The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
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Web ID: 14390942Delicious Fantasy for Fans of Stephanie Garber
As the sun makes its slow descent over the horizon and the moon rises, so do the peculiar black-and-white striped tents of Le Cirque des Rêves, the Circus of Dreams. The Circus is unlike any other; it is drained of color, existing in a monochrome world as burnt caramel wafts through the air. The performances are ethereal, with Celia Bowen as the circus’ darling illusionist. But Celia’s illusions are not a result of clever manipulation but rather true magic. From a young age she is bound to a deadly competition in which there can only be one winner. And the venue? The Night Circus, of course. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Morgenstern’s novel posits itself as fantasy-romance, a star-crossed love story with more than a dash of magic. From the first page, I was hooked. Set in Victorian England, the novel reads like a dream filled with colorful characters, midnight dinners and the possibility of anything. It is imagination at its most lush and indulgent. From the dazzling illusionist to the seductive atmosphere, it is a book in which you will want to curl up and stay. An unconventional timeline will have readers doing a double (or even triple) take but it never feels contrived. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The biggest issue with the book, though, is its pace, painfully slow at times, and elusive characters. The story sells itself on promises of action and romance but those elements take a backseat to Morgenstern’s crafty worldbuilding. The characters themselves reveal little of their inner lives and it can seem like we’re spending more time admiring the circus’ meticulously crafted facade rather than the people who keep this illusion going. Whether you enjoy the book depends on which you value more; characters or world building. Yet despite its faults, author seamlessly guides us through a world that is anything but black-and white.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Uninspired
I was share - I did not even finish the book - and I was just over 100 pages. I did not fall in love with any of the characters - the book jumped around - there were too many characters to keep track of and I kept thinking when is the book going to grab me. I was very happy that I got the book because it was on a special promotion and did not pay a high price for it (I purchased as an electronic book).
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Whimsical and Magical
Equal parts whimsical and thoughtful, this is a book for the daydreamers. Set in a circus that is more than it appears, the book follows multiple characters as they navigate a mysterious competition that is more than it appears. It's hard to pull of multiple points of view (let alone in first, second AND third person) but the author does it spectacularly. Magical realism at its finest.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Magical, Fantastical, Wonderful
A beautiful book for fantasy lovers. Morgenstern had me captivated from the very first page. Highly recommend!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Whimsical, magical romance
“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” -Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus The Night Circus is a waking dream, full of sparkling settings and decadent description. It flies from year-to-year and POV-to-POV, but you never find yourself waiting to get to “something more interesting.” The novel, like the circus itself, stops and starts, twists and turns, yet it all runs seamlessly – like clockwork. Fans of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries’ magical academia, the performative tension of Caraval, and the vivid imagery of V.E. Schwab will find themselves right at home in Morgenstern’s enchanting fantasy. If we ever doubted the value of National Novel Writing Month, known affectionately among writers as NaNoWriMo, the fact that it brought us The Night Circus is enough to keep us coming back year after year. The novel opens in second person POV, throwing the reader into the circus itself, then jumps between characters in third person. While keeping up with what year you’re in and which member of the expansive cast you’re following takes some getting used to, it's worth it for the way it allows us to be in the heart of the action and see all the moving pieces. The circus itself is born of fierce rivalry between two magicians, who wager against each other in a series of chess-like competitions. Each chooses a “champion” to train and battle on their behalf, and these apprentices are tasked with creating increasingly complex magical experiences: a forest of ice, a tree that grants wishes, a maze that changes at every turn. These creations are contained in circus tents, where visitors stream in every night for a peek at each new “illusion.” When the competitors finally meet, however, their instant connection threatens to destabilize the game – and the circus itself. Morgenstern’s prose is like a deep, full-bodied red wine, luscious and sharp. His characters are lively and complex, and the relationships between them feel earnest and intoxicating. His multiple POVs allow for stories-within-stories that explore the tension between self-interest and community. At its heart, The Night Circus is about the passions that drive us, that make us human, and that pull us to each other. Another quote, for the storytellers in us all: “You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.” (381)
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Enchanting and captivating
My best friend insisted that I read this book and I’m so glad I did. It casts a spell from the very first pages and weaves its magic so deeply into you so that you are peeved to put it down. I cannot compare it to other tales, as it is beautifully written and such a creative tale. Do yourself a favor and read this fascinating and engrossing tale!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Read this book!
I very rarely feel the need to recommend a book to every reader I know but this book is one of my all time favorites and I cannot recommend it enough.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Magical Debut Novel!
The Circus of Dreams, with its black and white striped canvas tents, arrives unannounced. It simply appears. It opens at nightfall and closes at dawn, as the sign on the front gate states. Unknown to all who attend, a foreboding competition is taking place between two young magicians. A duel prearranged by the unpredictable and temperamental mentors of Celia Bowen and Mario Alisdair, the competitors. Celia and Mario have been training since childhood, each with their own magician-instructor. They knew nothing of one another or details of the competition. This competition is their destiny... I've never enjoyed the circus, not even as a child, but this circus is unique. The Night Circus is mysterious, magical, dark, and compelling. There is so much depth, minute detail, and diverse characterizations to this story that I found myself backtracking to ensure I hadn't missed anything or anyone. I was concerned I had because this is such a big-gulp. The writing is absolute beauty with lush, savoring prose that paints an opulent, magical, and atmospheric picture. Yet I'm torn in my feelings of the story's repetitiveness, and as a result, the length overall. The audio narration by Jim Dale is first-rate. I couldn't get enough of his voicing and dramatic voice inflections. I wanted him to continue, despite already feeling that the story was too long. Knowing The Night Circus is the author's debut novel is an impressive fact. Despite my findings, it is clear this author has a vision in her writing and I'm looking forward to reading her sophomore novel The Starless Sea to embrace more of her magic!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com