Book Review #521 - Foulsham (Iremonger #2) by Edward Carey

Foulsham, London's great filth repository, is bursting at the seams. The walls that keep the muck inside are buckling, and rubbish is spilling over the top, back into the city from which it came. In the Iremonger family offices, Grandfather Umbitt Iremonger broods. In his misery and fury at the people of London, he has found a way to make everyday objects assume human shapes—and to turn people into objects.

Abandoned in the depths of the Heaps, Lucy Pennant is rescued by Binadit Iremonger, a terrifying creature more animal than human. She is desperate and determined to find Clod Iremonger. But unbeknownst to her, Clod has become a golden sovereign and is "lost." He is being passed as currency from hand to hand all around Foulsham. Yet everywhere people are searching for him, desperate to get hold of this dangerous Iremonger who, it is believed, has the power to bring down the mighty Umbitt.

All around the city, things, everyday things, are twitching into life . . .

My Rating: 3/5

I received this book for review from The Five Mile Press and it is the sequel to Heap House. 

This book was just as imaginative and weird as the first installment. The plot was a little weaker though and I missed the setting of the Iremonger house. I did however enjoy the new setting of the Foulsham village and its enigmatic occupants. 

There were more characters in this book which I liked as it enabled the story to develop and progress more. Plus we got to see more of life outside the Iremonger family. 

The beginning of this book was rather slow. It did however pick up towards the middle and the ending was my favourite portion of the book. 

Given the way the book ended I am looking forward to reading the last book in this trilogy. 

Book Review #463 - Heap House (Iremonger #1) by Edward Carey

Clod is an Iremonger. He lives in the Heaps, a vast sea of lost and discarded items collected from all over London. At the centre is Heap House, a puzzle of houses, castles, homes and mysteries reclaimed from the city and built into a living maze of staircases and scurrying rats.

The Iremongers are a mean and cruel family, robust and hardworking, but Clod has an illness. He can hear the objects whispering. His birth object, a universal bath plug, says ‘James Henry’, Cousin Tummis’s tap is squeaking ‘Hilary Evelyn Ward-Jackson’ and something in the attic is shouting ‘Robert Burrington‘ and it sounds angry.

A storm is brewing over Heap House. The Iremongers are growing restless and the whispers are getting louder. When Clod meets Lucy Pennant, a girl newly arrived from the city, everything changes. The secrets that bind Heap House together begin to unravel to reveal a dark truth that threatens to destroy Clod’s world.

My Rating: 4/5

I received this book for review from Five Mile Press.

This was a very unique, captivating yet dark and weird read. I have never read anything remotely like it before.

The house itself was probably my favourite part. It was mysterious with secrets contained in just about every room, not to mention it's dark and gothic feel and it's just as mysterious occupants. 

The plot was very imaginative and had a very fairytale type feel to it. 

The portrait pictures throughout the book of the characters not only showed what they looked like but really set up the 1800's time period. 

Not everyone who reads this book is going to like it due to its quirkiness but if you can embrace that it really is an enjoyable read.