York: The Shadow Cipher

Deckle edges. If you're a book worm like I am, you've probably come across them before. The uncut, random-looking pages (instead of a smooth cut) give a book that certain "something." Deckle edges convinced me to purchase my own hard copy of Laura Ruby’s York, and I'm so glad they did. This book could be defined many different ways (spec fic, alternate history, diverse sci-fi, a cross between The Mysterious Benedict Society and Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan...), but the thing that stands out to me is that it is incredibly, unbelievably of the moment. I know how long it takes to make a book, but if I didn't I'd think it was written two weeks ago. York is important and empathetic along with being smart and entertaining, and I think it might just be the perfect book for this year, for everyone. Tess and Theo Biedermann and their neighbor Jaime Cruz live in a city that is like New York City, but not. In this version of York the famous Morningstarr twins started inventing and building a fantastical array of dwellings, transportation, and life-like machines in the late 18th century, and the present-day result is a steampunk-like mashup of technological wonder. When they left, the Morningstarrs also left a trail of clues to rumored treasure – the mysterious Old York Cipher. For Tess, Theo, and Jaime, solving the Cipher may be the only way to keep their home safe from an avaricious real estate developer – but the clock is ticking. Will they solve the Cipher and save their building in time? One of the things that this book did so well was establish the motivations of each of the main characters in an authentic way. Ruthless real estate developer Darnell Slant wants to make money, and doesn’t care who he displaces (sound familiar?) or whether he destroys history. His hirelings Stoop and Pinscher possibly want something even more sinister, and they’re the everyday ‘face of evil.’ The Biedermann twins want to keep their home and life, their parents want them to face reality, and the whole family is still reeling from the absence of grandfather Biedermann, the one-time occupant of the building penthouse and former president of the Cipher Society. Jaime wants his father in his life, good things for his Mima, and to draw superheroes. Six-year-old neighbor girl Cricket wants to be a spy. And what did the long-gone Morningstarrs want? Why did they set up this treasure hunt? It’s a question that Tess, Theo and Jaime keep asking themselves, and bits and pieces of answers emerge throughout the story. The grand themes? The line between technology and life, injustice (racial, gender, socioeconomic), the definition of family (in its different forms) and home, and erasing the past for the sake of the future. Now on to the things that I liked particularly (a different kettle of fish from admiring a well-constructed plot & characters, or great writing!)(which this book has in spades): parents who are alive (how many times do you see that in a kidlit book?!)! A diverse main character and secondary characters! A main character with anxiety and a service animal. A cool map of alternate New York and great descriptions of that feeling of insignificance you get in big cities. Social justice (pro-immigrant, pro-education, pro-affordable housing) baked in. Added to that, this is just such a smart book, with believably smart characters. Author Ruby doesn’t hold back – her characters use big words and think big ideas because they are intelligent, and Ruby obviously believes her readers are as well. I love that trust in the reader, and I think readers will sense it immediately. I cannot forget to mention Chapter 7 (and then later Chapter 27), or as I am calling it, “In which we find out that six-year old Cricket (real name: Zelda) is HILARE” (hilare = hilarious without those pesky final two syllables)(a made-up word for the modern age which I am probably too old to use, but whatever). I want to be Cricket when I grow up. WHAT A RIOT. One of my favorite lines from a York (it consistently made me laugh out loud, btw) is in Cricket’s voice, from page 122: “What would a deathmetalhead raccoon wear? A helmet of course. Probably one with antlers.” I die. What did I dislike? One solitary thing, folks. And that is that it took until Chapter 2 (really Chapter 3 because there was a prologue) to get to the hook. Until then it’s a lot of set-up and I wasn’t sure why I should care. BUT ONCE THERE, well. I was on my way. In all, York hit all of the sweet spots: it was a funny, intelligent, and exciting read, and it made me think, feel, and reflect. I hope you’ll give it a chance! Recommended for: middle grade readers on up, and anyone who likes mystery, alternate cities, and clever speculative fiction.

THIS BOOK, YOU GUYS. I'm extremely pleased to say that this book lived up to it's gorgeous cover, it's fascinating premise, and the amazing writing that the incomparable Laura Ruby has delivered in the past. Honestly, I got Harry Potter feels from this one. It was charming, smart, and fun. Not only are the characters real but the world sucks you in and drags you happily around like Nine (the cat) does with a sock. I loved this book with all my heart and I'm 25. I'm not going to stop recommending this for a while and will be anxiously waiting for the sequel and the movies and the movie sequels because I have a feeling that it's going to be huge. This is a must-read for everyone over the age of seven or eight and I hope it's passed around in families and talked about because it's just too good to be ignored. Buy and share!

