Circus Galacticus by, Deva Fagan

SPOILER ALERT!!


☆☆.5
Author: Deva Fagan
Publisher: Harcourt
Released: November 15, 2011
Pages: 304
Genre: YA-middle school, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Source: NetGalley


Trix can deal with being an orphan charity case at a snotty boarding school. She can hold her own when everyone else tells her not to dream big dreams. She can even fight back against the mysterious stranger in a silver mask who tries to steal the meteorite her parents trusted her to protect.


But her life is about to change forever. The Circus Galacticus has come to town, bringing acts to amaze, delight, and terrify. And now the dazzling but enigmatic young Ringmaster has offered Trix the chance to be a part of it.


Soon Trix discovers an entire universe full of deadly enemies and potential friends, not to mention space leeches, ancient artifacts, and exploding chocolate desserts. And she just might unravel secrets of her own past--if she can survive long enough.


What a ride! The blurb above gives a great description of the plot, so I won't waste your time repeating that. It is an adventure of one young girl who doesn't want to waste her life and talents in the shadows of others. Honestly, the blurb was more exciting than the book ever got. I was sorely disappointed in every outcome.


Let's talk about Trix. Life at the boarding school stunk. She didn't fit in, the students teased her, and the staff made her life unbearable. Did she fight? Cause trouble? Stand up for herself? No. She ran away to the circus. I had hoped for some sort of exciting battle of wits between her and the headmistress at least. Later, as she takes the plunge to join the gang, one hoped that she would discover her special talent that would separate her from the rest. Nope. Nothing special, just pink hair. Of course, I loved that she found a place to belong and share her life with.


The other characters seemed intriguing at first. With the different possibilities of talents in a space circus, I thought the author would get more involved in their development. I was disappointed to find most of them flat. I did find a couple characters cute, but nothing special. The Ringmaster was just strange. It seemed like the author alluded to Trix falling for him, but then he seemed more like a mentor. When romance is even slightly hinted, as a reader, I crave to find out the end result. This seemed like a tease.


Altogether, I just wasn't thrilled with the overall book. My expectations must have been too high with all the positive hype it had been given. I hope you all found it much more pleasing!