Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Cirque du Freak Volume 5: Manga version

Author:  Darren Shan
Artist: Takahiro Arai
Paperback: 195 pages
Publisher: Yen Press

Now that I have absolutely no time to read anything besides my graduate class materials, I thought that I would drown in all the YA books coming out that I won't be able to read in the next three years. Three years in YA time, that's like one generation.

Now that we have no local bookstore (our Borders stores closed around the island), I can pretend that there are no YA books, but when the local elementary school had a book fair, I couldn't resist. Instead of gobbling up all the books, though, I was selective and just bought graphic novels and manga, my true way into the hearts of reluctant male readers. Plus, with school on fall break, I can slip in twenty minutes to finish a manga and then go back to statistics.

My thoughts:
Cirque is a great series for reluctant readers, but it does go a little long for kids that don't have the reading stamina. Don't judge that awful movie as an indication of the series, the producers didn't have faith in the readers.  The manga versions are a great bridge, and volume 5 is the most exciting in the series, both in manga form and in written form.

Our little half vampire protagonist, Darren is in Vampire Mountain at the Trials of Death. This story has challenges, betrayal, fighting and death in a fast-paced package.

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