The Night Circus

May 11, 2012 Lucy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, fantasy, gloomy, how-did-this-get-published, oh-the-hype, so-very-awful, wasn-t-for-me, story-what-story

Contains some minor spoilers.

I disliked this book, which means I ought to rate it one star, but it is not as awful as my one star shelf. One star books have to really repulse me to get that rating. The only redeeming thing about The Night Circus is that I didn't feel the one star compulsion to start a bonfire so I could properly dispose of it, hence two stars, but in this case it does not mean I enjoyed the book at all.

From the Goodreads summary: "But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is u...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

As a young girl, Celia Bowen is delivered to the father she never knew, a world famous magician whose secret is that his show is genuine magic - not illusions. He teaches Celia to manipulate the world in the same way so that she can compete in a high-stakes game against Marco, an orphan similarly trained by her father's nemesis. The arena for this game is an elaborate, surreal circus. Neither Celia nor Marco knows the extent of the game, nor their opponent, until they have fallen in love with ea...more As a young girl, Celia Bowen is delivered to the father she never knew, a world famous magician whose secret is that his show is genuine magic - not illusions. He teaches Celia to manipulate the world in the same way so that she can compete in a high-stakes game against Marco, an orphan similarly trained by her father's nemesis. The arena for this game is an elaborate, surreal circus. Neither Celia nor Marco knows the extent of the game, nor their opponent, until they have fallen in love with each other.

I am going to blow the mind of everyone who gave this book five stars. My biggest problem with it was how badly Erin Morgenstern broken the cardinal rule of creative writing: show, don't tell.

I will 100% agree that Morgenstern did an incredible job describing the wonder and magic of the circus. Her elaborate descriptions of magical tents and off-beat performers initially drew me in, though I worried about how long-winded and verbose some of her descriptions could be. Morgenstern's problem is that the plot and character development takes places mostly through dialogue and not action. Most of the significant plot twists were revealed by one character telling another, which took most of the suspense out of the story. I had the same problem with the character development. There was practically no exposition to give insight into these characters, no sense that they acted with reason beyond the need to make the story do what Morgenstern wanted. They didn't feel real.

And the love story? Please. Dear Ms. Morgenstern: I do not believe two characters are in love simply because they say they are. They should act as though they are falling in love. Celia and Marco declare intense feelings for each other the first time they meet one another. The result is a juvenile, melodramatic, and inauthentic "romance" that I couldn't bring myself to care about. It's just like my friend's fourteen year old sister who declares her world-ending love for a different boy each week: "This one's different. It's real. I swear."

Similarly, it bothered me that the high-stakes battle unfolded in the form of Celia and Marco conjuring magical tents for each other...from afar. She did it from the center of the circus, where she was one of its main attractions, and he did it from London, where he worked as the assistant of one of the founders. I was expecting a dangerous, breathtaking game of one-upsmanship along the lines of the movie The Prestige. I know that the distance between Celia and Marco was necessitated by Morgenstern's love story, but it hardly made the game feel Life-and-Death. There was no suspense, so urgency, and really no sense of competition at all. Celia and Marco kept being told that they had to be careful and they had to up their game and that the battle would be coming to a head soon....but nothing ever seemed to come of these warnings. I never once worried that one of them was in danger.

I would give Morgenstern four stars for imagination and creativity, but her execution falls flat. If you want to read this solely for the descriptions of the circus and the magic, I'm sure you will enjoy this book a lot. If you're looking for a well-told story, look elsewhere. (less)

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Mar 22, 2012 karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

shrug. yeah, i had a good time reading this book. i got really swept away in its atmosphere, and it didn't disappoint me because i didn't go into it thinking it was going to be a masterwork of literature, explaining the human condition and changing the way i saw myself and my relationships in the future. it presented itself as a fantasy novel about a magical victorian circus and that's exactly what it gave me.

i think it is most successful in terms of its mood and its atmosphere. this is not a n...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Rane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: true-gem-keepers, cozies-mystery-suspense, fantasy

I remember when I was a kid, my Dad took me to the Circus, a small traveling circus with a few shows and a fewer animals, a circus that was rare even then and not heard of now of days. I remember holding my Dad's hand as we walked through the huge big top tent and feeling something magical and rare falling over me.
One show that I can clearly remember even years after is of a young woman, a Aerial silk performer as she made the silk fabric dance for her with ease and grace as it wrapped itself...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-the-hype, 2011

The Night Circus will be a 5-star book for a certain reader. This reader likes a lot of descriptions, doesn't mind a very slow story and has a soft spot for circuses. I am not that reader. I prefer imagery to complement a plot rather than substitute it.

The plot summary of The Night Circus promised many enticing things, but delivered, in my opinion, only on one - lush imagery of a mysterious circus that was a collaborative creation of two rivaling magicians. The book was good 80% description of v...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magical-realism, fantasy, favorites, my-library

Sometimes I want chocolate. And sometimes I want the chocolate experience. I'm as guilty as the next person of the occasional vending machine pick-up for when I need those quick fixes. But then there's the slow anticipation. Take last week, for instance. It had been a few days since the last time. As I waited in line for my latte, my eyes happened to linger on a cute little cupcake, dark velvety goodness. Short, stacked, with a swirl of fluffy milk chocolate frosting. I resisted temptation, but...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who needs magic in their world

Rating: 6* of five

Sometimes, some books just don't lend themselves to an analytical, opinionated review. I'm reluctant to do that kind of review here and now because the experience of reading The Night Circus was like smelling a magnolia blossom...perfect, sweet, rich, satisfying a need I didn't know I had until it was met...but to examine it, to handle it, even gently, risks that somehow the magical smooth gorgeously textured vessel of chastely erotic pleasure that this book is will let it begi...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Cedan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fluff

This book had so much potential.

The world that Morgenstern created is so exquisite that it should have been easy for her to spin a good story. The Night Circus could have been a story of intrigue and manipulation. It could have been a heartfelt romance. If Moregenstern wanted to, The Night Circus could even have been a coming of age story with a thoughtful message about growing up and the choices we make.

Instead, the final product is a badly written soap opera. The main characters, Marco and C...more This book had so much potential.

The world that Morgenstern created is so exquisite that it should have been easy for her to spin a good story. The Night Circus could have been a story of intrigue and manipulation. It could have been a heartfelt romance. If Moregenstern wanted to, The Night Circus could even have been a coming of age story with a thoughtful message about growing up and the choices we make.

