Content levels
Trigger warnings
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.
Tags
Is The Arcane Houses of London: Historical Urban Fantasy (Shadow Kingdom) appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
Post-WWII historical fantasy with a refugee protagonist navigating a hidden magical society in London. Contains themes of war trauma, nightmares, and mysterious darker forces, with moderate fantasy violence expected.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include war, nightmares, and abandonment (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will love the secret magical Houses hidden in 1940s London and a hero with mysterious powers learning to navigate a world of thieves and magic.