Catch-up Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I’m doing a series of catch-up review posts to try and make up for my year of not blogging. These are quick reviews of books I’ve read over 2012-2013.

Genre: Literary fiction, fantasy

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Synopsis: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus?from_search=true

Review

Magic is the at the heart of this story which is also about an intense contest between two duelling magicians. Set in the late nineteenth century, this is the story of a mysterious circus that only opens at night. Every act is carefully chosen and meticulously presented. In this Circus of Dreams (Le Cirque des Rêves) Celia Bowen and Marco Alisdair have been magically bound to fight to the death. Each has been trained in a different school of magic from the time they were children and must best the other by creating and maintaining the most beautiful and complex shows. This is a book with great visual appeal and the author takes her time setting the stage and to bring to life each new attraction in the circus.

Celia and Marco are helped in this enterprise by a fascinating cast of characters. The tattooed contortionist, the rich, eccentric proprietor, the mysterious Mr. A. H—, the twins-Poppet and Widget… We also get to know the rêveurs, led by the biggest fan of the circus – Friedrick Thiessen – who follow the circus from city to city – dressed in black with one item of red.

And while the romance between the two protagonists plays an important part in the book, that is not the reason I loved it and it’s not what has stayed with me.

This book is not for the impatient reader who doesn’t want to live in someone else’s imagination. But if you can let go and just enjoy this magical place, you will love The Night Circus.

Verdict

My review just doesn’t do the book justice. The most magical book I’ve read in a long time. Fans of literary fantasy will love The Night Circus.

Rating: 5*

*See my Rating policy

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