The Magic Of The Night Circus
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The Night Circus begins with anticipation. In fact, that is the title of the chapter. Anticipation. Anticipation for what awaits after the sentence begins.
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.
“With your ticket in hand, you follow a continuous line of patrons into the circus, watching the rhythmic motion of the black and white clock as you wait. Beyond the ticket booth, the only way forward is through a heavy striped curtain. One by one each person passes through it vanishing from sight.”
In The Night Circus, there are towering tents that are textured canvas striped in black and white. Simple no color at all, except for the surrounding landscape. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
Within the very flaps of those tents, there is a battle underway. A duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco. Celia was chosen at six —if you can say being given to her father as being chosen. Marco was selected from an orphanage in childhood for the purpose of the game. They participate in this match without knowing the stakes in which the contest is being played. And, in this tournament, yes, the circus is the stage but it is a playoff of imagination and will, and only one can be left standing.
In spite of themselves, Marco and Celia fall madly in love— no matter how hard they try to stay away from one another. It is a love that is so deep that it is felt in the very energy in the room. Making the lights flicker and the room grow excruciatingly hot whenever they even so much as brush hands.
Despite their attraction to one another, the game must press on, as the fates of everyone involved in the circus hang in the balance. They must find a caretaker to hold it all together so that they can let it all go.
Thoughts on The Night Circus ?
For the longest time, this book sat on its designated Erin Morgenstern shelf — Erin has a shelf for every book, she is my favorite author, okay! I was scared to read this. What if I didn’t like it? But all that was for not because if I could give this a million stars ?I could.
The Night Circus is a very different kind of fantasy book, especially from the ones that I have been reading lately. While there is magic. There aren’t any fae, no princes, and the princess saves herself (she’s not really a princess but you get the point ?). Set in the real world, and written in the present tense, the story has a Victorian, reminiscent dear reader feel, that makes the magical world all the more immersive.
The story is incredibly gentle. Creating soft mystical moments, with almost no violence at all. A lot of time is spent describing the enchantments and illusions that both Marco and Celia create. From the carousel of creatures, Celia charms to the cauldron that Marco spellbinds each detail is recounted extensively.
The Night Circus fits squarely into the Adult genre, and with that, the plot and writing come off as slower-paced. I personally do not enjoy slow-paced books but for this book in particular I did not mind. Due to Morgenstern’s writing being absolutely top-tier. The storyline of The Night Circus kept me engaged. The prose is so sparkly and purple, that you can’t help but be enraptured and entranced.
There’s definitely more to have to say on The Night Circus
There were many characters with POV. And the chapters time-jumped a lot. Foreshadowing parts, that I didn’t see as important at the time they took place but strung along so perfectly once connected. Unpopular opinion I loved trying to figure things out. Piecing together how all the characters fit into each other’s lives. It was one of the best things about reading this story!
More than anything this is a game of imagination and stamina. At the very core of the story is the circus and although it can be seen as not a circus at all but something more — left entirely up to the interpretation of the reader. For Celia and Marco, this is a battle to the very end. A battle to the death of one or the other, at the hands of their instructors. A battle of will. The challenge isn’t the kind that is typical, in fact for the majority of the book Celia and Marco don’t even know the stakes of the challenge, or even why there’s even a challenge in the first place—short answer ?measuring contest.
There is less magic in the world today. Magic is secret and secrets are magic, after all, and years upon years of teaching and sharing magic and worse. Writing it down in fancy books that get all dusty with age has lessened it, removed its power bit by bit.
The characters and the character development was *chef’s kiss*. They are complex and intricate and full of depth. Watching Celia grow from a shy timid young girl into a strong independent woman standing up to her “father” and I use that term loosely because Hector is a terrible father. 1. he chooses her for this challenge knowing what the end result is risking her life and 2. he is constantly telling her what a disappointment she is, but I digress, was wonderful to see. Tsukiko was such as surprising and shocking character, I wasn’t expecting to receive the range from her either.
The one thing I wanted more of was the culmination of Marco and Celia. Even if it was just glimpses into their romance. I loved their partnering on the circus. The Wishing Tree, The Ice Garden. The way that he purposefully created these tents with her in mind. Doing it to make her happy. To see their budding romance touched my heart. And, while I know this isn’t a romance type of fantasy novel, I loved to see their developing love.
One of my favorite parts:
“They stand entwined but not touching, their heads tilted toward each other. Lips frozen in the moment before (or after) the kiss.”
Though you watch them for some time they do not move. No stirring of fingertips or eyelashes. No indication that they are even breathing.
“They cannot be real,” someone nearby remarks.
Many patrons only glance at them before moving on, but the longer you watch, the more you can detect the subtlest of motions. The change in the curve of a hand as it hovers near an arm. The shifting angle of a perfectly balanced leg. Each of them always gravitating toward the other.
Yet still, they do not touch.”
Overall, this book was SO good, I was at a loss for words. It was so detailed as I read about a circus that I wanted to be there. Just to experience an ounce of it. I felt a part of the book and did not it to end. This story was a super unique story and goes down in history as a favorite of all time, right next to The Starless Sea.
Have you read The Night Circus? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!
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