The Black Circle

The Black Circle
	The Black Circle
Author	Patrick Carman
Country	United States; United Kingdom; Canada
Language	French, English
Series	The 39 Clues
Genre	Children's novel ; Adventure novel
Publisher	Scholastic
Publication date	August 11, 2009
Media type	Print (hardcover)
Pages	178
ISBN	978-0-545-06045-5
OCLC	339643049
Preceded by	Beyond the Grave
Followed by	In Too Deep

Last updated April 07, 2024

The Black Circle is the fifth book in The 39 Clues series and is written by Patrick Carman. This book was released on August 11, 2009. The Black Circle was selected as Al Roker's book club pick.^[1]

Plot summary

Amy and Dan Cahill, the protagonists of the series, try to follow a Lucian secret which was stolen by the Nazis during World War II. They also encounter the infamous Madrigals who helped them escape the Black Circle in the end. They are in the Cairo hotel when they receive a telegram. Nellie is still asleep, so they take her cell phone and leave her a note saying that they went to buy some doughnuts. But on the way to the Cairo International Airport, they are chased by Ian and Natalie Kabra, competitors in the race to find the 39 clues hidden around the world. However, they eventually lose the Kabras and find what they are looking for: the locker mentioned in the telegram. They find a glass paperweight with a key in the bottom, and it is holding down a piece of parchment with scrambled letters. They also find a box with disguises and two passports showing them with the disguises on, plus a Russian guide book with two tickets to Volgograd, Russia.

After boarding their plane, Amy and Dan unscramble the words on the parchment by adding the underlined letters in their names and find out that information about the next clue is in the following Russian cities: Volgograd, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg and the following Siberian cities: Magadan and Omsk. The Clue seems to follow the murder of the last Russian Royal family, the Romanovs.

After arriving at Volgograd, Amy and Dan meet and work with the Holts, and they make an alliance with Hamilton Holt. They find a secret entrance inside the Motherland Calls(2 times the size of the Statue of Liberty) and there is a rope system and an important lead on the platform on top of very high ropes. They beat Hamilton by using an easier rope and take the package with the important lead. They discover a hint to the clue(from the package) around Rasputin, Anastasia Romanov and Alexei Romanov. They check out the cities on the list they found by the eye of the statue, leading them to the place Rasputin died. During an attack by the Kabras, the Holts alert them of a location code which guides them to a Lucian base. There, they discover who the mysterious NRR is(she sent the telegram). Nataliya Ruslanovna Radova, the only daughter of Anastasia. They also find the clue in the Amber Room, located by Nataliya. In the Amber Room, they found fake Australian passports of their parents, meaning they went on the hunt for the Clues with the fake passports but never finished. They run into Irina and the man in black. Amy and Dan hide in a coffin while he lures Irina and two Lucian agents out of the church in an attempt to help them escape.

They safely make it out of the Church on the Blood, and with Nellie on her way, Dan calls Hamilton and gives him the clue, 1 gram of melted amber. The book ends with the Holts ending their alliance with Amy and Dan.

Reception

The Horn Book Magazine said, "The series still pushes credulity past the tipping point, but these installments introduce new developments (heretofore cartoonish competitors reveal hints of humanity; the sibs' stalwart nanny becomes suspicious; clues to their parents' death surface) that rejuvenate the foundering plots."^[2] Sarah Schowengerdt called the novel a "fast-paced volume" in the Cricket Media children's magazine Faces: People, Places, and Cultures, while The Darien Times said of the story, "Full of danger and intrigue—a great game of cat and mouse!^[3]^[4]

Tina Hudak of School Library Journal praised David Pittu's narration in the audiobook version of the novel. She wrote that he "does an admirable job of narrating, giving each character a distinctive voice; listeners may find the chronic raspy quality of Dan's voice wearing by the end of the story. The exaggerated voicing of the bonus material at the end of the story is reminiscent of old time radio shows."^[5]

Related Research Articles

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was a Russian mystic and holy man. He is best known for having befriended the imperial family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, through whom he gained considerable influence in the final years of the Russian Empire.

