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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
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The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
18,6191271263 (4.05)3 / 1125
Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.
▾Book information
Member:BookDragon91
Title:The Night Circus
Authors:Erin Morgenstern
Info:
Collections:Your library
Rating:
Tags:Hardcover, FairyLoot, Sprayed Edge

Work Information

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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English (1,250)  German (4)  Dutch (4)  Italian (2)  Spanish (1)  Danish (1)  Greek (1)  Turkish (1)  Finnish (1)  Swedish (1)  Chinese (1)  All languages (1,267)
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Showing 1-5 of 1250 (next | show all)
If you’re looking for something with a lot of atmosphere and ~*vibes*~, this book about dueling magicians at a black-and-white circus only open at night is extremely for you. Plot is kind of whatever, slow-moving and never reallllly comes together. Characters are a mixed bag, with some quite memorable but the two leads are actually pretty dull. But the vibes are immaculate and I found this an enjoyable, compelling read that didn’t ask me to do a lot of intellectual labor. ( )
  ghneumann | Jun 14, 2024 |
The Night Circus tells the story of a magical circus in the late nineteenth century that is masquerading as an extraordinary circus. While the public and indeed most of the performers believe the circus to be non-magical, the magical bits are maintained by two actual magic users. The first is Celia, the circus's illusionist, who masks her real magic as stage illusion. The second is Marco, the office manager, who runs the circus from behind the scenes. As the book proceeds, these two protagonists slowly realize that the circus came into being as a venue for an arcane duel by their magical mentors--with them as the duelists. Despite their feelings for each other, and the love of the circus for itself and not as a dueling ground, Celia and Marco find themselves unescapably bound to this duel. The narrative is split into three converging timelines, but I never found this confusing (though I did have to refer to the dates at times). I found a lot to love about this book, from the magically mysterious world of the circus to the well-written and likable characters that extend far beyond the two mains. Definitely recommended. ( )
  Phrim | Jun 7, 2024 |
  spiritedstardust | Jun 1, 2024 |
I don't normally read fantasy books at all, so considering this one (mostly) held my attention through the end says something. Looking forward to my reading group discussion. ( )
  jj24 | May 27, 2024 |
Absolutely amazing! Jim Dale reads the audio book, and I couldn't stop listening. Morgenstern's descriptions of Les Cirque Des Reves (The Circus of Dreams) made me feel like I was truly in a dream, myself. ( )
  jellybeanette | May 26, 2024 |
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▾Published reviews
Morgenstern’s wonderful novel is made all the more enchanting by top-notch narration from the incomparable Jim Dale.
added by rretzler | editPublishers Weekly (starred review) (Nov 28, 2011)
 
I am a reader who should have hated this novel; yet I found it enchanting, and affecting, too, in spite of its sentimental ending. Morgenstern's patient, lucid construction of her circus – of its creators and performers and followers – makes for a world of illusion more real than that of many a realist fiction. There is a matter-of-factness about the magicians' magic, a consistency about the parameters of the circus world, that succeeds both in itself and as a comment upon the need for and nature of illusion in general. While the novel's occasional philosophical gestures seem glib ("You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream"), the book enacts its worldview more satisfyingly than could any summary or statement. Rather than forcing its readers to be prisoners in someone else's imagination, Morgenstern's imaginary circus invites readers to join in an exploration of the possible.
added by souloftherose | editThe Guardian, Claire Messud (Sep 23, 2011)
 
Underneath the icy polish of her prose, Morgenstern well understands what makes The Night Circus tick: that Marco and Celia, whether in competition or in love, are part of a wider world they must engage with but also transcend. It’s a world whose mystique and enigma is hard to shake off, and that invites multiple visits.
added by ncgraham | editThe National Post, Sarah Weinman (Sep 16, 2011)
 
The Night Circus is one of those books. One of those rare, wonderful, transcendent books that, upon finishing, you want to immediately start again.
added by ncgraham | editThe Globe and Mail, Robert J. Wiersema (Sep 16, 2011)
 
The book itself looks beautiful but creaky plotting and lifeless characters leave The Night Circus less than enchanting
added by ncgraham | editThe Observer, Olivia Laing (Sep 11, 2011)
 
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▾Other authors

» Add other authors (9 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Morgenstern, Erin—primary authorall editionsconfirmed
Dale, JimNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Fontana, JohnCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Forrester, KateCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Jakobeit, BrigitteTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Koay, Pei LoiDesignersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Magrì, MarinellaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Musselwhite, HelenCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
▾Series and work relationships

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▾Common Knowledge
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Canonical title
The Night Circus
Original title
The Night Circus
Alternative titles
Original publication date
2011-09-13
People/Characters
Celia Bowen
Hector Bowen ("Prospero the Enchanter")
Mr. A.H.
Marco Alisdair
Chandresh Christophe Lefevre
Important places
London, England, UK
Concord, Massachusetts, USA
Munich, Bavaria, Germany
New York, New York, USA
Le Cirque des Rêves (The Circus Of Dreams)
Important events
Related movies
The Night Circus (in development | IMDb)
Epigraph
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.
--Oscar Wilde, 1888
Dedication
First words
The circus arrives without warning.
Quotations
“The finest of pleasures are always the unexpected ones.”
“People see what they wish to see. And in most cases, what they are told that they see.”
“Secrets have power. And that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important ones, with even one other person, will change them."
“Life takes us to unexpected places sometimes. The future is never set in stone, remember that.”
“You're in the right place at the right time, and you care enough to do what needs to be done. Sometimes that's enough.”
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Niffenegger, Audrey
Barry, Brunonia
Obreht, Téa
Trussoni, Danielle
Bender, Aimee
Original language
English
Canonical DDC/MDS
813.6
Canonical LCC
PS3613.O74875
▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (2)

▾Book descriptions
Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.
▾Library descriptions

No library descriptions found.

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▾LibraryThing members' description
Book description
A circus known as Le Cirque des Reves features two illusionists, Celia and Marco, who are unknowingly competing in a game to which they have been irrevocably bound by their mercurial masters, and as the two fall deeply and passionately in love with each other, their masters intervene with dangerous consequences.
Haiku summary
Magicians in love
Forced to duel at the circus
Put on a great show.
(yoyogod)
Where a boy bears lovers' dreams
with a seer of stars
and night goes on forever.
(blueviolent)
A light and airy
feast for the senses. But wait,
darkness lurks beneath.
(passion4reading)

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Genres

Melvil Decimal System (DDC)

813.6Literature › English (North America) › American fiction › 21st Century

LC Classification

PS3613.O74875Language and Literature › American literature

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