Customer Reviews

Black Hearts in Battersea

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Black Hearts in Battersea" is the second book in Joan Aiken's beloved "Wolves" saga, beginning with "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" and continuing in "Nightbirds in Nantucket". Each book can be read separately and out of order (ie, each is a separate story, not one big story broken into several parts), linked by re-appearing characters, plot lines and locations. Each is set in a cleverly devised "parallel universe" where historical figures and events are changed from what we would recognise in our own history books. In this case, the action takes place in London, where Britain is ruled by good King James III and plauged by maurauding wolves immigrating from Russia, with other little snippets of an alternative history slipped in to give the book a whimsical, but authentic air. Anyone who has read Diana Wynne Jones's "Chrestomanci" books, or Phillip Pullman's "Northern Lights" will have no trouble adapting to this new environment, but those who haven't might be in for a pleasent surprise when they discover some of the little gems Aiken throws in: next to the familiar sights of Hyde Park and St Paul's Cathedral are places such as Battersea Castle on the Thames, made of pinkish stone, and made 'to look like a great half-open rose.' With such a fascinating world to explore, it hardly seems to matter whether there's a story or not.

But of course there is, and it perfectly combines with the backdrop Aiken sets for it. Young Simon the half-wild goose-boy, last seen being offered a painting career by Dr Field in "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" arrives in London to begin his education at the Art Academy in Chelsea. But things are set to go wrong from the very beginning. On reaching Dr Field's described boarding house, there is no sign of him, and the family Twite insists that they've never heard of him. Befriending their youngest daughter, the rude, filthy, brattish Dido Twite, Simon gradually begins to make his way around in London and at the Art Academy - discovering some very suspicious things concerning the Twites in the meanwhile.

He meets up with his old friend from the Poor Farm where he grew up: the lovely Sophie, who is now the handmaiden of the Duchess of Battersea, and with the young Duke-to-be Justin, a somewhat miserable and pathetic boy. In his ever-growing adventures, including visits with the eccentric Duke of Battersea, strange occurances at the Twites, and a highly enjoyable visit to the Fair, Simon comes to uncover a terrible Hanoverian plot to overthrow the king, and the secret to his own mysterious past. With plenty of wolves, fireworks, shipwrecks, kidnappings, suberfuges, maroonings, hot air balloons, explosions, false identities, lucky escapes and poisoned mince pies, "Black Hearts in Battersea" is a great read, and even better if it's read aloud, either to your own kids or a classroom (the lower classes's Cockney accents in particular are wonderfully created in Aiken's language).

Of course, it is unashamedly filled with quirks, coincidences and long stretches of credibilty that will have anyone over the age of eight that enjoy nice, sensible stories raising an eyebrow in skepticism. To read the book critically would destroy any enjoyment one might have of it, as it is most certainly not to be taken too seriously. How could you when you have lines like: "My own dear husband's dead brother's long-lost child!" Just sit back and enjoy the story, complete with its exaggerations and unlikelihoods, as it harks back to another era where such occurances were taken dead-seriously.

The "Wolves Saga" is a little known, but fantastic series, and I'm sure the previously-mentioned authors (Diana Wynne Jones and Phillip Pullman) owe a lot to Aiken's methods of alternative-history, as she is the first "modern" writer to the best of my knowledge to instigate such a device. Her characters are great fun (though Bonnie and Sylvia of "Wolves of Willoughby Chase" were sadly missed) and her stories filled with non-stop excitement and discovery.

This book is an awesome addition to the Wolves of Willoghby Chase. Although, Bonnie and Sylvia Green have a very small part in the story, this book is even more suspensful than its predecessor. Simon returns to study Painting with Dr. Field at an art academy in London. In London we meet many new and exciting characters, Dido Twite, a poor child who craves adventure and Simons's affection, Sophie, the lady-in-waiting for the Duchess of Battersea, and many others. There are other books besides this one. Make sure to read them all. An excellent series to read aloud to a Fifth or Sixth Grade class. They just die when you stop right before the climax of a part. It really captures their attention.