Instead, the final product is a badly written soap opera. The main characters, Marco and Celia, were very hard to like. They were supposed to be adults, but I personally felt as if they had the emotional maturity of pre-teens. For example, after one of Celia's friends dies, she goes to Marco for comfort. While crying in his chest, Celia says that this character had often written letters to her. This is what Marco says: "I would have written to you as well if I could. A sea of ink is not sufficient to describe my feelings for you." This then turns into an entire conversation where they sap about how much they love each other. Mind you, the friend had been dead for less than a few hours. That's alright though, his death was clearly not as important as their love.

Speaking of their love, it was melodramatic and unrealistic. Marco is enchanted with how beautiful Celia is. Celia plays hard to get, but after one evening in which they have a stale, uninteresting conversation, they are suddenly madly in love. In one scene, Marco held Celia's hand, and the mere touch of his skin on hers had her gasping for breath. Honestly? In another, he grabs her and kisses her in front of a ballroom, and the chandeliers tremble. Every interaction basically involves them either being used a plot vehicles to explain things to the reader, or was an excuse for them to state their love. Over and over and over again. Each time in a more melodramatic way than the last. Never mind that nothing happens for them that actually would cause them to fall in love. Finally, just to drive my point home, here is an actual line from Marco: "I would rather die by her side than live without her!"

Ug.

Even when their interactions could have been meaningful, one or the other finds a way to devalue the entire scene. At one point in the book, Celia is complaining about the emotional toll that this competition is having on her. Marco offers to go to his mentor and have Celia declared a winner. Hey! Problem solved! (Well, not really, but neither of the characters know that yet)What does Celia do when she is given an answer to every one of her problems? She decides that it is much too tiring to talk about. So instead making an honest effort to figure out their problems together, she enchants him so that he can't speak, complains more about the emotional toll that this competition is having on her, and then has emotional sex with him.

It was such a pity that Morgenstern chose such god awful characters to be the focus of the book. She had so many characters at her disposal who were much more likable and three dimensional. I would have loved the book if it had been about Chandresh and his pride, and how Marco and A.H manipulated that to their ends. Or if it had focused on Prospero and Mr. A.H as they dueled with their ideologies. Though the Burgess sisters were minor characters, their slow realization that something wasn't right with the circus could have made for an interesting main plot. Even if the story was about Bailey, it could have been sweet and adorable. Out of all the potential characters and stories she had, Morgenstern chose the worst, and magnified them up to 1000.

Besides the characters, this reader also had problems with the plot, namely that fact it was vague and riddled with loopholes. The reader is never quite shown how the magic in the book works, or even how the competition itself works. Without this understanding, it was hard to know why Celia and Marco did what they did, because there were a million other things that they could have done that would have made more sense. Lucy's review provides one glaring example. In addition, the plot itself moves dreadfully slow. It takes 16 years for something to actually happen, and Morgenstern tries to distract the reader from that by filling the pages with pretty imagery and tone.

In short, what could have been a fantastic story was ruined by lazy plotting and dreadful characters. Morgenstern should consider a career in art directing-she can create beautiful images and obviously has a vivid imagination, but she cannot create any substance behind her images.(less)

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Dec 26, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Night Circus reminds me of a wedding cake: breath-takingly beautiful and intricate, with an infinite amount of attention paid to every detail. And, while you'll do the polite thing and talk about how delicious it was, in your heart-of-hearts you know that the simple homemade cake you've got waiting for you at home is infinitely better. Because a wedding cake isn't really about taste at all; it's all about flash, panache, and aesthetics. As your fork breaks through all the magic of sculpted i...more The Night Circus reminds me of a wedding cake: breath-takingly beautiful and intricate, with an infinite amount of attention paid to every detail. And, while you'll do the polite thing and talk about how delicious it was, in your heart-of-hearts you know that the simple homemade cake you've got waiting for you at home is infinitely better. Because a wedding cake isn't really about taste at all; it's all about flash, panache, and aesthetics. As your fork breaks through all the magic of sculpted icing, what you often find is that it lacks flavor and texture. All the effort went into the external and not the internal. That's how I feel about The Night Circus. It is unquestionably beautiful in its descriptions of the enchanting black and white Circus of Dreams and connects with you on the level of a child's awe and wonderment with encountering a world where the possibility of magic is confirmed, but in the final analysis what is missing is a story full of conflict, tension, and developed characters. It's certainly pretty to look at, but didn't resonate with me.

The beginning of the book is filled with promise. Celia Bowen is delivered to her father, Prospero the Enchanter, after her mother commits suicide. Prospero is initially disinterested in the daughter he never knew nor wanted, but becomes intrigued when her anger manifests itself in the movement and breaking of objects in the room around her. Like her father, Celia has a gift for magic--a gift that her father uses to make a living as an illusionist, knowing that his audiences will never suspect what they witness on stage is real and not just sleight of hand. After training Celia to control her powers, Prospero contacts the mysterious Alexander, another true magician, and the two make a wager. Prospero will pit his daughter against an opponent of Alexander's choosing in a challenge that is never clearly defined to the reader. Alexander accepts and promptly plucks Marco, a boy with a love of reading, from a nearby orphanage and begins training him.

{a few spoilers ahead; those still interested in reading the book may want to stop here}

It's at this point that the book has a lot of promise and I'm actually getting excited about the challenge to come. And this is where problems start to surface. Several chapters segue into peripheral storylines not really deserving of exploration as they take the tension out of the challenge between the two magicians. But that's okay, because there's not a lot of tension there to begin with. Celia and Marco are trained for a challenge that's never defined for them. They don't know how the game is played (nor why) and they don't know who their opponent is. Hell, they don't even know what the challenge is until they've unknowingly been involved in it for a while. This is problematic because Celia and Marco have no reason to be invested in the challenge and neither does the reader as we, too, are kept in the dark in regard to all of these matters. It turns out that the challenge is the circus itself, designed specifically as a battleground for the two magicians and the challenge is basically to create additional tents of merriment and delight. That's it. No showdowns, no dramatic monologues, no tension, no pounding of wizard staffs, no ruthlessly executed tactical maneuvers. It's just "I think I'll make a pretty, pretty Ice Garden" followed by "Oh, he made a pretty, pretty ice garden. I think I'll make a really nifty wishing tree" and on and on it goes, where it stops nobody knows . . . or cares. To completely suck any tension out of this scenario, the two fall in love, which only heightens their disinterest in playing out the game. Their moves and countermoves actually become hidden messages to one another, tributes to the love that will never be.

