Circus Galacticus Book Review

 Author: Deva Fagan. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Harcourt Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780547581361.

Annotation: Fifteen-year-old orphan Beatrix “Trix” Ling hates her life as an outcast, charity case at the prestigious Bleeker Academy for Girls. Tormented by the other students, all Trix can think about are her dreams of following in her parents’ footsteps as an astronomer. What Trix doesn’t realize is that her chance at exploring the stars is closer than she thinks when the mysterious and exciting Circus Galacticus comes to town.

Personal thoughts: This is one of those novels that I had in my pile of “to be read” for a long time. I hadn’t heard much about it so I wasn’t in a rush to pick it up. I am often very surprised by how the novels that don’t get as much attention are some of my favorites. Circus Galacticus is well-written and truly very easy to enjoy. Deva Fagan does a great job with adding the right amount of humor to the story while still managing to portray the more serious aspects of what Trix is going through below surface level. I was intrigued from almost the first chapter, and wish that I had read this novel sooner, as I ended up really liking it. I hope that the author decides to write a sequel. I would definitely read it right away if she does!  

Plot summary: Being an orphan and a charity case at the prestigious Bleeker Academy for Girls isn’t an easy life for fifteen-year-old Beatrix “Trix” Ling. Although she is a talented gymnast, Trix doesn’t feel like she fits in, constantly tormented by the other girls and looked down upon by cruel Headmistress Primwell. To make it through the dreary days, Trix dreams about following in her parents’ footsteps as an astronomer. Although they were killed in an accident when she was six, Trix still remembers the stories her mom and dad told her about the stars, and can’t wait until she can leave Bleeker Academy forever and begin studying the mysteries of the universe. What Trix doesn’t realize is that she is about to leave Bleeker, and Earth, for good. As part of a school fieldtrip, Trix and the other stuck-up Bleeker girls go to see the Circus Galacticus: a mysterious and exciting show held under in a large and beautiful Big Top.  While exploring the tent, and attempting to avoid Primwell, Trix discovers the truth about the circus: the performers are actually from other worlds, all across the universe, and the Big Top is their spaceship. Trix meets the charismatic and charming Ringmaster who invites her to join the rest of the troupe, leaving her humdrum life on Earth forever. Trix is ecstatic, but doesn’t realize that there is more to her life on the Big Top than cotton candy and circus acts. A dangerous presence in the universe is after her, and she must determine why before it is too late.

Review: Set in a universe that is easily traversed via wormhole, where Earth is in a “boondock galaxy” and a strict government controls how all of the inhabitants look and act, Circus Galacticus, written by veteran author Deva Fagan, delivers a likable protagonist, interesting cast of characters, and original story that is entertaining and enjoyable for tween and teen sci-fi fans. The beginning of the novel introduces a premise that is somewhat common: Trix is an orphan who doesn’t fit in and longs for the life she had with her parents. After the first two chapters, however, the story goes in a very unique direction. The author does an excellent job of world building: describing in vivid detail the Big Top and its inhabitants and allowing the reader to experience the excitement of what they hold with Trix. There is also some interesting mythology that goes along with the universe that Trix discovers, including a centuries old conflict between two opposing powers, the key to which appears to lie in Trix’s past. Although a sequel has yet to be announced, Fagan definitely leaves the story open to at least one more novel. Hopefully Circus Galacticus is the first in a series, as it holds the potential of being something very unique and enjoyable for tween, teen and adult readers alike.

Genre: Science-fiction

Reading level: Grade 6+

Similar titles: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Counter Clockwise by Jason Cockroft, Have Spacesuit – Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein, Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson.     

Themes:  Space, circus, spaceships, orphans, friendship, fitting in, war, gymnastics.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal and Kirkus.  

Series Information: Sequel not announced, but appears likely.

Discussion questions:

-        Why do you think Della was so mean to Trix? Have you ever been treated the way Trix was at Bleeker?

