The Story of Cirrus Flux is a fast-paced adventure. The book switches between the year 1783 in London and events in the past. In 1756 James Flux, Cirrus’ father is on a ship near the Antarctic Circle and he sees a magical wall of light in the sky, some of which is captured in the small metal globe he wears around his neck. Then, in 1771, he sets off in hopes of seeing the light again, thinking it is the mystical substance known as the “Breath of God.” He leaves his newborn son, Cirrus, and the globe at the foundling hospital, because his wife has died and is never seen again. 1783 finds Cirrus still at the hospital, hoping to be apprenticed. A mesmerist comes to the hospital hoping to take Cirrus, because she thinks he possesses the Breath of God, but the governor persuades her to take Pandora instead. Pandora learns that her mistress, Madame Orrery, as well as another shady character, Mr. Sidereal, are both pursuing the Breath of God, hoping to harness its power. A series of wild adventures, discoveries, and narrow escapes follows, during which Cirrus begins to learn the truth about his father and his past.
The book is fun to read because there’s a lot of action, including many thrilling incidents, which really draw the reader on to the next chapter. The author keeps you guessing about which characters are sinister and which kind. The names of characters in this book are unique and interesting, and sometimes even funny, as in Cirrus’ best friend from the foundling hospital, Bottle Top. Though this book is set in what seems like a historical London, there are some fantasy elements, such as a bird made of fire (which turns out not to be a phoenix) an all-seeing eye and magnetized water.
The main weakness of this book is that the author never reveals the true nature of the “Breath of God” even though all the action in the book relates to it. I think this book would have been more interesting if the ending had been more satisfying, for example, if Cirrus had gone traveling with his father’s friend. Most of the characters’ plot lines seemed unresolved at the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fast-paced adventure with a hint of fantasy.
Content: 1
Rating: 7
Reviewer Age:11
Reviewer City, State and Country: Lake City, IA USA
