Looking for book about magical, underground London.

[Skylark]

"Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman is one of my favourite books, but I once read something similar (and just as good) when I was about 8-12 years old (approx 12 years ago), also about a magical hidden place in London. I think it was also underground.

 

I'd love to find this book again, but don't know either the title or the author. The only other thing I can remember about it was that there was a brick wall in the story that was somehow significant. (Perhaps it was knocked down? I'm not sure.)

 

Especially since this is a UK-based site, I'm hoping that someone will recognise the book I'm talking about - though I'm a bit worried that it's too old and obscure for people to know. I'd love to read it again!

[Janet]

At first I thought it might be Tunnels, but that was only published in 2005.

 

Good luck with finding it.

[Skylark]

I actually read Tunnels just last month (perhaps that was what triggered the memory of the other one)! Not a bad book, really, but the other one was better.

[Zolio]

Instinctively I thought of the Artemis Fowl series, which has a fairy underground base in London. Probably too sci-fi for your request though.

[BookJumper]

Pretty much all of China Mieville's books seem to fit your bill; is any of them it?

[Skylark]

lovesreading06 - read them. Neither of those are the book I want. Also, too recent.

 

Zolio - read it. Not the book I want. Also, waaaaay too recent.

 

BookJumper - read most of them (though not all). Again, too recent.

 

 

I'm looking for something that's almost certainly pre-1997, probably older.

 

I think the main characters were a boy and a girl, but I'm not sure.

[sdeangelo]

I think I remember reading a book along these lines when I was younger, however I believe the characters were animals or non-humans of some sort. Fairies maybe? If I'm on the right track I'd be happy to look into it for you.

[Chrissy]

'Switchers' trilogy by Kate Thompson? If I remember correctly there is time spent in tunnels in all three books.

[Pablo]

I know it's not the book you're looking for Skylark, but Drood by Dan Simmons is based in dickensian London, and is primarily concerned with a strange underground cult.

 

Although it's not magical as such, it has great mystery and a strong supernatural bent.

[Skylark]

sdeangelo - I don't recall any fairies in the story, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I read it a very long time ago. Hmmm.

 

Chrissy - I'll have a look into those! I don't recognise the series, but you never know. Thanks for the tip!

 

Pablo - I've heard of Drood, and thought it looked interesting. I'm waiting for it to come out at the local library, since I'm rather broke at the moment.