BLACK HEARTS IN BATTERSEA is written by Joan Aiken and takes place during the reign of King James III, near the beginning of the nineteenth century. The story is about a boy named Simon, an orphan, who travels to London to meet an old friend named Dr. Field who promised to teach Simon painting. When he reaches the house where Dr. Field is supposed to be lodging, all he finds is an annoying little girl named Dido Twite. The Twites' are the owner of the house, and they tell Simon that they have no clue who or where Dr. Field is. Confused, Simon decides to stay at their house for a while. Soon, he finds himself playing chess with the kind old gentleman who is the Duke of Battersea, taking Dido to the fair, and meeting a boy named Justin. Justin is also an orphan and is in the middle of preparing to be the next Duke of Battersea. Dido starts to like Simon and tells him that she knows what happened to Dr. Field, but she cannot tell him. Simon starts to think Mr. Twite is one of the people who wants to overthrow good King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. He also thinks Mr. Twite has something to do with the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Field. It seems that everywhere the Duke and Duchess go, they experience mishaps: a fire at the opera house, a wrecked ship, attacking wolves, and poisonous mince pies. With the help from Sophie, Simon's old friend and the Duchess' maid, they are all saved from the accidents. The accidents sound strange to everyone, and Simon thinks they were purposeful.
However, many of the people who are against King James feel that Simon is dangerous and is ruining their plot. One night Mr. Twite and some other men kidnap Simon, but Dido sees them. She follows them and meets Justin on the way, and they both follow the kidnappers to a ship, called the "Dark Dew". Dido and Justin hide with Simon at the bottom of the ship unknown to the kidnappers, but the ship runs into a storm and falls apart. Dido, Justin and Simon are torn apart from each other, but Justin and Simon are pulled onto the shore of a small island. While they are on the island, everyone, including the Duke, Duchess, and Sophie, finds out that Simon is the next Duke, not Justin. The mystery unfolds the moment Simon and Justin find out about the large and terrible mistake that was made a long time ago.
My favorite character in the book is Dido because she is a friendly, brave, and a caring girl. She is the nicest and most trustworthy member of the Twite family, and she is helpful and a good friend to Simon. Dido has characteristics anyone would want to have, including me. I love this book because it is full of mystery and evil. I think evilness is needed in a book because it makes the story more interesting and exciting to read. My favorite part of the book is the moment that the mystery is solved, because it is exciting to know what caused all the mysterious events. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery, and does not mind if the story is a little old-fashioned. BLACK HEARTS IN BATTERSEA is full of suspense, mystery, and excitement. This book is one of the books I can read over and over!

This is a direct sequel to "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase," which took place about a year before. In it, for the first time, we learn that Aiken's world is not our own, but an alternate reality in which the Stuarts kept the British throne; the King is James III, the "Hanoverian Wars" were fought some 15 years earlier to keep him in office, and the "Pretender" is "Bonnie Prince Georgie over the water," who is supported at home by a conspiracy of Hanoverians. Simon, the young orphan hero of "Wolves," is now 15, and comes to London to study painting and lodge with Dr. Gabriel Field, whom he befriended in the previous book. When he finds the doctor's lodgings (not without a good deal of misdirection, which proves to be enemy action), not only is Field not there, but everyone insists he never was. Bewildered, Simon manages to gain entry to the art school in Battersea, where he deeply impresses the master and meets Justin, the thoroughly untalented nephew of the Duke of Battersea, whose castle lies directly across the Thames. He soon makes the acquaintance of the Batterseas themselves, a delightfully foggy middle-aged couple (the Duke is a keen natural scientist and experimenter in gas balloons, and his lady has such a horror of boredom that she carries an arsenal of amusements wherever she goes, including the opera), and discovers to his delight that his dear friend Sophie, whom he knew in the orphanage before running away at the age of eight, is now the Duchess's lady's-maid. His friendship with his landlord's slangy small daughter, the neglected Dido Twite, leads him to the discovery of an arsenal of guns and pikes in the Twites' cellar and the realization that the family is Hanoverian--a persuasion shared, as it proves, by just about every servant in Battersea Castle (though not at the Duke's country house in Chippings). After he, Sophie, and the art students foil two attempts on the Batterseas' lives, he learns of a conspiracy to assassinate King Jamie, but is kidnapped to sea before he can warn anyone. Dido and Justin, stowing away on the ship, contrive to rescue him, there's a fire and wreck in a savage storm, and after a series of revelations that would do credit (once again) to Dickens, the conspirators come to their deserved end (or at least most of them do) and Simon and Sophie learn the secret of their roots. Though the British slang used by many of the characters may be puzzling to American readers, it can be worked out from context, and the plot is fast-paced and builds skilfully toward a climax. Robin Jacques's lovely line illo's add immeasureably to the story. "Battersea" defies the maxim that sequels are always inferior to the original. A great read-aloud that all families should own.

