The Night Circus
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Is the book too complicated for you?
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I didn't not like the book because I didn't understand the structure. It wasn't a hard read or hard to follow . . . I didn't like it because a lot of the characters were far too thinly drawn, the plot dragged in a lot of places, the great romance was sadly lacking in any kind of passion and the much promised duel didn't actually exist. Some more back story about the origins of the competition would have made for a much more interesting read, as would a little more the contortionists tale. If it hadn't of been for the descriptions of visiting the circus itself and a few of the images like the lighting of the bonfire by the archers this would have only got 2 stars instesd of the 3 . . .
First of all, I respect your opinion. I don't really like to correct people and I certainly dont want to be the only one facing 'negativity against the haters' thing... hell, I always post random negative thing on twilight threads but here's my gist.didn't understand the structure.
The Night Circus is not a linear read. Erin herself have a very distinctive writing style which is very much like a magician or detective movies/books I've read.
The story is told in an alternating person POV. It may be confusing since it switches back from third to second and from different characters.
The story for the circus sets years before the creation of the circus, the duration of the circus and the final confrontation. Additional stories were added, which tell the characteristics of the circus, the two main magician, Herr Thiessen, the Rêveurs and etc.
By the end of the novel, you could probably figure out why the book is set that way. The idea of the book was a puzzle, like a detective novel which require a lot of thinking. And I dont want to spoil anyone with the conclusion.
Erin herself mention about it in her interview :
"That was because I wanted to capture an old fashioned storytelling feel, a fairy tale aspect just short of a Once Upon A Time, and that seemed like the right way to handle it. It has the hint of a narrator who knows this tale intimately and is choosing how much to relay at any given time. I think the passive voice fits stylistically with that tone, sometimes to the point where I wouldn’t realize I was using it."
a lot of the characters were far too thinly drawn
anyone could fill in the blanks of the characters. But I'd wish you could emphasize more about this as there's multiple character in the book. If you say Celia and Marco, by several chapters, I had come to conclusion that the book isn't solely about themselves so I came to enjoy it on its own quirkiness like hiding Marco from half the storyline, emphasize more on the circus and etc. The circus itself was an extension to these characters. The description alone tells a lot about the creators : The clock, the garden etc.
the plot dragged in a lot of places
If I had encountered a book that I couldn't understand and as layered as this, I would advise myself to reread it in the future or make a short review on how I hated it from the character, the plot structure, the climax and etc. I certainly wouldn't be on a discussion thread about the book and complain how suck the romance was. There's a lot of alternative out there include Harlequins, YA romance and Ellora Cave's novels with thin and less dragging storylines that I'm sure would satisfy anyone looking for romance.
the great romance was sadly lacking & the much promised duel didn't actually exist
Personally, I blame on last month's blurb. Actually, from the first two chapters, I've already known the book isn't going to be a "grand romantic gesture" story with two magician met each other, fall in love and fight the final boss.
If you had seen these movies : The Prestige, The Illusionist and countless other story about magicians. Rival magicians outsmart each other using their tricks all the time. For example : Robert Angier and Alfred Borden; and for this book, Hector and Alexander, the elusive behind the scene magicians.
Celia came to the circus auditioning to be an Illusionist. This alerts Marco who gained an upper hand in knowing who his game rival is. Along the years he try to outwit Celia in various ways using their magic via The Labyrinth, The Bonfire, The Garden, the Tree, the Carousel and etc. In such essence they were dueling with one another within the 30 years of their circus. But their magic complements with one another too much that they developed feelings for one another (view spoiler)
I think Celia and Marco is a very neat love story without the hassle of too much empty words.
p/s: I dont really think the book needs another generic Harry Potter fight scene.
and a little more the contortionists tale
Erin had told Tsukiko's story quite well, briefly and it worked. I think the idea of exoticism is what attracted the readers to know more about her but being asian myself, I don't really think she needs more details on her past life considering her role in the final confrontation.
about the origins of the competition would have made for a much more interesting read, as would
Where's the sense of mystery if everyone give you directly on your plate? Personally, I felt pretty cheated by that.
If you have seen The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the story seems to flow accordingly to this book but with a twist.
Both, Hector and Alexander might have been anything. (view spoiler)
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Yes, I typed this long in my usual threads too. Feel free to contradict what I say, its healthy to debate about a book anyway. And dont forget to reread it again if you're so dissatisfied with the novel. (I actually reread a lot of Breaking Dawn and I still hate it.. so, give or take) and I didnt major in literature (I major in biological medicine) so my grammars were off all the time.
