Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language:  A handful of common swear words.  Two uses of deity. Name calling.

Violence:  Poisoning with an opiate drug to induce unconsciousness and another case of poisoning to kill the royal family.  Kung Fu fighting as a method of defense.  A serious head wound from an explosion gone wrong.  Being chased by man-eating rats living underground.

Sexual Content:  Mention of boy friends.

Adult Themes: Deceiving adults in order to sneak out for spy missions.   Adults in this book are pretty clueless except for Kiki’s guardian.  Bubonic plague has killed several underground inhabitants.  Their skeletal remains are found locked in rooms.  Kiki’s family is poisoned by her mother’s sister who feels that the royal crown should be hers.  Kidnappings from the local girl’s school.  Stealing from lockers at the girl’s school and also from a city computer.  Gangs that make a living by smuggling people, drugs and fashion accessory knock-offs.

Synopsis

Twelve year old Ananka Fishbein has lived a rather dull existence until she observes a strange, small- framed girl climbing out of a newly formed sink hole near her family’s New York City apartment.  Curiosity calls and she discovers that the sink hole is actually an opening to a small underground room.  Using a rope that the strange girl left behind, Ananka makes her descent and begins to explore.  Little did she know that this would change her life.  The room is part of an underground network called Shadow City.  It was used decades before by criminals trying to escape the police.   The strange girl, Kiki Strike,  returns and befriends Ananka as well as four other oddly talented young girl scouts to help her explore and map the underground city.  The young group is excited for the opportunity of adventure and the chance to use their formerly unappreciated talents.  What they didn’t know was why Kiki was so interested in this city.  When one of them is seriously injured and Kiki disappears, the group decides they have been taken for a ride and promise to seek revenge upon their strange, former friend.  Two years later Kiki returns asking for the group’s help.  Reluctantly, they decide to join her.  This time the girls find that the game is more dangerous.  They must recover two kidnapped girls  and  pieces of a valuable New York City map.  As the group gets closer to solving the mystery, Kiki’s mysterious past catches up with her.  It is Kiki that the bad guys had wanted all along.  The girls gain renewed faith in their young leader and save New York City.

A great book for any adventurous young lady who likes a good mystery.   I  especially love the spy tips and techniques that Ananka gives at the end of each chapter.  You never know when one might need a good disguise, a quick get-away or some basic first-aid skills.