Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City [Paperback]

Pretend you live in Manhattan, across the street from a little park. Now pretend you wake up one night and the park has sunken into the ground and left a big hole. Wait, it gets weirder! Pretend you see a mud-covered creature climb up out of the hole using a rope, and it waves at you. What would you do? If you're twelve-year-old Ananka Fishbein, you sneak out of the house and climb down the hole. Once down the hole, you might find a secret room. (I say "might" because I'm not sure which park you're imagining, but for the sake of argument let's assume you live across from the same park.) In that room you would find a trap door that leads to what appears to be a never ending hallway of closed doors. This, my friends, is the Shadow City.

The Shadow City is entirely underground. No one knows how far it runs, how many rooms there are, or even where it all leads. Most people don't even know it exists, except for Ananka, and the mud-covered thing that waves like British royalty. Ananka has about a million questions about the Shadow City, the mud creature, and the new girl in school that no one has ever seen before, the one and only Kiki Strike.

Who is Kiki Strike? She's not about to tell. But she has put together an amazing assortment of girls. The Irregulars are misfits, borderline delinquent, unappreciated, Girl Scout rejects, and they've never met until Kiki came along. Ananka is curious and courageous, and has access to a vast peculiar library that her parents call home. Luz Lopez is a mechanical genius, she can design pretty much anything and make it work. DeeDee Morlock is a chemistry whiz, explosives and poisons are her specialties. Betty Bunt is a master of disguise who hasn't been seen, as herself, in four years. Oona Wong is the best hacker and forger in Manhattan. Kiki Strike is, well, Kiki; no one ever seems to get around to figuring out why or what she's masterminding. Together these girls will explore, map, and ultimately control the Shadow City.

I loved this book! After awhile, you get so wrapped up in the intrigue and adventures you forget, like the rest of the girls, to ask why all of this is happening. It's exciting, confusing, and completely absorbing. I didn't want to put it down, and my sister kept getting mad at herself for falling asleep while she was reading, even though she was completely exhausted. One of the most fun parts of this book, aside from the story itself, are the interesting and surprisingly useful lists at the end of each chapter. They include things like "How To Take Advantage of Being a Girl," "How to Catch a Lie," "How to be a Master of Disguise," and "How to Kick Some Butt." It also includes information about other underground cities, various New York City landmarks, and more. KIKI STRIKE is definitely geared towards girls, but far from too girly for a boy to appreciate.

The story, while complete in and of itself, is still a bit open-ended. I hope that means we get to see more adventures from Ananka, Kiki, and the rest of the Irregulars. Kudos to Kristen Miller, and can I join?

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

I think this book is wonderful. The appeal of the story and the characters goes far beyond the age level of the target audience. The author creates very interesting complex characters and puts them into a wonderful world of reality mixed with crime and fantasy. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the Harry Potter series but doesn't like the fact that the characters deal in magic. Kiki, Ananka and the other "Irregulars" deal with science and technology while fighting foes and "mean girls." This is a wonderful story I am sure everyone can enjoy. I hope this is just the beginning of the adventures the girls will share with us.

Imagine you live in a big city, across the street from a little park. Picture that one night when you wake up, there is a giant hole in the center of the park. You gaze further, and can't help but notice a muddy creature trudging out of the sunken ground. But wait, there's more! If you are Ananka Fishbein, curiosity will probably get the better of you, and you will find yourself climbing down the hole into an underground passage, with closed doors lining the hallways. This, reader, is the Shadow City. Then appears a mysterious girl called Kiki Strike, who materializes into Ananka's classroom. Our main character is determined to find out more about her new classmate. Kiki, on the other hand, drags her pursuer into the shadow city, along with some Girl Scout rejects. Their unusual talents - mechanical genius, chemistry whiz, best computer hacker in Manhattan, and master of disguise - help Kiki carry out her plan to control the deserted underground city. No one knows what she plans to do, but when Kiki disappears, Ananka grows suspicious when in that time, many robberies are committed through forgotten underground passages. The Irregulars know that they are the only living humans that have knowledge of the Shadow City.

As you become totally absorbed in the book, Kirsten Miller's fantastic description puts you into the story itself. While reading, every painful, scared emotion or sorrowful feeling she describes is your own emotion too. The beginning is a bit confusing, but give the book a chance and you will learn to love it as I do. Late at night, I would find myself with a flashlight, sneaking in a chapter past midnight. As Kirsten's fiction novel wraps you up in adventure, there is also useful information at the end of each chapter. Some examples: other underground worlds, how to catch a lie, how to follow someone without getting caught, how to catch someone eavesdropping, how to prepare for adventure, and other useful, strategic facts and advice.

This book is perfect for a middle school girl to read. There is a limited amount of girly girl talk, and the rest of it is solid adventure. I assure you that after the first chapter, any girl from ages 9-14 will be captured by the plot, and enter the Shadow City and Manhattan, not returning until every last detail is revealed. Happy readings!

Amanda G.
Grade 6
Ms. Kawatachi