I had heard such wonderful things about Laura Ruby’s York: The Shadow Cipher! And, knowing that the 2nd book in the series, York: The Clockwork Ghost was releasing on May 14th, I just had to dig into it and find out what all the fuss was about! I really was not disappointed! This book was intriguing and entertaining for me and is a definite winner, in my opinion, for the middle grade/young YA reader! The Shadow Cipher begins with a flashback to the time when men used walking canes and street lamps were lit by oil. We are introduced to a set of genius twins, The Morningstars, who are responsible for amazing mechanical creations that have changed the face of New York City and the world! Their inventions include everything from mechanical bugs that clean the streets to elevators that can move diagonally! Before the twins died, they created a cipher for the public: solve the riddles and find the treasure! Unfortunately, however, people have been trying to solve the cipher for hundreds of year unsuccessfully! Enter another set of twins (modern-day Tess and Theo Biedermann) and their friend Jaime Cruz. All 13 years-old, the kids are in a situation where their current apartment building is about to be sold to a wealthy New York real estate magnate. When they intercept a mysterious letter address to their grandfather (a famous cipherist who has been trying to solve the puzzle his whole life!) they begin to suspect that there is a second set of clues to the cipher that have, as yet, been undiscovered (thus, the title: The Shadow Cipher.) They decide that the only way to save their building is to solve the cipher and find the treasure! Tons of hijinks ensue…the kids are led all over the city searching for clues related to history, New York City and the Morningstars. While all of that is happening, strange things are occurring in their apartment building…the real estate magnate’s henchman are searching the building, members of their grandfather’s ciper society are getting involved and clues are turning up in unexpected places. Ultimately, the kids’ quest to solve the cipher is exciting and fast-paced, if sometimes a little to dependent on coincidences to drive the plot! As I’ve mentioned before, I can’t read books out of order so I picked up this one to prepare myself for the release of York: The Clockwork Ghost. Knowing that there was a sequel to The Shadow Cipher somewhat prepared me for a cliffhanger at the end of the book, but I was slightly disappointed about the lack of closure that the book provided. While it left me anxious to find out what happens in the The Clockwork Ghost, I would have preferred a bit more effort to tie up the initial storyline without it. I really don’t like being left hanging! The prevalence of ‘coincidence’ as a plot driver and the lack of a satisfying ending were the only things that kept me from making this a 5-star review! I must say, I loved Ruby’s writing. Her creation of a ‘better’ New York combined with the descriptions of the New York I know and love were incredibly compelling. She is also a very smart writer: there are tons of nods to history and subtle jokes throughout the book. As a kid, I loved being able to pick up on subtleties that an author embedded in her story. Not much has changed in that regard since then! Finally, the ‘world building’ that Ruby undertakes with her inventions and technological enhancements in the story are impressive. She folds mechanical inventions that do not exist today into the New York that we know and makes the whole thing hang together in a way that is coherent and believable. Ruby definitely has a feminist agenda of sorts in her book as well. (And don’t get me wrong, I’m ALL for that!) There are many references debunking gender sterotypes and lots of female characters (young and old) who are depicted outside of cultural female norms. Tess and Theo’s mom is a detective while their dad loves to bake, Cricket (a neighborhood 5 year old) is dedicated to all kind of gender-bending in her wardrobe and Tess herself is, by far, the braver and ‘stronger’ of the two twins. As an adult, these feminist-type references were pretty obvious to me but, for the Middle Grade set, I think Ruby does a nice job folding the message seamlessly into the story without making her intentions too overt. I must also commend Ruby for her characters: Tess, Theo and Jaime are interesting and distinct. Jaime is Latinx and cultural identities are explored occasionally via his relationship with his grandmother. There are sly references to the potential for a budding romance between Tess and Jaime and interesting passages that describe what it’s like to be a twin. While I found the 13 year olds a bit mature…they seem to only make good decisions and have a great deal of freedom to move about the city alone…as individuals, I understood their motivations and found them unique and likeable. Jaime’s struggle with his father’s absence and his identity as an artist were as compelling as Theo’s ‘Rain Main’-like mathmatical abilities and Tess’s struggle with anxiety! The other characters within the book are, unfortunately, somewhat less distinguishable from one another: there are about 20 neighbors who live in the apartment building and another 10 members of the cipherist society and many of their identities tend to run together. Nonetheless, the important characters seem to distinguish themselves, when necessary. Cricket (as mentioned above) is hilarious and plays a key role in helping the kids with their quest while Mr. Stoop and Mr. Pincher (ridiculously funny names for super tall and super slouched guys) are both evil and idiotic as henchman should be! Overall, this book has an incredible amount to recommend it. I won’t disclose the ‘message’ that is finally delivered to the kids in the closing chapter of the book as it would go to far in spoiling the ending but suffice it to say that (despite the book’s lack of closure) there is something to be learned from everything that happens to Tess, Theo and Jaime. Readers ages 9-12 (and potentially older, in my opinion) as well as adults will enjoy this wild romp of a read that brings a fantastical premise and setting together with some real, determined and lovable characters! I can’t wait to see what The Clockwork Ghost has in store!

