Click for Source Image by Charlotte Dibley
It’s hard to articulate or even sum up the scale of this book. I’ll let the blurb do the talking:
'The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads:
Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn
As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears.
Le Cirque des Rêves
The Circus of Dreams.
Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.'
It’s hard to articulate or even sum up the scale of this book. I’ll let the blurb do the talking:
'The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads:
Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn
As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears.
Le Cirque des Rêves
The Circus of Dreams.
Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.'
Click for Source Image See what I mean?! This small excerpt sums up the novel beautifully. The story is mysterious and alluring. It completely appeals to the senses, so much so that I could vividly picture myself walking through the circus's winding labyrinth of passageways and tents. The smell of the caramel; the beautifully intricate clock at the entrance; the enveloping mix of black and white colours; the variety of circus acts; the frisson of excitement in the air. Within the circus itself is where the book is at its strongest. A circus where you can witness unimaginable feats, taste the best food you have ever tasted, and completely lose yourself as if in a dream. What a fantastic idea.
The plot is somewhat intriguing and baffling all in the same breath. The circus is a by-product, yet is the life-blood of the story. The book actually concerns itself with Marco and Celia, the protégés of two magicians, who are curiously bound together in a battle of wits and one-upmanship. I'll state this straight away: the story is all about magic and illusions, requiring the reader to suspend their disbeliefs. If you aren't a fan of magic realism, and if you can't believe that mind-bending magic and illusion can exist, or how the impossible is daringly possible, then this certainly isn't the book for you. This is a book where you have to be carried along by the whimsical nature of the story, so you have to surrender yourself to the implausible events.
Whilst I loved the book and Morgenstern's prose and fantastical descriptions, it isn’t without flaws, especially in terms of plot development. Let me explain.
The plot is somewhat intriguing and baffling all in the same breath. The circus is a by-product, yet is the life-blood of the story. The book actually concerns itself with Marco and Celia, the protégés of two magicians, who are curiously bound together in a battle of wits and one-upmanship. I'll state this straight away: the story is all about magic and illusions, requiring the reader to suspend their disbeliefs. If you aren't a fan of magic realism, and if you can't believe that mind-bending magic and illusion can exist, or how the impossible is daringly possible, then this certainly isn't the book for you. This is a book where you have to be carried along by the whimsical nature of the story, so you have to surrender yourself to the implausible events.
Whilst I loved the book and Morgenstern's prose and fantastical descriptions, it isn’t without flaws, especially in terms of plot development. Let me explain.
Click for Source Image The book is long at 490 pages, and the story goes off at so many tangents, with so many supporting characters and by-stories, that it can seem like the focus meanders somewhat. Which is true, it does. We travel between time and places, between different narrators and points of view. For some readers, it will be a complete nightmare. There is no real linear structure, or natural flow of events. I didn't mind this though, because I think it lends itself to the overall mystique of the book. Much like the circus in the story, it is completely improbable and somewhat confusing, yet there was always something drawing me back to it. However, it was the ending that left me feeling slightly baffled and a tiny bit deflated. My initial reaction upon finishing The Night Circus was one of: 'Oh. Ok...'
As I've said, the book is magic realism, and pumped full of fantasy, improbability and wondrous mystery. Morgenstern certainly knows how to create that atmosphere. As fascinating as it is to read, it did create another slight criticism. It felt like some aspects of the story weren't fully explored and explained, such as the battle between Marco and Celia. The story floated between time and people, and as a result nothing was really pinned down. I suspect this was a deliberate enigmatic act on the author's behalf, but because there were so many characters and so much going on, as a result some plot points definitely lacked depth. The style and flair is there, but the substance suffers as a result.
The Night Circus is a truly remarkable book, and I cannot believe it is Erin Morgenstern's debut novel. It only took me two days to finish it because I was swept along in the story despite my stated misgivings. I kept wanting to read more.
The descriptions, the imagination, the scope, the possibilities. All astounding. The circus itself is the best part of the entire book, and I think this is where the author has the most ambition and focus. The whimsical nature and structure of the story will not be to everybody's taste. I wasn't hugely satisfied with the ending, but it has grown on me in hindsight. For me, there were some depth and development issues. However, it is such a brave and enchanting debut.
As I've said, the book is magic realism, and pumped full of fantasy, improbability and wondrous mystery. Morgenstern certainly knows how to create that atmosphere. As fascinating as it is to read, it did create another slight criticism. It felt like some aspects of the story weren't fully explored and explained, such as the battle between Marco and Celia. The story floated between time and people, and as a result nothing was really pinned down. I suspect this was a deliberate enigmatic act on the author's behalf, but because there were so many characters and so much going on, as a result some plot points definitely lacked depth. The style and flair is there, but the substance suffers as a result.
The Night Circus is a truly remarkable book, and I cannot believe it is Erin Morgenstern's debut novel. It only took me two days to finish it because I was swept along in the story despite my stated misgivings. I kept wanting to read more.
The descriptions, the imagination, the scope, the possibilities. All astounding. The circus itself is the best part of the entire book, and I think this is where the author has the most ambition and focus. The whimsical nature and structure of the story will not be to everybody's taste. I wasn't hugely satisfied with the ending, but it has grown on me in hindsight. For me, there were some depth and development issues. However, it is such a brave and enchanting debut.
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