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Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan Series

Book Summary

Reviewed by Carrie R. Wheadon

Darren's best friend, Steve, finds a flier for an illegal freak show, which they sneak out one night to attend. Among acts such as a wolf-man (who bites off the hand of a woman in the audience) and a snake-boy, they see the vampire Mr. Crepsley and his trained poisonous spider. Darren is smitten with the spider and returns to steal her. When Steve is bitten by her, only Mr. Crepsley has an antidote to her poison. But there's a price, and Darren becomes a half vampire, learning the vampire ways, sometimes following the Cirque, and other times joining Mr. Crepsley on secret errands.

Is It Any Good?

3

Book by Book

A Living Nightmare
We rate it on for kids 10 and up three stars
The first in a series, this is pulp trash horror, appealing to the R. L. Stine audience. Like Stine's books, it's just a thrill ride -- no characterizations, a plot that shouldn't be examined too closely for sense, and no real literary value. Unlike Stine, the author can actually complete a sentence, and the gore content is much lower, so it's less problematic in general. Children of a certain inclination find it addictive.
The Vampire's Assistant
We rate it on for kids 10 and up three stars
After Darren becomes an assistant, he and Mr. Crepsley head back to the Cirque, where Darren befriends the "snake boy," a smart local boy, and a traveling activist. Not the eerie suspense it should be, but it's easy to guess how things fit together for a bloody finale. The mystery behind the "little people" will drive readers to the next book. Darren's inner conflict adds something but also slows the pace considerably.
Tunnels of Blood
We rate it on for kids 10 and up three stars
The title is certainly titillating -- making you think you're in for a true horror ride. It does make it there in the end, and makes Darren look cleverer than readers may expect him to be, but the rest of the book lacks excitement. And the things readers may like to know -- about Darren's vampire education, especially -- are glossed over once again. And why on earth is Darren still dressed in a stupid pirate get-up?!
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