Alexandra Feodorovna, Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine at birth, was the last Empress of Russia as the consort of Emperor Nicholas II from their marriage on 26 November [O.S. 14 November] 1894 until his forced abdication on 15 March [O.S. 2 March] 1917. A favourite granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, she was, like her grandmother, one of the most famous royal carriers of haemophilia and bore a haemophiliac heir, Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia. Her reputation for encouraging her husband's resistance to the surrender of autocratic authority and her known faith in the Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin severely damaged her popularity and that of the Romanov monarchy in its final years. She and her immediate family were all murdered while in Bolshevik captivity in 1918, during the Russian Revolution. In 2000, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized her as Saint Alexandra the Passion Bearer.

Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia was the second daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last monarch of Russia, and of Tsarina Alexandra. She was born at Peterhof Palace, near Saint Petersburg.

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna.

Alexei Nikolaevich was the last Tsesarevich. He was the youngest child and only son of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. He was born with haemophilia, which his parents tried treating with the methods of peasant faith healer Grigori Rasputin.

<i>The Maze of Bones</i> 2008 novel by Rick Riordan

The Maze of Bones is the first novel of The 39 Clues series, written by Rick Riordan and published September 9, 2008 by Scholastic. It stars Amy and Dan Cahill, two orphans who discover, upon their grandmother Grace's death, that they are part of the powerful Cahill family, whose members constantly fight each other for Clues, which are ingredients to a mysterious serum. The novel has received generally positive reviews. A graphic novel adaptation by Ethan Young was published in 2023.

The 39 Clues is a series of adventure novels written by a collaboration of authors, including Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Roland Smith, David Baldacci, Jeff Hirsch, Natalie Standiford, C. Alexander London, Sarwat Chadda and Jenny Goebel. It consists of five series, The Clue Hunt, Cahills vs. Vespers, Unstoppable, Doublecross, and Superspecial. They chronicle the adventures of two siblings, Amy and Dan Cahill, who discover that their family has been, and still is, the most influential family in history.

<i>One False Note</i> 2008 Book by Gordon Korman

One False Note is the second book in The 39 Clues series. It is written by Gordon Korman, and was published by Scholastic on December 2, 2008. Following the events of The Maze of Bones, the protagonists Amy and Dan Cahill learn about Mozart and travel to Vienna, Austria to search for the second clue in the 39 Clues competition. One False Note entered the Children's Books New York Times Best Seller list at number one on December 21, 2008 and stayed on the list for children's chapter books for 12 weeks.

<i>The Sword Thief</i> 2009 Book by Peter Lerangis

The Sword Thief is the third book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and was published by Scholastic on March 3, 2009. The Sword Thief follows the first two books in the series, The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan and One False Note by Gordon Korman. The following book continues the plot in Beyond the Grave.

<i>Beyond the Grave</i> (novel) 2009 Book by Jude Watson

Beyond the Grave is the fourth book in The 39 Clues series first published on June 2, 2009 and written by Jude Watson. Thematically the novel uses Biblical knowledge, prophecy, and spiritual topics to explore the afterlife. Amy and Dan Cahill, the protagonists, travel to Egypt because of a clue they discovered in The Sword Thief. The symbols in the middle of the book translate "Alistair was there the night they died."

<i>In Too Deep</i> (novel) 2009 novel by Jude Watson

In Too Deep is the sixth book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Jude Watson and released on November 3, 2009. The story is set in Australia and Indonesia.

<i>The Vipers Nest</i> 2010 book by Peter Lerangis

The Viper's Nest is the seventh book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and was released by Scholastic on February 2, 2010. The 39 Clues series is intended for children aged 8–12, and takes the form of a multimedia adventure story spanning 10 books. The stories focus on a brother and sister, Amy and Dan Cahill, and their efforts to piece together clues left by the matriarch of the family, Grace Cahill, upon her death.

<i>The Emperors Code</i> 2010 novel by Gordon Korman

The Emperor's Code is the eighth book in The 39 Clues series written by Gordon Korman. The book's cover, revealed on March 2, 2010, shows a red mask with codes imprinted in specific areas against a purple background. After the release, readers were asked to find three of the four codes printed on the mask. If successful, 39 Clues fans could read an excerpt from The Emperor's Code.

<i>Storm Warning</i> (Park novel) 2010 novel by Linda Sue Park

Storm Warning is the ninth book in The 39 Clues series. It is written by Linda Sue Park and was released on May 25, 2010. The geographical coordinates that appear on the ship on the book's cover indicate a point about six kilometers southeast of Albert Town, Jamaica.

