Mrs Mad's humble opinion 9/10 Very good. I am pleased with this. What's it about? Darren's new life starts in the Cirque du Freak, he makes friends with a Snake Boy and two ordinary humans, but he is still refusing to drink blood. How long can he resist the temptation? What happens? Back at the Cirque du Freak, Darren begins to enjoy life making some friends and training as the vampire's assistant. He is still refusing to drink blood and is slowly getting weaker and even when Mr Crepsley tries to force him to drink he manages to stop him. He makes two new friends who are not part of the Freak show, a little boy called Sam, who is fascinated by the show and an eco- warrior called RV. RV is concerned by the treatment of some of the animals in the show and frees the wolfman from his cage, nobody can imagine the awful happenings that will follow! Is it easy to read? Easily read, good choice for boys who are finding it difficult to choose, girls will also like it. Anything else? This is a sad book so be prepared, it is wonderfully descriptive of the lives of the Cirque folk and Darren finds a new friend which is great, but disaster is lurking around the corner in an unlikely form. I was pleased to see that Shan was prepared to keep putting sadness in his books, too often adults think children shouldn't read about bad things happening but that seems to be changing in writers now. Well done Shan.