All of this is not to say that I hated the book. I liked it and I could certainly appreciate the beauty of the descriptions. Some have compared it to Neil Gaiman, which I disagree with as Gaiman would have infused the story with sinister undertones, clever word play and verbal sleight of hand to catch the reader off-guard, and more of a gothic feel. What the book really needs are two magicians who know exactly who they are fighting and why they are fighting--and both of whom desperately want to win. Without that, it's just a tower of lovely icing that leaves you hungry for more than sugar and beauty in the end.

Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder (less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Nemo (the Moonlight Library) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, stand-alone, manners-and-sensibility-thank-you, 2012-read, publisher-6-random-house

See this review and more on The Moonlight Library!

Gah! What a supremely boring book.

The prose is near perfect, and the descriptions are the best I’ve ever read. But good writing and beautiful descriptions does not a good book make!

This book was boring. I was promised a deadly duel to the death between two star-crossed magic-making lovers, trained since childhood to… destroy each other, perhaps. Instead I was delivered a slow-burn of somewhat related skits interspersed with pretty good second-per...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Meg ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, favs, z-2012-reads

This book was...in a word...amazing! I wish it didn't have to end.

Celia and Marco are two young magicians who were chosen to take part in a competition by her father and his trainer. They don't know each other as they grow up, but they know that they are training for this competition. They also don't know much about the competition at all, they just train on and do what they're told. As they grow up they learn more each day, and meet each other while working at the circus which is the venue for...more
This book was...in a word...amazing! I wish it didn't have to end.

Celia and Marco are two young magicians who were chosen to take part in a competition by her father and his trainer. They don't know each other as they grow up, but they know that they are training for this competition. They also don't know much about the competition at all, they just train on and do what they're told. As they grow up they learn more each day, and meet each other while working at the circus which is the venue for the competition.

Let me start this off by saying that although I really enjoyed this book I could also see many people hating it. It all depends on what you like as far as writing style. I don't usually love flowery prose, but I'd say I have a high tolerance for it. I usually love a very quick fast paced plot, and this book didn't offer that. With this book the plot moved pretty slowly and it was full of descriptions. Morgernstern created a world that I truly wished I could have visited. She describes her world so well you will feel you have been transported there.

As far as the "fierce competition" that was promised in the synopsis I never really felt that. I thought, in general, the parts revolving around the competition were lacking excitement and the end of that was a bit anti-climactic. I can't complain, though, because as a writer I feel she did her job. She had me guessing, imagining, and wondering throughout the whole book what exactly this game was about. She has me wondering how it would end, how it tied into the circus, and why we should care about this young random boy named Bailey. (I loved Bailey, by the way!)

As far as the romance is concerned the author did it right. Some people may like the insta-love-at-first-sight kinda thing that is so popular in recent YA novels, but for me she did romance perfectly. I feel like the love at the end is so much sweeter if the story takes the time to build up to it. It also feels so much more realistic. Just knowing that since these two were 6 and 9 years old they were bonded and going to end up in love made the anticipation for that happening very great in my mind.

For a debut novel I think this book was very impressive. I will say that it's not for everyone, though. Morgenstern's beautiful writing could have went on for another 100 or so pages and I would have loved reading every bit. This is the first book I loved, despite the fact that I wasn't in to the plot or characters too much.

I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a thorough, well thought out fantasy. Those of you who can appreciate a great build-up will probably enjoy this as well. Reviews for this book are very mixed based on personal taste so I'm sure you can tell on your own if this book will be for you. Being a usually impatient reader I expected to join the masses claiming this book was too slow or boring, but I was pleasantly surprised.(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Becky rated it 1 of 5 stars

Recommended to Becky by: Barb

Shelves: real-life-bookclub, fantasy, 2013, disappointing, made-my-eyes-bleed, multi-dimensional, audiobook, reviewed, romance, challenge-1010, challenge-insanity

I never expected to like this book. Just from the title I knew it wasn't for me, but so many people spoke highly of the book, so I read some reviews... And my opinion remained the same. This wasn't for me. Nothing about it appealed to me, and so I had no interest in ever reading it. But, it was chosen for my bookclub, and so I read it. Technically. And now I am going to rant about why I wish I hadn't. In detail, which means there's gonna be spoilery stuff, probably.

Here we go:

I don't like readi...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Cait rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aw hell, I'm going to rate this 4.5 stars. I can't resist this book was so freaking good. I don't normally change my ratings, so don't expect this TOO often.

My feelings are so conflicted about this book. I don't know whether to immortalize it for all eternity in a frame on my wall, or throw it into the fire.

So, how the hell am I supposed to rate this book? A million stars, one star, 837 stars, what? In the end I did some crazy, overly complicated math that really makes so sense in my head, an...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Surin rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who likes Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell, The Prestige, circuses, magic in the real world.

Edit: Okay I've re-read The Night Circus recently and was absolutely blown away again. I know in my review I initially gave it a 4 stars because of the lack lustre ending, the poor world building and the illogical plot points but the journey The Night Circus took me on was so intriguing and beautiful that all this didn't really matter to me at all.

On a 2nd read, The Night Circus really comes to life as it shines like a beacon in the night sky. There's so much detail that I got to appreciate on...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Teresa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"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."

So our story begins – the circus just appearing out of the ether as did my advance review copy of this debut novel, much to my delight. The UK edition looks stunning with black edged paper and end papers illustrated with a pattern of bowlers and top hats. This is a feast for the eyes w...more "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."

So our story begins – the circus just appearing out of the ether as did my advance review copy of this debut novel, much to my delight. The UK edition looks stunning with black edged paper and end papers illustrated with a pattern of bowlers and top hats. This is a feast for the eyes which is perhaps not surprising as the author is an artist but will the inside match the luxurious facade?

This is an odd review for me as, amid all my oohing and ahhing, I was all too aware of how some of my bookish friends would absolutely hate this book and would be cringing from the opening pages. So, best to get that elephant out of the room before I go any further! If you don’t like magical realism, if you’re not a fan of meandering narratives, if you prefer action, if you don’t like novels written in the present tense, if you don’t like fantasy then there’s nothing for you here. However, if, like me, you do like a bit of escapism, you like to slip into another world, if you enjoy visual stimulation, then step right up!

