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Cirque
Du Freak
is the
wacky,
chilling
tale of
vampires,
spiders,
&
friendship.
Author
Darren
Shan
narrates
this
story of
ordinary
boys'
lives
until
the day
one of
his
friends
brings a
flyer to
school
advertising
“The
Cirque
du
Freak.”
Their
interest
captivated,
Darren &
his
friends
agree to
attend
this
mysterious
event.
Associate
Student
Reviewer
Karrie
G.
writes:
Steve,
Darren's
best
friend,
tells
them
that the
money
they
have
collected
is only
enough
for two
tickets.
All four
of them
grudgingly
agree
that it
is only
fair for
Steve to
go,
since he
was the
one to
sneak
out to
buy the
tickets.
Finally,
after
some
arguing,
Steve
comes up
with a
plan. He
will
throw
the
ticket &
some
scraps
of paper
into the
air,
whoever
catches
the
actual
ticket
will go
with
him.
While
the
other
two boys
anxiously
grab in
the air,
Darren
closes
his eyes
& holds
his hand
out. He
doesn't
know
why, but
somehow
he is
sure
this is
the only
way to
get the
ticket.
Sure
enough,
when he
opens
his eyes
it is in
the palm
of his
outstretched
hand.
The two
friends
set out
& soon
find the
old
building
where
the
freak
show is
taking
place;
it looks
as
though
it might
collapse
at their
feet at
any
second.
Both are
rather
scared,
but
determined
not to
show it
as they
enter &
encounter
a very
odd, &
not just
a little
bit
creepy
man. He
leads
them to
their
seats, &
then
Steve &
Darren
witness
amazing
&
skin-crawling
acts.
For
Darren,
one of
the most
unbelievable
acts is
Mr.
Crepsley
& his
spider,
Madam
Octa.
Ever
since
Darren
was a
kid he's
loved
spiders
& Madam
Octa is
no
exception.
Mr.
Crepsley
controls
her with
a
magical
flute &
makes
her do
tricks
telepathically.
Cirque
Du Freak
is
everything
the boys
expected
& more!
But for
Steve,
who has
always
been
taken by
the
supernatural,
it is
more
than
just a
night
out.
Unintentionally
from
behind a
curtain,
Darren
overhears
Steve
trying
to
persuade
a
vampire
to turn
him into
a
vampire
as well.
The idea
that
Steve
would
want to
be a
vampire
horrifies
Darren,
but
Steve is
his
friend,
so he
listens
intently
to hear
if the
vampire
will do
it. When
he
finally
does,
Darren
is
transfixed
watching
the
vampire
test by
tasting,
to see
if
Steve's
blood is
pure.
Suddenly
the
monster
backs
away,
shrieking
that his
blood is
“savage,”
& that
he is
evil.
Steve
becomes
angry at
these
accusations
that
have
ruined
everything
& he
furiously
vows to
become a
vampire
hunter
when he
grows
up, &
hunt the
monster
down.
When
both
Steve &
the
vampire
have
left,
Darren
escapes
the
Cirque
Du Freak
with an
ominous
feeling.
But
Darren
is
haunted
by Madam
Octa, he
wants to
have her
for
himself.
Finally
one
night he
returns
to the
derelict
building
& steals
her.
Just as
things
seem to
be
fairly
normal
again,
Madam
Octa
bites
Steve, &
the
doctors
admit
they
have no
idea
what
sort of
poison
it is or
what has
caused
it.
Darren
knows he
should
tell
everyone
about
Madam
Octa,
but
fears
he'll be
convicted
for
nearly
letting
his
friend
die, &
stealing
the
spider.
Darren
goes in
search
of Mr.
Crepsley.
Mr.
Crepsley
assures
him that
he can
save
Darren's
friend.
But the
odd
little
man
proposes
that he
trade a
serum
that
will
cure
Steve
for
Darren
becoming
his
assistant.
That
would
mean
that
Darren
would
have to
become a
half-vampire,
& leave
his
entire
life
behind.
What
does
Darren
choose?
Darren
Shan
doesn't
write
“nice”
books --
he makes
you
think
about
good &
evil &
the
consequences
of what
we
choose.
Scary,
interesting
&
well-written.
http://rebeccasreads.com/reviews/03chi/03shad02_kg.html
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