The Night Circus

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fantasy / Morgenstern, Erin	4-week checkout	On Hold Shelf
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Fantasy / Morgenstern, Erin	4-week checkout	Due 04-26-2024
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fantasy / Morgenstern, Erin	4-week checkout	Due 05-16-2024
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Fantasy / Morgenstern, Erin	4-week checkout	Due 04-30-2024
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Fantasy / Morgenstern, Erin	4-week checkout	Due 05-12-2024
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Fantasy / Morgenstern, Erin	4-week checkout	Due 05-19-2024

Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Beautiful submitted by Rin on October 19, 2011, 1:45pm The Night Circus is a beautiful story. It is a book that grabbed me and held on, filled with dreams and whimsy. I began it with high expectations, and they were most certainly filled.

This is a book that appeals to all senses. You can almost smell the caramel, taste the popcorn, hear the crowds, see the performers, and feel the crowds.

The whole book is written in present tense. That might bother some, but personally, I've always loved present tense stories. It lends a sense of immediacy, of actually <i>being</i> there in the circus, that past tense cannot evoke.

A review really can't do it justice. I recommend it highly.

Dreamlike in texture submitted by pkooger on February 6, 2012, 4:16pm The circus arrives without warning, mysteriously appearing overnight, and leaves as quick as it comes. It contains no color, only black, white, and all the shades of grey between. The astonishing feats of the performers defy explanation, even in comparison to other circuses. The illusions performed may well not be illusions at all. If you like books with mysterious challenges, mysterious characters, mysterious happenings, and a mysterious resolution, this may be the book for you. The Night Circus skirts the edges of romance, fantasy, and steampunk. Interested?

Excellent! submitted by darian.leib on June 16, 2012, 1:30pm This book had everything a good fiction book should - some mystery, suspense, fantasy! The author paints such a clear, yet unique world of this circus that you truly feel like you are there. I couldn't put it down, wanting to learn more about the characters and what was happening to them. It's rare that a book does such a good job at captivating its reader and this one hit the nail on the head!

Totally Mesmerizing submitted by tigerbeck on July 12, 2012, 7:08pm It's a rare book that can live up to advance buzz of the sort "The Night Circus" has been getting. I had read the author plugs, the publisher's notes, the touting of film deals, and I had wondered what could really be so special about this novel to justify the hoopla.

Within a few pages, I found out. This book is MAGICAL. The publisher's blurb doesn't really do the plot justice. Here's a modified one: There are two illusionists, chosen at a young age to be bound to one another in a contest that will span their lives until one wins. They have been given no rules, other than that they must perform in some way. They have no idea how one wins, or what one must do to win. Their sponsors in the contest create the circus as the arena for their players. One will travel with it, the other will not. Their story is interspersed with the perspectives of several other characters within or affiliated with the circus, all of whom enrich the plot and provide a deeper look at the workings of the circus and those it touches.

I love the structure of this book. Too often a book with split narratives lingers too long on one or another of the characters, to the point that the reader forgets the other tale being told. Not with "The Night Circus". Most chapters are less than 5 pages long. Any character whose story you long to continue will return again soon. There are no boring narratives. Each is carefully constructed to yield more detail or nuance to the contest, the circus, or the sinister dealings of the competition sponsors. There are many two-page intervals designed to lead the reader through a tent or aspect of the carnival as if the reader were a patron on a tour.

The prose is beautiful - not too verbose, not too simplistic. Morgenstern has the rare ability to describe her fantastical imaginings in a way that is easily accessible. Reading "The Night Circus", I felt like I could see the contents of the tents, feel the fluffiness of the cloud maze, smell the caramel wafting in the air, gaze into the pool of tears, smell the scents in the table of jars. The author makes her creation real. She does so so well that I think the film will be a disappointment - no production company could make real the fantastical things Morgenstern makes me picture in my head.

The romance is gentle and slow-burning. There are no bodice-ripper sex scenes, no overwrought proclamations of undying passion. The romance between the two illusionists is a motivator of events, not the event itself. By sparing us the gory details, the author creates a fairy-tale atmosphere for her love story, a theme alluded to by several of the characters throughout the novel. This is a story about stories. Each character is equal parts vague and filled in. The reader never feels as if a character is fully revealed, but each has a magical quality nonetheless...like fairy tale characters. Morgenstern skillfully translates fantastical, fairy tale elements into a world where fairy tales are unexpected, and dull reality has taken hold (the book begins in the late 19th century in post-industrialized England where the population has seen magic disappear in a haze of coal burning factories and speeding locomotives - magic is now whatever we can mechanize in the name of progress). The author incorporates the 'seen it all' attitude of the people into her narrative - the people are mesmerized by a combination of magic and mechanics, illusions designed for their world. And yet the novel never devolves in 'steampunk' silliness. There is an air of timelessness that pervades every description, so that the circus can move from era to era untouched by the specifics of that time.