The story is perhaps the least important element of The Night Circus, that role being reserved for the circus itself but yes, there is an underlying narrative, the story of two gifted young illusionists, Celia and Marco, being pitted against each other in a lengthy battle the rules of which are vague. Le Cirque de Reves (the Circus of Dreams) is the battlefield and it soon attracts a faithful following of “reveurs” (dreamers) who follow its progress from town to town, continent to continent by means of a shadowy underground movement. There is a secondary storyline involving Bailey, a country boy who becomes linked to the circus and will have a key role in future events. There is a varied cast of weird and wonderful characters, including Celia’s villainous father, Hector, his rival, Alexander, the man in the great suit as well as the supporting cast who keep the circus going. These are not characters you expect to empathise with, this is a show after all and they are there to entertain you just as the various tents house a myriad of visually stunning scenes, the Ice Garden, the Cloud Maze, the Labyrinth etc.

Some have compared The Night Circus with Audrey Niffenegger and yes, I can see slight similarities given that both authors are visual artists. Others mention Alice Hoffman and yes, I can see some elements in common but Erin Morgenstern has created a unique world with the Cirque de Reves and for those who are on the right wavelength she has provided a pathway to a singularly enchanting universe, one in which my inner child revelled. Highly recommended for all “reveurs”/dreamers.

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Dec 15, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who enjoys slow, thoughtful books that are best described as "layered creations"

Recommended to Jillian -always aspiring- by: TheDuchess

Shelves: covers-i-love, recommended-to-me, titles-i-love, 2011-reads, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, writing-to-which-i-aspire, prose-envy, could-have-been-better, made-me-cry, left-me-with-mixed-feelings, should-have-loved-it-but-didn-t, reviewed

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

Erin Morgenstern's debut novel, The Night Circus, is a book bound to divide book lovers into the "loved it" and "hated it" categories. Some people will adore the prose; others will despise it for being flowery and excessive. Some readers will hate the false promises the blurb on the jacket copy offers; others will still find something magical to love and admire in this novel despite the deception within the blurb. As for me, I was divided in my opinions. I mean, I reall...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, fantasy

The Night Circus is like cake. Cake without frosting. Sure, cake is good, some people will even prefer dry, plain cake all by itself, but others, such as myself, need the sugary sweetness of frosting. Some may prefer the milder whip frosting. Or maybe even caramel or candy to put the final touches on our taste buds. Either way, plain cake, no matter how moist, is not for everyone.

Yes, the writing is beautiful. Beyond beautiful. It's magnificent and breathtaking; the detailed scenery, the magic,...more The Night Circus is like cake. Cake without frosting. Sure, cake is good, some people will even prefer dry, plain cake all by itself, but others, such as myself, need the sugary sweetness of frosting. Some may prefer the milder whip frosting. Or maybe even caramel or candy to put the final touches on our taste buds. Either way, plain cake, no matter how moist, is not for everyone.

Yes, the writing is beautiful. Beyond beautiful. It's magnificent and breathtaking; the detailed scenery, the magic, the multitude of formidable descriptions of each tent inside this circus is all absolutely stunning. Furthermore, the approach taken to tell the story is excellent. We've got the journey in past and present, walking alongside the characters their whole lives, in addition, we get our very own walk inside this resplendent circus which adds a truly delightful touch to the story. Unfortunately, this is the only aspect of the book I enjoyed: The writing.

While I appreciate more literary books, -- a lot of my favorites are slow paced, extremely well-read books that managed to not only tell me a story, but actually make me live it -- The Night Circus' strongly lethargic plot fails to let it radiate life within its beauty. Filling a book with pizzazz is simply not enough for me. I need a compelling storyline, I need fabulous characters. This is where I was left highly underwhelmed. The "competition" we constantly hear of is kept very vague, not really letting us in which only left me confused as to the point of the plot, not to mention let down by the absence of its "fierceness" that the blurb promises. Knowing that sometimes all I need is a little patience to eventually get blown away, I kept my hopes up and didn't give up. I was slightly more satisfied at the end, very slightly, though I was expecting much more out of this highly praised novel. If you want to read a book to simply enjoy its outward extravagance, I can see you loving it. However, expect over 500 pages of nothing more.

Strong characters can make a world of difference in books such as this. Characters I would have grown to love, to adore. Characters that would have made an impression on me emotionally. A deep investment in such characters could have made this an instant favorite. Instead what I got were colorless characters with weak personalities that I could not have been less concerned about. Maybe I was distracted by the glamor (catch-22?), maybe it was all the back and forth; whatever the reason, these characters remained characters to me. I never got to know them. I never got to feel their presence, their soul, inside this tale. Where it should have been filled with passion and devotion, sometimes misery, this was only communicated with sentences, not with the actual emotions I was expected to garner. The only character I was mildly interested in was Bailey and his parts, though not insignificant, are far and few.

Your enjoyment of this book will seriously depend on what you're looking for. It's an exquisitely well-written book full of riches and gorgeous descriptions. If this is enough to lure you in and enchant you - I assure you you will be blown away. If an engaging plot and great characterization are also essential for you to have a great reading experience, you won't find it here. Ultimately, you'll either love it, or you won't.

Me, I need my frosting.

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Jul 25, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, for-review, historical-fiction

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is an ambitious debut set at the turn of the 19th century that provides a feast for the senses. Immersive passages told in present tense describe the wonders and sights of The Night Circus, open only from dusk until dawn and completely themed in black and white. Erin Morgenstern’s circus is more than an ordinary circus, there are no sketchy carnies here, instead it is classy like Cirque Du Soleil. The venue serves as a chessboard for a magical competition bet...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Jeanette rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: get-to-the-point-already, ripe-for-abridgment, did-not-work-for-me

I just can't stay with this. It's tedious and overwritten, pretentious and full of endless descriptions. Way over-hyped. I think the plot idea had promise, but its execution needs a buzz cut. Or maybe even a vasectomy. With a weed-whacker.

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Oct 18, 2012 Kaycie Hall rated it 5 of 5 stars

I honestly did not want this book to end. The Night Circus is the most whimsical, magical place I've ever discovered (even more so than Hogwarts), and I wish with all of my heart that it was real. I mean, I'd run away from home and join my life with a magical black and white circus that contains rooms of dreams, illusions, and cloud mazes. Wouldn't you?

