The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Release Date: UK Paperback: May 24, 2012
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Harvill Secker (Random House UK)
Age Group: Adult
Shelfability: Acquire
Pages: 387
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Interest: Story
Challenge: None
Buy the Book: Amazon
Get the Audiobook: Audible

Although The Night Circus is typically shelved in “adult fiction” there is definitely cross-over appeal for young adult readers. Although, The Night Circus isn’t a fast paced action packed book and I can see that may deterring some young adult readers, but stay with it!

Celia and Marco may be the two prominent characters in this story, but it’s not their story alone. We are first introduced to Celia as a young girl. We watch as she is trained by her father, not in the way a loving father would. On the flip side, we meet Marco. And watch as he is trained, quite differently than Celia by his mentor. The two don’t know it, but they are bound together in a competition, pitted against each other by the two men who are training them.

We watch the two of them grow, and struggle. Watch as they meet and watch as they compete. All the while we are introduced to several other characters and their stories. And of course there is the Circus, which is just as much a character in itself.

And all the while we are left wondering…. what exactly is this duel and more importantly, who will win?

The one thing that hooked me in this novel was the atmosphere. It wasn’t so much the characters, I didn’t particularly feel like I knew anyone of them that well, but the atmosphere. Wow. Now that was captivating. I felt like I was at the circus myself. There is a part of the novel where one of the characters Bailey happens upon a tent containing various jars. When he opens a jar he is transported by his sense of smell and hearing to the sea. I felt like Morgenstern did that with her words. I felt like I was completely transported to the circus. Just beautiful writing.

The chapters skip through time, forward and backward. One chapter you might be dated in the late 1800′s the next might be dated to the early 1900′s at times it could be confusing, but once you understand who is telling this part of the story it makes more sense. It was amazing how all the stories came together in the end to make such a seamless ending. It was so good! So, so good!

I would definitely recommend this one for all types of readers! Especially the ones that loved to be engrossed in slow and beautiful story.