Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Night Circus” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

more photos (1)

The Night Circus

Erin Morgenstern

4.04 · Rating details · 543,204 ratings · 60,553 reviews

Two starcrossed magicians engage in a deadly game of cunning in The Night Circus, the spellbinding bestseller that has captured the world's imagination.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazement ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for

Kindle Edition, 401 pages

Published September 13th 2011 by Doubleday

More Details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Night Circus, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Romance Books Everyone Should Read

2,441 books — 2,499 voters

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Timeless Classics for Reading Challengers

123 books — 102 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Rating details

Sort: Default

Filter

Apr 17, 2011 Lucy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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

flag 2498 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 Maggie Stiefvater rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, recommended

Five Things About THE NIGHT CIRCUS.

Ordinarily when I do my recommendations, I do a “five reasons to read _____,” but I think opinions will be so divided on THE NIGHT CIRCUS that I think “things about” will be more useful.

1. This novel is not what it says it is. Well, back page copy is always a weird thing anyway, as it’s not written by the author. And a weirder thing because it is essentially a glamour shot of the novel. It is not a lie. But it isn’t really what the novel looks like when it’s wa Five Things About THE NIGHT CIRCUS.

Ordinarily when I do my recommendations, I do a “five reasons to read _____,” but I think opinions will be so divided on THE NIGHT CIRCUS that I think “things about” will be more useful.

1. This novel is not what it says it is. Well, back page copy is always a weird thing anyway, as it’s not written by the author. And a weirder thing because it is essentially a glamour shot of the novel. It is not a lie. But it isn’t really what the novel looks like when it’s wandering around in its bathrobe getting coffee and trying to figure out if that smell is coming from the kitchen sink disposal or under the table. The resemblance is always a bit sketchy. THE NIGHT CIRCUS’ resemblance to its cover copy is sketchier than most.

2. This novel is about a thing. It has people in it, too, but it is mostly about a thing, the eponymous circus. It’s told in third person omniscient, which means it sounds like God is narrating the thing, if God decided he really loved black and white tents and fancy umbrellas. The voice that narrates this book is interested in humans, too, but mostly about how humans make the circus and the circus’ magic interesting.

3. This is not a romance. There is a love story in it, which is good, because love makes the world go round, but it is not a romance. If you go in imagining to be swept off your feet from page one, you can keep on imagining. The novel starts before our lovebirds have hit puberty, so you’re going to have to imagine for quite awhile.

4. The circus is not really a circus. This is fine by me, because I actually don’t care for circuses. They smell, the animals always have that look of dubious maltreatment, no, I don’t want to win a prize by shooting that thing off that other thing over there, and also, clowns look a little grubby to me. No, the Night Circus is a circus in the respect that there are tents, and there are performers, and some of them are acrobats. Mostly it is a place where pretty, pretty magic is passed off as illusion so that us muggles won’t be scared by it. I’d go to that circus.

5. This is not a thriller. This is a not an action-packed adventure. It’s not even a simmering revenge or bubbling rivalry novel. It is a novel about a thing, with love in it, and it spans over a decade. If you have a problem with that idea, it’s best you walk away now. But if you like Ann Patchett or Audrey Niffeneggar novels, or if you really thought JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL was the bee’s knees, well. WELL. You have just found your next read. Enjoy. I did. ...more

flag 1365 likes · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2011 Tatiana rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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

flag 1165 likes · Like · see review

Nov 08, 2013 Rick Riordan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The prose sparkles, and the story itself is a feat of magical acrobatics. It's a hard book to summarize, but basically two ancient magicians set their two best pupils against one another in a magical contest. Its venue? A mysterious circus that only appears at night. The only problem: the contestants don't really know the rules, or how victory is determined. And when the contestants start falling in love which each other, things get complicated.

flag 738 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2015 Hannah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, favorites

I have quite honestly never had the pleasure of reading a more beautiful book.