Whoops . . . you appear to be missing a word ! I did understand the structure . . . this was a book a 12 year old could happily follow if they had the patience. Non-linear narratives hold no fear for me.I just wanted more than I got. I found out about the book independantly from Goodreads and being a lover of the unsual and strange was looking forward to this.
The kernel of the idea was a stunning one and I will read the authors next book with interest because I believe the imagination is well and truly there it's just in this case the execution is sorely lacking.
I think there may of been far too much of a push by publishers / editors to appeal to the paranormal romance / Twilight junkies out there which nudged the book into the grounds of fluff.
It wasn't a patch on the Prestige and the Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus was as equally over-rated and overblown as this book.
I wouldn't re-read this, there are far too many books in this world that I haven't read without revisiting the ones that didn't capture my imagination.
I actually quite enjoyed this book, but like Claire I would not read this book again. Although there were some magical descriptions, some parts of the book were just to slow for it to sit on my "keepers" shelf.
What I loved about this book is that it is truly unique. At frist the fact that the magic was real bothered me but as I let go of that sense of reality I so enjoyed the book that much more. It is a love story - don't see how anyone could not think so. But it is a complicated plot and I did find myself going back into prior chapters to understand things. I would not read it again but definitely would recommend it to a certain audience.
The idea that you had to misunderstand a book to dislike it is condescending nonsense. It says that personal preferences do not exist and dislike is strictly based around ignorance.I outline why I didn't like the book in my review, but I'll repeat a little of it here: the marketing doesn't match up with the content of the book. This happens sometimes and is certainly not the author's fault, but expectations were raised that couldn't possibly be met. Aside from that, the story was built around the concept of the circus instead of the circus being a setting for the story. Setting is a tool -- not the reason you read a novel. If you just wanted pretty descriptions of places you'd snatch up travel guides and read those.
I also feel like it was executed in a strange and rather convoluted way, that was ultimately detrimental to the narrative. The book was already extremely slow paced. By weaving back and forth through time the author essentially made the book grind to a halt. I think it was a slight of hand to distract readers from the fact that not a lot was going on. In my case, I was very aware nothing really happened over the course of many, many years. The characters were never fully developed and the romance was lackluster, told instead of shown. I never take to being told two people are in love. I want to experience it second hand. This felt more like an announcement.
The world building wasn't thought out beyond what was necessary to make the circus take place. Does anyone know how the magic works? What the limits are? Why Marco was chosen and what about him made him more capable than the other children the man interviewed? Shoddy work.
Please don't imply that people who disliked the book were too stupid to grasp it because that's what it amounts to when you say you suspect we didn't understand. This wasn't String Theory -- for me, it was a floppy fantasy book with little story-telling value. I know what the author was attempting. I even googled an interview that explored the creative process, which made it easier to understand where she went wrong.
The idea that you had to misunderstand a book to dislike it is condescending nonsense. Please don't imply that people who disliked the book were too stupid to grasp it because that's what it amounts to when you say you suspect we didn't understand.
This this this this a million times over. People have their reasons for disliking it just as you have their reasons for liking it. That does not make their opinions less valid, and it doesn't mean that "they didn't understand the book!!" either. By even insinuating such it makes you come off as very narrow minded and unintelligent.
I didn't frequent to this thread (cos its slightly irritating)even after a lot of notification since the last time I tweeted about it with Erin Morgenstern about this matter. You know what she said?[image error]
she's pretty fine with it so I rest my case.
But if you don't really like certain books, pls don't waste your time sending hate-emails to these debut writers.
Ann Aguirre mention a similar thing about people who dont like her book's unconventional approach to a lot of matter in her books despite the genre she choose.
So... if you're pretty dissatisfied with a certain book... just tweet it to the authors. They pretty much will reply you back.
Just want to put in my 2 cents regarding the romance. I wasn't really looking for big romance per se either. If you think about it, most fairy tale romances simply exist b/c they need to for the story. I mean, how else can you explain a prince falling for a princess who is supposedly dead and in a glass case? Even Shakespeare's romances aren't really developed, they just are. Also, Marco and Celia didn't immediately fall in love;at least Celia seemed to give the situation considerable thought before moving forward. I really enjoyed the book and apparently found more depth than I was suppose to depending on who reveiwed the book. Ah well...