Perhaps not the most highly literary book I've read this year, but I don't care. Honestly even if this book had no plot (it does have one, no wor...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Annalisa rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: some language, vague sexual content

Shelves: fantasy, literary

2.5 stars

I wish I'd been able to review this when I finished it. My impressions aren't crystal clear anymore, but I've also had more time to digest my overall feel, so I'm arranging this review by bullet points.

-Setting: I'm not a circus fan, but I thought the night circus was a fun idea. The black-and-white tents, the midnight dinners, the carnival food, the clock. Although Morgenstern faulted on the side of too much description, she did set a mystical ambiance that gives the book a certain cha...more 2.5 stars

I wish I'd been able to review this when I finished it. My impressions aren't crystal clear anymore, but I've also had more time to digest my overall feel, so I'm arranging this review by bullet points.

-Setting: I'm not a circus fan, but I thought the night circus was a fun idea. The black-and-white tents, the midnight dinners, the carnival food, the clock. Although Morgenstern faulted on the side of too much description, she did set a mystical ambiance that gives the book a certain charm. (I can visualize book clubs having fun with their own Night Circus nights.) Having said that, I struggled with it. The promise of a magical battle barely strung me along through the first half of the novel without moving forward enough. The book was all over the place and there wasn't enough going on for me to be drawn into it as I would have liked. It felt like the point of the book was more about marketing a black and white circus than the story.

-Mixing Narrative Voices & Non-sequential Storytelling: Not a fan. I get that Morgenstern wanted the circus to come alive for us with the second person, but anytime an author dictates what I do or feel, I stubbornly resist. I skimmed most of the second-person sections. At least they were short. The non-sequential storytelling felt too scattered for me. By the climax, I didn't mind the story jumping back and forth-- although I didn't think there was enough explanation why the parallel climaxes took place a whole year apart--but a lot of the book I didn't pay attention to the dates at the top of the chapters and had trouble piecing it all together and understanding why it was told that way. If she wasn't going to use a linear storyline, I would have liked more of grasp of the passing of time from one chapter to the next, an effect that this was different from then and how the scenes affected each other.

-Magical Competition: I loved the idea, and while I can see why the conclusion could be disappointing for some readers, I actually enjoyed Morgenstern's solution to the unsolvable problem. However, I felt like the showdown was a lot more promise of what was to come and then skimming through years of what could have been some powerful and beautiful displays of magic, so that the conclusion wasn't as powerful as it could have been. For all that description Morgenstern spent setting up the circus, when it came to how the magicians battled each other, I found a lot lacking. In fact, I found a lot of key points in the novel lacking in adequate description. Which brings me to my next point.

-Mystery: In beginning there was enough draw in the mystery to pique my interest and in the end there was too much mystery to satisfy me. I can understand trying to keep people in suspense, but in the climax when Morgenstern was still keeping readers in the dark, I got frustrated. All those little questions she planted in my mind started to pile up and not all of them were adequately explained. The more pressing items were answered to my satisfaction and everything wrapped up beautifully, but I still had these nagging questions when I closed the book.

-Romance: This was my biggest disappointment. I liked what Morgenstern was going for, but there was no chemistry, no growth, no passion between the lovers to pull off a powerful and beautiful resolution. I also never felt the danger or anxiety for them that I should have. Often I was more interested in Bailey's story than Marco or Celia's. Morgenstern should have saved some of that description of the carnival for its participants' plight. Instead, the circus became the main character of the book. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but where the romance is so pivotal to the story and showdown, a better executed one could have turned this 2-star-shifting-toward-3 book into a 4-star one for me.

Morgenstern can be eloquent and beautiful and I would read her again. This was a rather ambitious novel that didn't reach its potential, but still rather accomplished for a first novel.(less)

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Caroline I am deeply disappointed for what this book could have been. I love a quality romance, and this one sounded like it was one, blended with one of my fa...more
Apr 22, 2013 01:42pm

Annalisa I reserve my 1-star shelf for books I truly hate and even though it dragged (I returned it to the library twice before I finished it), I didn't hate i...more
updated Apr 22, 2013 02:25pm

Aug 14, 2012 Katrina Passick Lumsden rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pleasantly-surprised

If I had to describe this book in one word, that word would probably be...wondrous. This story made me want to smile, frown, laugh, and curl up into a ball and cry. Try to imagine someone taking Carnivale, Somewhere in Time, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Prestige and mashing them all together into a poetic, stunning piece of fiction with a beautifully melancholic, bittersweet ending. It made me crave magical autumn nights spent in a circus that defies the conventional laws of the univ...more If I had to describe this book in one word, that word would probably be...wondrous. This story made me want to smile, frown, laugh, and curl up into a ball and cry. Try to imagine someone taking Carnivale, Somewhere in Time, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Prestige and mashing them all together into a poetic, stunning piece of fiction with a beautifully melancholic, bittersweet ending. It made me crave magical autumn nights spent in a circus that defies the conventional laws of the universe, and somehow made me nostalgic for something I've never actually experienced. The imagery alone deserves the highest praise, and it is complemented by a powerfully poignant tale of love and grief, desire and loss, the magic that is all around us, even if we can't see it. It's not a fast-paced tale, it is meandering, subtle, and completely amazing. This is the kind of story that stays with you well after you've finished reading, a story that makes you gaze into the distance and sigh every time you realize Le Cirque de Reves hasn't materialized in your town overnight.

For some reason, this book reminds me of autumn, my favorite season (perhaps due to the aforementioned similarity to Something Wicked This Way Comes), and I think perhaps it will become a yearly read for me, when I inevitably begin to feel that pull to see orange, smell pumpkin, and hear the dry rustling of dead leaves as they dance down the street.

My favorite part:

"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."

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Sep 12, 2011 Lo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: meh, overrated

This review will not recap the story, but below are my general thoughts on the book.

http://welovedystopianromance.blogspo...

I really, really wanted to like this book. Everyone and every review (okay maybe not every,) but the majority say that this is the best book in forever. I might be in the unpopular opinion here, but I would have wanted someone to tell me that the book's official summary is misleading. I was lead to believe that this was going to be non-stop action book, by this statement:...more This review will not recap the story, but below are my general thoughts on the book.

http://welovedystopianromance.blogspo...