I want to go back to the beginning and read it all over again. I just....I have no words.

flag 657 likes · Like · see review

Jun 08, 2017 شيماء ✨ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2017, favorites

If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it’d be with someone experiencing this book for the first time.

I feel like my life is just a series of intense obsessions because I'm pretty sure this book has just become one of my defining personality traits. I've stayed up reading it until the early hours of the misty morning, rugged up so tight in the story even my soul felt warm. I wish I could inject this story into my blood stream. My heart is literally swelling with so much love I don't e ...more

flag 588 likes · Like · see review

Jul 25, 2011 Cait rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

flag 478 likes · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2012 Richard Derus rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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

flag 449 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2011 unknown rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, a-wizard-did-it

Wedding cakes are typically the prettiest cakes, but they are almost never the tastiest cakes. I am not a cake expert (can I be one though? Is that a thing I can be?), but it seems to me that the tools necessary to make a cake exceptionally pretty -- a vat of fondant, to start -- also contribute to the cake not tasting all that good (unless you somehow really like fondant, which is incorrect).

Don't misunderstand me, I have no issue with cake. The right decorations, the right frosting (buttercrea ...more

flag 436 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2017 Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

“How can I excel at a game when you refuse to tell me the rules?”

I guess “The Night Circus” is one of those books that make it especially hard to write a proper review and if I’m entirely honest I have to admit that I don’t even know where to start. It was unlike any other book I’ve ever read and therefore the usual structure of my reviews just doesn’t seem to be appropriate, let alone to fit.

”I would have written you, myself, if I could put down in words everything I want to say to you. A sea ...more

flag 427 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2012 karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

flag 424 likes · Like · see review

Nov 27, 2015 Bookdragon Sean rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, y-a, love-and-romance, 5-star-reads

Some books touch your soul in unexpected ways.

I’ve never been to a circus nor have I ever had a wish to go to one. But after reading this I want to go to one. Admittedly, this is plain folly because a circus this beautiful and enchanting could never be reality; it’s simply too wonderful, and could only ever exist amongst the pages of a magnificently written book. Real circuses are horrible places that are full of cruelty, animal exploitation and vile entertainment. What I mean to say is that I ...more

flag 380 likes · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2018 Emma Giordano rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

I have a bit of a complicated relationship with The Night Circus. I had been wanting to read it for 2 years now and was immensely excited to finally pick it up. I knew the prose was extremely flowery and lyrical so combined with an adult fantasy story, I anticipated it being a challenging read for me personally. I decided to listen to the audiobook after hearing great things, but quickly realized I was struggling to remain engaged with the story. After four hours of retaining almost nothing abou I have a bit of a complicated relationship with The Night Circus. I had been wanting to read it for 2 years now and was immensely excited to finally pick it up. I knew the prose was extremely flowery and lyrical so combined with an adult fantasy story, I anticipated it being a challenging read for me personally. I decided to listen to the audiobook after hearing great things, but quickly realized I was struggling to remain engaged with the story. After four hours of retaining almost nothing about the plot, I decided to restart completely. After giving it another try and putting in more effort than normal to ensure I was fully comprehending the story, I ended up falling in love with the story! After finishing and loving it, some of the faults of the novel began to sink in after the initial excitement faded and I realized it wasn’t the perfect novel I originally thought it was.

CW: child abuse, death

What I loved about The Night Circus was the atmosphere. The ambiance surrounding the circus and festivities felt tangible. I feel it would be difficult to read this novel and NOT want to attend such a mysterious and intriguing event. It was dream-like, captivating, and all around gorgeous. I love books that are extremely visual and I was not disappointed with this read.

This book is really slow-paced which I could sometimes get behind, and other times struggled with. There were moments where I really appreciated the time and care put into lengthy descriptions but other times I was begging to move forward. I also felt similarly to the time jumps – At times I felt they were intriguing. At others, they were confusing. Of course, it does all make sense in the end so I don’t consider it a massive issue.