Pieshine wrote: "Just want to put in my 2 cents regarding the romance. I wasn't really looking for big romance per se either. If you think about it, most fairy tale romances simply exist b/c they need to for the st..."Marco and Celia didn't immediately fall in love
I suggest you reread this thread with me of the Auditory chapter when Celia came to make her exhibition and Marco saw her.
He could tell from across the room that she was lovely,
but when she is near enough to look him in the eyes the
loveliness—the shape of her face, the contrast of her hair
against her skin—evolves into something more.
She is radiant. For a moment, while they look at each
other, he cannot remember what he is meant to be doing,
or why she is handing him a piece of paper with the number
twenty-three written on it in his own handwriting.
It seems to me a love at the first sight, at least for Marco. I don't know if someone else agree with me!
I liked the book just fine. I thought it was fun and original, but the implication in this thread that this book contains some sort of difficult-to-grasp, complex narrative is silly. Who honestly couldn't follow the plot structure? The reason the book wasn't great was because there wasn't much conflict. It was rather boring actually. The love story between the little red headed twin and the farm boy was vastly superior to the Marco-Celia one and neither were very convincing.
I bought the book based on no recommendations and not paying attention to the genre. I loved the plot, unexpected TYPE of duel, etc.I'm just shocked to find out this has been put in the YA genre. If I had found it there I wouldn't have picked it up. I'm sorry.
But I;m glad I found it somewhere completely different, read it, loved it and was able to enjoy a spectacular book...albeit some things I didn't like. Read my review for the details if you're interested.
I, personally, enjoyed the fact that the romance was understated. Subtlety is passed over far too often these days and I'm tired of the corny, wordy, lengthy grand passions (eyeroll) that fill the pages of most modern "love" stories. Also, I was under the impression that the "bonding" process Celia and Marco underwent to tie them to the challenge had a slight impact on their feelings for each other...?
Mello wrote: "The idea that you had to misunderstand a book to dislike it is condescending nonsense. Please don't imply that people who disliked the book were too stupid to grasp it because that's what it amou..."
Syahira wrote: "I've been reading a lot of the popular negative reviews and the comments and I wondered how many people actually read the story and understood it?
Personally, it’s not a 'classic' Twilight-style Y..."
Syahira never explicitly stated that the only people who disliked the book were those who couldn't understand it.
"...and I wondered how many people actually read the story and understood it?"
I see pondering, not statement.
She then went on to list the myriad of things she's read which caused her to wonder if perhaps some of the harsher critics of the book disliked it because they didn't understand it. Perfectly reasonable and a far cry from saying the only reason someone would dislike something is because they don't understand it.
Irony, sweet irony.
Katrina wrote: "Syahira never explicitly stated that the only people who disliked the book were those who couldn't understand it. "...and I wondered how many people actually read the story and understood it?"
I see pondering, not statement..."
I think it was in the second post which implied that she believed that the only people who disliked the book were those who couldn't understand it.
"I don't really like to correct people and I certainly dont want to be the only one facing 'negativity against the haters' thing... hell, I always post random negative thing on twilight threads but here's my gist."
She started off by saying she was going to correct the poster's opinions, by showing how with better understanding of the plot, the poster might find they actually enjoyed it.
I loved this book. I loved that it was different, that the setting was a character, that the romance didn't overshadow everything else and that it was told from three different perspectives. I too usually can't stand overly descriptive novels (LOTR, for example), but since the circus seemed to have a life of its own, and what was being described was so fantastical, I found myself begging for more. I can also see why it wouldn't sit well with some readers, for the same reasons I loved it.
I do NOT understand the Twilight references? If someone could explain to me how this is reminiscent of Twilight in any form, it would be appreciated.
Kelly wrote: "Katrina wrote: "Syahira never explicitly stated that the only people who disliked the book were those who couldn't understand it. "...and I wondered how many people actually read the story and un..."
I stand corrected. It is, obviously, incorrect to state that the only reason a person dislikes something is because they don't understand it. There are plenty of books I understood (almost too well, lol) and still hated.
I don't get the Twilight references, either, but I just assumed that was because I went into the book after A) never having heard much hype about it, and B) having no idea it was considered YA fiction. Perhaps they marketed it badly.
I liked it for the same reasons you did, and I am also a usual hater of overly-descriptive novels as I generally find them pretentious. Most of the time it's like the author is just trying to show off their vocabulary. I didn't get that with The Night Circus, though.
Honestly, though, I think the fact that the majority of readers either hate it or love it says something extraordinary about the book. Morgenstern was able to elicit strong feelings from nearly every reader.
