Goblin Secrets
core novel 2012 Zombay
Record
| First published | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.55 (2,337 ratings, collected 2026-11-01) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781442427266 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
In Zombay, a city of old magic and clockwork divided by a restless river, an orphan named Rownie works for Graba, a witch who keeps stray children as servants. Acting is forbidden in the city except for goblins, and Rownie's older brother Rowan has vanished after deciding to become an actor. Rownie takes some of Graba's money and runs, with her bird-like hunters on his trail and the Lord Mayor's guards watching the north side. He joins a troupe of goblin performers, who show him where masks come from, while he searches for his brother. All the while a flood that the river has long been expected to bring hangs over Zombay, and the goblins may be the only ones able to help the city.
Where it sits
- Universe: Zombay
- Series: Zombay core; position 1 of 2 in the series' recorded order
- Author: William Alexander
Awards (verified)
- National Book Award for Young People's Literature (Young People's Literature), 2012: won
Notes
- From the series record (Zombay): Two companion fantasy novels set at the same time in the river city of Zombay.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series Zombay: position 1 of 2: next Ghoulish Song (2013)
Sources
- Wikipedia: William Alexander (author)
- Publishers Weekly: Goblin Secrets
- National Book Foundation
- Wikipedia: Goblin Secrets
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