My main gripe with the story was the execution of the competition; The synopsis details a high-intensity competition between two magicians, but that promise does not follow through. It takes until ¾ of the story to find out any significant information about this “competition” which leads to an extremely slow-moving plot. Due to that, there is zero sense of urgency. No true rivalry, no anticipation for how the competition pans out, no fear for the consequences of losing. I desperately wish there had been more to this plotline because there was so much potential, but it just fell so flat for me. On a similar note, I wasn’t swept of my feet by the romance. It felt forced and underdeveloped. I think with more interactions between the couple, it could have been enjoyable but the lack of exploration made it feel forced and mediocre. This romantic plotline has been done thousands of times in literature, and there was nothing notable about this take.

Overall, I did genuinely enjoy my time reading The Night Circus. I would probably give it a 4/5 stars entertainment wise, but a 3.5/5 for execution, but I’m keeping it at 4 stars because of how mesmerized I was by the story. This is one of those situations where I have more critiques than positive notes, but my overall feelings and memories of this novel are utter enjoyment. Despite my struggles with it, I would still high recommend. ...more

flag 381 likes · Like · see review

Jul 13, 2011 Jessica rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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 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. ...more

flag 341 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2014 Hailey (HaileyinBookland) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, fantasy, historical-fiction, adult, 2018-reads

Reread: 2018

Maybe more like a 2.5/5?
I apparently enjoyed the audiobook much more because this time around I was really into it (and I remembered basically nothing from my original read, or listen rather) but then I got to the middle and I completely lost steam. I didn’t connect with it in the way I had wanted to and while there were some aspects I found very interesting, for the most part I felt like I was constantly waiting for more (which seems to be the point of the book). Just not for me any ...more

flag 335 likes · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2018 Shreya (☆High Lady of The Night Court☆) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-read

“The circus arrives without warning.”
“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus.
You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

These sentences are the beginning and end of the mesmerizing story of Le Cirque des Rêves. Three simple sentences that somehow encapsulate your emotions at the very point of the book they are placed. One filled with intrigue, the other with the lov “The circus arrives without warning.”
“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus.
You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

These sentences are the beginning and end of the mesmerizing story of Le Cirque des Rêves. Three simple sentences that somehow encapsulate your emotions at the very point of the book they are placed. One filled with intrigue, the other with the love, fondness and simply the dreamlike nature of the journey you have been through.

A page into this book and I knew it was going to be one of my most favorite books. Now, I tell you that this book is without a doubt on the top 10 of my favorites list. I don’t usually specify the ranking of the book when I tell you it’s one of my favorites because honestly- I can’t rank them, but I love this book too much for it to not be in the top 10.
The very nature of this book seems enticing and the story pulls you along in a daze much like the story of the very circus it portrays. The theme of the book which can only be aptly described as Black, White, Grey and Red fills your head, and leaves room for nothing more, as the story unravels in the most fascinating manner.
I read a lot of fantasy books but this book is one of the best representations of the magical atmosphere and simply hypnotizing background a fictional world can create. I also loved the way the story has chapters which are told from the perspective of people who have experienced the circus, and the chapter is in the form of an article or review they’ve written, these chapters somehow feel the most mystical throughout the book (some of these chapters are actually my favorites).

‘The Night Circus’ mainly follows the unknown competition between two magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood for what they can only describe to be a game. The blurb of the story kind of focuses on these 2 people who happened to be our protagonists, so I thought the book was going to be revolving around them. Once I started the book I realized I couldn’t be more mistaken, the book does in fact tell the story of Celia and Marco, but it also entrances you in the world of Le Cirque des Rêves, I fell in love with the circus, the concept of the story, the people, the writing and most of all, the sensational world Erin Morgenstern created.

I can’t elaborate on how much I love the writing of the story and the outline of how it was intended because I don’t have words that will do justice to this world. This book is definitely a 5 star, 100% read, for me at least. A magical story of a magical world, Erin Morgenstern hats off to you. ...more

flag 269 likes · Like · see review

May 31, 2012 F rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014, usa, 2018, uk

This book was amazing!
I loved it.

