This last month I come across a wonderfully imaginative, well written trilogy by Andrea Cremer entitle The Inventor’s Secret. Right off the bat this book engaged my interest with a mysterious boy, an underground sect of teenagers and a plot to take America from the Brits. In this book America has failed in their attempt to become free from Britain and there is a revolution going on. The underground tenets living in catacombs are children and teens making things work while their parents are off fighting a secret war to get the American people the freedom they desire. There are a lot of steampunk aspects to this book. It reminded me a little of Mortal Engines. The main character, Charlotte, rescues a boy who is running for his life from some machines that are out to kill him. She takes him back to the hideout among the catacombs and instantly they all realize there is something off about him. He has no memory whatsoever and is incredibly pale and sickly looking, but he is not sick. In search for answers about this boy (they named Grave) Charlotte and her brother and some friends decide to leave the catacombs to find out where he might have come from. They find out a terrible secret which thrusts them into the war and into a world they don’t understand. They find themselves in The Floating City which is a steampunk version of New York City. The second book The Conjurer’s Riddle finds Charlotte meeting a lot of new people in New York. My favorite is Linnette, a spy that befriends Charlotte and helps her find and hone her strengths. There are people in The Floating City Charlotte meets, but she is not sure if they are with her or against her. On top of that she is falling in love with two different men and is confused about what to do. Charlotte and friends move on to New Orleans to meet the leaders of the revolution. Among the hidden tunnels of New Orleans she learns more about the revolution, but has serious questions and realizes Grave’s life is in danger and she must rescue him from the very people they came to for protection. In the third book of the trilogy The Turncoat’s Gambit Charlotte and Grave realize they have enemies on both sides of the war and they must figure out who they can trust. Along the way she discovers how strong she is and why Grave is so important. I loved this book! Andrea has an amazing imagination and the plot had me reading page after page excited to see what crazy thing was coming next. The characters were unique and engaging. The reader falls in love with Charlotte and Grave and their relationship right away.
Where to Go?
New York City, New York
It was a hard choice to choose between New York City and New Orleans! I would love to visit both cities, but I chose New York City. Although, some of this book happens in New Orleans, most of it happens in The Floating City, which is based on New York City. Imagine New York City in the air with a big ferris wheel type contraption taking you from level to level. This city is set up a lot like the one in Mortal Engines, which the rich on the upper levels and the poor and working on the bottom levels.
Picture below was on Wikipedia.
Where to Stay?
There are a lot of blogs and youtube channels about the best places to stay in New York City. I recommend using https://www.theglobetrottingteacher.com/where-to-stay-in-new-york-city/ This author lived in New York for 20 years and really knows her stuff. I like that she just updated her blog in January so the information is up to date and reliable. She also has tips and tricks on how to skip the tourists traps. I especially like her first time visitors section. If you are feeling overwhelmed call a travel agent. I know a a great one! Message me and I will send you her information.
What to See?
When I plan a visit to a new city, I like to see if they have a city pass. City Passes are great because they allow you to see all the typical tourist sites for a discount. They also have information about the different sites( hours, busy times, good places to eat, etc) New York City has a city pass! https://www.newyorkpass.com/new-york-attractions/ You can download this right to your phone and in some cases can even skip the ticket line. Just show them your pass and go! This pass includes 100 plus attractions and costs any where from $132-350 depending on how many days you buy. New York Pass has a good mix of Museums, entertainment and touristy attractions. Some I thought sounded fun were the Food on Foot tour, Central Park Tour, Big Bus New York and the TV and Movie Sites walking tour. There is a ton to do! This site even give you example itineraries. Just click on the activity you are interested in doing and it tells you where it is located, how to get there, how to book it and what other attractions are near and an overview of what to expect. Even if you didn’t buy this pass I think it is a fantastic resource.
The New York City Pass got mostly excellent reviews on Tripadvisor. Check out the reviews before you buy it. On Tripadvisor there are other tour and pass companies listed too. Check them out and see which one will fit your families needs.
This research has made me really excited to tour New York City someday! Hopefully, you enjoyed it as well! Happy traveling and keep on reading! If you do visit, drop me a line about what you enjoyed and any tips you may have!
The Traveling Bookworm 