Blood Circus - by Camila Victoire

Book Synopsis

In this lush and terrifying debut--perfect for readers of The Hunger Games and Children of Blood and Bone--Camila Victoire creates a future where cruelty and spectacle hold the keys to subjugating humans on a ravaged earth.

At the end of the twenty-first century, climate change and famine almost ended humanity--until the discovery of the Klujns, a barbaric, humanoid species with strangely colored eyes and even stranger abilities. Their crystal claws and bones fertilize barren soil, and their tender meat is a super-protein. Klujns are both humans' saviors and natural-born enemies, meant to be hunted and used.

When sixteen-year-old Ava finds herself on the wrong side of a military fence erected to protect the North American Territory, she's captured by Klujns and made to participate in the Blood Race, a macabre tradition where young human hostages compete to the death for Klujn amusement. At first, she is terrified, but as Ava observes Klujn behavior that contradicts what she's learned, she begins to wonder: Are Klujns as different as she was led to believe? And, as she fights for her life, does it matter?

Inspired by four years on the road with a traveling circus, where the word itself embodies an entire culture built on dark spectacle, Camila Victoire delivers a twisted coming-of-age tale that combines elements of fantasy, magical realism, and suspense. Blood Circus will capture fans of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games and Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone. Its masterful worldbuilding, plot twists, and boundary-pushing Blood Race are wholly immersive--and compel readers to call their own long-held assumptions, values, and belief systems into question.

Review Quotes

"Debut author Victoire tackles themes of environmentalism and prejudice via a bone-chilling plot in this dystopian fantasy...Vividly wrought imagery, steady pacing, edge-of-the-seat action, and a gutsy cast accompany a harrowing, Hunger Games-level atmosphere, making for a thrilling adventure."

"Destined to be a classic...I've never read a book that so vividly captures the insatiable human appetite for subjugation and spectacle. But the dire dystopian warning of Blood Circus also finds spiritual hope and strength in its protagonist, Ava--an unforgettable character at the center of an unforgettable story."

"I could not stop reading Blood Circus from the moment I started. The world is fascinating, and the story is brilliantly told. Love, love, love."

"Original, unique, and full of interesting characters...I couldn't put it down and I want to know what Ava will do next and what the future looks like for humans and Klujns. You will fall in love with this twisted circus."

"Readers who enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing, The Hunger Games, and strong female protagonists in Alison Goodman's Eon and Eona, will love this novel of hardship, mystery, gore, and growth. A first choice for high school libraries."

"This socially progressive dystopian adventure with strong worldbuilding and suspenseful plotting will appeal to fans of the Hunger Games...Pointedly questioning what it is to be human, this absorbing debut expresses profound longing for the disappearing wild."