The novel approaches what could conventionally be called its climax about 40 pages from the end. But Morgenstern has created so many characters, so many different narratives to care about, that the resolution of the illusionists' contest has become simply one of many stories. I was grateful for the remaining 40 pages to tie together the other narratives intertwined with the illusionists' story. This was altogether a beautiful novel, and I was sad to see it end. Like the rêveurs, I wanted to travel along with the circus for awhile longer.

wonderful - a poem of a book submitted by klsyking on July 15, 2012, 7:06pm This book is so amazingly lyrical and beautifully written. If you have any appreciation for wonderful use of description or inventiveness, this is a book for you. The story is entrancing and magical. Totally worth checking out!

Huh?? submitted by bookher on July 25, 2012, 12:52pm I just do not understand all the great reviews this book is getting. It was totally predictable and such a struggle to actually finish. If it hadn't been my book club book, I never would have wasted time finishing it. The pages seemed to go on and on and on without anything of importance happening. I don't normally read fantasy so maybe that's the problem.

Would make a better movie than a book submitted by yugure on October 15, 2012, 4:33pm Usually, about halfway through a book, I tend to start skipping sentences, and it's for one of two reasons: 1) I am so engrossed in the story that I am racing toward the end, desperate to find out how it all plays out; or 2) I feel obligated to complete the book because I started it, and I just want it to be over with. Night Circus was, unfortunately, the latter. The characters, their desires, and their motivations lack depth, and the love story between the two main characters seems contrived and unconvincing. The book reads more like stage directions and with extensive descriptions of the setting (these descriptions are the best this book has to offer; Morgenstern has clearly done her best to create a sensually stunning world. I don't say this often, but Night Circus would probably make a better movie than a book). The plot suffers the same flatness as the characters; 387 pages is way too long to carry what is essentially an "anything you can do I can do better, with a romantic twist" vignette. (Actually, this would make a great Pixar short.) The ending is extremely disappointing. I had hoped to at least learn what the point of all this was. (Answer: There is none. Or rather, there's an explanation, but it's extremely unsatisfactory.) Except for occasionally making me want hot chocolate or candy apples, this book did nothing for me.

One of my favorite books ever submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on August 14, 2013, 8:26pm Incredible. Phenomenal. Outstanding.

I finished my library copy, went to the bookstore, bought a copy (because I HAVE to own this one), and started over on page one. And then loved it just as much on the second time through. Gave away my copy and had to buy another one, though. (That friend also loved it.)

But here's the thing -- do NOT, under ANY circumstances, read the jacket or back cover! The fool blurb writer gives away something that the main characters (and therefore you, the reader) do not find out until 85-90% of the way through the book. Something that changes everything.

Here's what you need to know: It's set realistically from 1873 to 1904 (though feels quite modern) and is real-world, except for the fact that magic is real, if only known to a few and even then hidden by them. Two magicians have set a challenge between their students, though the students do not for a long time know who each other are. The venue is the night circus.

The writing is absolutely lush. The descriptions are intense and vivid, with sights, sounds, and even scents creating a tapestry of settings for the characters to unfold against. And ahhhhhh, the characters! They are delightful and nuanced, wonderfully complicated and realistically developed. The plot is fantastic, woven through time and space between partnership and conflict, between magic and mundane, between youth and experience, between love and cynicism.

I rarely read reviews before I write my own, but after my first read of this book I knew my own mind so thoroughly that I was curious what others would say. I was surprised to find a number of very poor reviews, but they seemed to be focused around a couple of things:
1. They read the blurb, and so had an expectation of the book that was unfair. The reviewer knew something the characters did not, and so judged the book by it. That's not the book's fault.
2. They did not like the highly descriptive nature of the book, and wanted less description and more action. Well, that's a style preference. Fair enough if this isn't your thing. I thought it made the book absolutely come to life.
3. Because it was so descriptive, they skimmed, and therefore they MISSED all kinds of important revelations that were embedded within! Again, unfair! One said something about a quote where Celia spoke with someone and "explained in generalities what was going on" and then ripped on the editor for not having the author use this as a chance to explain in detail. Well, if you'd been paying attention, all the details had already been laid out by this time.

So if you really don't like books with lots of vivid descriptions, then I'd have to agree that this might not be the book for you, but otherwise? This is hands-down one of the best books I've ever read. But I cannot impress upon you enough -- DO NOT READ THE BLURB. Buy the book, tape a piece of paper over the back, and write "Two young magicians meet in a challenge at the Cirque de Reve. Now read the book for the rest." Give it as a gift and do the same. But I have to think you're going to love this book.

