The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

     I read a little blurb about this book in my Entertainment Weekly and was instantly intrigued. So I got a coupon for 50% off at my B&N, I naturally raced in to pick up a copy. And let me tell you, this book is MAGICAL. I mean, really, really, magical. Even the physical book is a reflection of the wonderful story within, with its black cover with silver inscribing and black & white illustrations that echo La Cirque de Reves. (It's beautiful.... I recommend reading it in hardcover, but a Nook will do in a pinch).
     First, a quick (really inadequate) synopsis: Two seemingly immortal magicians recruit young proteges to compete against each other after years of training (Celia and Marco).  The venue? An ever changing, ever moving circus. The rules? Only one - that you cannot interfere with the other's work. The stakes? Unknown to the competitors. The young man and woman who are forced to compete in this mysterious challenge build a mystical world that visitors lose themselves in for a night, some for a lifetime. But as the competition progresses, it becomes dangerous to both the artists and bystanders. And when competitors find a deeper love than either have ever known, the risk becomes even greater for all of those involved.
     This is Morgenstern's debut, and it was hard to believe that it could possibly live up to the hype. I have heard mixed reviews... most people love it, some hate it. I can see why the book is divisive. Some people believe it starts off too slow, too descriptive, with too many plotlines. However, I am firmly in the camp of those who love it. Love, love, love it! I completely lost myself in the story. When I put the book down, I couldn't wait until the next time I could pick it up to return to La Cirque de Reves. I found myself becoming one of the "reveurs"... the characters in the book who come to love the circus so much, that they follow it from town to town, even from continent to continent. The author writes with such detailed prose that the reader can smell the caramel popcorn, and see the black and white stripes of the circus tents rising in the air. Beneath this enchanting world that she has created, is a subtle darkness, and a slow-building love story that propels the tale forward. Morgenstern artfully weaves together multiple storylines, and even timelines, that converge in the final few chapters of the book and bring the reader to a stunning conclusion. It may be difficult to follow the jumping around at times, but Morgenstern keeps each chapter fairly short and easy to follow.
     Truthfully, I don't think my review will do this book justice. I have read a lot of books this year. Still, this is definitely one of my absolute favorites and probably one of the few that I will read again. There are so many subtleties and nuances that I think I will appreciate even more now that I see the "bigger picture". It is one of the more unique books that I have recently read, and the rights have already been sold to Summit Entertainment to turn it into a movie (surprise, surprise). So make sure you read it before it comes out on film in a couple years! This is a book for readers who use a lot of imagination, and if you do... you will find yourself lost in the world of The Night Circus.