Review of Fedor

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fedor" by Brant Vickers.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Vast crowds were mesmerized by Barnum and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth: graceful acrobats soaring through the air, showgirls executing elaborate tricks on unsaddled horses, and, of course, the fierce cats and exotic elephants performing under the Big Top. But what was it like to be a part of the sideshow oddities?

Under the roof of the Black Tent, misshaped human beings had little choice but to endure the ridicule that ordinary people would squander their last pennies to offload on the "atrocities" that they assumed had no feelings. Fedor Adrianovich Jeftichew was a fifteen-year-old boy who found himself labeled "Jo-Jo the Dog-faced Boy" because of the thick hair that grew all over his face. Follow Fedor's story to see behind the scenes what it was like to be part of the trials and triumphs of the life of a circus "freak."

Fedor is a historical fiction novel for young adults by Brian Vickers. I loved Vickers' depiction of the title character. Fedor was realistic and relatable, and I loved his approach to life. The young man often quoted famous authors and incorporated the literature he loved into his philosophy of life. He was a true inspiration, and I felt an emotional connection through the author's vivid presentation of the situations he faced: both positive and negative.

My favorite part of the book was how it made me feel like I had joined a classic literature book club. Fedor's love of reading brought him to the attention of many famous authors and celebrities. I adored reading about a particular person in the crowd who would turn out to be a well-known celebrity. These encounters gave the book a Forest-Gump-type aura that made for an engaging read. Fedor's meetings with these special people evoked different emotions that made me love his character even more.

Fedor presents valuable lessons and historical information in a way that should appeal to young adults and adults alike. This novel also highlights the importance of finding family among those around you who accept you for who you are; Fedor's circus family was genuinely endearing, and their warmth was heart-felt. Although there was some mild sexual content, there were no erotic scenes, and very few swear words existed among the pages. The book was extraordinarily well-edited, and there was nothing that I disliked. Therefore, I give Fedor four out of four stars.

I would not recommend this book to readers looking for an action-packed read. This book would be better suited to those looking for an emotional, thought-provoking historical read. Fedor presents an in-depth character exposition about how to have the proper perspective about the life you are born into, to enjoy the life you have rather than pine away for someone else's life.

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Fedor
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[Theana De lima Araujo]

Wow, thank you for the review. I've heard of these old-time circuses that exploited unusual-looking people but never did I think someone had written a novel from the perspective of these people. Fedor looks like a great book to read, I especially like the mention of the literary references. Have a lovely day.

[markodim721]

I like Fedor’s love of literature. Thanks for the inspiring review.