Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Tolles Buch! Herzergreifend, wunderschön geschrieben, für Kinde geeignet aber nicht kindisch. Die Kuriositäten sind alle einzigartig und liebenswert. Ein wunderschönes found family Buch mit einer Menge Spannung und tollem alten London Setting.
One Sentence Review: It definitely has its moments and there are elements at work that could be keen, but ultimately I wasn't a fan of some of the racial elements (one character seems to be a "freak" simply because she's Asian) and some of the plotting bordered on the rote.
Concerning racial elements but otherwise a cute rag-tag found family group, good for kids and definitely what I'd expect out of a sales section in a small bookstore in a random mall
Don't judge a book by its cover...or a girl by her claws. Ever since she can remember, Sheba has been a freak in a tiny shack at the end of the Little Pilchton pier. People pay money, then come in and stare at her, seemingly unable to believe a girl can be covered in fur, or have claws and fangs. Her only company is a fake mermaid (a.k.a stuffed squirrel with a fish tail) and Flossy the two-headed lamb. In return for Sheba letting herself be gawked at, her horrible boss, Grunchgirdle, gives her food and a place to stay. It may sound horrible, but Sheba doesn't mind, considering she hasn't even known any different. However, her rotten luck takes a turn for the better when a man named Mr. Plumpscuttle buys her and Flossy, and takes them to his own freak show, with other people, not animals. It's as if all of Sheba's dreams have been fulfilled: other people like her! Everything seems to be going perfectly, until children start disappearing by the banks of the river. It's up to Sheba, and her new friends, the Freaks, to solve the mystery! Set in eighteenth century London, this is a very exciting, surprising, and touching novel that is definitely worth a try.
I liked this book a lot. It was very well written, and has enough surprises and interesting characters to keep you on the edge of your seat. I liked how no one else cared about the missing children, and so the Freaks decided to step in and use their odd and wacky abilities for the greater good. I highly recommend this book.
I liked this book a lot. It was very well written, and has enough surprises and interesting characters to keep you on the edge of your seat. I liked how no one else cared about the missing children, and so the Freaks decided to step in and use their odd and wacky abilities for the greater good. I highly recommend this book.
Different. I liked the insight into the history of Victorian London, the industrial revolution, and freak shows in general. Larwood did a good job of keeping it real, but while London had a muddy, stinky depth to it the characters seemed a bit shallow. I wish there had been more. The book took longer than it should have to read because I was looking for something with more mystery and adventure than it gave.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I got this as an ARC from netgalley, and I really WANTED to like it. I mean, its a middle grade book about a bunch of so-called "circus freaks" who decide to find out why people are going missing. It sounded interesting, and the steampunk world really drew me in. But unfortunately, the issue for me was that I never really connected to the characters. I kind of had to force myself to read this one, and make myself finish it so I could review it, and that's not a good sign.
If you are a fan of steampunk and middle grade books, I might give it a shot, but this one was not my cup of tea.
If you are a fan of steampunk and middle grade books, I might give it a shot, but this one was not my cup of tea.
Probably 3.5. I wanted it to better, but it leaned into its strangeness with the result of the periodic WTF moment that kept the story compelling.
I didn't have my hopes up because it was based around a freak show, but I was pleasantly surprised. I cared about the characters and I never got bored.
It's also a good book if you want to better understand the plight of the masses during the Victorian age.
It's also a good book if you want to better understand the plight of the masses during the Victorian age.