This book was put into the YA category? Seriously? Not in my local bookshop it wasn't :| It doesn't have any of the typical young adult factors and reads more like an adult novel. I also think it's less fantasy and more magical realism - the book is too literary to be considered fantasy. I actually loved it. It was incredibly unique and well-written, and the tone used to narrate the book had a sort of dreamy feel to it. The idea of the circus with its various tents for various wonders enthralled me, and I found it really hard to put the book down. I thought the romance between Marco and Celia was really well done - it was woven through the tale subtly, but you could really feel how it blossomed. I think that given that these two had been treated so horribly by the only father figures they knew, it was bound to be hard for either of them to act on the love they had developed between them.
I basically found this book because I read a blog post about how gorgeous the hardcover version was. It might seem superficial, but honestly, there's a reason why cover art is taken seriously within the publishing world. I don't understand the Twilight references people seem to be making - there is nothing of Twilight in this novel at all. I will definitely be reading more of Erin's books in the future.
I totally loved it. This is an alluring fiction of illusions and magic laced with romance. The plot is so intricate and every thread of thought and imagination is woven beautifully and accurate that it feels like a dream.
The night circus is a creation of illusions complimented each by master illusionists in a duel for fame and victory who stretch the realms of magic. A competition that tests the skill and endurance of the magicians in building an edifice of magic to which each add their touch thus creating an entity that is magic itself and by using the circus as a platform to flaunt their exceptional abilities; A bonding that blossomed into love and abandoned the very essence of the game.
The concept of illusions and the idea of playing it out with a circus backdrop are fantastic. Whenever Celia and Marco countered each others work it only resulted in a more greater magic. I loved the ice garden,labyrinthine and the wishing tree. The ending was really good.It felt irresistible to put the book down.
I don't care whether its YA category, i don't judge books by the rating they receive and i don't in most cases conclude on the basis of others perspectives, all i need is to like the blurb. We all have preferences and not every book can be expected to be a symmetry. An author assimilates the story and presents in a sequence, there's no possibility that it can be reader specific. Every one expects particular aspects in books, for that matter can every prospective author make a survey of what readers desire? Then what must be the sample size?
The structure was complicating that's what the plot demanded. The ability to narrate a story with complicated devices and showing from various angles goes to show how good and creative the author is. Also that i was able to imagine scenes quite vividly and the illusions spun around me so beautifully that i felt like i was a part of the story.
I loved the characterization. For any story to be efficiently written, the viewpoints of all the characters is necessary. In this book, everyone had a part to play. it was not narrowed down to the lead pair. The characters were fully developed and realistic, their emotions, expressions carefully described. If ppl need extreme character development the complaint that its too descriptive will only aggregate and it will overdo the style of narration.
One sided views are shortcomings. Descriptions are prime aids to constructive writing. Mere dialogues without appropriate descriptions however long will only be plain text. Descriptions visualize typed words. In night circus, Erin has described in a picture perfect way that i can see each scene like a video is played in my head, especially those scenes where the Celia and Marco make lovely illusions(ice garden)
The romance content is just enough and there's no want of passion. Pure love doesn't require extreme display of passion. This is not erotic romance. From what i gather erotic over passionate romance flood the literary sector. They are everywhere no matter which direction you look in.
"Pure love doesn't require extreme display of passion."Perfect. Thank you.
Im sorry but upon reading everyones comments i have to state just one simple opinion of my own......Erin for a debut novel...its pure genius.....i think that it could have been elaborated more...but i cant even tell u all the books that ive been enamored with and wish would have continued especially ones that meant something to me...this book was beautiful i loved that it wasnt all about the sex...it was about true i cant live without u love and thats amazing and the structure is amazing and made it that much easier and fun to read...i literally CANNOT wait to read her next novel...she put herself in a favorite author category of mine :)
You know, I loved that too, Cathleen. I loved how they really only got a limited amount of time with each other and even they did eventually have sex, it wasn't all these fumbling make-out scenes leading up to it. Oftentimes that just ends up being more frustrating for the reader than anything.
i agree......i truly was intrigued by this book...honestly i think she deserves props for the creation and being a debut novelist...shell get better with time and i cant wait!
It's presumptuous for the OP to assume people didn't "get" the book because they didn't like it. That kind of retort drives me crazy.People have different tastes and abilities - what is easily comprehended by some is arcane to others.
