The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I waited for ages to get my hands on this book! I couldn’t wait to read it after first hearing about it. Magic, romance, an air of mystery, all mixed into one. Unfortunately I only got to hear it through an audio book, which made it hard to follow as I couldn’t flick back for references. It is a book that once you have read it you have to read it again, and it has been on my mind since the last page ended. It captures you into the world. Making you want to visit The Night Circus.

The story centres on a game, with two competitors and rules not known to them. The game takes place in the circus. From the book description, I thought the game was a physical challenge, like a duel, but it is so much more than that! It was a game of skill and stamina; like when one card was played the following had to be higher, yet this pack was never ending. The game doesn’t end until – ah, you’ll have to read the book for that part! Let’s just say, the game doesn’t want a happy ending, and the romance between Ceila and Marco was doomed from the beginning. 

At the circus, the characters themselves are enchanting. You will meet a pair of twins and their friend, who are full of life and enlightening to read about. Although Marco is the quiet sort of guy, Ceila is strong willed and I wish you would get a bit more than you do from her view.

The downfall to this book was the time period that it is set over. The time between two chapters could be years, skipping the best bits of the romance blooming between Marco and Ceila. All the little bits – the stolen minutes – are just as heart warming to read about, yet the author misses this and just focuses on the big moments. I can’t complain more than that, because the big moments are great!

Overall, I loved this book and want to read it again. As much as I want to read more, I think the book finished perfectly, so I will settle with making it up in my head. The magic of the circus is captivating and –even if you don’t like the romance – that is worth reading it for. There are several viewpoints being used, which brings the book to life and is what makes it magical.