Bought it in a charity shop.

I am not usually a fan of books that involve magic.

2018 - After re-reading i still love this book. So much happening and great characters. Little confusing when it jumps around so much at the beginning. But i have moved it from a 5 star to a 4 now.

flag 270 likes · Like · see review

Sep 06, 2017 ❄️Nani❄️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

4.5⭐
So intricate. So complicated. So atmospheric.

I read this a few months back but I never really wrote anything, save for the six words above. Well, I just found what I wrote in one of my folders, so... here.

Alright, let me start off by saying that this book was magic. Simple as that. Seriously, the writing?? Experience it, my friends. Just experience it for your selves. Furthermore, this is a book you have to read twice to really comprehend and appreciate the magic behind it – never had I bee ...more

flag 261 likes · Like · see review

Dec 26, 2016 Petrik rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Buddy reading this book with my favorite Princess Celeste

2.5/5 Stars

There will be rants on this review, if you're easily offended I recommend you to stay away from continuing.

I really wish I could rate this higher but if you heard about this book already, you probably know there have been a lot of mixed reviews on it. It’s either you really love it or you really hate it. Sadly, I’m one of those closer to hating it.

Before you read this book, I must state two things.

1.DO NOT TRUST THE BLURB & ...more

flag 255 likes · Like · see review

Nov 01, 2011 Cedan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fluff

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 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 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. ...more

flag 231 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2011 Carol. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, my-library, lovely-lovely-language, my-library-hardcover

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

flag 224 likes · Like · see review

Jul 03, 2016 Mikee Andrea (ReadWithMikee) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Find me on Instagram & Twitter!

❝When the final bulb pops alight, and the smoke and sparks dissipate, it is finally legible, this elaborate incandescent sign. Leaning to your left to gain a better view, you can see that it reads:

Le Cirque des Rêves

Some in the crowd smile knowingly, while other frown and look questioningly at their neighbors. A child near you tugs on her mother's sleeve, begging to know what it says.

'The Circus of Dreams,' comes the reply.❞

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

The Night Circus wa

Find me on Instagram & Twitter!

❝When the final bulb pops alight, and the smoke and sparks dissipate, it is finally legible, this elaborate incandescent sign. Leaning to your left to gain a better view, you can see that it reads:

Le Cirque des Rêves

Some in the crowd smile knowingly, while other frown and look questioningly at their neighbors. A child near you tugs on her mother's sleeve, begging to know what it says.

'The Circus of Dreams,' comes the reply.❞

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

The Night Circus was one of my favorite books of all time when it first came out during my teen years. I didn't understand everything that happened in the story but it still remained one of my favorite, if not my favorite, books of all time.

After reviewing books for a year now, I decided to pick up The Night Circus once again after reading and hearing about several other books that closely resembled the premise of this book, but were never able to top the enigma that is The Night Circus. I wanted to see this book in a new light, from a reviewer's point of view, and see if this book is truly the greatness I once remembered as a teen.

And now, I've come to the conclusion that no matter how young or old I am, The Night Circus will always be my favorite book of all time. I could read it five times or a hundred times or how many more times after that and I will never be able to bring myself to grow tired of this book. Just the whole premise of the Circus, the characters, the illusions, the romance, the mystery... It all just takes my breath away. I have never read a book that's ever impacted me this way or stuck to me no matter the years that pass. I know that some readers don't fancy circuses as much as I do, and that's understandable. I've always had a soft spot for circuses and The Night Circus has sastisfied and brought to life the circus that I've only seen in my imagination.

I only had two complaints while reading this book. One of those complaints was the slow pacing. I remember distinctly the first couple times I've read the book and skimmed through so many chapters because I was just so eager to get the ball rolling. I wanted to skip past Bailey's chapters, Friedrick Thiessan's chapters, and a few more chapters that slowed the book down in the middle. I still found myself wanting to do that now as I read the story this time around. But unfortunately, no matter how much I wanted to skip those parts, every chapter and page is a puzzle piece that connects the whole storyline together.

