Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus tells the story of two magicians who challenge each other with two apprentices who do battle in a very unique and spectacular venue until a champion emerges. That venue is 'Le Cirque Du Reves' the circus of dreams, a place that only opens when the sun sets and closes before it rises, like a night circus of sorts...hey, that's the name of the book!
The story of these two rivals is the central plot but the book features a rich and diverse cast of colorful characters, from a contortionist to a tarot card reader. which spans over twenty five years. You're instantly drawn in by the intriguing and mysterious world that Erin Morgenstern creates but the real star of this book is the circus itself; a monochromatic labyrinth of unknown and unexpected surprises, contained in an array of tents of all shapes and sizes that each contain a different and exciting attraction. From your standard circus alumni such as acrobats and animal trainers to a dazzling ice garden and a bonfire made of white flames.
Scattered throughout the book are these wonderfully written first person perspectives of someone walking through the circus as if discovering it for the first time. It's a simple and clever way of introducing the reader to the many magical tents that the characters visit and inhabit through the story. The circus is a place that I would love to visit if it were real. My personal favourite tent hands down has to the cloud maze, which is as amazing as it sounds.
The rights to the book have been sold so it's only a matter of time before a big budget Hollywood movie is made to bring this amazing place to life and I hope they do it justice. The Night Circus is quite simply a beautifully written book and I loved it all. Morgenstern's writing was never boring and I remained gripped throughout by the twists and turns of the story, the complex relationships between the characters and the circus itself. I can't recommend this book enough.
Scattered throughout the book are these wonderfully written first person perspectives of someone walking through the circus as if discovering it for the first time. It's a simple and clever way of introducing the reader to the many magical tents that the characters visit and inhabit through the story. The circus is a place that I would love to visit if it were real. My personal favourite tent hands down has to the cloud maze, which is as amazing as it sounds.
The rights to the book have been sold so it's only a matter of time before a big budget Hollywood movie is made to bring this amazing place to life and I hope they do it justice. The Night Circus is quite simply a beautifully written book and I loved it all. Morgenstern's writing was never boring and I remained gripped throughout by the twists and turns of the story, the complex relationships between the characters and the circus itself. I can't recommend this book enough.
This is one of my favourite books of the year so far. It's gripping even when not much is going on as the whole book is just so beautifully written. I tend to skim descriptions normally but you'd ruin the book if you didn't relish every word for this one.
ReplyDeleteThe Night Circus had me engrossed in the story and characters, and especially the setting. I read it slowly, not because I was disinterested, but because I did not want it to end. I savored every word, and would recommend it to anyone, particularly those who find appealing the idea of crawling into this dream of a circus for a little while.
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