‘The Night Circus’ Book Review #13

Ever since I began book reviewing in late October, 2019 and reading in general, I’ve heard so many amazing things and nothing but about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. If I can recall, I’ve only heard one bad review out of the thousands I’ve heard and that was saying how it was too slow for them. Now, let’s get this train moving to the synopsis:

“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.”

Even if I didn’t hear any reviews on this book or read any, the description is intriguing enough in my eyes to make me want to pick it up and read it. Let’s not forget the beautiful cover art! Delicate and intriguing; magical. That’s exactly what this read is. If you enjoy fantasy, this is for you. I’ve never been much of a fantasy reader until I read this novel and now I feel hooked on all the possibilities there are in a fantasy book— it’s powerful.

Please don’t expect spoilers because this is a story you must read yourself, going in with partially blind eyes. You’ll thank me later.

The setting is in the later 1800s and early 1900s. There’s two different decades we switch between until we slowly ease our way to when they finally are in the same year and everything ties together with a bow on top. Now for some reason, I thought I wasn’t going to be able to understand the “old english” because I know some modern day writers absolutely love that style of writing and was nervous it would be this author who enjoyed it. Thankfully, I understood it clearly like a full-moon cloudless night.

Everything was described so beautifully. There was lots of magic involved in this book and so the things described like mason jars filled with beaches and star filled night skies was just absolutely wonderful. Please, just take my word and read this book!

The Murray twins were probably my favorite characters as well as Bailey. A wonderful friend group of two different types of people. If I could, I would befriend all of them! A part of me fell in love with Marco. You’re crazy if you don’t fall in love with him and his character. Celia was wonderful although I personally felt as if she was quite distant than the other characters even though this book was based entirely around her and Marco. However, I was still able to grow fond of her character.

This is a slow read yet it’s so magical so you don’t mind it. I was extremely saddened when it finally came to an end 512 pages later. Erin Morgenstern just released another book titled The Starless Sea and I have heard nothing but wonderful reviews on that novel as well.