I don't normally rewiew books but this definitly had. It's ups and downs. Overall i have to say this was definitly a fun book to read. I liked the characters and the overall story was great. However i was a little confused about the iventions of the morningstarrs... like what or who a guildman was. Also i was confused at first but this story seems to be happening in a strange futuristic word with different animlas (ex: the tiger cat) and so on... overall i really enjoyed this book . Tess Jaime and Theo were relatable down to earth characters with big personalitys I also enjoyed all the mystery and suspence!! it was confusing but i would recommend this book to other readers! i will also continue this book so i can see how the mystery ends!

I was lucky enough to grab an advance copy of YORK only to have my 13-year-old son grab it off my night table and start reading it himself. For the next few nights we took turns racing through this book, cheering for its well-rounded characters, and trying to figure out the puzzles and mysteries. Some people are going to call YORK “steampunk,” but I’m not sure that’s accurate. Yes, the opening chapter starts in a fantastical Victorian-era New York City, but the setting shifts to a present-day, alternate New York that is familiar but also completely different. I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises, but much like J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts made me want to go to an English boarding school, Laura Ruby’s YORK makes me desperate to visit her fantastical version of Manhattan. Yes, I’m comparing it to Harry Potter. It’s that good.

This book was an okay read, but wasn't very entertaining to me. I wouldn't recommend it.

5 stars This was such a fun book to read. It was a 'Goonies' adventure mixed with a 'National Treasure' mystery. I highly recommend this for all kids and adults alike. Laura Ruby really has a grasp on how children think and behave and she created a magical world that is bursting with imagination and mystery. I love the vocabulary she used and how she seamlessly worked the explanation of a thing into the story. Her characters were so real and even the cat was so realistic. Though the world is so different from our reality, it too felt real. I just loved this book and urge parents to buy it for their children.

I loved The Shadow Cipher! What a fun read. I'm from NY so this was a great bonus to me. This middle grade steampunk fantasy was so good. Three 7th graders go on a scavenger hunt of sorts trying to decipher a code. Great characters, I loved the twins Tess and Theo and their friend Jamie. An exciting journey through the city rich with history on a quest to save their soon to be demolished building. I can't wait to read book #2. I give The Shadow Cipher 5 stars for its fun read. I would recommend this book to fans of Fantasy/steampunk.

This is a well written, clever young adult novel series. It takes place in a world that is familiar in some ways and very different in others. It’s got adventure, fantasy, mystery and good character development.

Interesting plot and new ideas. Loved the problem solving portion. Kept me engaged through numerous distractions which is the sign of a good book. 4/5

I think I may be in love with Laura Ruby’s writing. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of reading Bone Gap, and since was eagerly awaiting this. Well all I can say is I wish I’d read it sooner!! This is supposed to be middle grade, and I get why, but it didn’t read massively different to some YA so don’t let that put you off either. This is the pseudo fantasy mystery thriller book I didn’t know I was waiting for. It has everything. An almost recognisable but definitely different world. A brilliantly described New York. Amazing self running mysterious machines. Genius twins who create a city of wonders and suddenly disappear. Other eccentric and brilliant twins and their friend, who are curious, intelligent and strangely free of adult supervision! What more can one want from a book I ask. Yes in places, it’s a little slow. I didn’t actually really notice, I was fully wrapped up in the story. It’s a great mystery - not sadly one you can really solve along with them or guess too much before, but it’s doled out in small enough parcels to feel like you’re there with Tess, Theo and Jaime. You get to explore this magical world and run around solving mysteries, being chased by creepy and/or sinister bad guys. I just enjoyed every second of it and I need the sequel right now please!

I absolutely loved this book and can hardly wait to start the next one in the series! The mystery just keeps building as well as my curiosity to see this adventure to the end!

Where to start? This book has everything and deserves multiple readings to grasp it all. Three very likable, smart and talented young people search for clues to a cipher that has remained unsolved for more than 100 years. Their goal is to save their home, but nothing is that straightforward. Solve the cipher and the cipher solves you. The end is a satisfactory cliffhanger, if such a thing is possible, and now I need book two. So highly recommended.