The Night Circus
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Defending the plot...
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I agree with you one hundred percent. Very nicely said. I try so hard to explain the book to my friends, but in the end I just call it magic. I felt like the story telling was a part of the circus. I've never seen someone write a book the way Morgenstern did and it resulted in the book becoming my all-time favorite read. I can't understand why people can't see the beauty in her words, plot and characters.
I second that. The reason this book is not that popular is, it is confusing and the chemistry between the MC is lacking. Otherwise with the imagery, narration and plot the book is amazing. This was my favorite of 2011 and it will continue to be in the coming years.
I thought Marco and Celia had really intense chemistry. They weren't ripping each others clothes off every chance they got, but there was more said in what they couldn't do, but obviously wanted to. I don't know, I just really got the characters. The only one that drove me insane was Bailey because I didn't understand his purpose; I just wanted to get back to Marco and Celia. But once I realized his purpose in the end, I thought it was brilliant. Re-reading the book was just as enjoyable as seeing it for the first time because I was able to understand so much more.
Veronica wrote: "I second that. The reason this book is not that popular is, it is confusing and the chemistry between the MC is lacking..."Strange, the chemistry between the characters, or at least the ease and elegance with which they understood to flirt with each other, what was initially drew to me this book. :)
Veronica wrote: "The reason this book is not that popular is, it is confusing "
... and by this I read "most of the people who complained about the book are slow, don't read much, and don't understand something that does not go directly from A to B"...
... and by this I read "most of the people who complained about the book are slow, don't read much, and don't understand something that does not go directly from A to B"...
This book is so unique because the plot is magic, the characters are magic and its ability to make you believe in that magic, is magical.
It makes me so happy to see some other readers who see the true beauty of this story! This has knocked a lot of old-time favorites down a few notches on my shelf. The chemisty between every character really is amazing, and the descriptions stated in the book paint you succch a beautiful picture without overly wording everything.
It's interesting to see the varied reactions to this book, and what characters different readers were most attracted to.Personally, Bailey and the twins pretty much saved the latter part of the book for me. I loved them. Isobel too.
Marco and Celia were fine. I enjoyed them, but I found myself flip flopping between whether or not I loved them or hated them.
But anyway.
I've tried to defend this book to those who didn't like it and I've found what they didn't like was the subtly. I suppose when there's a magical contest, a duel of sorts, they expected a wand battle or something. No fault of the book really, just reader expectation.
I really enjoyed this book -- it really was more about bringing an entire world to life than focusing in on two characters. That may have turned some readers off. I did feel chemistry between Marco and Celia, but I wish there had been more scenes with them, to just build up to this fierce love, because it felt a lot more like attraction than love. I also loved Bailey and the twins, and I enjoyed reading that part of the book very much. All in all -- I found it magical, creative, whimsical. All the things I wanted from it.
ScarletBea wrote: "Veronica wrote: "The reason this book is not that popular is, it is confusing "... and by this I read "most of the people who complained about the book are slow, don't read much, and don't unders..."
lol. This book is not that complicated as ppl say. The novel is big on description and no one is patient enough to read till the end and they come up with lame excuses.
Gerd wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I second that. The reason this book is not that popular is, it is confusing and the chemistry between the MC is lacking..."Strange, the chemistry between the characters, or at le..."
I liked the romance but the book is shelved between YA and adult, so its quite natural that ppl anticipate erotic scenes :P
I listened to this book during my 40-minute daily commute, which is plenty of time to get lost in the story. I enjoyed hearing it immensely -- the descriptions were evocative and the prose was lovely -- but I did not have a strong connection to any of the characters (although, like others, i found the twins enchanting.) I find that hearing a book provides a vastly different experience from reading a book, which is, somehow, more intimate. I cannot say this is an all-time favorite, but it is very special and I would be quite particular about the people to whom I suggest it. It is not for everyone.
