AN AMBUSH OF YEARS

A “time alley” transports a 10-year-old Chicago boy to Victorian London in Enfield’s series debut.

One late summer evening in Chicago after a family picnic, 10-year-old Mick Conway, unable to fall asleep, slowly becomes aware of an eerie, enticing sound, and then a growing, shimmering light, “a mix of blues swirling like juices in a blender.” Suddenly, he’s inside it, spinning, floating, banging around through one world after another, from desert to winter forest, completely disoriented. Just when he fears the harrowing experience may never end, the “time alley” drops him onto a rainy cobblestone street where three otheroddly dressed children greet him by warning him not to say his name or where he’s from. The place is London, and it’s 1853; Alison, Dolly, and Leech are Forsyth Institute students on patrol. Though it seems like an ordinary Victorian boarding school from the outside, the Forsyth Institute’s real purpose is to research how the time alleys work while rescuing children who “dropin” and teaching them to pass as ordinary Victorians. Every student and teacher at the Institute has also “dropped” from the future, having experienced a one-way trip that can only be taken before age 12. (Both the time alleys and the streets of London can be mortally dangerous, and there are strict rules about sharing information about the future for fear of changing it.) Though devastated to learn that he can’t go home, Mick (now nicknamed Gunner) gamely carries on, trying to adjust to the era’s formal manners, heavy clothing, and lack of electricity or modern plumbing. He soon discovers that he is able to see the details of time alleys more clearly than the others, and he starts to suspect something sinister is going on: The time alleys are becoming more and more erratic, and a suspicious hooded figure roams the Forsyth building at night. Despite the risks, Mick and his new friends secretly begin to investigate, only to uncover even more frightening possibilities.

Enfield’s writing is excellent, studded with vivid descriptions—the London sky seems “a damp rag, all smoke and dirty clouds”; a man’s shoes shine “like they had their own spotlights”; a tone-deaf singer is “enthusiastically attacking the melody”; and the telegraph is “steampunk texting.” Mick is observant, perceptive, and plucky, doing the best he can and maintaining a sense of humor in a situation that presents almost endless difficulties. The other students and faculty also display well developed personalities: Alison’s outward confidence masks deep sadness; Leech is always ready with a sarcastic quip; Dolly is insightful and fond of sweets; the librarian, Miss Emmet, is understanding and helpful; the headmistress is stern and intimidating. There is a great deal of background and scene-setting detailing the Institute’s customs (it dates back to the 1500s) and the features of time alleys, which take specific forms such as stirrings, whirlpools, glow-orbs, fairy paths, and fawkes, all of varying colors, sizes, and durations. There are occasional instances of foreshadowing before the main action gets going; things pick up in the second half, but the outcome feels somewhat rushed and incomplete, leaving the reader with more questions than answers. Nevertheless, the intriguing premise, relatable characters, and remaining mysteries will have readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

An engaging YA fantasy/SF series debut.