Secondly, the Circus and the magic itself were so elaborate and unlike anything you've ever seen before that sometimes the imagery became a bit difficult to envision. There were so many beautiful tents and illusions but I just couldn't bring myself to visualize them because my imagination simply just couldn't reach those lengths. I give praise to Erin Morgenstern's writing and imagination for creating these beautiful enchantments that goes beyond our wildest dreams. I've been stumped at certain descriptions before but not like this! Though it may prove to be a little problematic for people who love to visualize certain details, I think it adds to the mystery and the character of the Circus.

One of the aspects that put the cherry on top for me was the romance between Celia and Marco. The romance in The Night Circus may come off as instalovey for some and if it were any another book, I'd probably say the same, but it does not bother me one bit here. Although our characters only interact for a few chapters until they officially "fall in love", it feels as though that love has always been there from the very first pages when they were sealed and bound to one another at a young age. In fact, Marco and Celia have been separated for most of the book, with subtle hints of dancing around one another for years that when they do finally happen, you can't help but root for them like crazy and hope they have the happily ever after that they so desperately deserved.

The Night Circus was absolutely captivating, outstanding, and just pure enchanting. Though this book does have its flaws, Erin Morgenstern's writing has a way of luring and hooking you into her story, and just whisks you away through a mysterious, magical labyrinth that is The Night Circus. This book will always be near and dear to my heart and has impacted me in ways I never knew it could. Of all the books I've read so far in my life, The Night Circus is, and probably always will be, a book that I'll always remember. ...more

flag 214 likes · Like · see review

Jun 14, 2012 jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

it has been said that those who do not believe in magic will never find it, and this book is physical proof that magic does exist. every page, every word, every letter made a home inside my heart, which began to beat in a steady and strong rhythm of “i believe, i believe, i believe.” this story has woven itself into the very fabric of my soul and will forever be a part of me. a truly captivating story that made me fall in love with reading all over again.

5 stars

flag 212 likes · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2012 Becky rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommended to Becky by: Barb

Shelves: bookclub_work, fantasy, 2013, disappointing, made-my-eyes-bleed, multi-dimensional, audiobook, reviewed, romance-y

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

flag 205 likes · Like · see review

Nov 24, 2014 Mohammed Arabey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

هذا الريفيو كتبه أحد الحـالـمين، أرجوك لا تقرأه إلا إذا كنت منّـا.. حــالــم

(سبع أسباب ~~لتقرأ رواية~~ لتدخل عالم السيرك الليلي)

1- لأنه الشتاء .. ولأنه الليل .. ولأنه وقت السحر والخيال .. ولأنه السيرك الليلي .. ولأنه

حتي إن لم تكن من هواة السيرك -مثلي- ستشدك وبقوة احداث الرواية الغريبة للنهاية
الرواية تبدأ من وجهة نظرك أنت، وأنت تري سورا يحيط حلقة سيرك غريبة، بل عدة حلقات من السيرك ، خيماته مخططة باﻷبيض واﻷسود، بل وقطعة اﻷرض المحيطة به كلها مخططة بنفس اللونين
السيرك ظهر فجأة في وسط الحقول علي أطراف ال ...more

flag 214 likes · Like · see review

Jul 07, 2014 emma rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, beautifully-written, favorites-2016, that-setting-tho, fantasy, historical, magical-realist-urban-whatever, non-ya, eh, reread

i posted this review in case anyone needs a reminder that nothing is safe and death comes for all of us and life is just an endless cycle of suffering and disliking books you thought were your favorite.

uh. find it here: https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...

-----------

I did not care for this book, which has sat on my all time favorites shelf for two years, AT ALL.

There’s instalove, because of course. Characters are either a) horrendous or b) flat or c) somehow both??? Every other sentence is a ...more

flag 202 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2017 Jasmine from How Useful It Is rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: to-re-read, library, fantasy

I started reading The Night Circus on 8/15/17 and finished it on 8/21/17. This is my second time reading this book. It is an amazing read. The writing is so magical. I can’t read any other circus books without thinking of The Night Circus. I feel offended when I read The Nowhere Emporium and saw how the author copy almost every idea off of this book. I can’t read Caraval without putting it on hold to read this book again. The way Erin Morgenstern describe the circus is magnificent. The world bui I started reading The Night Circus on 8/15/17 and finished it on 8/21/17. This is my second time reading this book. It is an amazing read. The writing is so magical. I can’t read any other circus books without thinking of The Night Circus. I feel offended when I read The Nowhere Emporium and saw how the author copy almost every idea off of this book. I can’t read Caraval without putting it on hold to read this book again. The way Erin Morgenstern describe the circus is magnificent. The world building and the story is as smooth as pearls. I can’t get enough of this story and the author’s writing!

This book started out in the present day when The Circus of Dreams arrived without warning. This circus only opens at night which makes people in town wonder why. As soon as the doors open, everyone gasps in amazement. The story then go back to 1873 to introduce Celia Bowen, daughter of Hector Bowen (aka Prospero the Enchanter), a magician. The magician likes what he saw in Celia after their sudden meeting and went to contact the man in the grey suit (aka Alexander H.). They meet where they discuss a challenge that will take place in the future, Celia Bowen versus Marco Alisdair, a boy the man in the grey suit found at an orphanage. Many years passed by while Celia and Marco trained, separately and differently, not knowing each other or much info of the game. It’s important to pay attention to the date at the beginning of each chapter because it goes back to how the circus started to the present day where readers attend the circus to somewhere in the future where Bailey is predicted to be involved in the circus. There is a lot involved in this book and many characters to know. All of the characters are likable, from main to supporting. This book is told in the third person point of view with many angle views to an event.

This book is impeccably written. I love reading it so much and I don’t ever want it to end. I wish there was an epilogue in this book that will give me a glimpse to what the future brings for the characters, especially Poppet and Bailey. I know it’s left for the individual readers’ interpretation but I personally want the author to conclude it for me. I love the design of the game. It’s vague to start out with but fall into place in the end. The writing in this book is addictive. My attention was on this book all the time. I really like Celia because she does awesome magic. I also like Poppy and Widget, especially Widget’s bottles and stories. Marco’s magic is cool too because I can’t imagine how much he can do just by reading a lot of books. This book is full of suspense and can be summarized as a love story. I highly recommend everyone to read this book! Reading the second time is definitely better than the first!

Pro: awesome cover, beautifully narrated, unique characters, magic, suspense, couldn’t put down, fast pace, page turner, a love story

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

***Disclaimer: I borrowed this book from the library and my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for a detailed review ...more

flag 202 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2014 Mel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, favorite-books, read-in-2015, owned

