Review: Show Stealer - Hayley Barker

Show Stealer by Hayley Barker, published by Scholastic on 2nd August 2018

Goodreads synopsis:
Hoshiko and Ben have been on the run since they burned Silvio Sabatini's circus down to the ground. But Ben's mother will stop at nothing to track him down and get her revenge: backing him into a corner where he is forced to sacrifice himself to save Hoshiko. The deadliest show on earth has been resurrected and if Ben thought he'd seen into its dark corners as an outsider, the true extent of the horrors that lurk beneath the Big Top are about to be revealed as he becomes the circus' new star attraction...

 

Review:This is a stunning follow-up to last year's debut hit Showstopper. It is an incredibly enjoyable read and had me engrossed from start to finish.

Each chapter alternates between the viewpoints of Ben and Hoshiko, with the story picking up from nearly a year on, after their escape from the Cirque and evil ringmaster Silvio Sabatini. Still on the run and being hunted by Ben's mother and the police, there is a huge reward for their capture.  This means that they are not even safe from the other dregs who, given half a chance, will turn them in.

I really loved this book and I didn't want it to finish. Hayley Barker has let her imagination run riot which means that there are a lot of unexpected surprises in store for the reader. I don't want to say too much about the plot for fear of spoiling anything but needless to say, you are in for a real treat. This is YA fiction at its best.

The characters are very special and for me, they help to make the book come alive. Ben and Hoshiko are captivating, likeable and engaging and there are some truly wonderful secondary characters, such as Greta, Jack, Ezekial and Sean. Plus, a terrible villain who you will love to hate.

The overall message of the book is about society itself and how it should be working together to unite people from all walks of life. Although the Pures and the Dregs have been made to hate one another, there's definitely a glimpse of what could be a brighter future if they could only accept each other and learn to change their attitudes to those who may be different from themselves.

I can't recommend this book enough and if you haven't read Showstopper yet then I would encourage you to go out and buy both books, clear your weekend schedule and find somewhere comfy to cozy up in while you dive into these amazing stories. You won't regret it.

Review: Show Stopper - Hayley Barker

Show Stopper by Hayley Barker, published by Scholastic on 1st June 2017


Goodreads synopsis:
Set in a near-future England where the poorest people in the land must watch their children be taken by a travelling circus – to perform at the mercy of hungry lions, sabotaged high wires and a demonic ringmaster. The ruling class visit the circus as an escape from their structured, high-achieving lives – pure entertainment with a bloodthirsty edge. Ben, the teenage son of a draconian government minister, visits the circus for the first time and falls instantly in love with Hoshiko, a young performer. They come from harshly different worlds – but must join together to escape the circus and put an end to its brutal sport.

Review:
‘Show Stopper’ by Hayley Barker was a really unique and original read. I whizzed through it pretty quickly because it was gripping and fast-flowing and hard to put down. 

There were two things that I particularly enjoyed about the book. The first was that the author has chosen to base the concept for the story on the divide which is apparent in today’s society between natural born citizens and immigrants. The twist on this, is that she has depicted a near-future society where immigrants have become so reviled that they are called ‘dregs’. Their lives are not valued, they have been ostracised and pushed aside and in some cases, their children have been taken from them. In comparison, the ‘pures’ consider themselves to be the best of society and as the ruling class, they treat the ‘dregs’ as nothing more than servants or a tool for their own entertainment. I thought this was such a brilliant story idea as it’s so topical and explored at its most extreme.

The second thing that I loved about ‘Show Stopper’ is the fact that most of the action is set in the circus. There just aren’t enough stories which use the big tent as a back-drop and yet it’s something that always really attracts me towards a book. Barker’s circus is a place where dreg children are taken and made to perform for the entertainment of the pures. They are given little food, kept in squalid conditions and seen as expendable commodities. If their deaths provide an evening’s entertainment then so be it.

The way that the story wove between the two perspectives of Ben, a pure and Hoshiko, a tight-rope walker was fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Hoshiko who is at the mercy of the circus ring-leader and although physically beaten down, never lets her will to live and her desire for freedom, die. Ben is fascinated by Hoshiko and through her, his ideas about right and wrong, freedom and liberation, begin to change. It’s Hoshiko’s relationship with some of the other circus performers though that I especially enjoyed reading about. They have become a family in response to being taken away from their own flesh and blood.

If the thought of a YA novel set in the circus isn’t enough to whet your appetite, then I can tell you that this is also an imaginative and unique read which is wonderfully written and a treat to dive into. Get your hands on this book as soon as you can!