Veronica wrote: "I liked the romance but the book is shelved between YA and adult, so its quite natural that ppl anticipate erotic scenes :P"Wouldn't know about that, I never really understood the need for, ah, sexual encounters in a story - although, IMO, there was a lot of sexual tension between Marco and Celia, to me anyways, and the fact that Erin did take this tension between her characters serious, instead, as is popular these days, just have them jump each others bones the moment they met made it all the more believable, strictly IMO again. :)
Besides, more than the sex that was there wouldn't really have fit the story, it would just have distracted from the important stuff. :D
Gerd wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I liked the romance but the book is shelved between YA and adult, so its quite natural that ppl anticipate erotic scenes :P"Wouldn't know about that, I never really understood th..."
I also don't think it would have fit the time period.
Sky wrote: "It takes a very devoted reader who is passionate of literature to understand the layers of this story or has a capable mind to dissect between the lines." So anyone who didn't love the book, or who found parts of it confusing, is basically an illiterate and not very bright? :-)
I thought the book was lovely; I loved the rich descriptions of the circus, the clothing, the places (Chandresh's home!). I loved many of the characters. The plot was imaginative, that's for sure! But overall I felt it was no more than a fun read, not a potential classic.
Veronica wrote: "I liked the romance but the book is shelved between YA and adult, so its quite natural that ppl anticipate erotic scenes :P"
I was glad there were no erotic scenes; I'm getting tired of sex scenes stuck in so many books where they simply don't fit. Marco and Celia's relationship was depicted in a much more romantic and lovely way. Graphic detail was not needed. I was also happy about the near-absence of profanity that also seems to permeate so much of contemporary fiction (whether set in contemporary times or not).
Bravo - I am also sick of long, drawn-out erotic scenes in books (and movies). Generally I just skip them.
Wow, I am surprised at the reactions to the book! Interesting! It's funny how one person can read it and LOVE it, and another HATE it! Go figure. I am definitely FOR the book, I enjoyed the ride....
Sky wrote: "I can see how some may say they don't see the plot here, but I beg to differ. I feel this book contained more than just a magical world, something much deeper than your average plot of a book; it s..."Well put, Sky.
This was a gorgeous, utterly unique book. I am glad to see that others enjoyed those qualities as much as I did.
Margaret wrote: "Sky wrote: "It takes a very devoted reader who is passionate of literature to understand the layers of this story or has a capable mind to dissect between the lines." So anyone who didn't love the book, or who found parts of it confusing, is basically an illiterate and not very bright? :-)..."
I don't think this is what she meant. I personally loved the book but when we read it and discussed it in our book club there were a lot of people who didn't like it because they missed something and parts just seemed like they were pointless. Others thought the chemistry between the MC was more out of a clingy necessity than a genuine love. There are many different views to this story but I think that a lot of people don't like it because of missing some key parts. And some don't like it simply because its not their style. I think it is a great read.
Hi, I just finished reading "Night Circus", so was drawn to the heading of this discussion. I really enjoyed this book, but I only gave it 3 stars. That was for no particular reason, except that I tend to give 4 or 5 stars to books I intend to reread. But what I really wanted to say is that I'm amazed at the pleasant and intelligent discussion going on here. I've been to other discussions where there was name calling, and even talking about the author's moral values. I especially hate to be called stupid because I enjoyed a book that wasn't popular. I guess some people just can't allow other people to have an opinion of their own. This is the first time I've ever commented, because I feel safe doing so. I figured on those other discussions that I'd be chewed up and spit out pretty quick. That's all, I just wanted to say thanks for not resorting to juvenile name calling and character assassination. And I would recommend this book to anyone. It was an excellent read.
I think the problem with the chemistry between the two main characters, a lot of people forget that they were bonded by the magical ring before they even met. I think that ring had a lot to do with their natural impulse to be attracted to each other. For a debut book, this proceeded my expectations, though. I am just as happy as you are about that, Carolyn =)
Perfectly said, I couldn't agree more. It's nice to see a ya book that doesn't have all of the love triangle "team" this "team" that bore. The night circus was totally original and compelling. I found it really easy to read, because I loved the storyline and the magic of the circus. :)
Stacielynn wrote: "I listened to this book during my 40-minute daily commute, which is plenty of time to get lost in the story. I enjoyed hearing it immensely -- the descriptions were evocative and the prose was love..."Same here. I think listening to the story helped it. I found the overall plot to rather mundane but the implementation of magic and juxtaposing two different schools of magical thought against each other was interesting. It's on my list of wanted books due to the description and atmosphere of the circus and the main characters rather than for any of the action that occurs in the story.
For me, it was character motivation that kept this from being a true five star read. I couldn't connect with the character's motivations and why they did what they did. A lot of the plot seemed arbitrary and not rooted in the character's psych. The love story is probably the most obvious example. However, the counter example would be Bailey and the clock maker, which were the two characters who saved the story for me.
I finished this book a couple of months ago, and found it unique and well written. I often give up on book that dont hold me within the first quarter. I was held by this book from start to finish. It was full of unique twists and turns. It related to individuals in as much of a magical way as it did the circus. The idea of the ring tying to others and being able to read books locked in a room forever to become an adept magical force is unique.
An interesting read overall, and one I enjoyed.
you all give me a literary burst of arousal.
I loved this book! Read it over a weekend and didn't want to go back to real life when it was done.I think that maybe the plot is supposed to be confusing; after all in the book Marco and Celia don't really understand what's happening either. If the reader isn't confused we can't really relate to what Marco and Celia and experiencing.
As for the love story, I think people are too used to a normal, linear love story where the characters meet, flirt and get together. The fact that their story is much slower than normal does nothing to diminish the intensity of their emotions.
Did I mention that I love this book?
I am casting yet another vote for this book- it was enchanting, literate, with the right touch of mystery, magic, romance, affection.
It's a beautiful, elegant, enchanting book with charming characters and I personally like the flow of the plot. You couldn't have a big 'fight to the death' that some reviewers would've liked because that's not the nature of the game.
Eml wrote: "I thought Marco and Celia had really intense chemistry. They weren't ripping each others clothes off every chance they got, but there was more said in what they couldn't do, but obviously wanted to..."That's funny, because Bailey's story was actually my favorite part of the book. I think part of the reason I liked his POV so much was that it allowed us to visit the circus through his eyes and experience it as a regular patron.
By the way, I have commented in the past regarding the plot of this book, and I may be one of those people you are defending against. Just to clear things up, I loved this book. I thought it was VERY engaging. I just think that the plot took second stage to the setting and ambiance of the book.
There was a very bad review of this book and it almost made me cry. My friend almost didn't read the book because of that review and it took my constant begging to do so. This is one of my favorite books. It is so good in fact, that whenever I try to reread it I just can't because I am too excited...I know it is weird. Anyways, am I the only girl that has fallen hopelessly in love with Marco? Yes? Okay then *awkward silence* but The Night Circus is one of my all time favorite books. I don't know who can overlook it! "The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." — Jane Austen
I guess there are just many...intolerably stupid people out there...
this book is amazing. i dont care what anyone said.
I think the story was amazing, too. Do you care about what I just said?
Bonia wrote: "this book is amazing. i dont care what anyone said."You my friend, are not stupid.
I haven't read this book in well over a year so my memories are a little bit sketchy on it, but I did not enjoy it. I remember that the plot was just not my cup of tea. I was hoping for more magic less...romantic longing.I was recommended it by my boyfriends mother who adores this book, and that should of been my first clue that I wouldn't enjoy it.
Firstly let me say I am a fantasy buff. The blurb of The Night Circus talks about a "fierce competition" so I was pretty excited for this epic wizarding battle set in an enchanted circus.
The book fell flat with regards to the magical world for me. Firstly as Celia and Marco were unaware for the most part of who their competition was, in my opinion stifled any fierceness.
I was frustrated at how little of the magic was explained. Celia can just do magic, Marco needs spells etc. Why? I understand that their instructors are trying to prove that their way of teaching and using magic is superior. But still why? Why is there two ways to access the magic? Why did Marco need the fire to be his source of magic? What beef went down between the instructors (I forget their names) to make them continously do these battles? (If I missed the answers to these questions in the book, then my bad.Or I've just forgotten what happened completely)
I dislike overly descriptive books as I like it when some things are left to the readers imagination and interpretation. One of my favourite things to do is discuss with friends how they imagined this or that to look in a book, and it's fascinating how different people read things. There is not really room for that in this book as everything is described in sooooo much detail. And seriously by page 400, I really didn't need reminding for the billionth time that the colour scheme of the circus was black and white.
I felt the fact that the novel wasn't linear also worked against it. I understood what she was trying to do and I've read plenty on non-linear books and I can cope with jumping time frames. But since the characters of the circus do not age,the jumping time frame did make the book confusing and made character delevopment difficult. I personally did not get attached to any character and felt Morgenstern spent way too much time on her beloved Circus and not enough on her charcters. For me, as most people have noted, the Twins were my favourite characters and I actually remember more about them than Celia and Marco. I think that says a lot about the protagonists. I should have remembered them, and at least be able to say I like or dislike them. But I felt no more than passing indifference for them, which I think is pretty bad since they are the main focus and driving force of the story.
I gave the book 1 star as I was so happy to be done with it, and I certainly wouldn't read it again. I believe the writing and prose is very good, and the concept of the Circus itself is amazing. I just felt the way it was executed wasn't for me. I understood the subtlys of the magic etc, but I think the blurb makes this book out to be something its not, which attracts readers like me, who were hoping for something a lot more fantasy based and less literary based.
Carly wrote: "I haven't read this book in well over a year so my memories are a little bit sketchy on it, but I did not enjoy it. I remember that the plot was just not my cup of tea. I was hoping for more magic ..."I totally understand what you mean. And keep in mind I really liked this book. But the plot and character development weren't what they could have been. I agree that I really did not become attached to any character much. I couldn't even be very upset when I realized the main characters were going to die. I enjoyed the story for other reasons, mostly because I really enjoyed the descriptions that you did not like so much. I also agree that the jumping around style of writing was disconcerting. I almost gave up on this book after the first couple chapters because it threw me off so much, but I kept being drawn back to the circus... :)
Barney wrote: "There was a very bad review of this book and it almost made me cry. My friend almost didn't read the book because of that review and it took my constant begging to do so. This is one of my favorite..."To be fair, it doesn't make someone intolerably stupid just because they didn't like this particular novel. They are only stupid if they cannot find pleasure in any good novel. There are different tastes out there, and this novel was definitely a different taste than most.
My problem with this book had nothing to do with the writing or the chemistry; I thought the characters were done very well and there was an intensity throughout. However, the plot ultimately fell flat for me; I had just had higher expectations for the ending, expecting this immense showdown and it didn't deliver.
twelvejan wrote: "Barney wrote: "There was a very bad review of this book and it almost made me cry. My friend almost didn't read the book because of that review and it took my constant begging to do so. This is one..."oh yes, very magical
Katie wrote: "Barney wrote: "There was a very bad review of this book and it almost made me cry. My friend almost didn't read the book because of that review and it took my constant begging to do so. This is one..."Well said, never thought of it that way :) But a reader, especially a critic, should not look at a book in a way that the book is not what they were looking for. They should know what they are looking for. So giving the most amazing book one star just because the don't 'like' it isn't a good reason. They should look at the writing style, character development, plot development, and all the other factors that make a book good besides just the plot.
So yes, the person might have taken pleasure in 'A' good book, but they shouldn't have put themselves in THAT good book.
I picked this book up first when I was twelve and found that I couldn't get through it because I could not understand at all what was happening at the time. The Night Circus was jumpy and a bit too much for my twelve year old mind to comprehend. Then a couple of days before my fourteenth birthday I decided to give it another try and I've been thanking God ever since for my decision to do this. The Night Circus stuck with me. Usually after reading a book I don't have much to think about and forget about it in a day. The Night Circus got me thinking about it for months afterward because it was just that thought provoking. But what really got me about this book had to be the writing style. For me my favorite books are usually my favorite because of how wonderful the writing style is. The Night Circus is my second favorite book of all time.
Katherine wrote: "I picked this book up first when I was twelve and found that I couldn't get through it because I could not understand at all what was happening at the time. The Night Circus was jumpy and a bit too..."Agreed, I think the night circus is in my top five, I love this book and it is still with me. It has been months since I have read it
Barney wrote: "Katie wrote: "Barney wrote: "There was a very bad review of this book and it almost made me cry. My friend almost didn't read the book because of that review and it took my constant begging to do s..."Oh, sure if it's a critic we're talking about. I was just assuming she meant a Goodreads review, and let's be fair, most people on Goodreads are just reviewing books based on whether they like them or not. (This is not true for everyone of course. Some people on here could probably get work as book critics someday, if they don't already work in the field.)
Katie wrote: "Barney wrote: "Katie wrote: "Barney wrote: "There was a very bad review of this book and it almost made me cry. My friend almost didn't read the book because of that review and it took my constant ..."I personally found this website out from my friend who begged me to try it...psh not like I'm obssessed or anything...what? me?? surreee
But yeah some people are super intense...
Hi, guys! in reagurds to: "So anyone who didn't love the book, or who found parts of it confusing, is basically an illiterate and not very bright? :-)"
Nope! Not saying anyone is stupid =) I just saw too many reviews where people were right off the bat without even trying to finish till the end of the story, raged how stupid this book was and that no one should read it.
As far as people being too intense, this is the only rant I've ever made on GR's =)
It's just so sad to see the really negative things that were said at Erin’s attempt at a Classic Literature piece. I thought she did really well at succeeding a classical feel. Everyone has their own taste, and just because you didn’t like this book, doesn’t mean the ones who did enjoy it think they’re stupid/ignorant. This post was mainly just to point out how wrong it is to bash authors even if you don’t like their work, and also trying to shed a little light on the ones who didn’t give it a chance to dig deeper.
If you knew me, you would know I am far too nice to say such rude things for someone with their own opinion. If you didn't like the book, that's okay, but no author deserves to be bashed.
And I am not trying to be a critic. I was honestly just really sad to see the hate lashed towards this book.
Sky *A Booknatic* wrote: "Hi, guys! in reagurds to: "So anyone who didn't love the book, or who found parts of it confusing, is basically an illiterate and not very bright? :-)"
Nope! Not saying anyone is stupid =) I just..."
What I don't understand (and this is just a ponder) is, the critics who rant and rave about these things...usually can't write. The authors put themselves out there and use their creative side. They put their heart and soul into these books and no matter if they attempt to make is a classic or not, they still tried. There are books out there that are just *gag* there is no doubt. But I don't see how it is fair to take such a good book like The Night Circus and throw it in the dirt
deleted user wrote: "Veronica wrote: "The reason this book is not that popular is, it is confusing "... and by this I read "most of the people who complained about the book are slow, don't read much, and don't unders..."
How very insulting!! I read all the time, i read both books & ebooks. Yet i did not enjoy this book. I got about half way through it & gave up. There is far, far too many books out there to continue reading a book i was not enjoying. To categories all people who did not enjoy this book saying they don't read much is very insulting.
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should rather say, so no one takes offense because that is not why I am writing this, that sometimes you need to remember to keep an open mind when reading a novel like this. I truly believe she was recreating a classical feel, and in such books, disecting is a major thing to get the whole picture.
I just don't believe it's fair to right off the bat say, "This book is the dumbest thing I've ever read. The author seriously needs to get her writing on the right track, this makes no sense, what so ever." or "She has no talent in this department! Perhaps she should join the circus herself"
In my humble opinion, I believe Morgenstern broke out of the cliché style of writing, and brought something so brilliant and excellent enough to be an instant classic read. It makes me so sad to see how many negative things are being said about this novel! But in the end, I know we all have our own opinions, and I haven’t seen too many positive remarks on this, so I felt the need to express my two cents. This book will remain a favorite on my top shelf at home for ages to come.
--Edit-- And since I've made this post, I no longer see the hateful reviews that were posted before. I think they finally realized how wrong it is to say such horrible things about someone you don't know, or a genre you really aren't into to begin with--