) First edition | |
| Author | Darren Shan |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Saga of Darren Shan |
| Genre | Vampire Fiction |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | January 2000 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 192 |
| ISBN | 0-00-713900-4 |
| OCLC | 42745230 |
| Followed by | The Vampire's Assistant |
Cirque du Freak (also known as Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare) is the first of twelve novels in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan (real name Darren O'Shaugnessy), published in January 2000.[1] The story begins with Darren Shan and his best friend Steve "Leopard" Leonard visiting an illegal freak show where an encounter with a vampire and a deadly, unique spider forces them to make life-changing choices that neither of them could have ever thought possible. Throughout the novels Darren is put through sticky situations, trials and tribulations while adjusting to his new life. Darren had no clue what to expect but somehow managed to become an essential character in a world that he just stepped into. As time passes for the young Darren Shan he must learn to live with his new body, appetite, long life span, and world of unknown that he will soon come to discover. The 13 novels are packed with thrilling stories and can appeal to audiences of any age.
A feature film adaptation of the novel, directed by Paul Weitz and starring Chris Massoglia, John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Salma Hayek, Josh Hutcherson and Willem Dafoe was released on October 23, 2009.[2] This film was not able to live up to the popularity of the best selling novels but did well in some aspects. It certainly sparked interest to a wider audience but was not able to capture the attention of the diehard fans. A second film was never announced but some are hopeful for a reinstallment of the film to create a movie grounded and true to the novels.
References
- ^ Rivett, Miriam (2002-06-01). "Cirque du Freak". Children's Literature in Education. 33 (2): 97–106. doi:10.1023/A:1015227716438. ISSN 1573-1693.
- ^ Sellers, John (8 October 2009). "Movie Alert: Cirque Du Freak". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 10 August 2014.