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The Night Circus: A Novel Paperback – July 3, 2012
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The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.
- Print length516 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAnchor Books
- Publication dateJuly 3, 2012
- Dimensions5.17 x 1.1 x 8.01 inches
- ISBN-109780307744432
- ISBN-13978-0307744432
- Lexile measure950L
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Q&A with Author Erin Morgenstern
Q. This is a lovely and unique story. Why a circus? How did this story first come to you—through a character, a plotline, an emotion?
A. The story came as a location created out of desperation. I was working on a different story altogether, one that was becoming progressively more and more boring because nothing was happening. I needed something exciting to happen and I couldn't figure out how to do it with the locations I had so I sent the characters to the circus. That circus was immediately much more interesting and eventually I abandoned that other story and its characters entirely and focused on the circus instead. What eventually became The Night Circus started from exploring that spontaneously-created location, figuring out who created it and who performed in it and what its story was.
Q. What was your inspiration for some of the amazing acts in this circus?
A. Some of them were traditional circus acts or attractions made a bit more unique, like the acrobats performing directly overhead or the carousel that doesn't simply go in circles. The Cloud Maze is a play on a climbing maze I hazily recall from childhood visits to the Boston Children's Museum. Other tents were created based on color, or lack thereof. I had a lot of dark tents and wanted something lighter and white, the Ice Garden developed from that relatively simple starting point.
Q. Do you have a favorite character?
A. It's impossible to pick a true favorite, though Poppet & Widget are very dear to my heart as they're the first of the characters to turn up in my imagination. They're also just plain fun, both individually and as a pair.
Q. What was the most challenging aspect of developing this story?
A. It didn't have a plot for a very long time. Really, my biggest challenge was finding the actual story within all the atmosphere. I had the place and the characters and the feel of the book long before it had a proper story structure to tie everything together. The novel went through a great many revisions before it figured out what it wanted to be, I tried things that didn't work and then things that sort of worked and replaced old ideas with new ones until I got it right.
Q. Is there an emotion that you had to spend a lot of time with that made you uncomfortable?
A. I'm an emotional sort of person in general and I have a vivid imagination, so I feel the whole spectrum of emotion strongly when I write. It's something I'm used to, though, so nothing in particular made me uncomfortable. There is a lot of frustration felt by various characters, which is not the nicest emotion to be spending a lot of time with, but it helps to drive characters to actions which bring different emotions along.
Q. Tell me about your writing life. Do you have any rituals?
A. I binge write. I think it's because I started seriously writing by participating in National Novel Writing Month, an online-based challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I don't have as tight a time limit anymore but I still write in long marathon sessions and then I won't write for a while, I'm not a write-every-day writer. I go back and forth between input phases where I'm reading a lot or trying to get out and explore the world a bit and soak up inspirations and then I'll get back into output mode and write and write and write.
I don't have any particular rituals, I sometimes like to write in longhand when I'm searching for ideas but I do the vast majority by typing, I can't always keep up with my thoughts longhand. I'm not a coffeeshop writer because I feel obliged to order more coffee and then I end up over-caffeinated.
Q. What's the one true thing you learned from your characters in this novel?
A. I think it's something that I knew already but explored more with these characters, that nothing is as simple as black or white, good or evil. There are all those shades of grey and everyone acts from a place that they see as right and true. (Though they are allowed to change their minds.)