This book in the Wolves/Dido series is probably amoung the best. It would be because of A.outstanding characterization B.amusing dialogue C.beautiful British humour. While The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Nightbirds on Nantucket are both worthy of accolades, Blackhearts in Battersea is the funniest. As most Scottish readers would know, in real history Bonnie Prince Charlie tried to wrest the throne from the Georgians. Aiken's use of twisted history is superbly amusing. Also, the large pair of trousers cracks me up. My only complaint is that Sophie was too perfect and not enough human.

Joan Aiken, Black Hearts in Battersea (Houghton Mifflin, 1964)

The second novel in Joan Aiken's Wolves saga follows Simon, the woods-dwelling boy from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, who heads off to London to meet up with Dr. Field and get some formal instruction in painting. When he gets to the roominghouse where Field directed him, however, he finds very little trace of the man, and the Twites, owners of the house, swear he's never been there. Simon sets up in what he is sure was Field's old room and, while trying to gain admission to the academy and find himself a job, looks into Field's disappearance-- which gets him in much hotter water than he ever imagined.

I actually like this one better than its far more famous predecessor; Aiken dispenses with a good deal of the setup, or shifts it into conversations and observation later in the book. Aiken had got her sea legs under her, as it were, and things pick up nicely about thirty pages in. The world of the Wolves is fascinating; if you read the first book in third or fourth grade (didn't we all?) and never got round to the rest of the series, it's very good stuff. Aiken's characters are quick, and most of them sharp as well. She puts them into interesting situations, keeps building her alternate England, and lets the story tell itself. What more could you ask for in a kids' book? *** ½

This is a wonderful adventure with the sense of fun that The Littles shares. It has the character of a Dickens tale and an innocent charm beyond that. My eleven-year-old loved it! He couldn't put it down and would rate it a 5 star book. The twists and turns in plot are a bit predictable for an adult, but are pure excitement for a child. The charm of it makes it pleasant reading for all ages.

I would strongly recommend this book and all the books in this series to anyone who likes reading faux-historical fiction. The characters are wonderfully drawn (WONDERFULLY) and Joan Aiken's imagination is boundless. Regardless of your age, this is a book to be treasured. The characters are extremely believable and fully developed, and I just thought it was refreshing and nice to see a portrait of the English nobility (true, they're all fictional, but still) that is eccentric, kindly and down to earth, unlike today's real life example. The book is by turns action packed, hilarious and compassionate. It reminded me (for all you Les Mis freaks out there) of Les Misérables, at least insofar as the characters are concerned. Simon could be Marius, the Twites, the Thénardiers... Well, read it, and you will like it!

I love this book and still do even as an adult. It's full of mystery, adventure, and memorable characters -- very imaginative.

Billed as the 2nd in the WOLVES chronicles, this book proves a great disappointment after the delightful WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE--at least to an adult audience. Kids will enjoy it though--lots of action, evil plotters lurking everywhere, spunky heroines, and a determined hero. But there are too many coincidences involving related families and mistaken identities to be realistic for adults to swallow. You really have to be a kid at heart to enjoy this 239-page adventure/soap opera.

If you are expecting wolves to be running rampant in London itself, well, they Do get around, both in the city and back in the northern wolds. Simon, the former gooseboy, arrives in London eager to study painting--only to discover that his friend and mentor, Dr. Field, has mysteriously disappeared. With the aid of kind and resourceful Sophie, whom he knew from the Poor Farm, and a feisty brat named Dido Twite, Simon undertakes to: --find his lost friend --save a Ducal family from murderous plots --prevent a King's assassination, during the era of the Hanoverian conspiracy for the throne.

Aiken's style is definitely humorous; she seems to invent many words and clever slang. She obviously relishes quaint vocabulary (keep your dictionary handy), as she spoofs the British establishemnt from Scottish accents to Art and Philanthropic institutions. It's a fun read featuring the Impossible in an amusing vein. TRUST NO ONE!