Mog is a twelve-year old printer's devil, or apprentice, in Victorian England. One of his jobs is to print the WANTED posters of criminals. A chance encounter with a band of opium smugglers sets Mog on a dangerous adventure through London's underworld. Compelled by questions about his own past, Mog will risk everything he has to discover their plans and stop them. Full of plot twists, suspense, and just a tiny hint of magic, this book is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

I found this book to be enjoyable, if flawed. I am never entirely convinced why Mog insists on getting involved with the smugglers, nor is it clear why he feels he must see that they are caught. The ending is very abrupt, and rather unsatisfying. While it is probably more realistic that the law enforcement officials wouldn't reveal the details of the case to the children, and while I detest long monologues where the villain carefully explains all of his plans for world domination, it was highly unsatisfying to never really understand what happened. If the author was going for a clever ambiguous ending, he missed.

That being said, the characters were compelling, and the intrigue was well played out. The plot was twisty enough to avoid being painfully obvious, but not so twisty as to be unfollowable. While the setting was evocative, it wasn't particularly specific; to my mind, it could have been any early-industrial-age city. And I rather wish that the drug smuggling had been explained a bit more. While the subtle references will allow readers to see what they're ready to see, it may be a bit confusing to some. I would be interested to hear from some kids about that. I don't think it's an insurmountable obstacle in enjoying the book, though.

I would recommend this book to 6th-9th graders who enjoy mysteries and adventures. The narrative style (limited first person), age of the protagonist (12), and ever-present dog companion put this at the lower end of YA. ( )

I listened to this book mainly because the audiobook was narrated by Katherine Kellgren, who does such a fabulous job with the Bloody Jack series. Unfortunately, Kellgren's masterful narration was not enough to save this one for me.

Mog, an orphan and an apprentice at a small print shop in Victorian London, is caught up in a web of intrigue involving smuggled opium. He meets some sleazy criminals, a vicious boatswain, a mysterious foreigner, and a young boy his own age who bears a startling resemblance to Mog himself.

I had lots of problems with this book. I couldn't figure out why Mog was so caught up in the mystery from the beginning -- especially when he was in considerable danger, with nothing to gain but satisfied curiosity. I thought the plot relied too heavily on coincidence. I also thought that two of the big reveals toward the end of the book were blindingly obvious (though one of them might not have been if I hadn't been listening to the audiobook, and that's all I'll say on that in order to avoid spoilers). Most of all, I found the ending extremely unsatisfactory. Nothing was tied up or explained. This appears to be the first book in a trilogy, but I won't be reading the next two books. ( )

Twelve year old Mog works as a printer's apprentice or 'Printer's Devil' and becomes caught up in a mystery involving a ship that has recently arrived from India, a theft, mistaken identity and a murderer.
This book was an exciting read, full of twists, surprises and secrets. Mog and his friend NIcholas are well-drawn but the book doesn't resolve all the myriad storylines at the end. It is, apparently, the first book in a trilogy although nothing in the book indicates this.
Suitable for ages 10 and up. ( )

This one was written for young adults, though I think it would fall short in that niche. It was rather condescending toward its audience, and used a lot of slang, presumably to impress. It didn't impress me, but once I got past that (and continued ignoring it for the length of the book) I enjoyed it. It was a decent and suitable quick bedside read. ( )

A classically written adventure story filled with colorful characters and dangerous escapades. A rather abrupt ending leaves the door open for the sequel. ( )