The Night Circus Review

Book: The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Genre: Historical Magical Realism and Fantasy

My Rating:

The Blurb: 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.

Overall Thoughts: This book was unlike any other book I have ever read. Each page was a work of art, the entire book was a masterpiece. I have never in my life read a book as beautiful as this one. If you are considering reading it, do. I waited far too long, putting it off. I wish I had read this so long ago because I feel like I was missing out on all this world has to offer. It was intriguing and whimsical from page one, the perfect combination of mystery, magic, and romance.

Thoughts on Characters: Almost every character in the book has at least one chapter told from their perspective, so you become very attached to all the characters. While this book is promoted as a romance, there is very little romance in it. The story takes the forefront over everything else, but in a story like this, it is okay. I almost prefered not having the romance as the main storyline. I loved all of the characters, but I especially loved Bailey. His story was fascinating and no spoilers, but I love how things ended for him! All the characters were so well rounded, with complex backstories and motivations. I would love to know any of them, maybe have a midnight dinner together!

Thoughts on Plot: Most of the reviews I have read said The Night Circus was too slow for them, but I don’t agree with that. Sure, it is slower than your typical action/adventure/fantasy novel, but this is not one of those books. For a book based around magical realism, it was rather fast paced. The story kept me turning pages the whole time, I finished it in 2 days! There were so many aspects, so many POVs, I was racing to find out what happened next!

As for the plot itself, it has my all time favorite “trope”: a competition! This competition is slightly different, though. It is like playing chess but only seeing your side of the board. This fascinated me, it was so unique! While this was the main story line, the perspective changed from place to place, year to year, and person to person. There was so much going on in this book, so much to marvel at!  

Thoughts on Writing: I don’t know if I have ever read a book that does description better than this one! I could feel the silk of their dresses, smell the popcorn, feel the heat of the bonfire! Again, many people say the writing was overly descriptive, but it was anything but. I found it to be beautiful, adding to the ambiance of the story, creating the most beautiful images in your mind.

Recommend this to: I have never read a book like this, so fans of circus arts, magical realism, fantasy, or historical fiction!

(Image and Synopsis from Goodreads)

Have you read this book? Comment your thoughts below! I would love to hear from you!