I really, really wanted to like this book. Everyone and every review (okay maybe not every,) but the majority say that this is the best book in forever. I might be in the unpopular opinion here, but I would have wanted someone to tell me that the book's official summary is misleading. I was lead to believe that this was going to be non-stop action book, by this statement: "...a fierce competition is under way-- a dual between two young magicians..." And... It's not.

WHY I READ IT: I was able to win an ARC copy (one that I was extremely excited about), it has more five star reviews than not, rave reviews, and it has a confirmed film deal. (Maybe I shouldn't have know that there was a film deal, because I kept thinking that there was no way for this to be seen on film, and I think w/ the lack of action, it might make people fall asleep.) Overall, the book left me with shrugged shoulders. I wouldn't say I regretted reading it, but I wouldn't necessarily say it was enjoyable either.

WHAT I LIKED: I like the circus setting, the "magic", and at points I was rushing through the pages to see what was happening next. The imagery and details of the circus were beautiful, but there were somethings I just could not visualize. Maybe that's the point?

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The book has time jumps that at first make things very confusing. It also introduces many characters at once. I found myself flipping back to see who they were and in what year I was reading. I understand it's done to hold the reader's interest, but it is mostly distracting. It makes the reader feel distant from the characters, at least that's what it did for me. The characters they introduce are of importance, but I'd rather the story not focus on certain characters to give me more of the characters that mattered to me the most: Celia, Marco, Bailey, Poppet and Widget. Although I cared for these characters, I really felt like I didn't connect as much as I'd like to have or I should have. Also, I like reading books with a great romance aspect, and it was being hyped as this super romantic book, so maybe that was the downfall? I thought this romance would be of EPIC proportions. It was sweet, but it is easily forgettable...just like the entire story. Sorry, I just don't get how this is a five-star book--at all.
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Aug 26, 2011 Katie(babs) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-want-to-have-babies-with-the-book

“The circus arrives without warning.” (This may be the most talked about opening line of any book to be published this year.)

The book this opening statement comes from is called The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and one that amazed me in so many ways. All my emotions were engaged as I read. I was enthralled to the point I wanted to curse Erin because I was utterly obsessed with this fantasy world she has created. Words are poetry where the writer is the artist responsible in creating beauty i...more “The circus arrives without warning.” (This may be the most talked about opening line of any book to be published this year.)

The book this opening statement comes from is called The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and one that amazed me in so many ways. All my emotions were engaged as I read. I was enthralled to the point I wanted to curse Erin because I was utterly obsessed with this fantasy world she has created. Words are poetry where the writer is the artist responsible in creating beauty in every line. Erin Morgenstern has done that here and more so with The Night Circus. It’s a ballet on the pages, an intricate spellbinding tale that will leave you breathless as two people, by no choice of their own, are victims of a game set out by two devious individuals. The prize is not certain or guaranteed. What is certain is there can only be one winner, one left standing, while the other wastes away, overcome with madness for the deceit and manipulation that rules their life until they can’t take it anymore and destroy themselves.

The Night Circus is told in first person present tense starting in the year 1873. We meet Hector Bowen, a showman and a magician known to the public as Prospero the Enchanter. One day he is sent a shocking gift- a five year old daughter, Celia, he never knew about. Celia’s mother has killed herself and now Hector is forced to become Celia’s caregiver. At first he has disdain for Celia, but he soon finds out how special and unique she is. He decides he wants to play a game, a competition. The man in the grey suit, sometimes called Alexander, has also played this game before. He and Hector make some sort of bet. Celia will be involved. Alexander must find her competitor. He decides on an orphan boy named Marco. For years Hector and Alexander teach and test their wards to build up their abilities. As the years go by, Celia and Marco’s lives will become intertwined.

When Marco grows into adulthood he meets a young woman, Isobel who can read tarot cards and begins a romance with her that may help him win the game. He becomes a personal assistant to Chandresh, who is indirectly involved in helping start a circus that will only run from sunset to sunrise, known better as the night circus. And then Celia joins the night circus as an illusionist, much like her father once was, but one with so much more talent. And when Celia and Marco finally meet, it’s as if they’re two sides of a coin, each other’s sun and moon. But they both know that they must play the game until it’s finished and only one of them can be the winner, while the loser will give up everything.

The Night Circus spans thirty years, going back and forth between years as we see Celia and Marco build their craft, as well as pull in those around them who are unwittingly forced to participate in the game. The main question is, who’s pulling the strings, manipulating the events involved? A higher power? Hector and Alexander? What if I told you no one? Everything that happens is a game of chance, a series of events that are like dominoes falling to one another. We follow Celia and Marco as they try to figure out their destinies. These two are just as sly and cunning as their “makers”, but refuse to be pawns. Celia and Marco are unwilling participants who want to escape from the invisible chains binding them, but stay connected to each other. You’ll be on the edge of your seat rooting for these two to find a way out.

The secondary characters are so very rich and flavorful. We have the wonder twins, Widget and Poppet, who are as important to the night circus as Celia and Marco is. There’s Bailey, a seemingly average teenage boy who is just as significant. Tsukiko, the circus’s contortionist, is the voice of reason. Everyone here has a specific role, including the ones I haven't mentioned, but they don’t know what it is or what the finale will be when all is said and done.

The Night Circus is a cross genre fan’s delight. This will appeal not only to the YA crowd, but the romance reader and the literary fiction lover. It’s a supernatural, fantasy extravaganza that had me wanting more. When I read the final page, I hugged the book close. Erin has truly written a masterful tale that may span generation of readers.

This was almost a perfect read for me, but one thing I felt cheapened Celia and Marco’s feelings for one another is the Tsukiko’s explanation on why this duo are so connected to one another and have developed a deep abiding love that transcends the stars. In a way, it seems as if the game has manipulated their feelings as well, which I find to be sad. I would like to think Celia and Marco’s love is the real deal.

This is one a smart read where you have to concentrate and be aware of every move and action, much like a chess game. And when all is said and done, you’ll want to be a part of the night circus and never leave. Erin makes sure to pull readers in and not let go, just like the characters who have live and breathe the night circus and have become its soul.

The Night Circus is a magical, dazzling book filled with such heartbreaking and bittersweet angst that almost bought me to tears. If there is one book you read this year, you must read The Night Circus. I want to have babies with this book and cradle it in my arms.