It's a good story, but I don't find it enjoyable. I think the story was too slow. The first few pages are superb but as I continue reading, it become painful. However, if Morgenstern release another book, I'll definitely check it out. She's a great author.
People who love transgressional novels may understand the flow since Chuck Palahniuk can be far worse.I saw a lot of alliteration, foreshadowing, and hidden easter eggs in the story that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, when I saw each chapter had a date and time, I knew the story would be jumpy.
Also, this isn't a YA novel. It's considered an adult novel so those who are avid YA readers should take note of that.
Veronica wrote: "I totally loved it. This is an alluring fiction of illusions and magic laced with romance. The plot is so intricate and every thread of thought and imagination is woven beautifully and accurate th..."
I could not have said it better myself. This book is alluring both by the story and how it was written. It may be challenging to read for some, but it is not impossible. I read slowly and used my imagination to the very best of my ability to bring the story to life in my mind. I enjoyed it beyond words. I am not a whimsical person nor do I love books about the circus (just ask my friends). I am a practical, sensible and factual person. But I appreciate stories that force me to challenge my perceptions and reach beyond my comfort zone and this book did just that. I will say I would have liked more face time for Celia and Marco in the book, but it is true what they say, "less is always best". Fragrances smell better with a simple subtle hint and so did the romance in this book.
Syahira wrote: "I've been reading a lot of the popular negative reviews and the comments and I wondered how many people actually read the story and understood it?Personally, it’s not a 'classic' Twilight-style Y..."
It is interesting to see how different the reception is of the romance between Celia and Marco versus Edward and Bella from Twilight among the goodread reviewers who have read the Twilight books. The romance was subtle in this book, however for me personally, it was more practical and resonating than that of Bella and Edward, which made the book more enjoyable for me. I can't say that at times the story was not a little bleak, but what book isn't? I read through this book as quickly as I read through New Moon (which for me was like a black hole because I was literally sucked into the book and loved every minute of it). I respect the objections in this discussion about the book and how it was written, but like most things in life, everyone is not going to be pleased. Lucky for me this book made me feel something I haven't felt since reading New Moon and I thank Erin Morgenstern for that.
Where is everyone getting the idea that this is a YA novel? I work at a bookstore and a publishing company and have yet to see anyone suggest it's a YA (it is not categorized as such in the stores).I also find people comparing everything remotely successful and in the general fantasy category to Twilight incredibly annoying. Anyone else feel that way?
Peggy wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I totally loved it. This is an alluring fiction of illusions and magic laced with romance. The plot is so intricate and every thread of thought and imagination is woven beautifull..."
That was lovely. Thank you :D
Elizabeth wrote: "Where is everyone getting the idea that this is a YA novel? I work at a bookstore and a publishing company and have yet to see anyone suggest it's a YA (it is not categorized as such in the stores)..."I agree w/ you entirely. I'm a librarian...can't see this book in YA at all and comparing it to Twilight like comparing apples to organges. Definitely annoying.
Loved this book! I read it with the NaNoWriMo competition in mind as I just went through that process in November. I am impressed that an individual set out to do something fun in 30 days and came out with a project as fascinating as The Night Circus! You Go Erin!
I just finished this book the other day and really enjoyed it. Morgenstern has such a beautiful flowing prose that simply seduces you into the circus world. I am normally not a person who likes a lot of descriptions and I end up glossing over a lot of it but this time I couldnt get enough. She truly has a gift in creating a mood and a place, I could feel the circus as I read. I do think the characters as a whole were a little flat and I while I bought their love story it certainly was a book where you had to take the romance at face value and just accept they loved each other without seeing it unfold before you. While I do prefer the latter when I read I did feel a little something as Celia discovered each new tent that Marco created. I thought it was beautiful, and a perfect reflection of their characters, that they would create a love story within the circus tents. I would absolutely love to be a reveur and chase this circus through all my days, its is enchanting, magical, encompassing, a beautiful story.
This book felt like a cross between Byatt's Possession and Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry. It was haunting and beautiful and evocative and the language had a very 19th-century flavor. I loved that the narrative was elusive. It felt layered and mysterious, like the circus. Although I didn't really connect with the characters at the beginning, I did as the novel progressed. I couldn't wait to see what happened. If the plot and the nature of the competition, in particular, had been explicitly stated, I would have probably lost interest in the book. I also like the resolution at the end. It even had me a bit teary-eyed.
