The Night Circus (edition 2011)

http://www.adventuresinneverneverland.com/2012/09/20/night-circus/ ( )

4.5 stars

The Night Circus (Le Cirque des Reves) appears at various locations with no notice and leaves just as suddenly. With the circus, there is more going on than one would suppose, in particular between the illusionist, Celia, and Marco, who works behind-the-scenes. Meanwhile, while in Massachusetts, teenage twins from the circus, Poppet and Widget, make friends with a local boy named Bailey.

I waffled a bit on the rating, anywhere between 4 and 4.5. Some of the business end of the circus wasn't as interesting, but I loved Bailey and Poppet. Quite liked Marco and Celia, as well. I loved the short chapters that brought the reader in as if they/we are attending the circus. It really did feel magical. What assured the higher rating from me was that I really didn't want it to end. I was sad when the book was done. I am happy that I've found a book that did live up to the hype for me.

...
Reread 2-1/2 years later. Listened to the audio, narrated by Jim Dale.
4.25 stars

Through most of the book, I was leaning towards about a 4 star rating, but something near the end made me want to increase my rating. I still loved Bailey and Poppet's story, as well we Marco and Celia's. Once again, the business end of the story wasn't as interesting to me, although I think I caught more the second time around, especially with regard to the clock maker, Theissen. I think I found him more interesting this time around. There were a few surprises, things I'd forgotten from the first time I'd read it.

A lot of people love the audio. I won't say I dislike Jim Dale, but I think I've gotten more used to him, having listened to a couple of Harry Potter audios, but I don't see the appeal as much as other people. I think he sounds like an old man and doesn't do very well with the female voices, or with younger voices. It didn't bother me as much in this one as in HP, but I did notice it occasionally. I will say, though, that I still LOVE the chapters that describe the circus as if the reader was there. This might have been one part that was better on audio, having it read to me.

I hate to end on a bad note for this review, as that's certainly not what I think of the book! It is a magical book, and once again, I enjoyed it very much. ( )

Atmospheric. Beautifully drawn. Very confusingly timelined (yes, that's a word).

I enjoyed this book very much, but more for the ambiance Morgenstern created than for the story itself, or the characters within it. Whichever reviewer wrote on the cover that this is the circus they always dreamed of is right - the circus Morgenstern created is a marvel - the epitome of every childhood fantasy, I think. The attractions aren't just carefully constructed and enacted, they are actually magical. Who hasn't wanted something like the Cloud Maze? I dreamed of that place when I was younger. Or the Labyrinth? Or the Wishing Tree? Beautiful and even occasionally haunting (the Pool of Tears).

So the timeline. The story jumps around continuously from Present (when the reader is reading) to when Celia and Marco begin their training to when the circus has been running for 10 years to when the circus is new to 1901 to 1902 and back again. Each chapter is labeled with a date, but I found it difficult to hold in my head which story bits had happened when. It started getting easier toward the end, which the switches were just back and forth between 1901 and 1902, but... (Whiny reader doesn't want to do the thinking for herself? Maybe.)

The characters were good but not overly complex. Celia and Marco's only personal conflicts were how to get out of their challenge without losing each other. They were kind and smart and brilliantly talented. They didn't have much in the way of flaws to make them sympathetic. Nevertheless, I was definitely rooting for them. Hector and Alexander were, mysteriously, completely without compassion. That was also sort of baffling to me. My favorite characters might have been Tsukiko (the only character with interesting motivations and conflicts) and Bailey, who served as the "that could be me!" character.

Overall, an enjoyable read and a beautiful painting. ( )

I intended to read this book before the end of June, when the annual BC-meetup will be taking place. I started today, thinking I'd have plenty of time to finish and review it.
Only, I was done much earlier than I expected. I'm going to abandon this book (for now). I can't focus, it isn't really holding my attention and with so many other books to read, this is not one right now I'm going to struggle with to try and read it.
Maybe, when I lay hands on it again, or maybe when I find a copy in Dutch I may try again. But for now, it's enough.

Lovely, slow moving, haunting. Nothing happens, but the language is bautiful and the characters are well developed ( )