City of Stolen Magic
Published on 29. June 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-0-241-56748-7 (ISBN)
Description
A spellbinding, epic and heart-racing magical adventure from an exquisite new storytelling talent.
'Ahmed Pathak is a wonderful new voice; the book took her years to write, and it shows in the depth and care of each beat of the story' - Katherine Rundell
'Phenomenal' - Sophie Anderson
'One of the best children's books I have read in a decade' - Louie Stowell
India, 1855. The British rule, and all across the country, Indian magic is being stamped out.
More terrifying still, people born with magic are being snatched from their homes. Rumour is that they are being taken across the sea - to England - by the all-powerful, sinister Company.
When Chompa's home is attacked and her mother viciously kidnapped, Chompa - born with powerful and dangerous magic that she has always been forbidden from using - must travel to the smoky, bustling streets of East London in search of her. But Chompa will discover far more treachery in London than she had bargained for - and will learn that every act of her rare magic comes with a price . . .
'Exhilarating, thoughtful and rich . . . Easily one of the year's best books for children' - Guardian
'A wonderful writer who paints a thoroughly convincing heroine' - Daily Telegraph
'An unexpected gem of a story . . . A stellar setting, a gut-punch of a twist, and an unforgettable heroine. This has all the hallmarks of classic children's storytelling' - Nizrana Farook
'Dazzling from start to finish' - Abi Elphinstone
'A gripping and spellbinding fantasy woven together with threads of magic, secrets and colonial history . . . An incredible cast of characters and a truly multicultural Victorian London that we don't see often enough' - Rashmi Sirdeshpande
'A wonderfully vibrant debut . . . A vivid magical adventure' - Jasbinder Bilan
'Ahmed Pathak is a wonderful new voice; the book took her years to write, and it shows in the depth and care of each beat of the story' - Katherine Rundell
'Phenomenal' - Sophie Anderson
'One of the best children's books I have read in a decade' - Louie Stowell
India, 1855. The British rule, and all across the country, Indian magic is being stamped out.
More terrifying still, people born with magic are being snatched from their homes. Rumour is that they are being taken across the sea - to England - by the all-powerful, sinister Company.
When Chompa's home is attacked and her mother viciously kidnapped, Chompa - born with powerful and dangerous magic that she has always been forbidden from using - must travel to the smoky, bustling streets of East London in search of her. But Chompa will discover far more treachery in London than she had bargained for - and will learn that every act of her rare magic comes with a price . . .
'Exhilarating, thoughtful and rich . . . Easily one of the year's best books for children' - Guardian
'A wonderful writer who paints a thoroughly convincing heroine' - Daily Telegraph
'An unexpected gem of a story . . . A stellar setting, a gut-punch of a twist, and an unforgettable heroine. This has all the hallmarks of classic children's storytelling' - Nizrana Farook
'Dazzling from start to finish' - Abi Elphinstone
'A gripping and spellbinding fantasy woven together with threads of magic, secrets and colonial history . . . An incredible cast of characters and a truly multicultural Victorian London that we don't see often enough' - Rashmi Sirdeshpande
'A wonderfully vibrant debut . . . A vivid magical adventure' - Jasbinder Bilan
Reviews / Votes
Exhilarating, thoughtful and rich . . . Easily one of the year's best books for children * Guardian * A wonderful writer who paints a thoroughly convincing heroine . . . Highly imaginative * Daily Telegraph * Ahmed Pathak is a wonderful new voice; the book took her years to write, and it shows in the depth and care of each beat of the story -- Katherine Rundell City of Stolen Magic is phenomenal - vivid storytelling that skilfully and unflinchingly weaves colonial history into an epic, breathtaking, magical adventure -- Sophie Anderson One of the best children's books I have read in a decade . . . Cracking pace, fabulous magic system, characters, relationships, the whole package! -- Louie Stowell Dazzling from start to finish. A spellbinding adventure fused with Indian folklore which sees glorious heroine Chompa journey from rural India to Victorian London as she searches for her mother -- Abi Elphinstone An unexpected gem of a story. Packed with atmosphere - whether the narrow streets and red dust of Dacca or the grimy Dickensian squalor of Spittlelfields - it's populated by larger-than-life characters you will love