Review
“Erin Morgenstern has created the circus I have always longed for and she has populated it with dueling love-struck magicians, precocious kittens, hyper-elegant displays of beauty and complicated clocks. This is a marvelous book.” —Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler’s Wife
“Get ready to be won over. . . . Part love story, part fable, and a knockout debut. . . . So sparklingly alive, you’ll swear the pages are breathing in your hands. . . . The Night Circus defies both genres and expectations.” —The Boston Globe
“A riveting debut. The Night Circus pulls you into a world as dark as it is dazzling, fully-realized but still something out of a dream. You will not want to leave it.” —Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger’s Wife
“The Night Circus is the real deal, the kind of novel that will appeal to romantics, history buff, circus aficionados, mystery fans, and lovers of a good story. . . . Steeped in circus lore, filled with evocative scenes of magic and illusion, enriched by characters as varied as the clockmaker who crafted the circus’s iconic timepiece . . . The Night Circus is worth staying up for.” —Bookreporter
“One of the best books I have ever read.” —Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader
“[A] few pages in . . . and you know you are in the presence of an extraordinary storyteller.” —The Daily Beast
“Echoing the immense pleasure of Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, The Night Circus presents a sprightly version of 19th-century English magic. . . . A love story for adults that feels luxuriously romantic.” —The Washington Post
“Dark and extravagantly imagined.” —People
“Pure pleasure. . . . Erin Morgenstern is a gifted, classic storyteller, a tale-teller, a spinner of the charmed and mesmerizing—I had many other things I was supposed to be doing, but the book kept drawing me back in and I tore through it. You can be certain this riveting debut will create a group of rêveurs all its own.” —Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
“[Morgenstern] employs her supple prose to conjure up a series of wonders: A maze made of clouds, a ship of books floating on a sea of ink, a tent that seems to contain a vast desert.” —Salon
“Reading this novel is like having a marvelous dream, in which you are asleep enough to believe everything that is happening, but awake enough to relish the experience and understand that it is magical.” —Newsday
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
ANTICIPATION
The circus arrives without warning.
No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.
The towering tents are striped in white and black, no golds and crimsons to be seen. No color at all, save for the neighboring trees and the grass of the surrounding fields. Black-and-white stripes on grey sky; countless tents of varying shapes and sizes, with an elaborate wrought-iron fence encasing them in a colorless world. Even what little ground is visible from outside is black or white, painted or powdered, or treated with some other circus trick.
But it is not open for business. Not just yet.
Within hours everyone in town has heard about it. By afternoon the news has spread several towns over. Word of mouth is a more effective method of advertisement than typeset words and exclamation points on paper pamphlets or posters. It is impressive and unusual news, the sudden appearance of a mysterious circus. People marvel at the staggering height of the tallest tents. They stare at the clock that sits just inside the gates that no one can properly describe.
And the black sign painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, the one that reads:
Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn
“What kind of circus is only open at night?” people ask. No one has a proper answer, yet as dusk approaches there is a substantial crowd of spectators gathering outside the gates.
You are amongst them, of course. Your curiosity got the better of you, as curiosity is wont to do. You stand in the fading light, the scarf around your neck pulled up against the chilly evening breeze, waiting to see for yourself exactly what kind of circus only opens once the sun sets.
The ticket booth clearly visible behind the gates is closed and barred. The tents are still, save for when they ripple ever so slightly in the wind. The only movement within the circus is the clock that ticks by the passing minutes, if such a wonder of sculpture can even be called a clock.
The circus looks abandoned and empty. But you think perhaps you can smell caramel wafting through the evening breeze, beneath the crisp scent of the autumn leaves. A subtle sweetness at the edges of the cold.
The sun disappears completely beyond the horizon, and the remaining luminosity shifts from dusk to twilight. The people around you are growing restless from waiting, a sea of shuffling feet, murmuring about abandoning the endeavor in search of someplace warmer to pass the evening. You yourself are debating departing when it happens.
First, there is a popping sound. It is barely audible over the wind and conversation. A soft noise like a kettle about to boil for tea. Then comes the light.
All over the tents, small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. The waiting crowd quiets as it watches this display of illumination. Someone near you gasps. A small child claps his hands with glee at the sight.
When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears.
Stretched across the top of the gates, hidden in curls of iron, more firefly-like lights flicker to life. They pop as they brighten, some accompanied by a shower of glowing white sparks and a bit of smoke. The people nearest to the gates take a few steps back.
At first, it is only a random pattern of lights. But as more of them ignite, it becomes clear that they are aligned in scripted letters. First a C is distinguishable, followed by more letters. A q, oddly, and several e’s. When the final bulb pops alight, and the smoke and sparks dissipate, it is finally legible, this elaborate incandescent sign. Leaning to your left to gain a better view, you can see that it reads:
Le Cirque des Rêves
Some in the crowd smile knowingly, while others frown and look questioningly at their neighbors. A child near you tugs on her mother’s sleeve, begging to know what it says.
“The Circus of Dreams,” comes the reply. The girl smiles delightedly.
Then the iron gates shudder and unlock, seemingly by their own volition. They swing outward, inviting the crowd inside.
Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.
PART I:
Primordium
"The Whole of Le Cirque des Rêves is formed by a series of circles. Perhaps it is a tribute to the origin of the word 'circus,' deriving from the Greek kirkos meaning circle, or ring. There are many such nods to the phenomenon of the circus in a historical sense, though it is hardly a traditional circus. Rather than a single tent with rings enclosed within, this circus contains clusters of tents like pyramids, some large and others quite small. They are set within circular paths, contained within a circular fence. Looping and continuous."
--Friedrick Thiessen, 1892
"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moon-light, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
--Oscar Wilde, 1888
UNEXPECTED POST
New York, February 1873
The man billed as Prospero the Enchanter receives a fair amount of correspondence via the theater office, but this is the first envelope addressed to him that contains a suicide note, and it is also the first to arrive carefully pinned to the coat of a five-year-old girl.
The lawyer who escorts her to the theater refuses to explain despite the manager’s protestations, abandoning her as quickly as he can with no more than a shrug and the tip of a hat.
The theater manager does not need to read the envelope to know who the girl is for. The bright eyes peering out from under a cloud of unruly brown curls are smaller, wider versions of the magician’s own.
He takes her by the hand, her small fingers hanging limp within his. She refuses to remove her coat despite the warmth of the theater, giving only an adamant shake of her head when he asks her why.
The manager takes the girl to his office, not knowing what else to do with her. She sits quietly on an uncomfortable chair beneath a line of framed posters advertising past productions, surrounded by boxes of tickets and receipts. The manager brings her a cup of tea with an extra lump of sugar, but it remains on the desk, untouched, and grows cold.
The girl does not move, does not fidget in her seat. She stays perfectly still with her hands folded in her lap. Her gaze is fixed downward, focused on her boots that do not quite touch the floor. There is a small scuff on one toe, but the laces are knotted in perfect bows.
The sealed envelope hangs from the second topmost button of her coat, until Prospero arrives.
She hears him before the door opens, his footsteps heavy and echoing in the hall, unlike the measured pace of the manager who has come and gone several times, quiet as a cat.
“There is also a . . . package for you, sir,” the manager says as he opens the door, ushering the magician into the cramped office before slipping off to attend to other theater matters, having no desire to witness what might become of this encounter.
The magician scans the office, a stack of letters in one hand, a black velvet cape lined with shockingly white silk cascading behind him, expecting a paper-wrapped box or crate. Only when the girl looks up at him with his own eyes does he realize what the theater manager was referring to.
Prospero the Enchanter’s immediate reaction upon meeting his daughter is a simple declaration of: “Well, fuck.”
The girl returns her attention to her boots.
The magician closes the door behind him, dropping the stack of letters on the desk next to the teacup as he looks at the girl.
He rips the envelope from her coat, leaving the pin clinging steadfastly to its button.
While the writing on the front bears his stage name and the theater address, the letter inside greets him with his given name, Hector Bowen.
He skims over the contents, any emotional impact desired by the author failing miserably and finally. He pauses at the only fact he deems relevant: that this girl now left in his custody is, obviously, his own daughter and that her name is Celia.
“She should have named you Miranda,” the man called Prospero the Enchanter says to the girl with a chuckle. “I suppose she was not clever enough to think of it.”
The girl looks up at him again. Dark eyes narrow beneath her curls.
The teacup on the desk begins to shake. Ripples disrupt the calm surface as cracks tremble across the glaze, and then it collapses in shards of flowered porcelain. Cold tea pools in the saucer and drips onto the floor, leaving sticky trails along the polished wood.
The magician’s smile vanishes. He glances back at the desk with a frown, and the spilled tea begins seeping back up from the floor. The cracked and broken pieces stand and re-form themselves around the liquid until the cup sits complete once more, soft swirls of steam rising into the air.
The girl stares at the teacup, her eyes wide.
Hector Bowen takes his daughter’s face in his gloved hand, scrutinizing her expression for a moment before releasing her, his fingers leaving long red marks across her cheeks.
“You might be interesting,” he says.
The girl does not reply.
He makes several attempts to rename her in the following weeks, but she refuses to respond to anything but Celia.
*
Several months later, once he decides she is ready, the magician writes a letter of his own. He includes no address, but it reaches its destination across the ocean nonetheless.