-        Why do you think Trix was able to pass through the mirror in the Big Top?

-      Do you think Trix belongs on the Big Top? Why do you think she is so unsure?

-       Compare Sirra to Della. How are they similar? How are they different?

-       Do you think Sirra was right in trying to protect her brother? Why or why not?

-    Would you like to read a sequel to Circus Galacticus? What would you like to see happen if a sequel is written?

The Power of Six Book Review

Author: Pittacus Lore. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780061974557.

Annotation:  John, Sam and Number Six are on the run after surviving the Mogadorian attack in Paradise.  Unsure of what the future holds, they desperately try to evade their enemies, and the authorities, while uncovering more of the secrets in their past on Lorien. Meanwhile, in Santa Teresa, Spain, Number Seven, a girl named Marina, must cope with an oppressive life in a Catholic orphanage, a life her guardian seems to have no desire to leave.       

Personal thoughts:  I have to admit, I almost didn’t want to read this book after being disappointed in the mediocre film adaptation of I Am Number Four. I know there is a whole backstory about the authors behind the series and how it was sort of “bred” to be made into a commercial franchise. I am happy that these thoughts didn’t stop me from picking up The Power of Six because I was very engrossed from start to finish. The novel is truly entertaining and surpasses I Am Number Four in many ways.  Perhaps it was the absence of the sappy romance between John and Sarah and, in its place, the perpetually butt-kicking Number Six. Perhaps it was the non-stop action and the constant forward motion of the plot. Whatever the cause, The Power of Six is a fun page-turner, and I will be certain to pick up the third installment in the series with gumption!

Plot summary: After Henri’s death and their narrow escape of the vicious Mogadorian attack in Paradise, John, or Number Four, his best friend Sam, Number Six and Bernie Kosar flee Ohio and go into hiding. Meanwhile in the small village of Santa Teresa, Spain, Number Seven, a seventeen-year-old girl named Marina, is stuck in an oppressive life in a Catholic orphanage. Her Cêpan, Adelina, seems to have forgotten about their mission to remain hidden as Marina’s Legacies develop, and Marina is left to discover her powers on her own. Looking for news of the other nine Loric children, Marina is constantly scanning the internet for unusual news stories that might point to their existence. She is shocked to learn about John, now deemed an international terrorist accused of destroying the high school in Paradise himself, and is convinced that he is a member of the Garde like her. Marina is also consumed by visions of a raven haired girl with extraordinary powers, someone who she has never met but who she knows plays an important part in her future. Back in America, John and Six continue to train even while living life on the run, working to hone their Legacies while training Sam how to fight in the process. But as John and Marina both continue to have visions of Mogadorian battles and mysterious figures, it seems that their fates are bound to collide sooner than they realize.

Review: This second installment in the popular Lorien Legacies series manages to surpass the adventure and action of the first, making for a sequel that is actually more enjoyable than I Am Number Four. While the first book was somewhat hampered by high school melodrama and over-attention to detail, The Power of Six moves right into the thick of things, making for a page-turner that is nearly impossible to put down. The addition of Number Seven, or Marina, and her life in a Spanish orphanage adds a great deal of depth and substance to the story. Instead of focusing solely on John, this novel shift to a dual voice makes it far more pleasing than the first installment. Added elements in the stories of Six and Sam also add to the fun. Overall, an enjoyable novel that is sure to be a popular addition to the series.

Genre: Sci-fi/Adventure

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.

Themes:  Aliens, danger, superpowers, duty, friendship.     

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, The Horn Book, Booklist, and Chicago Tribune.

Series Information: Second novel in Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore.   

Discussion questions:

- This story is told in a dual-voice. Do you prefer that method of story-telling over the single-voice in I Am Number Four?

- What do you think is the significance of each of the items in John’s Chest?

- Do you think it’s possible for John to love Sarah and like Six at the same time?

- How do you think the love triangle between John, Six and Sam will unfold in the next novel?

