Wild Boy and the Black Terror

February 1, 2015

Gr 5 Up-This sequel to Wild Boy (Candlewick, 2013) works better than the first book. The two young teens are now free of their stints in the circus where Clarissa performed as an acrobat and Wild Boy was part of the freak show attractions because of his hypertrichosis, an unusual genetic disorder that causes hair growth over his entire body. But life in London is not as easy as they had hoped. Clarissa and Wild Boy are soon embroiled in a dastardly plot by an unknown poisoner who intends to use a rare black diamond with a gruesome history to bring madness and terror to the population, including Queen Victoria herself. Jones interweaves interesting historical facts into this adventure tale, such as background on the 19th-century British exploitation of India, the role of the medical profession in postmortem procedures, and various schemes against the real Queen Victoria. One slightly jarring note is the use of modern colloquialisms, such as "trying to act cool" and "messed me up," but in light of the overall presentation, these can be forgiven. VERDICT This historical adventure is a fast-paced and exciting read.-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015
Adventure, conspiracy and adrenaline intermingle with dark deeds, devil worship and blood diamonds in this sequel to Wild Boy (2013). Wild Boy and his acrobat comrade, Clarissa, left the trenches of the circus and its freak show four months ago to reside in St. James's Palace under the tutelage of Marcus, one of the high-ranking members of the secret crime-fighting group called the Gentlemen. When an attempt is made on the life of Queen Victoria, Wild Boy's skills of deduction and intellect as well as Clarissa's athletic prowess are required. The queen and the Gentlemen need them to unearth the cause of a mysterious sickness that blackens veins and sends victims into a stupor of madness before tragic death. Though this is a book about proving one's worth and disproving public assumption, it isn't finger-wagging, didactic drivel about not judging book covers. It's a thrilling, gory, head-rushing adventure. And essential characterization isn't neglected, as Wild Boy and Clarissa begin to butt heads; he relies on his eyes and instinct, and she relies on her acrobatics and unadulterated bravado, but when it comes to relying on each other, the path gets muddled as the dynamic of their remarkable friendship is tested. Can the duo save all of London from a hellbent killer? Diamonds are a Wild Boy's worst enemy in this steampunk romp not intended for the faint-or black-of heart. (Steampunk. 9-14)

May 1, 2015
Grades 5-8 Wild Boy and Clarissa, fresh off their last investigation in Wild Boy (2013), now live with the Gentlemen, a shadowy organization led by Queen Victoria herself, and they're impatiently waiting for another case. And when they finally get one, it's a real doozy. Someone has been pilfering rare black diamonds all over the city and infecting bystanders with an unusual poison, which leads to convulsive spells of terror and eventually death. Despite the Gentlemen's doubts about Wild Boy's partnership with Clarissa, whose increasingly uncontrollable anger makes her a liability, the pair carries on, uncovering disturbing secrets about the origin of the diamonds and the madman behind the mayhem. But what will Wild Boy do when he's forced to choose between the case and Clarissa? Though Clarissa's character, whose behavior becomes a major plot element, could have been more fleshed out, the enticing pace, appealingly macabre locations, and steampunk-tinged Dickensian atmosphere is engrossing enough that most readers won't mind. Kids who liked Christopher Edge's penny-dreadful-style Twelve Minutes to Midnight (2012) will likely love this, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
The erstwhile detective and deformed circus performer known only as Wild Boy is contracted by the Queen herself to track a series of supernatural poisonings through the gritty underworld of Victorian London. This stand-alone, slightly more cohesive sequel to Wild Boy minimally explores Wild Boy's relationships with his shadily motivated allies, resting instead on spooky atmosphere to deliver period suspense with a demonic twist.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)