Product details
- ASIN : 0307744434
- Publisher : Anchor Books; First Edition (July 3, 2012)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 516 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780307744432
- ISBN-13 : 978-0307744432
- Lexile measure : 950L
- Item Weight : 1.1 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.17 x 1.1 x 8.01 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #27 in Historical Fantasy (Books)
- #294 in Romantic Fantasy (Books)
- #355 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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HONEST REVIEW of NIGHT CIRCUS by ERIN MORGENSTERN
Renna Nightingale
About the author
ERIN MORGENSTERN is the author of The Night Circus, a number-one national best seller that has been sold around the world and translated into thirty-seven languages. She has a degree in theater from Smith College and lives in Massachusetts.
twitter & instagram: @erinmorgenstern
http://erinmorgenstern.com
http://www.facebook.com/erinmorgensternbooks
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story captivating and unique. They appreciate the magical elements, vivid descriptions, and minimalist prose. The writing style is described as polished, vivid, and perfect. Readers describe the book as lovely, creative, and ethereal. They enjoy the well-developed characters and their relationships. The romance is also mentioned as sweet and well-placed.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the story engaging and unique. They describe it as a gentle walk through a magical story of the circus and of the two young magicians. The book is described as great from start to finish, capturing the essence of Halloween without horror. It is also considered an impressive debut novel by Erin Morgenstern.
"...She also captures my heart because she is a major bookworm, and holds very high morals. It is no wonder that Marco falls in love with her!..." Read more
"...It is worth sticking with it – it is a truly magical story. I gave The Night Circus four stars out of five." Read more
"Ms. Morgenstern has created that sublimely rare gem of great narrative, compelling characters, and a superb setting using finely crafted writing;..." Read more
"...It's storytelling where you are inside of things, a microcosm built of wonder and intrigue and the protagonists strive to find a way out to forge..." Read more
Customers enjoy the magical elements and dreamlike setting of the book. They find it lighthearted and enjoyable, with a unique experience full of wonders and intrigue.
"...(whom were born in the circus on opening night, thus being endowed with magical abilities), and in time, becomes a very important piece to the story...." Read more
"The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is whimsical tale of a magical competition by proxy between two conjurers which takes place through the medium..." Read more
"...The second note I wanted to make is that reading this work gives me hope for a more civil, connected public discourse in an increasingly divisive..." Read more
"...It's storytelling where you are inside of things, a microcosm built of wonder and intrigue and the protagonists strive to find a way out to forge..." Read more
Customers enjoy the vivid descriptions and minimalist prose of the book. They find the writing engaging, with a masterful storytelling style that paints intricate images. The book has interesting characters and an intriguing premise.
"...Every single piece of information, and person you meet, has some sort of effect on, or part to play in, the circus...." Read more
"...The romance between Celia and Marco was slowly and realistically built up and I felt invested in their relationship...." Read more
"...narrative, compelling characters, and a superb setting using finely crafted writing; all of this accomplished in her debut novel...." Read more
"...Although this book was beautifully written and filled with several deep metaphors and symbols, what was most difficult for me to overlook was the..." Read more
Customers find the book enchanting and creative. They describe it as lovely, ethereal, and enthralling. The writing is detailed and vivid, illustrating the formation and machinations of the circus. The central idea is great, and they enjoy meandering through the circus.
"...She is strong, beautiful, and talented in her abilities. She also captures my heart because she is a major bookworm, and holds very high morals...." Read more
"...the Ice Garden or the Cloud Maze are breathtakingly evocative and stunning. It really made me wish I could visit them in person...." Read more
"...Not only does it have all of these elements but weaves them together in a beautiful dance that provides a coherent overall show...." Read more
"...The central idea was super and I loved meandering through the circus, loved observing the game and loved how the game turned into a desire to give..." Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and the large cast of unique individuals. The descriptive language paints intricate images of the characters and scene settings. Readers appreciate that the characters are not black and white, and their voices are haunting and captivating.
"...The plot, the circus detail, and the characters are amazingly written in this one!..." Read more
"...Larger than life but relatable characters...." Read more
"...We become fully immersed in her characters, her world and her story. We do so in the "air" of her exquisite writing. She is a delight to read...." Read more
"...idea and some considerations about storytelling and where events take the characters...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's romance. They find the love story mild but realistically built up, and feel invested in the relationships. The book is described as sensual, magical, and enchanting.
