The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
Published on: September 2011
Publisher: Doubleday
Format: Audiobook
Language: English
My Rating : ★★★★.5
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.”
Things I liked:
- It’s so atmospheric! The descriptions are so lush and well done that while reading, you can almost smell the caramel and the bonfire of the circus.
- The story itself is so different from anything else I’ve ever read. It was mysterious and intriguing and I really enjoyed the experience of finding out what happened next.
- The way it was told, alternating between two different timelines, was phenomenal. Sometimes it can be a bit too much, or make me lose interest, but instead it kept me hooked and trying to figure out what could possibly have happened to lead the characters towards what I knew would happen to them.
- Also, the characters! So distinctive, among themselves and from any other characters I’ve read about. I really liked them, even if it did take me awhile to connect with the protagonists.
Things I didn’t like:
- There’s just one thing, really: I felt like the romance was a bit too insta-love for me. I understand how it happened, and that it was supposed to have developed throughout the years, but for some reason it felt too rushed for me. It didn’t affect my experience that much, since I could still enjoy the story, but it could have been so much better if I had shipped the main couple from the start.
I know that I’m incredibly late to this party, especially considering that this book is pretty famous among the bookish community, but better late than never right? Have you read The Night Circus? How did you enjoy it?
Until next time,
kozywords 