and hate. A stellar setting, a gut-punch of a twist, and an unforgettable heroine. This has all the hallmarks of classic children's storytelling -- Nizrana Farook A gripping and spellbinding fantasy woven together with threads of magic, secrets, and colonial history. An incredible cast of characters and a truly multicultural Victorian London that we don't see often enough in books -- Rashmi Sirdeshpande Exhilarating and enthralling - I relished every page. A glorious blend of history, magic and thrilling adventure with a truly unforgettable heroine, this book is rare, rich and special -- Katherine Woodfine A wonderfully vibrant debut . . . A vivid magical adventure filled with thrilling characters, pacy storytelling and important historical detail. Children and adults are in for such a treat -- Jasbinder BilanMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Random House Children's UK
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 9 to 14 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
310 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-56748-7 (9780241567487)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
Nazneen Ahmed Pathak (Author)
Nazneen Ahmed Pathak is a British Bangladeshi writer, historian and visual artist who lives in the port city of Southampton. She spent most of her teen years in commuter belt suburbia writing, reading, and listening to melancholy indie music, going on to study English literature at the University of Warwick and completing a PhD in Bangladeshi literature at the University of Oxford. As a historian she researches the geography and history of migration, a subject which is also at the heart of much of her fiction, poetry and visual arts practice. She was selected as one of 12 mentees from 2000 applicants for the 2016/17 inaugural round of Penguin Random House's Write Now mentorship scheme which aims to support and publish underrepresented writers.
She has held residencies at Southampton Central Libraries, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton Museums and Archives, and the Francis Crick Institute in association with Poet in the City. She has been published in Poem: International English Language Quarterly, Places of Poetry: Mapping the Nation in Verse (OneWorld Publications), The Puffin Book of Big Dreams (Puffin), and A Match Made in Heaven: British Muslim Women Write About Love and Desire (Hope Road Press).
Nazneen's debut children's novel was City of Stolen Magic.
Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)
Sandhya Prabhat is an independent animator and illustrator from Chennai, working out of California, USA. Prabhat is an independent animator and illustrator from Chennai, working out of California, USA. She has illustrated children's books, as well as animating for TV and movies, and designing for social media platforms. Her clients include Penguin Random House India, HarperCollins India, Candlewick and Lantana Publishing.
Nazneen Ahmed Pathak is a British Bangladeshi writer, historian and visual artist who lives in the port city of Southampton. She spent most of her teen years in commuter belt suburbia writing, reading, and listening to melancholy indie music, going on to study English literature at the University of Warwick and completing a PhD in Bangladeshi literature at the University of Oxford. As a historian she researches the geography and history of migration, a subject which is also at the heart of much of her fiction, poetry and visual arts practice. She was selected as one of 12 mentees from 2000 applicants for the 2016/17 inaugural round of Penguin Random House's Write Now mentorship scheme which aims to support and publish underrepresented writers.
She has held residencies at Southampton Central Libraries, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton Museums and Archives, and the Francis Crick Institute in association with Poet in the City. She has been published in Poem: International English Language Quarterly, Places of Poetry: Mapping the Nation in Verse (OneWorld Publications), The Puffin Book of Big Dreams (Puffin), and A Match Made in Heaven: British Muslim Women Write About Love and Desire (Hope Road Press).
Nazneen's debut children's novel was City of Stolen Magic.
Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)
Sandhya Prabhat is an independent animator and illustrator from Chennai, working out of California, USA. Prabhat is an independent animator and illustrator from Chennai, working out of California, USA. She has illustrated children's books, as well as animating for TV and movies, and designing for social media platforms. Her clients include Penguin Random House India, HarperCollins India, Candlewick and Lantana Publishing.