Thank you Erin, for writing what I believe will someday be called a masterpiece. Bravo!(less)

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Jun 11, 2011 Cameron rated it 5 of 5 stars

THE NIGHT CIRCUS is magical realism at its most fun. The major storyline pits two young magicians (and two schools of thought) in a mysterious battle set in a traveling night circus. The circus is both the main and most interesting character. The secondary story line involves a young boy in Massachusetts who visits the circus and returns as a young man. The tertiary story line involves you, the reader, walking through the circus in the present day.

The structure of the book mimics the circus whe...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: release-in-2011, cover-love, circus, i-own, being-made-into-a-movie, 2011-reads, absolute-favorites, beautiful-writing, best-characters, best-endings, enchanting-reads, love-love-it, original-creative-premise, incredible, i-recommend-it

The Night Circus is a beautiful, transcendent lifelike dream, carefully constructed out of magic and intrigue. The circus is unlike other circus', bringing strange, unique entertainment and illusions, and is, in actuality, the base for a game between a man and woman, trained since children, and pitted against each other by two rivalries. These two opponents have been training for years, with different methods, to win this decades old game that is basically their life. They use the circus as thei...more The Night Circus is a beautiful, transcendent lifelike dream, carefully constructed out of magic and intrigue. The circus is unlike other circus', bringing strange, unique entertainment and illusions, and is, in actuality, the base for a game between a man and woman, trained since children, and pitted against each other by two rivalries. These two opponents have been training for years, with different methods, to win this decades old game that is basically their life. They use the circus as their game board, one moves a piece, and the other retaliates with a piece of their own, shaping the circus into something truly magnificent and awe inspiring. I found the magic and circus life enchanting, with beautiful writing and elegant execution that formed a true work of art.

The writing was one thing that drew me in; that, combined with the vivid descriptions of the circus and the characters and their lives. I delight in a descriptive book done well, and while some will think the pace too slow, or that there is too much description, it was just right to me. I found I was hanging onto every word, seeing the world as if I was actually there. Interspersed through the story, between chapters, there are little excerpts that take you into a few tents in the circus, written as second person so it is as if you are a character in the story, and are seeing the wonders for yourself. I could see and taste and feel everything that Morgenstern wrote.

There are several points of view, but I felt that it was needed. Because it isn’t just Marco and Celia’s story, it was Bailey’s, and Poppet and Widget’s, and the man in the grey suit’s, and Tsukiko’s. It starts telling the beginning of Marco’s and Celia’s lives, going on to building the circus from the seed of an idea, and then we see Bailey, an average boy years later who finds something special in the Night Circus and becomes an integral part of the story. We see the circus through Bailey’s eyes before it has truly formed in Marco and Celia’s lives. It gives a sense of subtle excitement, and a need to know how the circus comes to life, how it becomes the largely successful, mysterious, enchanting wonder, and how Marco and Celia play into it. And then the two stories finally meet, and we see how the puzzle pieces fit together seamlessly, and how the characters fight against the odds to achieve what they believe in.

I was expecting a bigger, shocking conclusion, where the revealing of the story’s end and how it all works together would be surprising, but done amazingly. It wasn’t though. It was executed wonderfully, but it was nothing unexpected and utterly brilliant. But I loved it anyway. It was magical, and intriguing, and perfect, so I wasn’t disappointed at all, and finished the book with satisfaction.

This book was like a breath of fresh air. I loved the originality of it, the strange beauty of this strictly black and white circus that, even void of color no matter where you turn, manages to attract you, to draw you in with words of enchantment, and magic woven into the story. I was enchanted from the beginning, and it lingered long after I turned the last page.

So, enter if you will, a place of wonderment and magic, where dreams become your life, and where life, may just be a dream.
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Dec 22, 2012 Scarlet rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointing, shocking-endings, didnt-quite-get-it, good-starts-gone-wrong, lame-romance, annoying-characters

2.5

I re-read this book recently, since everyone (but me) seems to be gushing about it, and I sincerely hoped that maybe things would seem better the second time around.

It did not work. I’m still deeply conflicted.

My favourite thing about The Night Circus was, without question, the Night Circus itself: Le Cirque des Reves. Everything about the circus was utterly, utterly original, and Erin Morgenstern brought it all to life spectacularly with her prose. The circus embodied magic, it breathed magi...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, this is certainly a book which is not what it seems, much like the story inside it.

One star certainly goes towards the presentation - I bought it purely based on the blurb (an inaccurate one, but still) and the beautiful cover and pages. The front cover on the hardback I bought has a picture of the two main players with a circus tent in the background, all done in black, white and red, the main colours of the circus. The pages have black edges, the hardback itself is red, and the inside o...more Well, this is certainly a book which is not what it seems, much like the story inside it.

One star certainly goes towards the presentation - I bought it purely based on the blurb (an inaccurate one, but still) and the beautiful cover and pages. The front cover on the hardback I bought has a picture of the two main players with a circus tent in the background, all done in black, white and red, the main colours of the circus. The pages have black edges, the hardback itself is red, and the inside of the cover is filled with top hats and bowler hats. Beautiful!

Unfortunately, this is where the phrase "don't judge a book by it's cover" comes in handy - just because a book looks very pretty and has an interesting blurb doesn't mean it's going to be good.

The second star has to be given for the sheer amount of description and scene-setting involved in this story. If you want to read a very detailed description of a circus that runs on real magic, then this is the book for you. The description mainly goes on the costumes that the circus performers wear, or what the two main players wear, or what everyone wears to the dinner parties near the beginning of the book. Or it is of the circus itself. There is little to make you really aware of the period it is set in (late nineteenth to early twentieth century), no mentions of the monarchy or government or political issues or even gender issues of the time. There is also very little description of the places the circus ends up, despite the place changing quite often.

That's where the good points end, I'm afraid. The blurb was highly inaccurate. I didn't find the relationship between the two protagonists all that tangled, and I didn't find the contest all that deadly or testing the limits of the imagination and/or love. The love story itself was pretty bland - Marco meets Celia when the circus is first conceived, and one day the two of them just decide they love each other. They meet each other a couple of times, but nothing is really explained about WHY they love each other, other than they are competing against each other and each admire the other's magic (oh, and that they are both attractive people of course). The contest itself is not even explained in full, and even the final scenes didn't give too much away. The enchanter and the sorcerer who conceive the idea in the first place are vague, cruel and distant.

