The Night Circus

a novel

by Erin Morgenstern

Hardcover

English language

Published Nov. 3, 2011 by Doubleday.

ISBN:: 978-0-385-53463-5

(26 reviews)

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, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates …

27 editions

Strakul reviewed The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

A travelling magical circus made by a pair of star-crossed lovers

4 stars

This was quite an enjoyable book. I don't think it was as good as The Starless Sea, but it was still fun and had a charming ambience. I wish I could visit a circus as intriguing and magical as this one. The plot jumps a little in time and focuses on the circus and how it relates to the mysterious challenge of the key characters Celia and Marco. The unique setting helps carry the story all the way through.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/02/book-review-night-circus-by-erin.html

pinkpusheen reviewed The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Review of 'The Night Circus' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely re-read it. Some of the plot was predictable but I enjoyed it anyways because it was interesting how things play out.

TheKnightGarden reviewed The night circus by Erin Morgenstern

Review of 'The night circus' on 'Storygraph'

2 stars

could not finish it. did not capture the magic like it did the first time i read it.

melangell reviewed The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Review of 'The Night Circus' on 'Storygraph'

2 stars

I really enjoyed this at first but about three fifths of the way in it completely falls apart and gets worse and worse. There is no consistency to any of the characters even from one chapter to the next. They all speak in exactly the same way. Long sections of dialogue have nothing to do with either character speaking and are essentially the author talking to herself about how boring people are scared to believe in magic or something. The plot makes little sense. The magic makes zero sense. A Catastrophe. The descriptive writing about the circus itself is nice.

emfiliane reviewed The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Review of 'The Night Circus' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

In the waning minutes of the last hour of January, I've finished what might be the best book in years for me: The Night Circus. A captivatingly poetic kaleidoscope of dreams and magic, coalescing into the chronicle of a unique black and white circus at the turn of the 19th century. Once I stepped into the book, I couldn't leave. Beauty drips from every page, mesmerizing prose brings the theatrics and acrobatics to life, all laid against the backdrop of a star-crossed romance that defies everything I thought it would be. The story is all the better for jumping around in time, leaving us focused on the real star of the book, the circus, and letting the story slowly come clear around it.

Anyone who loves beauty should immediately grab this. I hope in my heart's little secret place that someday this will be made into a movie or miniseries, …