[image error]Summary: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

Paperback: 516 pages
Publisher: Anchor Books; 1st edition (July 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307744434
ISBN-13: 978-0307744432

 

Review:

The Night Circus is a book of fairytale magic and mystery, and manages to capture a romantic ambience that only Victorian era novels seem to be able to conjure. Morgenstern achieves the sweeping romance through three methods:

1) the tried and true love triangle. In this case, it is between the fortune-teller Isobel and the illusionist Celia Bowen who both share a love for Marco;

2) the elaborate and ornate costuming, the flair for the dramatic and dapper nature of those in the 1800s of elite society. Ball gown dresses (which Morgenstern clearly loves to describe in intimate detail), bowler hats, and cuff-link shirts galore. Part of the wonder of this book is in costuming and I couldn’t help but think that it would make for a great movie.

3) the feats of magic.

The primary focus of this book is on the duel, or competition between two magicians, Ceila Bowen and Marco. Together they were groomed by their masters specifically for the competition. They are but pawns in a wheel and they know it. They are told they are competing, but never told the rules of the game. This lack of knowledge helps them to bond throughout the course of the book.

Though, I think “duel” is an inappropriate word for how the competition actually plays out throughout the novel. The word duel in my mind evokes something of a standoff- the quintessential gunslingers, two swordsman circling each other, boxers in a ring. In a word, a momentary, fleeting battle. Although the word duel by a strict definition has no time limits, I understand that this is a particularity of my own, but because of it, I was left feeling a bit wanting.  The competition between Ceila and Marco takes place over 10 years as the two prepare and employ elaborate magical exhibitions which they are judged by. A year or two may go by between magical “salvos”, if you will, and in this case, cheapens the thriller nature of competition in my view.

But, that same timespan allows Morgenstern an opportunity to grow and nurture the relationship/love triangle between Isobel, Ceila, and Marcos. And still, in that way, I was disappointed. The characters don’t really “know” each other in any real aspect, but rather, because they are in the same line of work, have so much admiration for each other’s abilities, they become entranced by each other. Who is Celia and what are her hobbies, her hopes, her dreams? Nobody really knows. Not the reader, not Marcos. All we know is she wants out of the competition which her father bound her to when she was six years old.

There are other aspects to the story, minor characters who influence the course of events. One of which (Bailey) I found completely superfluous to the story, and a third Tsukiko, who intervenes in the third act.

Overall, I give this book about three stars. The writing was good, the Victorian era setting of a circus superb (if reminding me of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes), the feats of magic were innovative and spectacular, but there were parts (and characters) that were unnecessary and should have been cut out, and I didn’t think Celia’s character was quite as developed as she could have been.