Urban Fantasy

The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Average Rating: 3.5 / 5

Yesterday there was an empty field. Today there is Le Cirque des Rêves. It is simply there, without warning; an elegant circus that houses marvels that can only be described as impossible. Open only after nightfall, the circus will soon disappear, leaving no clues as to where it’s gone. 

But the incredible attractions are more than tricks with mirrors and lights. And the nocturnal circus is an arena to more than acrobats and fortune tellers. There is a magical competition waging behind the black-and-white facade between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who are pitted against each other by their capricious benefactors in a game where only one can survive. 

Against all odds – and against wisdom – Celia and Marco grow to love each other, despite being magically bound to continue the game to completion. They can’t escape the game’s conclusion. What will happen to the magic of the circus and all of the gifted performers who call Le Cirque des Rêves their home? And who, if anyone, will win?

Corinna : 4/5

I enjoyed this book the first time I read it. The second time, I read it with more of an analytical point of view. Morgenstern has a great ability to paint a beautiful picture, and is really imaginative. The mystery of the Night Circus is intriguing and exciting. The headings with dates were very important to pay attention to, otherwise the story could get very confusing. She paints such a beautiful scene with various tents in the circus, and strives to play with all of your senses. She does this very well. I loved the tragic doomed love story, but wanted more insight into how it all worked. This lack of behind the scenes information may have been intentional, as a way to make you linger in the wonder of Le Cirque des Reves, but I wanted to know the how and the why! Definitely an interesting read and different than anything I had read before. Worth it in my opinion.

Lydia : 2/5

I think I am one of the few people who didn’t love this book. I had to stop and start so many times because I just couldn’t get into it. While the words that were written were beautiful, they were missing some depth for me. I didn’t find that it had a good flow with the style of writing. The best word to describe how I felt about this book is bored – if you like a lot of descriptions and a slow build of a story then you might like this book, but for those that want something a bit more fast paced and exciting, you may also find this book a bit boring.

Megan : 5/5

I enjoyed this book from the moment I first read it and to this day still call it one of my favourites. I have to admit, however, that the first time I read it, the format took a bit of getting used to and I didn’t pay close enough attention to the dates at the start of each chapter. If you don’t pay attention to the dates, the book will be all the more confusing.

This is not a fast-paced novel and the jumping back and forth in time to seemingly unrelated characters feels strange, but I loved how everything slowly came together and the connections between characters became more apparent. Part of what I love about this book is that it’s visually stunning (I know, strange way to describe a book). Morgenstern takes you out of the competition and tours you through the circus. I can smell the cinnamon and caramel and have no trouble envisioning the various tents. Every time I read this book, I have a longing to go to Le Cirque des Reves and get lost in the Cloud Maze. If you love whimsical fantasy, then this book is for you. 

Sharaya : 3/5

 PSA: Pay attention to the dates!! 

It seems like everyone is always raving about this book, but it definitely did not reach out and grab me. It took a while to get into the story, I think mostly because of the writing style. The author seems to hold the characters at a distance. You observe the actions, but not the internal dialogue. I never felt like I really got to know the characters. The imagery and language was beautiful, and while I did enjoy this book, I found the vagueness irritating. World building is very important to me, and so I found the lack of magical rules frustrating. How does the magic work? What is the cost of magic? The limits? However, I do think that this would make a stunning movie, and that the writing style would lend itself well to a visual interpretation. 

To access a printable list of 10 book club questions, please click here.