The Circus Arrives Without Warning...

The Night Circus 

By Erin Morgenstern 

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices plastered on lampposts and billboards. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

The Night Circus is the story of Celia and Marco, two magicians (for lack of a better word) bound together by an oath made during their childhood. This oath bounds them as opponents, but upon meeting they immediately fall in love. Their love for one another is not appreciated by their guardians who bound them to be opponents as their magic dual is inevitable to end in the death of one of them. Their life-long contest is set in the venue of a traveling circus that arrives without warning and is gone as quickly as it comes.

This circus is not like a traditional circus that involves colorful clowns and prancing ponies. Instead, the circus consists only of black and white accents and is really a maze of tents consisting of enchantments from both Celia and Marco. There is a beautiful tree covered in candles meant to represent wishes from all who visit, an enchanting ice garden that smells of roses, ice and sugar, and a fire eater who is able to sculpt fire from her bare hands. Erin Morgenstern writes with such detail that it really feels as if you are transported to the center of the ice garden where Celia sits, longing for Marco.

I loved this book. I first bought the audio book because helloooo it is read by Jim Dale!!! I took my time listening to it and honestly, I was hesitant to finish it because it was that good. So good, that not only did I not want it to end but after I did finish, I went out and bought the hardcover! The imagery in this book was beautiful and the love story was absolutely heart wrenching. Celia and Marco’s first kiss was magical and it set the standard for their love affair in a beautiful way. Though I wanted more after the novel completed I enjoyed the way in which Erin Morgenstern tied up all of her loose ends and fleshed out all of the necessary characters. The conclusion didn’t frustrate me, but made me think of the circus as a very pleasant dream.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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