The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

[RussetDivinity]

I first read this book shortly after it came out, and when I looked up, I was surprised to see the color green. I got so wrapped up in a magical trichromatic world that I had trouble believing green could be so vivid. The description was beautiful, and the whole book felt like part of a dream.

[han87]

The Night Circus for me was like a beautiful dream that ended too fast. I found the entire book fun although the first half was a bit of a slog at times. Was I the only one fooled into believing that Isabelle was Celia in disguise when she and Marco met?

[amybo82]

The descriptions of this book have kind of reminded me of Water for Elephants, which I really liked. The Night Circus has been on my to-read list for a while, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Sounds like I'll have to make it a priority!

[bookwrm22]

I agree with han87 , I totally thought that. Also, the beginning was one of the best openings to a book I have read. The use of 2nd person narrative throughout the book was quite intriguing

[TLGabelman]

When I picked this up I was excited and from page 1 I was addicted. I wanted to hide in my house to finish it but at the same time fearful of it ending. I read it so quickly I know I missed details an nuances that I will appreciate during my reread. I want a prequel and a sequel, I want more explanation of her father and her mother and the mysterious man who trained her competitor (whose name escapes me at this moment).

[hpsecrets99]

This was such a fantastic book! I read this for the first time in 2012 and just recently reread it for a book club. I would love to see an other media adaptation of this, like a stage play, dance show, or movie.

[Blackbeez]

I just read this last week and I loved it. After reading the back and first couple pages my first impression was that it was based on a rather juvenile theme, but after getting into it, I couldn't put it down. I loved the imagery and the theme of the book.
My impression of the general message may have gone a bit off but it reminded me of great leaders that seem to hold the entire world together with their energy alone as Celia Bowen did with the circus. I kept envisioning people like Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa losing their energy and the world falling apart without proper replacements for them as Bailey and the Twins were for Celia and her counterpart.
Kiko was painted well, but I felt she lacked a certain purpose. Her reasons for dousing the fire were lost on me. Was she vengeful that her lover was lost? Did she really want the circus to go on? I still am confused about her character in the book except that she was an interesting twist after I found out she was a former player in the game.
All in all I loved this book. I felt akin to Celia Bowen in many ways and was impressed by Morgenstern's writing style. It was a great find.

[Spirit Wandering]

A most wonderful magical experience!

My experience with books is about 50/50 reading vs listening (since I have a long commute I go through a lot of audio books). I haven't read the print version of this one but it strikes me as a story where the experience is enhanced in audio form. Erin Morgenstern has created an incredibly rich world of sight and sound that you can truly picture. Jim Dale's narration then adds even more depth to the author's words. Close your eyes and you feel you are in the night circus.

The character development is generally well done, except surprisingly for that of the two main characters, Celia and Marco. Many of the others, however, more than make up for those two. While I can't remember the names of all the characters at this point, I can still well remember their personalities and their role in the story. The ones that particularly stand out for me are the tarot card reader, the clock maker, Bailey (the young man who saves the circus) and his friends, the twins Widget and Poppet.

The author has not come out with another book, which I initially found a disappointment because of how much I enjoyed this one. However, given the "otherworldly" magical qualities of The Night Circus, I can't help but wonder if she was fated to write this particular book and thus was spiritually guided in the effort. If so, I'm very happy that she lets such a wonderful work stand alone.

Unless it is an author I am familiar with, I generally check out the reviews before I buy a book. I noticed that the reviews on Night Circus broke down into two camps-those who "got it' and therefore loved it and those who didn't and were bored by or even hated it. I think the difference in one's reaction may depend on the ability to suspend disbelief and find within a magical quality that many have either never experienced or lost when they were forced to "grow up." I think the world would be a much better place if we could all regularly experience the kind of magic that results in a novel like The Night Circus.

[garima597]

It is an amazing book and I have absolutely loved it. The concept is new and extraordinary. The combination of love and magic really fascinated me.