At a Glance

Category/Genre(s):

Middle grade contemporary fantasy

Age Range:

8-12

Plot Summary:

“Welcome back to Circus Mirandus . . . a place with magic so wondrous, you need to believe it to see it.

“Micah Tuttle–magician in training–lives and works at Circus Mirandus alongside his guardian, the ancient and powerful Lightbender. 

“The circus is a place filled with dazzling fire shows, stubborn unicorns, and magicians from every corner of the world. And Micah is doing everything he can to prove he belongs there. When a dangerous enemy from the past threatens his new home, Micah will have to untangle the mystery of his own potent magic, and he’ll have to do it fast. With trouble this deadly on its way, every magician will need to be ready to fight. Even the youngest.” (source)

Strengths:

• Magical from beginning to end
• Beautifully written
• Lovable, fleshed out characters
• Fantasy grounded in reality

Full Review

Cassie Beasley is my favorite middle grade author, so I was so excited when this book came out. I loved Circus Mirandus so much and I had high expectations for this sequel. It is simply magical. Beasley is an expert at creating vivid, rich fantasy elements and worlds, but ground them in reality. Everything seems perfectly plausible and believable.

I am a sucker for magical circuses and Circus Mirandus is just perfect. I love all the magicians that perform, I really enjoyed getting to know many of them better in this book. I also felt like Micah’s worries of how he is going to fit in as he grows is something that all kids can relate to.

I also loved the message that there are two ways to fight the evil in the world. Some fight it head on while others combat it by putting beautiful things into the world. And the world needs both.

Final Verdict

If you are looking for a beautifully written, magical story, definitely pick up The Bootlace Magician.