Author: Erin Morgenstern
Released: September 2011
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads:
Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn
As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears.
Le Cirque des Rêves
The Circus of Dreams.
Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.
Rating: 5 Stars
Positives: So where do I begin? The Night Circus captivated me immediately, a rarity with books these days. As I read on I felt that perhaps it is a book suited only to a particular breed of reader, but to me it was amazing. There was not only excellent descriptions allowing me to see everything unfolding as if I were there, but the use of language was magnificent as well. So many different words were used throughout the novel, and I found myself enchanted.
Secondly the characters are all so lovable. I couldn't find a single character that I hated. Celia, Poppet and Herr Thiessen were my particular favourites, but I loved them all. There's such a mystery surrounding some of the characters, and you can't help but be intrigued.
The game or the challenge between Celia and Marco? Excellent just excellent. Okay so I had an inkling that perhaps for a victor to be declared that one of them would have to perish, it seems to be the nature of such things, especially where magic is involved. And the fact that we follow the pair of them in their respective training from when they are young children gives us so much more of an insight. However I wonder whether the only reason that they fell in love with one another is because of them being bound in this challenge? That is after all something Tsukiko alludes too, and the twist involving her was brilliant.
And then lets come to the foreshadowing. Need I say anything other than pay attention to the story of the Merlin tree. Not that you'll hear it referred to as such. But bright readers will know which story I am referring to the moment they read it.
Finally before I start enthusing over every little detail, let's talk about the progression of The Night Circus. The story skips between three settings: the primary love story between Celia and Marco and their challenge, a secondary story about Bailey a boy who falls in love with the circus and finally a third story about you, and your experience at the circus. As such it means we do skip forwards and backwards in time, but it works ever so well. And eventually it all ties together not so that its the story of Celia and Marco, but the story of the circus.
Negatives: This is only a very small criticism. Just the one. The circus has a French name, and occasionally, there are phrases scattered throughout the book in French. I'm not a French speaker myself, I recognise French if I see it, but don't understand a word of it. So I would have to keep putting down the book in order to find a translator.
Oh wait there is one more criticism actually. Whilst there was a wide breadth of language used, wonderful flowery words, it really bugged me that it was always Celia says, Marco says, Prospero says. Never any other way of describing speech. And that made me feel somewhat like I was back at school, primary school at that.
Would I recommend this book? Hell yes! This was a fantastic read that has captivated me for the past week. Go buy a copy right now.
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