Is Underground (Paperback)

by Joan Aiken (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A girl tries to discover why the children of London are vanishing; in a starred review, PW observed that this "rip-roaring adventure" is "just the sort of serious and thrilling fare young readers crave." Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
The irrepressibly inventive Aiken returns to the Dickensian alternate Britain of Dido and Pa (1986) with a heroic adventure starring Dido's sister, Is. Ravening wolves pursue Is's uncle to her cottage; before expiring, he begs her to find his missing son. The quest leads Is to a London mysteriously bereft of children, including King Richard's only son, and on a dangerous mission to a new kingdom north of London, to which she travels on a train full of children convinced that they're on their way to ``Playland''--a cruel hoax: these innocents are to be enslaved in mines from which their only escape will be death. Feisty Is cleverly evades this fate, finds relatives to take her in, and learns that another uncle--a reprobate with even less to recommend him than her father--is the industrialist king and evil mastermind behind a vicious society that is literally expending its children in the service of greed. With courage, ingenuity, and telepathic communication, Is contrives--in a breathtaking climax--to free the children as a tidal wave destroys the villain's stronghold. The intricate story, rich with suspense, incisively drawn characters, and imaginative detail, comes to a largely tragic close, despite Is's triumph. Dark, compelling, and thoughtful--with hints of another sequel. (Fiction. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: Yearling (July 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440410681
• ISBN-13: 978-0440410683
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,246,774 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not her best, June 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Is Underground (Hardcover)

I am a fan of the 'Wolves' series, but they are beginning to vary a lot in quality.

The first three, "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase", "Black Hearts in Battersea" and "Nightbirds on Nantucket" are all highly recommended. Unfortunately, there are numerous potboilers, in which Dido Twite is stuck in some strange place--"The Cuckoo Tree" et al.

The real story continues in "Dido and Pa." As Aiken's characters grow older, she loses her touch with them; this is why her adult stuff is much less interesting. "Is Underground" is pretty variable. The set-up, with the soccer bit, lacks Aiken's usual wit, and the mind-speech and other stuff seems forced. But Is's relationship with her grandfather and aunt is good. Gold Kingy is a yawn, compared to other villains like the Slighcarps and Dido's parents.

To answer your question: Dido and Penny are full sisters; Is is their younger illegitimate half-sister.

Re: the dispairing notes in Aiken's writing. See "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" regarding Aiken's family history.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dark Continuation (ending?) of Aiken's Alternative History, June 9, 1999

By	rampageous_cuss (Under Billy Penn's Hat) - See all my reviews

I believe 'Black Hearts in Battersea' is the first novel in Joan Aiken's series of novels set in an alternative British Empire in which the Stuarts never left the throne and are constantly threatened by agents of the Hanoverian faction. Presumably this is the last, though I won't say why! The title is perhaps a TAD confusing: Is is the name of the foster-sister of the redoubtable Dido, the latter the star of the superb novel 'Nightbirds on Nantucket'. 'Is Underground' is a LOT darker than the previous novels and takes the theme of child labour, which runs through all Aiken's juvenile novels, to an extreme.

Is returns to London following the adventures of the previous novel ('Dido and Pa'?) to discover that the city is almost devoid of children - a mysterious pied piper has lured them north to the secessionist county ruled by the mysterious "Gold Kingy". The heir to the throne has disappeared in an attempt to solve the riddle and Is is sent on a mission by the ailing king himself to unravel the mystery. She finds a secret railway, an underground city and a horrible policy of cruelty to children that is surprisingly inventive, given the variety of English ideas on the subject from 'Chitty Chitty Bang-Bang' to Dahl's 'The Witches'.

All in all a good deal darker and a great deal less humourous than the preceding stories.

5.0 out of 5 stars Visit Playland, April 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Is Underground (Hardcover)

In the book Underground, the main character Is tries to find her missing cousin, Arun, in the city of London. She later finds out that more than half of the children are gone and they are going to a place called Playland.
I liked this book a lot since I thought most of the clues were different and more clever than other types of mysteries. The book was also easy to read for me which makes the book a lot better.
I don't usually read a lot of mysteries , but compared to the ones I did read this book is just as good. I would give this book a 5 out of 5, or 5 stars in this case.