Book review - The Thirteenth Circle

 

Title: The Thirteenth Circle

Author: Marcykate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes 

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Bigfoot Files by Lindsay Eagar 

                      Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage

Rating: 

 

just right

Summary (provided by publisher): Cat knows aliens are real, and she’s determined to prove it. By studying the Weston Farm Circles, her town’s legendary crop circle phenomenon, she’ll not only demonstrate the existence of extraterrestrial life, but also win the grand prize in the McMurray Youth Science Competition—a feat she’s sure will impress her distant NASA scientist father.
Dani most certainly does not believe in aliens. How can she, when they go against every scientific principle she’s been taught? So when Dani is paired with Cat to enter the McMurray Youth Science Competition—which she has to win to avoid going to her parents’ artsy summer camp—she knows she’s at a disadvantage. Her solution? Disprove Cat’s theory, of course . . . without telling her partner her true intentions.
But as the girls bond over science, it becomes clear that there is something strange about the Weston Farm Circles. And when Dani and Cat’s project is threatened by suspicious forces, they’ll have to work together to expose the truth, once and for all.

My opinion: This book uses diverse elements to strong effect. It balances personal issues (primarily that of parental expectations and social challenges in middle school) with science, belief, and skepticism. Cat and Dani may be of different opinions when it comes to aliens but their approach to their experiment is always grounded in good science. Readers will recognize the elements and steps of a good study in their exploration of their topic. While the conspiracy elements go pretty far afield, the heart of the book is grounded and realistic and makes for compelling reading.

More information: The Thirteen Circle releases January 30.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley