Review: Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare; Darren Shan

Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare
by; Darren Shan

In the tradition of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot, Cirque Du Freak is the frightening saga of a young boy whose visit to a mysterious freak show leads him on a journey into a dark world of vampires. Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and a petrifying ending, Cirque Du Freak will chill, thrill, and leave readers begging for more.

Quote:

Steve was the center of attention that Friday. The whole class crowded around and begged for his story. They wanted to know what had poisoned him, how he'd survived, what the hospital had been like, if they operated on him, if he had any scars, and so on.

young adult | horror { genre

All Ages { rating

June 1, 2002 { date released

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (266 Pages) { edition

borrowed { acquisition

Amazon.com { @ purchase

Why exactly I picked out this book?

I was being pick on by my own curiosity and this has been sitting in my TBR for way too long of a time and it kinda nags now since it has a movie version of it. 

My Thoughts ♠♠♠♠♠

I have avoided this series for a while now, since I thought I have had read one way too many vampire series. Honestly, it took a while after the movie came out too, but I can't stand seeing it there.. telling me to pull it out.. read it especially when I have been rewatching the movie like crazy - out of boredom *yes*

My first reaction? Yes Sir! I was disappointed to see the movie was kinda off from the book itself. But I must say one thing. I love the book! Regardless this series kinda start off a bit um.. weird for me, but it has been quite an experience. What I must mention here is, I have read 6 books from this series before I actually started writing this first review of it. I can say one thing, the book itself is NOT a stand alone book from the series, it depended on each other, because after a couple of books, Darren stop explaining who is who, what is what, which is which. You would be lost at what's going on. So I suggest any readers interested in this series should start from the first book.

What you can expect is... friendship gone astray, betrayal; yes, of course a circus featuring "Cirque Du Freak", Snake boy, beard lady. and then some. It started like any other normal story.. a boy with his friends, then boy sneak out with best friend to a Cirque Du Freak. More sneaking around. Then stealing. then close to death experience, and then broke up a friendship... and of course death by a deadly spider!

But that's not the end.. that's the beginning of everything. Darren Shan, died so he could live (reluctantly) as the creature of the night as a Vampire's Assistant to Mr. Crepsley. Darren Shan thought he could live his life as a half-vampire like a normal kid. But when Darren fell out when his best friend was just heartbreaking to read. Especially when his best friend was said to have bad blood by Mr. Crepsley!

It is a fast read for me, and I ended up wanting to read the next book as soon as I finished this one. I found myself so wrapped up, there are points I actually gasped at the horror of what's happening,  of course there are some scenes, that would caught me by surprise that left me in dismay. Humor isn't left out from this particular book. I found myself so pulled in into the story I can't help reading it where wherever, and whenever I could! Yes, I am that kind of book worm. I actually enjoy reading it!

Librarian Muse

This has been one of the most wanted series in the library I'm working at, so I guess it would be a good addition as any school library there it, who students are very keen into the Horror Genre. But I must warn you librarians out there, this is one series, you can't get without getting at least the prior books if you're set into getting one of this books in the middle of the series.