Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
“The house called me to you the other night for two reasons. Firstly, because you were deep in nightmares and secondly, because you have a talent for shadow magic, David.” The year is 1945, and David, a young man with a mysterious past, has escaped war-torn Europe. When he arrives in London, David is quickly pulled into the world of the Arcane Houses. He could have joined House Artifice, who craft magical objects, or House Vigile, who oversee law and order. Instead, he's taken in by Thorne House, home of thieves and knaves. Under the protection of the enigmatic Master Thorne, David has at last found sanctuary. But not all is as it seems. Something dark is stirring in the magical Borderlands of London, and David will need all his wits and courage to survive the coming storm.
Is The Arcane Houses of London: Historical Urban Fantasy (Shadow Kingdom) appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
A young refugee with shadow magic joins a house of thieves in post-WWII magical London. Contains references to war trauma and nightmares, with moderate magical peril and mystery elements appropriate for teens.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include war, nightmares, and trauma.
Who'll love this
Teens will enjoy the atmospheric 1940s London setting, the intrigue of joining a magical house of thieves, and uncovering David's mysterious past and powers.