Book Review #2: The Night Circus

A bewitching cover that fits the tale inside.
I fell in love with it at first sight. 

"The circus arrives without warning..."

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, is a love-it or hate-it book. I finished this book quite a while ago - last year I believe. When I got it, it was a birthday present, but I had heard of it before. So now, several months later, I come back to review it.

The book follows two magicians, Celia and Marco, as they participate in a mysterious competition they were raised for. Only one of them is supposed to get out alive. But what happens when they fall in love?

Celia and Marco aren't the only important characters in the book. There is a whole cast of character to which the story is told from, alternating points of view and time periods. This was one of the points that I didn't like as much. It was difficult to keep track of where you were in the story and what events took place at what time. Morgenstern does make this easier by putting dates at the beginning of the chapters, but it was still confusing at times because time doesn't just go forward, it goes backwards as well. The amount of character points of view was head-spinning as well. I'm used to switching points of view between several characters, as that is what happens in my own book, but The Night Circus truly had me flipping back to figure out what was going on.

However, I will say that the characters in the book are absolutely delightful. All of them were "human" - I say this with much emphasis, as many characters these day lack elements that make them beautifully normal. I loved Poppet and Widget. Bailey was wonderful too, as he gave a perspective from outside of the circus. The only problem I had with the characters was that I found it difficult to connect with them. It may have been because of the constant switching of views, but I never felt that I was standing in their shoes, rather I felt that I was watching from afar.

The description. Where do I get started on the description? It's magical. Morgenstern commands an excellent hand of prose, not terribly purple, but not lacking in the amazing details that give this book its trademark. The first chapter had me captivated - the use of second person took me straight into the strange and wonderful circus, from the delicious treats to the incredible tents. I could literally taste the caramel corn. The Midnight Dinners were a special treat whenever they appeared. And no matter how crazy or outrageous the tents seemed, Morgenstern made them come alive, made them seem real. You can only read the book for yourself if you want to experience it.

I loved the idea of the plot, but I felt like it didn't come out all the way. The competition was mysterious, possibly too mysterious. I thought it was vague and difficult to gather the details. But I expect that it was never supposed to be completely understood anyway, because the main focus was the circus, the magic, and all the characters that came with it. Pace-wise, I did feel like it was a bit slow, but the beautiful descriptions kept you flipping the pages and wanting more. This impacted the romance aspect of the book. I was waiting for Celia and Marco to fall in love, but it came later than I expected. And it wasn't like most romances these days; it wasn't that split second of head-over-heels love. It was slow and intimate. It just happened without you noticing it. While it did drag a bit, I loved how it was different from many of the romance plotlines I have read before.

Despite some of its shortcomings, The Night Circus was one of the best books I had read in a while. It might not be for everyone though, as its plot came slow and had pages of lengthy description that are often not seen today. But if you enjoy an original read, I suggest curling up with this book in a bed. Keep a dim light on, enough to see the words, and let yourself fall into this magical circus and its elegant, glamorous charms.

Final Rating: ✐✐✐✐