<i>Into the Gauntlet</i> 2010 Book by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Into the Gauntlet is the tenth book in The 39 Clues novel series. It was written by Margaret Peterson Haddix and released on August 31, 2010.

<i>Vespers Rising</i> 2011 novel by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson

Vespers Rising is a part of The 39 Clues franchise, which includes the 39 Clues books, card packs, and interactive online games. The book is a transition between the first series, The 39 Clues, and the second, Cahills vs. Vespers. It was written by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson. The book was released on April 5, 2011. Unlike the other 10 books, the title card shows a series of dots rather than a globe.

<i>The Medusa Plot</i> 2011 novel by Gordon Korman

The Medusa Plot is the first book in the Cahills vs. Vespers series. The book was written by Gordon Korman and released on August 30, 2011. The story picks up two years after the original series The 39 Clues and is about the Cahills' attempt to save members of their family that have been kidnapped by following the instructions given by Vesper One.

<i>A Kings Ransom</i> 2011 novel by Jude Watson

A King's Ransom is the second book in the Cahills vs. Vesper's series. The book was written by Jude Watson and published on December 6, 2011. The story picks up right after the previous book and continues to follow Dan and Amy as they try to get back the kidnapped members of their family as they go on a journey to remember.

The 39 Clues: Doublecross is the fourth series in the 39 Clues series of books. The series was published from 2015 to 2016. It follows the story of the Cahills as they suffer from infighting. In the first book, Mission Titanic, Ian Kabra has become the new leader of the Cahills. Dan and Amy decided to take a break from the Cahills after nearly dying from combating Pierce and his thugs. Although Ian believe that he is much more fit to rule the Cahills that Amy and Dan, it seems that the Cahills do not fully recognize Ian as the leader. Ian has suspicions that many Cahills are plotting a coup. When this coup is realized, Ian Kabra and Cara Pierce are expelled from the Cahill home in Attleboro, Massachusetts. The leader of the coup is the Outcast, and he plans to replicate history's worst disasters in order to test Cahill leadership. The Cahills are expected to prevent the disasters in order to prove that they are worthy. Throughout the series, the Cahills make many shocking discoveries, discovering that Grace was actually ruthless and cruel, and that the Outcast is Nathaniel Hartford, the husband of Grace whom Grace wanted dead. There are four books in the series:

References

↑ "'The Black Circle' takes the adventure to Russia". MSN Today. 27 August 2009. Archived from the original on 29 August 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
↑ "The Black Circle". The Horn Book Magazine . Vol. 21, no. 1. Spring 2010. p. 64. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13– via Qatar National Library.
↑ Schowengerdt, Sarah (April 2011). "The 39 Clues, Book 5: The Black Circle". Faces: People, Places, and Cultures. Vol. 27, no. 7. Cricket Media. p. 47. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13– via Gale.
↑ "Staff pick of the week". The Darien Times . 2009-09-03. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
↑ Hudak, Tina (April 2010). "The 39 Clues, Book 5: The Black Circle". School Library Journal . Vol. 56, no. 4. p. 60. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13– via Gale.

External links

Scholastic 39 Clues books page

Preceded by Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson	The 39 Clues Series Book 5	Succeeded by In Too Deep by Jude Watson

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[1] "'The Black Circle' takes the adventure to Russia". MSN Today. 27 August 2009. Archived from the original on 29 August 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2011.

[Horn2010-2] "The Black Circle". The Horn Book Magazine . Vol. 21, no. 1. Spring 2010. p. 64. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13– via Qatar National Library.

[Schowengerdt2011-3] Schowengerdt, Sarah (April 2011). "The 39 Clues, Book 5: The Black Circle". Faces: People, Places, and Cultures. Vol. 27, no. 7. Cricket Media. p. 47. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13– via Gale.

[Darien2009-09-03-4] "Staff pick of the week". The Darien Times . 2009-09-03. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13.

[Hudak2010-5] Hudak, Tina (April 2010). "The 39 Clues, Book 5: The Black Circle". School Library Journal . Vol. 56, no. 4. p. 60. Archived from the original on 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-02-13– via Gale.

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