The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern: I recently finished this book, having finally opened it long, long after my book club had finished reading it in July. For the first time in my life, this fall I took a hiatus from reading books. I can’t believe I am saying it, but I got burned out on reading after spending the entire year prior reading all the books that I was teaching my sophomore honors students. No wonder why a lot of kids don’t like to read! This was the first time in my life I experienced this kind of reading fatigue, and I felt very off-balance. I was so excited to crack this open and be hooked by the first sentence: The circus arrives without warning. The entire story was rich with mystery, intrigue, magic, tension, and vivid imagery. At times, different chapters focused on different characters who somehow had a role in the running of this particular circus, giving you an almost-omnicient view, but never quite. It always felt like anything might happen next. The story is set in and around London in the late 1800′s. Two illusionists are magically connected together at a young age and trained to outwit the other, only neither knows who the other is, where this challenge will take place, or how they will know they have “won.” Enter the Circus of Dreams; a magical circus that springs up with no advertisements in a field near you and stays for about a week, opening at dusk and closing at dawn. All the tents are black-and-white-striped, and the performers are also wearing black or white. Things exist in the tents that one could never have imagined, and visitors form a sort of cult following, showing up wearing a red scarf to signify that they are a circus groupie. And what will happen when our two illusionists finally discover not only that they are opponents, but that they are also in love…and that they are magically and painfully bound to the circus? I was so enthralled with this story that I found moments in my day to read that I had not known existed. And, when it was over, I felt the satisfying feeling that I’d just spent my time well, coupled with a feeling of melancholy because I’d never get to know what happened after the last page . You know that feeling? I hope so. It’s rare and delicious.
The whole vibe of this book really reminded me of another book I loved and got sucked into probably ten years ago, before I got married and my life became a circus – ha ha! It was Carter Beats the Devil
adding this to my to-read list! thanks for the recommendation and hearty review!
I keep thinking of you and how much you read. I love it! Are you part of a book club? Because I find that I don’t get much time for my own choices in reading because of it. You?
I’m in a small book club of only about 2-4 girls, depending on who’s available. And our reading tastes are very much aligned so I love reading with them. But I also have about 3 or 4 books going at the same time, at all times. So it takes me about a month to finish each one and I get to sample a little from each everyday. This style of reading probably sounds crazy to some, but I find it’s the best way to read lots of different kinds of books and not get bored. So sweet to hear your’e thinking of me!
Oh, my goodness. I am a one-book-at-a-time girl, but my older daughter reads a million at once. I am baffled by it! Good to know it works!
so so so glad you loved it. <3.
I so so so wish I’d read it on time! Great pick, Em!
no- you read it just when it was the right time for you. It would have been a totally different reading experience if you’d done it this summer – less rewarding.
You always find the bright side! And you are so right.
Perfect timing as I just finished it last weekend! Life is hectic right now (trying to catch up a bit today) but I made some time on the weekend to settle into it. You wrote a very good description of it. I think what I loved the most about it was how I could get lost in it, not just like I can in any good book, but lost in a Dr. Seuss world where you couldn’t know what was around any corner. I found the descriptions so vivid and rich and surprising. I worried about the characters though. I guess that’s part of a good book though. Thanks for your thoughts
Jennifer
I love how you described it as a Dr. Seuss world. So true. It was very foreign to me. So, so glad you were able to find time to enjoy it and finish it. And that it didn’t let you down!