This novel would be a fantastic choice for the upper primary or lower secondary classroom to ensure that books are reflecting the lives of their readers – female and male protagonists of colour, different family structures (Marisee lives with her grandmother, Robert has been taken away from his family), friendship, making difficult choices, etc. The world-building was a good idea – Georgian London, but with a whole host of elemental spirits filling the city. This one is a bit baffling: there are two names used in this book that are the names of real historical characters, but they aren't those characters. A stunningly imagined, action-packed fantasy adventure for fans of Nevermoor, Neverwhere and Mortal Engines, from bestselling and award-winning author Patrice Lawrence. Instead, it just seems to be the real Georgian London… only with a bunch of spirits lurking around corners.

It follows Marisee and Robert who live in an alternate version of London where Elemental spirits linger, and a mysterious villain named the Shepherdess who is seemingly forcing most of the population into an eternal slumber. This book (and its characters) focuses strongly on the inequality of eighteenth-century society, and I was glad to see it.Unfortunately, this book barely examined the idea of how this world is different from our own based on these elemental spirits. I'm disappointed, because a magical story set in historical London should have been right up my street.

The magic system was super fascinating — your typical four Elementals (air, earth, fire, and water) embodied by different features of London’s atmosphere, subtly changing human (or “Solid”) history under the noses of most. Event when things go wrong for Marisee and Robert, hope springs forward in different forms, driving them forward. Step into a London lit up by the Elemental spirits: the fiery Dragons, the airy Fumis, the watery Chads and the earthbound Magogs.Marisee and her Grandma are the only ones who really know about the Elementals, and she acts as a “chosen one” bridge between the two worlds. Their differing perspectives, where both are black but only one was a slave, made for some really interesting character dynamics and explained a lot about their different world views.

A wonderfully busy cast of characters include the Cursing Boar of Fleet Ditch, versed in 83 languages (learn your London Horse! One of those books that you can’t put down and need to know the end, but at the same time, you don’t want to finish it too soon.This beautifully written story is set in an ancient London filled with dragons, ghosts and water spirits – it is absolutely bursting with magic, bound to enchant fans of books such as Nevermore and Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines series. The Elemental Detectives is a rip roaring magical adventure… Patrice Lawrence has done a marvellous job of building an imaginative and creative mythology which lurks just under the city streets. Marisee and Robert are the Elemental Detectives chasing the clues to avoid catastrophe: they must face the ghosts of Hyde Park, the monstrous coiled snake of the Serpentine, and a whole host of other fantastical creatures in their mission to stop the Shepherdess and prevent London slumbering for all eternity… Big, bold, future classic storytelling for a new generation. The Elementals, however, have become increasingly displeased from the years of pollution and lack of care from the ‘Solids’ (humans who live in this world).

I just hope that Patrice Lawrence takes the time in future installments to flesh out her ideas more! The revenge-fuelled Shepherdess, who moves between the everyday and the supernatural London worlds, is the perfect weapon. The system is a bit confusing at first, and the names of each elemental we’re introduced to were not easy to remember. The climax of this was super enthralling too, and I’m most definitely going to be continuing in the series. I wish the book would have focused on EITHER the elemental beasts OR the Ether OR the Shepherdess instead of putting it all in one book and seeing what sticks.A gorgeous tactile book cover is dashed about with gold and the end pages have been sprayed with pure dragon fire breath! This review was written by Kelly Ashley With over 20 years of education experience in both the US and the UK, Kelly Ashley currently works as an independent consultant, providing training and support for primary schools across the UK. Set within the ancient streets of London, the world that Lawrence has created is one which is ruled by the Elemental spirits – the Dragons (fire), the Fumis (air), the Chads (water) and the Magogs (earth).