The Circle

Sara B. Elfgren · Mats Strandberg

Jun 2012 · Engelsfors Trilogy Book 1 · Random House

About this ebook

One night, when a strange red moon fills the sky, six school girls find themselves in an abandoned theme park, drawn there by a mysterious force. A student has just been found dead. Everyone suspects suicide. Everyone - except them.

In that derelict fairground an ancient prophecy is revealed. They are The Chosen Ones, a group of witches, bound together by a power, one which could destroy them all. But they soon learn that despite their differences they need each other in order to master the forces that have been awakened within them.

High school is now a matter of life and death. Because the killing has only just begun.

Ratings and reviews

An urban fantasy set in Sweden, the story is about a group of teens who discover they have been chosen to fight a nameless evil. According to the prophecy, though, there should have only been one of them. Now they are being targeted one by one, and unless they get together and work at it, they will all be picked off one by one. While the book itself is translated, I didn't feel like it was particularly different from any regular English YA (so good translation job!) The book is mainly told through five of the witches, and they all are very different girls, who want different like things in life and have different attitudes towards their newfound powers. One wants to use her powers of persuasion to become the Queen bee in school. Another uses her powers of invisibility to spy. The unchosen leader wants to bring them together but doesn't know how. The story is dark in atmosphere and delves into human desires, and fallacies. The girls have a lot to grow through before they come together as a team, and this book is mostly about that journey. There is also the fact that a murderer is at large, but yes, the story is mainly about the squad getting together. They have to learn to trust in their bond, and one another, even if one of them is a bully who the others hate. The magical system used in the book is slightly unique in that the 'grimoires’ they use are sort of sentient and show them that they need to know on a priority basis. So some girls have now knowledge at their disposal than others. It serves to drive the plot, but also drives a wedge between some. And I liked the subjective nature of the prophecy - it definitely led to some interesting twists and shocking things that I didn't expect. As for the shocking things, there are also some scenes involving suicide-like scenarios that could be triggering for some, so reader discretion is advised. Meanwhile, there are some things I didn't like, namely the two relationships that involve an adult and a teen, both having guys in their 20s (one being a teacher) with girls who are barely 16. One was, well, resolved, but neither is challenged, so yeah I'm not really satisfied with that. Overall, though, this is a amazing dark fantasy book that I definitely want to get more of. Will start the sequel soon!

About the author

Sara B. Elfgren started her career in the film industry as a screenwriter. As a script doctor, she has been involved in several Swedish film and TV-productions. She has a Master's Degree in Film Studies. Mats Strandberg is journalist and a regular columnist for Sweden's biggest evening newspaper Aftonbladet. The organization Sveriges Tidskrifter (Sweden's Newspapers and Magazines) awarded him the title Columnist of the Year in 2004. In 2008, Sara B. Elfgren met Mats Strandberg. They quickly realized that they shared a passion for supernatural stories about young adults. Soon the idea to write together was born. In August 2009 they began working on what would become the novel The Circle with its two sequels.