The Dawn of Adonis

🦍🍼🌃🎩

by Phil Earle

★★★★★

Things I loved:

📜 Rich 1911 historical setting full of atmosphere

🦍 Adonis’s gripping rescue journey

🎭 Fabulous characters bursting with personality

⚡ Fast-paced action with constant danger

🎩 Oliver Twist–style!

🕵️ Thrilling mysteries above and below London

💛 Strong friendships at the heart of danger

🌧️ Dark, atmospheric backstreets brought to life

🏃 Edge-of-your-seat escapes and chases

At a glance

✍🏼 Author: Phil Earle

🎨 Cover artist: Tom Clohosy Cole

📅 Release Date: 5th June 2025

📚 Book type: Historical fiction, chapter, 240 pages

🌟 Reader level: Confident reader (9+)

Dive Deeper

Review

It’s 1911 and a baby gorilla has been born into the most dangerous hands in London. Determined to get him to safety, Nettie and Toff face danger after danger above and below the streets of London, fighting with all their might against the dangerous thugs who try to stop them. But just as safety seems within reach, it slips away, forcing them into one final, heart-stopping race to save Adonis before time runs out.

I absolutely love historical stories (especially ones set in the 20th century) so this book was a winner for me from page one. Phil Earle fills the story with unforgettable characters—each bursting with personality. Some are kind, some are sneaky and some are… just a little bit brutal!

This book is fast-paced, full of danger and daring, and swept me straight into the darker corners of London: the gloomy backstreets, the hidden world of pickpockets, even the murky sewers beneath the city! There’s theft, threat, and murder—just enough to keep readers hooked without going too far for younger readers.

The Dawn of Adonis reminded me of my favourite film - Oliver Twist— with its busy London streets, cockney characters, and the same danger and daring around every corner.

There are also plenty of things to learn along the way—about history, animals, and life in London over a hundred years ago. It would make a fantastic class read, sparking lots of discussion and curiosity.

Overall, I absolutely LOVED The Dawn of Adonis and is a must read if you love historical fiction packed with adventure, emotion, and unforgettable characters!

Blurb

In 1911, before the start of World War One, London’s docks thrum with underhand deals, none so great as the arrival of a valuable, rare and exotic animal – a baby silverback gorilla. The baby gorilla stands to make one man very, very rich. Heaven help anyone who gets in his way. But then one night a twelve-year-old girl is unwittingly drawn into his criminal underworld. Can she find a way to escape and rescue the baby gorilla?