bookoala
Written on Apr 17, 2021
In 1886, a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, Le Cirque des Rêves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire.
Although there are acrobats, fortune-tellers and contortionists, the Circus of Dreams is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice. The circus seems almost to cast a spell over its aficionados, who call themselves the rêveurs - the dreamers. At the heart of the story is the tangled relationship between two young magicians, Celia, the enchanter's daughter, and Marco, the sorcerer's apprentice. At the behest of their shadowy masters, they find themselves locked in a deadly contest, forced to test the very limits of the imagination, and of their love...
A fabulous, fin-de-siècle feast for the senses and a life-affirming love story, The Night Circus is a captivating novel that will make the real world seem fantastical and a fantasy world real.
- ISBN10 184655523X
- ISBN13 9781846555237
- Publish Date 15 September 2011 (first published 1 January 2011)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 1 August 2014
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Vintage Publishing
- Imprint Harvill Secker
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 400
- Language English
Reviews
Kait ✨
Written on Jul 2, 2020
pagingserenity
Written on May 14, 2020
Emma (SCR)
Written on Mar 19, 2020
The whole thing was fascinating. The characters, the circus, the whole world but the reason I can't give it 5 stars is the ending. For me, it was so anti-climatic. I was waiting for something big and dramatic and it just fell short of the rest of the book.
I loved the two main characters, Celia and Marco. I loved seeing their creations. It was always exciting to see what would come up next. My favourite characters though were the Murray twins. There was something about them that just had me so excited when they were in the spotlight.
The Circus itself is so integral to the story that it should really count as a character. The descriptions are very detailed and it's very easy to visualise. It sounds magical and I can see why people would visit in droves and return time and time again.
The circus might be magical but there was also an element of danger to it. If those involved asked too many questions or didn't do what they were supposed to then things got dicey for them. There were a few tragedies in this book that were just heartbreaking.
Erin can definitely do world-building. Erin creates a world that is enticing and dangerous. You just need to be a part of it. The rest of the story outweighs the ending for me and for the sheer uniqueness of this book I would still recommend it. For the descriptions and the magic, I think this book is worth the read despite the ending.
Chelsea
Written on Mar 7, 2020
It's never easy reading a book after it's been hyped up for so many years. I tried not to have high expectations for this reason but even with that being noted I still couldn't enjoy myself while reading.
The description and the hype of others made this seem like an action packed book with lots of fantasy elements. I can tell you right now that there was no action whatso ever and I was bored the entire time reading this. I was so SAD because I kept expecting it to pick up as book often do but there was NOTHING to keep me going.
There's supposed to be this "fierce competition" which ends up just being little tweeks of the circus now and then. There's nothing "fierce" about it? Nothing exciting ever happens? The most we see is a new tent pop up once and a while. Also this competition lasts YEARS and we still get no action? Really? Plus even the two competitors don't even know what the competition is even though I could have told them how it was gonna end up from the first 30 pages of the book. Maybe I've gotten to the point in my reading life where I've read too much and nothing can surprise me.
Bascially the description we get of this book makes it seem really intense and like there will be lots of life or death moments but it's mostly mind games. The "game" doesn't make any sense and the author just throws in whatever rules they feel like, or so it seems. The "romance" starts very suddenly and it super rushed. There was nothing surprising or remotely exciting at any point. Even the ending felt boring to me.
I'd say this book is more for people who enjoy pretty words on paper and don't mind reading 500+ pages where nothing exciting happens.
layawaydragon
Written on Feb 1, 2020
I mean, it wasn't bad. Just...long and bland. Why do I care? What are the stupid stakes already?? What's the bloody fucking point???
Considering this is supposed to be a romance between rivals, a third of the book in and they don't even know each other yet! AND the guy has a girlfriend!
I felt bad for the kids in the beginning. The invisible man was a surprising twist. The best parts were the minor character chapters disbursed between the main POVs, like the clock maker. Other than that, nope. Twas not for me.
Put it down, sighed in relief and forgot about it peacefully. Until I realized how far behind in my reading challenge I was and swore I read more and finally remembered it.
Quirky Cat
Written on Dec 13, 2019
If you’re a fan of carnival themes, dramatic and iconic imagery, and the idea of magical games, then The Night Circus is a novel worth checking out. When magical masters get bored, sometimes they go to extreme lengths. And sometimes they’ll start a contest unlike any you’ve ever seen before.
Enter Celia and Marco. They are two young magical adepts, but with very different skills and talents. Celia is a natural; her magic is all about imagery and sleight of hand. She was raised to hide her magic behind the guise of stage magic. Meanwhile, Marco was raised with grimoires and magical tomes. He undoubtedly has a better understanding of magical foundations, but little understanding of his own limitations.
These two have been raised to oppose each other. They will compete by magical means, without ever knowing the true definitions of the game they’re playing. And likewise, they are expected to find their opponents without any help or guidance. Naturally, that means these two are ultimately destined to fall in love.
“How can I excel at a game when you refuse to tell me the rules?”
Hrm. My description may have gotten a little long there. But that’s probably all the proof you need that I absolutely adored this book. It has been stuck in my head ever since the moment I read it, and I have no regrets about it remaining there.
The Night Circus was a fabulous read, one full of rich details and this striking aesthetic that I just couldn’t get over. Combining circus, magic, and iconic imagery all resulted in something truly wonderful. The secondary characters played larger than life roles, fleshing out the world to even further extents. It was all brilliantly done.
The love story in this novel was both everything and nothing like what I expected. And that was a delightful blend. It was romantic and full of surprises. It was a study in human behavior. And it was so stunningly intense and brilliant.
I haven’t heard any news of The Night Circus being adapted into a movie or TV show, but I still can’t help but hope that someday it’ll happen. I want nothing more than to see the imagery stuck within my head come to life.
alindstadtcorbeax
Written on May 31, 2019
I don’t think I have ever, ever been so enamored with a singular novel. I can’t explain the ways in which it stimulated my senses and made my heart ache in love and in sorrow. As far as I’m concerned, it is stolen... a part forever belongs to The Night Circus.
This is more than a mere book, it is an enchanting work of art told by an equally enchanting storyteller.
I wish it wasn’t over.
stressedrach
Written on May 18, 2019
Sadly, I found it, slow, confusing and it just lost me and I was bored.
2.5 out of 5
I may do a re-read of this in a few months
Beth C.
Written on Feb 14, 2019