I particularly enjoyed the description of the circus from the circus-goers' persective....it was coated with this awe and I could almost smell the caramel <3
I loved this book. Mostly, I loved the wonderful descriptions of the tents. There are few authors that can deliver such powerful images, creating places that will feel, down the road, as familiar as a 'real' location you have visited. Said so, I can see how some people would be taken aback by the thin plot. The story is not the strong element here - at least, it is not what fascinated me.
On the other side, I can't understand, for the sake of me:
1) Why would anyone compare this to Twilight. I can understand Tolkien... because how do you read any 'fantasy' and not compare it to Tolkien? But Twilight? On one side, you have story-driven teenage romance pop fantasy, fast paced and full of action with, at best, mediocre writing, on the other you have a descriptive almost-love-story whose strength lies in the prose. No comparison...
2) Why would anyone define this YA? At best, it's a classification error. At worst, it's a prejudice - 'if it's got magic, it has to be for kids'. Sad.
Veljko wrote: "I loved this book. Mostly, I loved the wonderful descriptions of the tents. There are few authors that can deliver such powerful images, creating places that will feel, down the road, as familiar a..."Agree! Exactly what I said! :)
Elizabeth wrote: "Veljko wrote: "I loved this book. Mostly, I loved the wonderful descriptions of the tents. There are few authors that can deliver such powerful images, creating places that will feel, down the road..."Heh, I should have read each post more carefully. Got carried away... sorry, didn't mean to sound like a broken record.
Maybe I'm too young to get this book but it was not at all what I was expecting. I found myself waiting for it to get good, for the love make me tingle inside. But it didn't and I have to say I was disappointed
Veljko wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Veljko wrote: "I loved this book. Mostly, I loved the wonderful descriptions of the tents. There are few authors that can deliver such powerful images, creating places that will f..."LOL Just funny we had the exact same thoughts. Glad it's not just me!
Personally, I loved this book, and when it constantly changed years and dates, I thought it made the book more mysterious and interesting. The undeveloped characters also made the book very mysterious and magical. I highly rated this one 5 STARS!!!! I love this book and I'm sorry that some of you didn't :(. I loved the romance and magic in this book, but everyone has their own opinion. I have read reviews where either they were exteremly positive or exteremly negative. Im on the exteremly positive side though, and I hope some other people are also!!! To people who disliked this book: Keep reading these kinds of books and maybe you will appreciate them more!! :)
Also, I loved the descriptions!!! They are so detailed... It felt like you were actually there!!! I looooooooooooooved this book!!!!!!!
great descriptions, she is a very visual writer. It is non linear and that I enjoyed immensely, reading each chapter as each time stream comes closer together was wonderful. Was a bit disappointed with the ending, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I totally understood this book and the concept. Is that not why we all read, to let our imaginations take hold? The writing was beautiful to the point that I could understand it. Now if it was written terribly, then I can see where people might have had a hard time getting the point. I do agree with some of you that there wasn't a whole lot of action but it totally made up for it with the over magical feel of the book. It wasn't one of my absolute faves of all time but I liked it enough to finish it. Which is more then I can say for a few books I've started recently.
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Personally, it’s not a 'classic' Twilight-style YA novel. In fact, the book cover called me when I first saw it in "September Movers & Shakers" and I just gotta read it. Yes, I'm motivated to read it solely based on its gorgeous cover.
I nearly skip the book because the earlier blurb on GR was too heavily twilight-romance influenced that I was kind of expecting it was another Alexandra Adornetto's Halo, Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush Hush or Twilight. (to be read and be forgotten as it never exist)
But as soon as I read the first few chapters, I'm kind of stumped... and actually had look recheck the genre as I wonder if I had accidentally picked a non-YA novel since its certainly a VERY NON-YA NOVEL. In fact, it’s an adult novel masquerading as a YA novel. Child labor and torture were all I could think of in the earlier part of the book.
Honestly, I hated descriptive novels. I still haven't finished the Fellowship of the Ring because it’s too winding for me. Weirdly enough, I couldn't stop reading the book from midnight till 5am in the morning.
The book is written with the circus in mind. All the lovers, the manager, the staff, the clockmaker, the two older magicians, the little boy and his red-haired circus friend, the contortionist and etc were all very much alive in the book. For me to be able to remember the characters alone is pretty impressive since I don't usually notice side characters.
I think it’s highly unrealistic to hate the book just because you can't understand the structure of the story.
And again, it’s a debut novel. Honestly, how many debut authors who could write this descriptively good for a first novel? That’s talent right there.