The Night Circus

a novel

Hardcover, 387 pages

English language

Published Nov. 6, 2011 by Doubleday.

ISBN:
978-0-385-53463-5
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
769427197

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (167 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 …

32 editions

Brilliant!

5 stars

READ THIS BOOK! IT'S BRILLIANT!

As you might have guessed, I absolutely loved Night Circus. It's magical, enchanting, beautifully written and I just want to be there myself. The creation of the circus is inspired and I was fascinated by the magician's duel. I missed this world when I had finished this book and felt quite bereft for several days.

Beautifully written at times but a little shallow

3 stars

I agonised over this a bit and would say 3.5 stars verging on 4.

This to be honest is not the sort of book that I would normally pick up but I had read a lot of good things and saw it on sale.

The prose was really lovely at times, the circus itself was wonderfully imagined.

I didn't really warm to any of the characters to be honest. The contest didn't provide any tension. The central romance didn't feel real to me either and in fact there wasn't, in a lot of ways, much of a tale told.

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

Review of 'The Night Circus' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

OMG this book was amazing. It was a sensory adventure--the sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes! And I loved the second-person POV walk through the circus, and how it corresponded to the plot of the story. This book gave me everything I ever wanted from a magic circus and more.

Review of 'The Night Circus' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

You will like this book if you like dreamy, fantastical scenes and mysterious carnival type settings and unexplained mystery and magic. If this is you, you will probably also like (and possibly better) books like Caraval, and The High House.

You will NOT like this book if you look for: solidly explained magic systems and worldbuilding; fast-moving plots; and watertight plots and character motivations.

I picked up this audiobook simply because my company's holiday party this year is themed after it, and I wanted to know more about the theme. Goal achieved; now I know to dress in black and white, and wear a red rose or red scarf. The rest of the book was entertaining but confusing to listen to in audio form, since the timeline jumps back and forth and it's very hard to keep track of which chapter is happening in which year when you can't flip …

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