This was a quirky, whimsical, fast paced children's book, bursting with fun ideas and imagery.  There were numerous scenes that made me smile. The style reminded me a lot of Diana Wynne Jones's books. 

Where it fell down for me is that I didn't really connect with any of the characters (except perhaps the troll housekeeper, Eric). I think if I had learnt more about Nine, Flabberghast and the others, been given more backstory for them and seen more character development, I would have enjoyed the book more and given it a higher rating. As it is though, it is a decent story that a lot of kids will love.