Which brings me on to another negative point: the characters themselves Despite lots of flowery description on what the characters wear and that they have red/white/black hair and like hats, not a lot goes into their personalities, as so much time is spent on description. The enchanter, Prospero, father of Celia, is abusive towards her as a child so she can gain a better control over her magic. The sorcerer, who adopts Marco and teaches him, spends a number of years without even bothering to learn the boy's name. They then pit them against each other in a contest they do not know the rules for, have no choice in, and cannot get out of, and (view spoiler). It all seems a bit pointless.

The ending itself was a disappointment. The deadly battle, the test of the imagination? It fell flat for me, as the characters had to be forced into action (after pages and pages and pages and pages of not much happening at all).

The vignettes were a bore and completely unnecessary. Bailey's subplot, while eventually becoming integral to the story, was more of a rehash of the vignettes at first until the final section of the book.

I do prefer books where things happen, rather than it just being one long descriptive scene after another until a couple of things happen that are maybe remotely related to the story. I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone else, to be honest. And to top it off, I'm really not that interested in circuses any more!(less)

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Sep 27, 2011 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I struggled with my rating here - my initial instinct was to give it one star, but I think that's because my expectations for this book were incredibly high. Frankly, this is an amazing premise, and this book didn't do itself justice. It took too long to truly get started, and there were some really irritating stylistic choices (must we be subjected to yet another second-person vignette, really?), it reads like the least-researched period novel ever (you can tell me something is happening in 189...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Elaine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Elaine by: Reader's Advisory

Shelves: ebooks

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8419...

Before reading my modest (ha!) evaluation, please read Bird Brian's review. He said just about what I was going to say, so consider his review as the preface to mine--or mine as the addendum to his. In any event, we agree, except in the number of stars. I gave it a star for how well its written Ms. Morgenstern maintains a good narrative rhythm throughout and she describes vividly. So vividly, in fact, that the only medium I think that could capture this...more http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8419...

Before reading my modest (ha!) evaluation, please read Bird Brian's review. He said just about what I was going to say, so consider his review as the preface to mine--or mine as the addendum to his. In any event, we agree, except in the number of stars. I gave it a star for how well its written Ms. Morgenstern maintains a good narrative rhythm throughout and she describes vividly. So vividly, in fact, that the only medium I think that could capture this novel would be an animated film. Pixar! Are you paying attention? This novel screams "Disney!" Nowhere else can spilt wine from a shattered goblet, pick itself up off the tablecloth, and go back into the miraculously rebuilt goblet.

Unfortunately, Morgenstern played a version of this at least 5 times. Once would have been enough. In fact, none would have been better since she was portraying Celia as an illusionist. This isn't illusion. It's downright magic, totally undoable except in Cartoon Land. Wasn't there a scene like this in Snow White? I was 4 when I saw that, and I already knew it was a gyp. I saw how floors had to be labored over, and spills of wine? They didn't leap off the tablecloth, as attested to by the stains on our Passover and Sabbath tablecloths. Then, too, when wine glasses shattered, they didn't re-form themselves, which is why we had such a motley crew of them instead of a matched set. If this wouldn't have convinced me at 4 (a precocious 4, of course), it sure wasn't going to work for me at 77.

Why couldn't I just take the fantasy for what it was? Because Morgenstern lied. She said the circus was about
illusion. Celia was supposed to be the Mistress of Illusion or some such, but this sort of Disneyesque scenario is not
illusion. Illusion is Siegfried and Roy or Doug Hennings. You see someone in one place. Then they appear in another though you never saw them go from the first place. In fact often they're shackled in a strong cage before being ported, but when we get to "Ta Da" the shackles have dosappeared. Or, illusion is plucking gold coins out of an unsuspecting person's ear. Those are illusions. They work because th illusionist knows how to divert the audience's attention while he or she is manipulating the action. Illusions,in the true sense of the word, don't do the impossible: such as spilt liquid gathering together and putting itself back in a glass. Nor is it Celia walking down a street and changing the color of her hair from the roots down as she ambles along. Those would be outright magic--or miracles. Even Jesus didn't do miracles like these, although they'd have been very convincing in letting people know He was divine. His first miracle was to make enough wine for the wedding. But he didn't have the wine jumping into carafes on its own.

As for the love affair between the two rivals, what love? If you're expecting bodice-ripping crazy love, well, forget it. Marco and Celia are about as tepid as can be and still supposedly be in love. And, how about that rivalry between them, set up by their evil fathers? Neither one has an ouce of competitiveness in their bones. Instead they collaborate with each other. so what should have been a major source of tension lies there as a deflated balloon. Nor are they convincing as lovers. Even when they say "I love you," it's about as exciting as when you pat your dog's head to show him you love him. Come to think of it, patting my dogs uses more deeply felt emotion than any that Celia and Marco ever managed. There is no sense of longing, of desire, or, can I say it? Wanting to f***. Nor is there a climax (excuse the pun) in which the resolution of the rivalry is created or the love turns into fireworka. Instead there is an insipid deus ex machina involving a nice unmagical kid named Bailey (ha! Barnum and Bailey?) Couldn't he just have been named John?

Another problem with the book is tedium. It took almost 400 pages to tell a story that could have been told in maybe 250 pages at the most. As Bird Brian (or Brian Bird, sorry! I love you, but names elude me in my senility) complained, the unnecessary details of what everyone was wearing or what every room was like made me feel as if I was slogging through trivia. And I like color. I like fashion. I like interesting room decor. But I got impatient with all of these here. It was so overdone. Intricacy beyond purpose.

Finally,as noted above,the love affair between Marco and Celia was positively insipid. They didn't have enough real life angst between them to be deterred by love. Perhaps if they were deterred by love, it would have ended with a bang. As it it is, it ended with a whimper.

Oh, as a reader's advisor I would recommend this book to someone who just wants to while away the day. From the sales ranking, lot of people loved this book(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Should this book be made into a movie?	195	977	2 hours, 50 min ago
Underrated Bookers: Initial thoughts	26	115	5 hours, 29 min ago
Underrated Bookers: What did you think? (SPOILERS)	20	94	May 23, 2013 01:44pm
Underrated Bookers: Why would you recommend this book?	9	118	May 23, 2013 01:13pm
! YA Heroines !: The Night Circus	14	28	May 23, 2013 01:58am
Phantasmagoria in Excelsis	3	28	May 19, 2013 05:35pm

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