The Night Circus

     The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is the tale of two ill-fated magicians raised by their cruel and eccentric mentors to outsmart their opponent. They grow up not knowing who their opponents are; their only task is to hone their craft and be ready for the game to begin. As you might guess, these two magicians, Celia and Marco, eventually meet and fall in love. Unfortunately, they soon learn that the game they have been preparing for their whole lives is a duel to the death.

     Perhaps the third main character in this novel is the setting, the Cirque des Reves. The night circus comes into town without warning, and each tent contains an amazing act, mysterious creatures, or beautiful dream-like gardens. The magic within the circus is not always sleight of hand or illusion, but a real craft that can bring imagination to reality. 

     I had heard the plot of this book and was very, very excited to read it. I guessed it would be fast paced and full of action, but that was an incorrect assumption. Instead, most of the book is just taking in the fantastic atmosphere of the circus, both as an outsider marveling at each tent, and as a performer helping make and keep the circus running. 

     The very end of the book speeds up with the duel, as if to make up for lost time. While I was reading it I wasn't quite sure if I liked that, but looking back now I believe that I do. It feels as if you are strolling around for most of the book in a dream, only to be shaken awake at the end to finally watch the fate of Celia and Marco. 

     I enjoyed reading this - it was something different and I enjoyed seeing the imagination of the author shine through. Also, on a visual note, this was a beautiful book to read. Black pages with twinkling constellations are interspersed throughout to separate certain chapters, very much fitting within the monochromatic theme of the Cirque des Reves. 

     And just a quick note: I apologize for not being able to regularly update this blog for several months due to my laptop crashing. I have a new one now and look forward to getting back on track! Thank you for your patience!