Fantasy Book Critic

Erin Morgenstern's debut is a special novel, offering readers a magical, one-of-a-kind reading experience. An experience that may vary depending on the person. For instance, some readers might find themselves enchanted by the turn of the century setting—the novel takes place between February 1873 and January 1903—with an enigmatic circus serving as the main attraction. For others, it could be the story, a non-linear narrative that cleverly begins where the novel ends, with a competition between two magicians, a love story that challenges fate, and a dreamer faced with life-altering decisions contained in between. In some cases, the novel's cast of charming and mysterious characters—Prospero the Enchanter and his daughter Celia Bowen; the man in the grey suit and his student Marco Alisdair; M. Chandresh Christophe Lefèvre, proprietor of the Night Circus; the clockmaker Herr Friedrick Thiessen and therêveurs; the Murray twins Widget & Poppet; the engineer Ethan W. Barris; theBurgess sisters Tara & Lainie; the fortune-teller Isobel; Mme. Ana Padva, a retired ballerina; the contortionist Tsukiko; the dreamer Bailey—might be the culprit. For yet others, it could be Erin Morgenstern's accomplished writing and elegant prose.

Read more: http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2011/09/night-circus-by-erin-morgenstern.html