Amazing submitted by Maria Maguire on July 26, 2014, 1:11pm After reading the description on back of the book, I was expecting to hate it. I only read it because it is my friends my favorite book. But I was suprised to find that it was an amazing book, one of the best I've read. The way the story is told is fantastic. You never know what's going to happen, and every single character is important and interesting. I recommend this book to lots of people, and so far everyone has enjoyed it.

Great! submitted by purplelily on July 31, 2014, 10:10pm When I started this book, I was intrigued by the plot but confused by how the book was structured. It seemed to jump around time randomly. At the end though, everything fit together and made so much sense. On my second read, I was blown away by how amazing this book is - the story, the characters, the way it's set up. Definitely give it a try!

Lovely Story submitted by Kelsey H on June 14, 2015, 1:43pm This book was very fun to read. It is full of mystery and magic. This book contains a love story for the ages.

Fun Read! submitted by allseltz on June 17, 2016, 12:20pm I found the Night Circus to be a very enjoyable read! I really loved how imaginative it was. The book had a great fantastical atmosphere to it. Perhaps it was a bit predictable but I still found it to be a quick and fun read!

Night Circus submitted by mrondo on June 17, 2017, 10:23pm I liked this book at first. It was creative, suspenseful, and full of visual imagery. But then it stayed that same way for 300 more pages and not much advanced. In none of the 500 pages was the duel, which is central to the plot, ever clearly explained. I waited and waited for the duel to start to pick up and actually happen, but it never really came. Innovative idea, but the story wasn't told as well as I had hoped.

A well-crafted dream submitted by terpsichore17 on June 22, 2017, 9:26am There's plot (delicately revealed, bit by bit), but more than the plot is the atmosphere. Which is why the rest of this will be but descriptive phrases:

Hauntingly beautiful. About three steps shy of being simply indulgent. Tremendously wistful. And, in the end, gently tragic and tinged with melancholy. Like any dream you want to keep.

Historical Fiction Worth Reading, But.... submitted by sdunav on July 6, 2018, 9:52am Great settings and atmosphere, but I didn't enjoy the disjointed sequences, plot, or characters as much as many reviewers here.

Vivid and gripping submitted by lstorc on August 27, 2018, 2:40pm The details in this book are palpable. The artistry presented is memorable. The storytelling has a great pace that makes it difficult to put the book down.

Enchanting submitted by sellis612 on July 2, 2019, 10:27pm Absolutely enthralling

Beautiful Imagery submitted by Cloverdale on August 28, 2019, 12:27am The story is flawed, but strong overall. The world is completely crafted vividly and beautifully. I wanted to go there and visit.

Atmospheric but alos bland submitted by mbleed on July 21, 2020, 12:20pm Atomsphere and writing was beautiful to start. However, began to get overwrought and the plot barely moved for chapters at a time. Stopped enjoying it halfway through, finally gave up before the end.

Nice book submitted by teri on July 31, 2020, 7:11pm Yes, I enjoyed it. And I do like fantasy. But I wasn't enthralled.

Get lost in another world submitted by singleka on June 22, 2021, 5:14pm I loved this book. The characters and setting were so well developed. Definitely worth a read!

Wonderful debut submitted by gf94 on June 24, 2022, 5:05pm This book was written as part of the NANOWRIMO writing month where you attempt to write an entire novel in one month. It was obviously subsequently edited, but it’s amazing that this came out of such a short time. Beautiful prose, inventive plot line, satisfying ending.

A NaNoWriMo star submitted by kh89 on July 24, 2022, 9:37pm I read this book because I heard it had been written during National Novel Writing Month, not knowing what to expect or whether it would be any good. Reading it felt like falling into a dream- I hardly remember anything else that was going on around me at the time I read it, I was so caught up in the story. A unique and captivating dark fantasy.

vc submitted by smr on August 8, 2022, 4:27pm the night

Magical, Mystical, and Marvelous submitted by Martha Matusik on June 10, 2023, 8:46am The Night Circus paints a picture. A picture of a circus that is only open at night... And in that evocative image a love story a that twists and turns, jumps back and forth through time, and ends right back where it began at the front gates of a circus only open at night. Erin's descriptions of magic make sense the way only the truly fantastical can, they feel truer than what is real, and her characters feel real enough to be fantastical.
A great story, if you love magic, if you love spectacle, if you love the night, and most of all if you love love.

Magical circus submitted by sara.samuel on July 9, 2023, 10:07pm I love this book. It's filled with beautiful scenes crafted with words. Travel to different parts of the world with a circus that's only open at night.