#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Two starcrossed magicians engage in a deadly game of cunning in the spellbinding New York Times bestseller that captured the world’s imagination.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 … 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.
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“The circus arrives without warning.”
The book this opening statement comes from is called The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and one that amazed me in so many ways. All my emotions were engaged as I read. I was enthralled to the point I wanted to curse Erin because I was utterly obsessed with this fantasy world she has created. Words are poetry where the writer is the artist responsible in creating beauty in every line. Erin Morgenstern has done that here and more so with The Night Circus. It’s a ballet on the pages, an intricate spellbinding tale that will leave you breathless as two people, by no choice of their own, are victims of a game set out by two devious individuals. The prize is not certain or guaranteed. What is certain is there can only be one winner, one left standing, while the other wastes away, overcome with madness for the deceit and manipulation that rules their life until they can’t take it anymore and destroy themselves.
The Night Circus is told in first person present tense starting in the year 1873. We meet Hector Bowen, a showman and a magician known to the public as Prospero the Enchanter. One day he is sent a shocking gift- a five year old daughter, Celia, he never knew about. Celia’s mother has killed herself and now Hector is forced to become Celia’s caregiver. At first he has disdain for Celia, but he soon finds out how special and unique she is. He decides he wants to play a game, a competition. The man in the grey suit, sometimes called Alexander, has also played this game before. He and Hector make some sort of bet. Celia will be involved. Alexander must find her competitor. He decides on an orphan boy named Marco. For years Hector and Alexander teach and test their wards to build up their abilities. As the years go by, Celia and Marco’s lives will become intertwined.
When Marco grows into adulthood he meets a young woman, Isobel who can read tarot cards and begins a romance with her that may help him win the game. He becomes a personal assistant to Chandresh, who is indirectly involved in helping start a circus that will only run from sunset to sunrise, known better as the night circus. And then Celia joins the night circus as an illusionist, much like her father once was, but one with so much more talent. And when Celia and Marco finally meet, it’s as if they’re two sides of a coin, each other’s sun and moon. But they both know that they must play the game until it’s finished and only one of them can be the winner, while the loser will give up everything.
The Night Circus spans thirty years, going back and forth between years as we see Celia and Marco build their craft, as well as pull in those around them who are unwittingly forced to participate in the game. The main question is, who’s pulling the strings, manipulating the events involved? A higher power? Hector and Alexander? What if I told you no one? Everything that happens is a game of chance, a series of events that are like dominoes falling to one another. We follow Celia and Marco as they try to figure out their destinies. These two are just as sly and cunning as their “makers”, but refuse to be pawns. Celia and Marco are unwilling participants who want to escape from the invisible chains binding them, but stay connected to each other. You’ll be on the edge of your seat rooting for these two to find a way out.
The secondary characters are so very rich and flavorful. We have the wonder twins, Widget and Poppet, who are as important to the night circus as Celia and Marco is. There’s Bailey, a seemingly average teenage boy who is just as significant. Tsukiko, the circus’s contortionist, is the voice of reason. Everyone here has a specific role, including the ones I haven’t mentioned, but they don’t know what it is or what the finale will be when all is said and done.
The Night Circus is a cross genre fan’s delight. This will appeal not only to the YA crowd, but the romance reader and the literary fiction lover. It’s a supernatural, fantasy extravaganza that had me wanting more. When I read the final page, I hugged the book close. Erin has truly written a masterful tale that may span generation of readers.
This was almost a perfect read for me, but one thing I felt cheapened Celia and Marco’s feelings for one another is the Tsukiko’s explanation on why this duo are so connected to one another and have developed a deep abiding love that transcends the stars. In a way, it seems as if the game has manipulated their feelings as well, which I find to be sad. I would like to think Celia and Marco’s love is the real deal.
This is one a smart read where you have to concentrate and be aware of every move and action, much like a chess game. And when all is said and done, you’ll want to be a part of the night circus and never leave. Erin makes sure to pull readers in and not let go, just like the characters who have live and breathe the night circus and have become its soul.
The Night Circus is a magical, dazzling book filled with such heartbreaking and bittersweet angst that almost bought me to tears. If there is one book you read this year, you must read The Night Circus. I want to have babies with this book and cradle it in my arms.
Thank you Erin, for writing what I believe will someday be called a masterpiece. Bravo!
really enjoyed this story. Loved the circus & magic….
Of all books I adore, this is one I look forward to re-reading as an annual event. I will never tire of the beauty and magic, no matter how many times and re-read this masterpiece. Recite one line to me, and you will quickly become my best friend! Stunning, haunting, exquisite. A must read – again and again and again…
All I want to say is that I didn’t want this book to end. I wanted this book to be infinite so that I could stay in the circus forever.
I thoroughly enjoyed this world and its characters. I wanted the the story line to keep going.
I polished off this book over a weekend. The characters really get you interested, and it helps that you’re learning about what’s going on as they are (i.e., you aren’t purposefully kept in the dark, which can be annoying!). It took some time for me to realize that I should look at the dates to be able to keep things straight. Excellent book.
I hated this book so hard, which some of you can take to mean it did a ton of things right since it elicited such a strong response from me. See my review on “Graceling” if you want the full rationale as to why this one missed the mark imo. Same editorial problem, basically…
A large book that didn’t waste a single page. Loved the characters and the setting. It really was magical
When reading this, you fall into the pages of the book. The whole world fading away as you become immersed in the story. It’s my go to book when I need to escape from real world problems.
OK, I did not finish this (audio)book. Despite the lovely narration by Jim Dale (of Harry Potter readings) and Morgenstern’s lovely poetic imagery, this is again about balance. I loved the description of everything–this is a beautifully worded book… at least at first (and that’s why it has 2 stars and not just one). But about 3/4 of the way in, I stopped caring about the characters… the plot moved too slow and all that description was getting tedious and even redundant. So I quit. I wanted to know what happened to them, but I didn’t want to go through the pain of listening to the last hours of it.
I later found out that this is a Nanowrimo book, so that explains the loquacious descriptions of every. single. piece. of. furniture. in. any. room, but I don’t read for pure description. A decent moving plot would be good too. Balance!
There’s nothing I can say that every other 5 star review has not said already. This book is absolutely wonderful! Though the romance between the characters is incredibly fun, the real romance is between the circus and the reader, every page pulling you deeper and deeper into this beautiful fantasy. There is not one page of this book that I didn’t enjoy reading.
Amazing use of magic in a totally new way!
Well, to start out with I should say that the story itself was good. I was not a fan of the style of writing that jumps back and forth between times and places. I found it hard to keep track of what was going on. It took until about page 200 for me to finally understand some of the basic things that were happening. Once I hit that point however, I was hooked and wanted to finish and see what happened between these two magicians. The story had a very “Romeo and Juliet” feel to it, but I like the ending much better in this novel. The characters were very well developed, the plot was good, the climax and ending were good. I think had the story been told in chronological order I could have loved this book.
The Night Circus builds such a fantastical world so grounded in reality that it could make one truly believe in magic. The characters are fascinating and the environment is intriguing. It left me wanting more. Bailey was my favorite pretty early on. I’m so glad his story became so mercilessly intwined with that of the circus. Bravo, Ms. Morgenstern, bravo.
So original, and what a visual journey. I almost wish it had been longer, if only to delve deeper into some parts of the story.
If you are the kind of person who has ever imagined running away with the circus, you must read this! Even if you aren’t, a really well-crafted story with characters you’d like to know.