"...and Marco was slowly and realistically built up and I felt invested in their relationship...." Read more
"...It's a lovely fairy tale with a touch of well- placed romance but also about the fantastic in our lives...." Read more
"...left for the audience to still wonder; however, the ending is not necessarily a happy ending as some characters are left with a lot having been..." Read more
"...A fun and luxuriously entertaining tale of life, love and the exploration of how a serendipitous life can be, no matter the time, distance or..." Read more
Customers enjoy the visual quality of the book. They find the imagery enchanting, with exquisite detail and vivid descriptions. The scenes and descriptions are vivid and dreamlike, with wondrous and exotic sights. While the plot is romantic and well-plotted, the novel sets the standard for magical realism with its attention to detail and creativity.
"...She is strong, beautiful, and talented in her abilities. She also captures my heart because she is a major bookworm, and holds very high morals...." Read more
"...What I liked Visual imagery. One of the real treats of The Night Circus is the beautiful images conjured up by Morgenstern’s writing...." Read more
"...The central idea was super and I loved meandering through the circus, loved observing the game and loved how the game turned into a desire to give..." Read more
"...The way in which she structured this story and created imagery was fantastic and consistently caught my eye while reading...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the suspenseful book. Some find it thrilling and a fairy tale for adults. They love the story between the two magicians and seeing them fight for each other until the end. However, others feel the narrative stagnates at times and distracts from the story. The love story is not the main focus, but rather an addition to the magic.
"...Although this book was beautifully written and filled with several deep metaphors and symbols, what was most difficult for me to overlook was the..." Read more
"...Circus, a shocking number of sentences are being wasted on uninteresting non-action that lasts for indefinable periods of time...." Read more
"...I loved the story between the two magicians and seeing them fight for each other until the very end...." Read more
"...Plot: This is a literary novel, not a thriller. It's not action packed, but it is STORY packed...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2017“What kind of circus is only open at night?” (Morgenstern, 3)
The Night Circus is enchanting and mysterious. Prepare yourself for a magical story of intrigue and whimsy. Erin Morgenstern will make you feel like you are a part of the circus. Welcome to Le Cirque des Rêves.
“Trespasser Will Be Exsanguinated.” (Morgenstern, 51).
The Plot: The Night Circus begins in 1873 as Prospero the Enchanter learns that he has a daughter to be left in his care; a daughter with a special magical ability. It is this ability that brings about a mysterious meeting and the beginning of a game. As the years go by, Prospero meticulously trains his daughter Celia in the art of illusion, while the man in the grey suit, from the mysterious meeting, trains his student Marco. Both are bound together to play an unknown game with unknown rules until a winner is judged. The Night Circus becomes the arena for this game, and the moves made by Celia and Marco affect everyone involved in the circus. As the years go by, the two begin to fall in love, finding it more difficult to keep playing the game. A choice has to be made, to finish the game at all costs, or to give in to love and let the circus end.
Let me just start out by saying that The Night Circus is definitely one that you have to pay attention to the chapter titles and timelines. With that being said, I LOVED this book. I really took my time reading it and soaking it all in and I was astounded by the immense imagery and story building found in this book! Every single piece of information, and person you meet, has some sort of effect on, or part to play in, the circus. There are so many parts to the whole, and even going backward and forward in time with the chapters helps you to understand what is going on within the circus and the game that Celia and Marco are bound to. Between some of the chapters you can also find pieces of a 2nd person point of view story line that makes you FEEL like you are walking through The Night Circus! The plot, the circus detail, and the characters are amazingly written in this one!
The first character we are introduced to is Prospero, or Hector Bowen. He is ultimately the reason behind the circus and the plot because of his choice to start the game with his daughter Celia. Though he is an integral part of the story, I found him greedy and cruel and felt that he cared more about the game and it’s outcome then he did his own daughter.
In the beginning of the story we are also introduced to Mr. A. H. in the grey suit. He is also an integral part of the story, as he is the mentor of Marco, Celia’s opponent. Mr. A. H. is mysterious, quiet, and quite possibly a murderer.