Holy. Crap. Excuse my language but holy crap is the only way I can accurately portray what I am thinking now that I am done this book. This is, without a doubt, my favourite book I've ever read. Ever. There is nothing that compares or even comes close to how I feel about this book. If I could choose one fictional world to live in, I would sacrifice Hogwarts to go to this circus.
For the first time ever, I wrote a list of things I wanted to talk about in my review. I just don't want to forget anyt Holy. Crap. Excuse my language but holy crap is the only way I can accurately portray what I am thinking now that I am done this book. This is, without a doubt, my favourite book I've ever read. Ever. There is nothing that compares or even comes close to how I feel about this book. If I could choose one fictional world to live in, I would sacrifice Hogwarts to go to this circus.
For the first time ever, I wrote a list of things I wanted to talk about in my review. I just don't want to forget anything.
To explain The Night Circus to someone would take ages. It is impossible to explain this book without telling the entire story and giving away spoilers. The blurb of the book does a good job but really doesn't portray the book as amazing as it is.
This book is a puzzle. In the beginning there are so many characters and storylines that are to separate from each other that it initially feels like you're looking at a brand new 1000 piece puzzle and you have no where to start. But gradually as you read you get the frame of the story built, like the outside of the puzzle. Then you work on the inside and as it starts coming together you start seeing the brilliance of it and things you never noticed before and that shock and surprise you. This book does that. When the pieces of this puzzle start coming together the book goes from wow to amazing. There is no better way to describe this book than a puzzle.
The Night Circus manages to bring you into another world entirely. I just spent the last few days in an entire different world than the one I am currently in and I didn't want to leave it. Morgenstern manages to create this amazing setting in your head with this vivid imagery and description. Truly some of the best writing I have ever seen. I almost hate her for creating a place where I cannot go because I wish more than anything I could see this circus in person. Although, she does manage to make you feel like you are apart of the story, like you're more than just a bystander watching everything happen. You feel like you play a key role in this story.
Another aspect of the book is the little bits where she is writing directly to you. Telling you to imagine that you are in the circus. I thought this was for an added bonus, trying to make it seem more real, but at the end finding out what it was actually was the most fitting ending. The entire book was brought together full circle with that last line.
The characters are outstanding. I won't go into details with all of them because there is simply too much to say and not enough words left in my mind to explain. The characters and character development were stunning. If I could give her an award for writing I would. They are intricate and delicate and strong and extremely complex and they are all amazing. And for once I found a book where I didn't hate a single character. I didn't even dislike a single character. Even the background characters that are unimportant are loved because they are all so important to the story. They are the puzzle piece to the story that, without this piece, the entire puzzle falls apart. So kind of like the glue.
This book is not confusing, at all. It has a lot of things that you don't understand, but it brings with it a sense of patience. There is no rush to find anything out. And I love that. I've never felt that before. Things you don't understand are all eventually explained, but even if they aren't you don't care. The ending is still a bit more than I fully understood, but I just don't care because it was all so beautiful
I doubt anyone has read my entire review for this book, but if you have managed to read to the end of it and you are still not convinced to read this book, I STRONGLY urge you to do so. I am so passionate about this book and I have a feeling I will live to love it for years and years to come.
Such a book hangover inducing book though.

Book Challenge book #42: A Book With Magic ...more

flag 195 likes · Like · see review

Oct 28, 2011 Katrina Passick Lumsden rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: pleasantly-surprised, favorites

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 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."

...more

flag 195 likes · Like · see review

Jul 12, 2018 Charlotte May rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: magical-realism, rom-chick-lit, supernatural-paranormal, tear-jerker, ya

"People see what they wish to see. And in most cases, what they are told they see."

Okay, so I was ever so slightly disappointed by this one. It is loved by so many and I just felt certain that I'd love it too. There were parts I absolutely adored. It had a strong start, 2 young children are bound into a 'game' or 'challenge' that can start at any time, and neither of them fully understand the rules or how a winner is declared.

As the circus itself is created, I loved the descriptions of the num ...more

flag 232 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Around the Year i...: The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern	39	225	Dec 12, 2018 09:04AM
Cuppa Tea Literar...: Changing Perspective at the Circus	1	2	Dec 06, 2018 05:55AM

Readers Also Enjoyed

Videos About This Book

4 comments

13 comments

Genres

Fantasy

13,523 users

Fiction

6,066 users

Romance

2,982 users

Historical > Historical Fiction

2,092 users

See top shelves…

About Erin Morgenstern

Erin Morgenstern

10,447 followers

Erin Morgenstern is a writer and multimedia artist who describes all her work as "fairy tales in one way or another." She grew up in Marshfield, Massachusetts and currently lives in Boston.

Books by Erin Morgenstern

More…

Trivia About The Night Circus

57 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Night Circus ...

“The finest of pleasures are always the unexpected ones.” — 2509 likes

“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.” — 1952 likes

More quotes…

See a Problem?

Preview — The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern