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The Night Circus
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The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Part II (Apr 2018)
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I chose this particular image for Part II because I thought it captured the inclusion of the twin siblings into our narrative, nicely. As the plot thickens, slowly we realize as readers, how important the roles of Tsukiko, Isobel, and Mr. Barris, are to the growth of the circus, Celia and Marco.
I finished Part II last night, and it took me forever and day...I wasn't expecting that? This particular section had so many moving parts, aside from the ins and outs of the circus, we delve into the characters a little more and their oddities; Chandresh's house in conjunction to the flair Marco adds to it is an ecstasy of imagery that blew my mind, the carefully staged midnight dinners were an art form in their own right; and in addition to all of this, the narrative is peppered with details of the actual competition, which read to me as a convoluted rule book written by two people (Hector and Alexander) with ulterior motives. All in all, Part II felt rather fractured to me, and I found it difficult to keep the juggling act of moving parts where I could see them clearly...I may have lost sight and dropped the ball in this particular section. Of course, this is my own qualm because I'm sure there is a means to Morgenstern's madness...and I'm still too curious about where it all leads.
One aspect of the novel that fascinates me is this competition...its creation, the creators and the players. These characteristics reminded me of an aspect in Greek Mythology...That man was created to entertain the Gods. Doesn't it appear as if both Hector and Alexander are having their way with Celia and Marco, to an extent, reducing their children to pawns in a game? Would it be going too far as to even consider them to be villainous in their approach to winning at no cost? I'm quite positive another reason I'm curious about it is because it's still very unclear to me as to how the desired outcome is achieved... how it will be judged. By the way, did the divulging of enchantment prowess between Marco and Celia not make any of you nervous, like it did me...what were they thinking, or was it part of their strategy?
There's more to come...I would like to discuss these Tents, the Freestanding Circus Acts, some of the Concessions too, and would like to touch on a few of the characters: Isobel, Mr. Barris, Tara Burgess, Poppet, Widge & Bailey. So, if you have any thoughts regarding any of this before I get to it, please feel free to share it and more!
Ami wrote: ""Would it be going to far as to even consider them to be villainous in their approach to winning at no cost? "
Oh, yes, I definitely considered them villains. In addition to winning at any cost, the way they treated their children was horribly cruel!
Yeah, and Tara didn't fare well either. I think the man in the grey suit did her in.The energy connection between Celia and Marco reminded me of a passage in "Uprooted," a book I also liked very much. I wish I was a sorcerer.
I'm wondering how Isobel figures in all this. She's the most mysterious right now.
Poppet, Widget, and Bailey are delightful.
I sometimes think other members of the circus are in on this contest, or is my mind running wild? Well, if it is, good for it.
Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "Yeah, and Tara didn't fare well either. I think the man in the grey suit did her in.The energy connection between Celia and Marco reminded me of a passage in "Uprooted," a book I also liked very ..."
Yeah, and Tara didn't fare well either. I think the man in the grey suit did her in.
No, she didn't. Yes, I was wondering who was behind her early demise. Were you under the impression the In Memorium was for her in the Feats of Illustrious Illusion tent?
The energy connection between Celia and Marco reminded me of a passage in "Uprooted," a book I also liked very much. I wish I was a sorcerer.
It's vivid, yes...a heavy brushstroke of details, very external. Yet, I was quite taken by the energy between Bailey and Poppet...a lighter approach, focusing on the internal. The energy/bond between the siblings is touching as well.
I'm wondering how Isobel figures in all this. She's the most mysterious right now.
I'm not sure I quite understand her role in the circus as it pertains to relaying information to Marco, why did she ask to leave and become a part of it? To me it felt as if she knew she was supposed to leave, and become a part of the circus
Poppet, Widget, and Bailey are delightful.
Love them! I knew the twins were going to be special, they have a very Midnight's Children characteristic about them, Tsukiko commenting on the auspicious color of their hair...I am excited about them.
I sometimes think other members of the circus are in on this contest, or is my mind running wild? Well, if it is, good for it.
Or maybe they are and just don't know it. I'll admit, I am completely engrossed by Widget's story about the man trapped in the tree and how it applies to Celia's Wishing tree, if at all.
Casceil wrote: "I've finished Part 2, and I am most of the way through Part 3. I like the way the dream motif saturates the book. I have to be careful about reading it at bedtime, because I tend to drift, and I mi..."
I have to be careful about reading it at bedtime, because I tend to drift, and I miss things and have to go back to get reoriented.
I mentioned in my post, I found this section of chapters as a fractured reading experience, I did quite a bit of drifting myself. I'm sure reading it at bedtime didn't help either. :)
Ami wrote: "I mentioned in my post, I found this section of chapters as a fractured reading experience, I did quite a bit of drifting myself...."Doesn't that add to the dream-like quality if the story?
Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "Ami wrote: "I mentioned in my post, I found this section of chapters as a fractured reading experience, I did quite a bit of drifting myself...."Doesn't that add to the dream-like quality if the ..."
I think it does. Also it adds to the mystery ... wait, what?
Celia and Marco each excel at a type of magic the other is not so good at. As a team they would be formidable. If there are villains, they are Celia's father and Marco's guardian (the man in the grey suit). Both seem too invested in this, as if there is more at stake than a competition. I wonder if we will see a face-off between them and their wards?
The image of the performer standing like a pristine white statue on Tara's grave as everyone left the gravesite was awesome. I can still visualize it. I wonder if she's still there?
There is a bit of horror in the midst of all this beautiful imagery, isn't there? Celia's father slitting her fingers time and time again, forcing her to heal herself, the killing of the dove(?) by Hector when Celia can't heal it; Marco's guardian, a remote and harsh parent figure, isolating Marco from human contact, possibly killing Tara after their meeting.They are looking like two villains to me.
Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "There is a bit of horror in the midst of all this beautiful imagery, isn't there? Celia's father slitting her fingers time and time again, forcing her to heal herself, the killing of the dove(?) by..."Yes, it’s quite Dickensian, the cruelty depicted between adult and child, the macabre aspects, the evocative atmospheres creates, perhaps even the multiple plot lines...all reminiscent of characteristics in Dickens’s literary world.
Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "Celia and Marco each excel at a type of magic the other is not so good at. As a team they would be formidable. If there are villains, they are Celia's father and Marco's guardian (the man in the gr..."Face off...Well, there’s a thought... Voldemort, Dumbledore, style.
This is true, joining forces against the villainous figures would be optimal, if it comes to that.
Hector Bowen/Prospero, is drawn from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the premise of the play based upon Prospero the magician using illusion and enchantments to place his daughter Miranda in her rightful place, back into society as the daughter of a Duke. The play too, consists of a tree a trapped spirit within it; and a showdown between good and evil magic. I do wonder how closely, Morgenstern follows the Shakespearean plot line, or even deviates from it, for that matter?
Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "Ami wrote: "I mentioned in my post, I found this section of chapters as a fractured reading experience, I did quite a bit of drifting myself...."Doesn't that add to the dream-like quality if the ..."
Ah...when we dream in vignettes! Maybe reading it at bedtime isn’t such a bad thing? ;) My overall takeaway would be that the novel is dreamlike... in that magical way.
Ah, so I'm kinda like reading the Tempest? Can I check off two reads when I finish Night Circus? Somehow I don't think I'll enjoy The Tempest half as much as I'm enjoying this.
Xan Shadowflutter wrote: "Ah, so I'm kinda like reading the Tempest? Can I check off two reads when I finish Night Circus? Somehow I don't think I'll enjoy The Tempest half as much as I'm enjoying this."Oh, nice! Please feel free to draw parallels when you think it beneficial to our discussion. And of course, you should check off two reads after finishing both!
Eh, maybe you'll enjoy both in their own right, regardless of the commonality? Keep us posted.
I am sorry to say that the more I read this book, the less I like it. I do not understand why Marco and Celia continue playing this game/ duel for years now. I kind of understand Marco - the grey man seems legitimately scary - but Celia's father doesn't seem to have much power over her anymore... Someone illuminate me, please!Also, I don't feel like I am learning anything more about these characters that makes me root for them or connect to them in any way - Morgenstern is so bend on making everything magical that the distance between the characters and me is almost unbridgeable at this point..
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Kay wrote: "I am sorry to say that the more I read this book, the less I like it. I do not understand why Marco and Celia continue playing this game/ duel for years now. I kind of understand Marco - the grey m..."I think this stems from your detachment from the characters mentioned in your initial thoughts post. It's understandable you would continue feeling this way...I did too. However, I found the inclusion of Poppet and Widgett to add an additional excitement to the novel...From their birth, we know that they will continue to grow with the circus, their fates appear to be bound to it. I have a better sense as to their demeanors and circumstances...I don't question their motives or their dynamics with each other, or with other characters, like I do with everybody else. What they do, how they say it...I believe them...I genuinely like them.
I focus on the atmosphere as well, like Casceil mentioned, when the characters begin to dull my senses. I'll get into this a bit more in Part III.
Divert the dulling, Kay. :P
Thank you both, Casceil and Ami, for your comments.. I plan on reading a few more chapters and see if how I feel changes. It just might not be the book for me after all.
Section three dives a little deeper into something you question in here, I won't say what, but you'll need to read a little more than the first three chapters. LOL!
If all else fails, there's always that carousel... :)
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21st Century Literature
Books mentioned in this topic
The Tempest (other topics)Midnight’s Children (other topics)
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