Our main character, Celia is definitely a favorite character of mine. She is strong, beautiful, and talented in her abilities. She also captures my heart because she is a major bookworm, and holds very high morals. It is no wonder that Marco falls in love with her!
Celia’s opponent Marco is a man of mystery. He was taken from an orphanage by Mr. A. H., so his background and origin are unknown. In his first encounter with Celia, he seems mildly intimidated and nervous. He becomes very restless in his training, and has slightly devious aspects in his game moves, but he plays the role of a co-main character well.
Though we are introduced to many other characters, with them all being integral parts of the story and the circus, we have one other main character to consider. Bailey is introduced to us further in the story, and further in the future, and starts off as a circus spectator. He begins to build a relationship with the twins, Poppet and Widget (whom were born in the circus on opening night, thus being endowed with magical abilities), and in time, becomes a very important piece to the story. It is Bailey’s childish innocence and ability to dream that ties things together and ultimately offers a resolution to the game.
“When you were five years old you turned a laundry tub into a pirate ship and launched an attack against my hydrangeas in my garden.” (Morgenstern, 87).
I recommend reading this one slowly so you can take it all in. You will truly feel like part of the circus. Pay close attention to the dates in front of the chapters and let yourself be immersed into the imagery of The Night Circus.
“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus.: (Morgenstern, 387).
- Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2014The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is whimsical tale of a magical competition by proxy between two conjurers which takes place through the medium of a fantastical circus which “opens at nightfall, closes at dawn.” The challenge is further complicated by the fact that the two chosen proxies fall in love. I read recently that the novel in its original form was little more than a series of vignettes with little in the way of plot or cohesion to pull them together. While in the published form it’s true that visual images are more important than plot, it still flows very well.
I found that The Night Circus sneaked up on me. It didn’t immediately draw me in, but the more I read the more I fell in love with Morgenstern’s circus and the people who live and work in it.
What I liked
Visual imagery. One of the real treats of The Night Circus is the beautiful images conjured up by Morgenstern’s writing. Her descriptions of, say, the Ice Garden or the Cloud Maze are breathtakingly evocative and stunning. It really made me wish I could visit them in person.
Larger than life but relatable characters. All of the characters in The Night Circus are wonderfully written, each with his or her own quirks and motivations. They added real life to the story. The romance between Celia and Marco was slowly and realistically built up and I felt invested in their relationship. Even the rêveurs – the circus devotees – brought something to the story.
The magic. Clearly Morgenstern has gone for what Brandon Sanderson would describe as a “soft” magic system. This means that if it has any internal logic or rules, this is not explained to the reader – it’s a case of just accept it and move on. That works very well for this particular story. In many aspects it’s very subtle, such that the circus patron could accept it as sleight of hand, but taken in the bigger picture it is quite fantastical.
What I didn’t like
The pacing. As I mentioned, the book was very slow to draw me in. It is worth sticking with it – it is a truly magical story.
I gave The Night Circus four stars out of five.
Top reviews from other countries
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Lindíssimo! Amei!Reviewed in Brazil on July 5, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Entrega hiper mega rápida!
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Lindíssimo! Amei!
Reviewed in Brazil on July 5, 2024
Images in this review - Eveline BurciagaReviewed in Mexico on September 5, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars IT'S SO GOOD
I love that there's no one main character, the circus on itself is a character, while you follow people involved with/in it, you get to know many characters and their perspective.
It's written in a way that you can imagine everything and feel you're part of the world. The love story between the "main" characters is worthy of Aphrodite, 100%, is that love that's so strong it hurts, that's hard to keep because there are so many obstacles in the way but it's not just a love story, you still have this magic that all fantasy novels have and it's wonderful.
You might get thrown off by the way you jump in the time line but it all makes sense at the end.
I really enjoyed it, I picked it up after Ashley Johnson mentioned it in 4-Sided Dive and after knowing it was part of the inspiration for Candela Obscura... Let me tell you, I will never doubt Ashley's taste in books.
- fatima joumailiReviewed in France on December 26, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Ok
Ok
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Marta ManentReviewed in Spain on June 1, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars genial
Muy contenta con el estado del libro, perfecto. I el libro en si me ha encantado... merece la pena leerlo!
- Fakher AminReviewed in Saudi Arabia on May 3, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
Nice book