Author: Erin Morgenstern
Pages: 512 pages
Release Date: September 13th, 2011
Source: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
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, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.
Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.Buy it now!
**This review is formatted a little differently as it's one I wrote for my school newspaper. Thought I would share it with you guys anyway!**
The circus arrives without warning. When it arrives, circus-goers line up at the front gate anxiously waiting for the sun to set and the doors to open. Striped tents, breathtaking circus acts and sweet-smelling popcorn stands furnish the circus grounds. It is called Le Cirque des Reves, and it is only open at night.
Behind the curtains, two magicians, Celia and Marco, duel to become the last one standing in an ancient challenge that stems back to their mentors that trained them. As the two meet and begin to develop feelings for each other, the challenge only becomes more burdensome. Meanwhile the circus, sustained on the lives of the two magicians that hold it together with their magic, is transforming beyond the audience's eyes. Read more to find out what happens next.
Out of all the books I've ever read, The Night Circus has the best writing. It's very atmospheric and descriptive, without being too lyrical or obnoxiously metaphoric. The imagery is so intense you will feel like you're walking through the curtains with the audience, watching the magic unfold. The use of dramatic irony gives the reader a sense of control over the characters when the stakes are life and death.
One of my only reservations with the book was that the story was not told in a linear sequence. As the story jumped from year to year non-chronologically, my understanding of when the events happened became hazy. A few chapters in, however, I got used to it.
The story actually has quite a dark tone to it. Betrayal, deception and even death characterize this seemingly lighthearted tale of two magicians falling in love. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a book that undermines their initial expectations and brings a new and adventurous twists to what might have been a simple love story. Lovestruck magicians at odds, chocolate mice and clocks that come to life? Sounds like the perfect read to me. If you're still torn over the fact that the Harry Potter series has ended, I'd recommend this book to any HP fans out there! Both The Night Circus and the Harry Potter series will make you want to run away to an imaginary world!
Sadly, this is Erin Morgenstern's only published book, leaving her readers anticipating for more of her work. However, not to fear because theres a good chance she is working on something huge as we speak!
