The Story of Cirrus Flux
Britain’s Age of Enlightenment is an intriguing period of history to explore. It’s rich in scientific discovery, philosophical debate, and a time of great world exploration. Matthew Skelton aptly draws on each of these aspects, along with a bit of fantasy, in his latest middle-grade novel, The Story of Cirrus Flux.
He pulls the reader in immediately with the book’s prologue, set in the Antarctic Circle in 1756. Pirates of the Caribbean fans will latch on to the book’s tension and mystery as James Flux travels to the ends of the world and encounters the Breath of God, the world’s most divine power. We reluctantly leave this world Skelton has created and are introduced to James’ son, Cirrus, a foundling living in London 27 years later. Thankfully, Skelton continues James’s story throughout the book as readers become caught in the intrigue of those who continue to search for the Breath of God and Cirrus’s legacy. Intriguing characters bring to life the world of mesmerism, early hot air balloons, museums of natural curiosities, early electrical experiments and Hanging Boys.
Readers will love this fast-paced, plot driven tale, although I wish Skelton had explored the power behind God’s Breath more fully. Perhaps there’s room for a sequel?
