The Tunnels Below is a fantastical and fanciful story about a world in the tunnels below London. Stylistically and structurally, it reminds one of The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. In particular, it has flavors of Alice in Wonderland in that the world Cecilia stumbles upon doesn’t make a lot of sense and the plot is loose. This isn’t fantasy with structured magic and world-building, but fantasy in a make-believe, nebulous way. Cecilia tumbles from one semi-anthropomorphic character encounter and situation to another with quick, superficial interactions. The reader skates along the surface without ever being sucked deeply into the narrative.
This book might be a good read aloud to younger readers. Also, of note is the adorable book cover.
Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy
This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Pushkin Children’s Books
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 1 mild obscenity.
Violence/Gore: Report of gas explosions having killed some workers; struggle and character is knocked unconscious, blood mentioned; characters taken and held against their will; character is chased/hunted into a dangerous place; 2 separate scenes of struggle with injuries; verbal threats; character dragged through dirt and it is observed that her feathers had been plucked out; character drops another from a great height with intent to injure/kill; character drags another character off into the woods, implied end of character;
Sex/Nudity: Characters hold hands.
Mature Subject Matter:
Separation from family (lost), tyranny, gambling.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Character smokes a pipe.