- Do you think Adelina truly gave up her mission to protect and teach Marina?

- What do you think of the character Ella? Héctor? Crayton? Who do you think has the most influence on Marina?

- What was your interpretation of what happened between Sarah and John?

Across the Universe Book Review

Author: Beth Revis. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Razorbill. ISBN: 9781595143976.

Annotation:  Amy and her parents volunteer to be cryogenically frozen for centuries in order to become the first settlers on a new planet: Centauri-Earth. But when Amy is awoken 50 years too soon, she discovers that the everything on the ship that is supposed to be carrying them to their new home is not what it seems.    

Personal thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book from start to finish! It's a story that you know is going to good from the first chapter. Maybe it's because I am a sci-fi fan and also a fan of dystopian novels. Maybe it's because it's simply an excellentally written story. Either way, I am very excited for this new trilogy!

Plot summary: Sixteen-year-old Amy and her parents, a genetic specialist and a military tactician, volunteer to be cryogenically frozen for three hundred years and shot into space towards a new planet, Centauri-Earth, upon which they will start a new society. After being frozen, Amy’s body is encased in a coffin of ice, but her mind continues to work, locking her in a terrible nightmare for centuries. Unsure of how much time has passed, Amy suddenly begins to feel warmth and realizes that her glass coffin is melting. When she wakes up, she meets sixteen-year-old Elder, the future leader of the ship, and learns, to her horror, that she has been unfrozen fifty years before the ship lands. Amy is crushed that she cannot see her parents, but begins to explore the Godspeed, the ship on which she has been travelling for the past two hundred and fifty years. The inhabitants of the ship are as strange to Amy as she is to them: the Godspeed’s residents, including Elder, are all monoethnic, and Amy’s red hair and pale, freckled skin give her a freakish appearance. To make matters worse, most of the people on the ship appear to be in some sort of stupor: blindly following everything the current leader, Eldest, tells them. But as Amy and Elder get to know each other and Amy learns more about the Godspeed, she begins to wonder if the ship is as peaceful and harmonious as Eldest claims.



Blueprint of the Godspeed



Review:  This sometimes creepy but thrilling story combines science fiction, mystery and romance in an utterly original novel that will appeal as much to adult readers as teens. One of the strongest elements of the story showing Revis’ literary prowess is her ability to develop multi-layered characters that the reader cares about almost immediately. The story is told by both Amy and Elder in alternating chapters, giving each of them a distinct voice and equal presence in the story. The supporting characters of Eldest, Harley, Orion and the ship’s Doctor are equally as interesting as the protagonists, as are the descriptions of the Godspeed which, in many ways, is another character in the novel. Revis does an excellent job of combining the dystopian elements of H.G. Wells’ Time Machine, the sci-fi elements of TV’s Battlestar Galactica and modern debates about genetic engineering and manipulation. The resulting story is sophisticated, intriguing and makes for a wonderful page-turner that keeps the reader guessing until the final moments. Revis has announced that Across the Universe is the first installment in a trilogy, and the fact that it is her debut novel makes her literary accomplishment all the more impressive. Overall, and outstanding novel equally enjoyable for adults and teens

Genre: Science-fiction/Mystery

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan is VERY similar. Other dystopian future novels such as Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Divergent by Veronica Roth, etc.

Themes:  Space travel, dystopian future, control/oppression, mystery.   

Awards/Reviews:  On Amazon Best Books of the Month list for January 2011, positive reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist, New York Times bestseller.

Series Information: First novel in Across the Universe trilogy. Visit website for more info:  http://acrosstheuniversebook.com/

Discussion Questions:

- Would you be willing to do what Amy did to stay with her parents?

- What are your impressions of life on the Godspeed? Would you want to live on the ship?

- Do you think Eldest is a good leader? Why or why not?

- How would you describe the inhabitants of the Godspeed?  Docile? Complacent? Oppressed? Happy?