Chronicles follows the adventures of Simon the goose-boy, who journeys to London from the Willoughby estate, intent on studying art and becoming a great painter. Nothing is quite as he expected however, and as he makes friends in places high and low, Simon soon finds himself at the center of a dastardly Hanoverian plot...A humorously convoluted Victorian melodrama, complete with plots, assassination attempts, kidnappings, shipwrecks, hidden identities, secret societies, and hot-air balloon escapes, Black Heart in Battersea also has the distinction of introducing into the pages of children's literature one of its most distinctive heroines. The incomparable Dido Twite, with her awful language, defiant manner, and appearance like a "molting sparrow," cannot boast a very auspicious debut, but she carries within her the seeds of all those qualities that most matter in Aiken's world: bravery, loyalty and love. In a word, she has heart...It is my good fortune to own a copy of the original (American) edition of this book, which is illustrated by Robin Jacques, whose work is perhaps best known from Ruth Manning-Sanders' folktale collections. It seems a real shame to me that these illustrations have been omitted from later editions.
    • 4/5
      I just discovered this delightful series last year thanks to Heather and Dee. This is the second book in the series of The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken, and although they were originally published in the 1960s, they are new to me. I wish that I had known about these children's books when my own children were smaller because they would make wonderful read aloud books. Packed with action and charming characters and dastardly villains whose evil plans must be foiled, these stories are just begging to be read at bedtime. Sophie and Simon are back from the first book, but we also get to meet an entire cast of new characters including my personal favorite Dido Twite. If you're looking for an adventure full of mayhem and humor that is for the young and the young at heart alike, this is a series not to be missed.
    • 5/5
      A young man goes to London to study art, but is dismayed to find no sign of his friend Gabriel Field at the address he was given. Instead, he is living with an eccentric family. But the cheeky brat becomes a friend as Simon shows her the kindness she's missing from her parents. Gradually Simon discovers he's living with a family who are plotting against the king. A fast paced and funny adventure story, with characters you really come to care about. The brat is Dido Twite, a first appearance of a wonderful heroine.
    • 3/5
      A satisfying retelling of the striving orphan story told in an alternate history of England where James the third sits on the throne. The main character Simon is a hard working young man who is trying to find out what has happened to his mentor and is soon set to trying to understand two diverse families in London, the Twites which he lodges with and the Duke of Batterseas family. The story holds some slightly odd fantasy elements such as how Sophie, Simon's good friend was at one point raised by otters, but all of the characters come across as believable. This book is recommended for ages 9 to 12 and would be appropriate, the vocabulary is not terribly complicated though there are some uses of older slang that might be confusing. The adventure elements add a measure of suspense but are also lightly dealt with, an explosion is seen from the air and a shipwreck's lose of life is handled gently. Though this is a modern book, it harks back to an older style and so I think some younger readers might find it boring and possibly wish for slightly more realistic elements.

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    Black Hearts in Battersea - Joan Aiken

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