The Night Circus

 The Night Circus
 Erin Morgenstern












Amazon Blurb -

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 of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.
*****

Truly, I don't really know how to describe this book. It wasn't action packed or filled with romance. I didn't find myself on the edge of my seat or filled with real joy or sorrow. Their is A LOT of detail in it and not just what he or she was wearing or how the room was decorated, but very vivid descriptive detailing of the circus itself. Surprisingly I didn't find this tedious which so often can happen with over descriptions.

Five year old Claire Bowen gets dropped off to her father with her mother's suicide note pinned to her coat. Her father Harold Bowen-aka the Great Prospero quickly finds out his daughter has the "gift". He wastes no time introducing her to his magical nemesis Mr. Alexander, referred to as the man in gray throughout the book.

And so begins another challenge between the two men. Mr. Alexander goes to an orphanage to "adopt" a young boy to begin training, while Prospero rigorously trains Claire with no mercy for the fact that she is his daughter what so ever. The chosen venue when they are deemed ready to have their competition is the circus.

Le Cirque des Reves is a magical place with tents filled with all sorts of different attractions for you to enjoy.  No ordinary circus is this.  Delicious popcorn, caramel covered apples, you can smell it yourself her description is so vivid.  There are several players in this book and you delve into each story and find yourself wanting to see how this all comes to a head.  I liked it, I wasn't that happy with the ending. While it wasn't a heart pounder, there was scheming going on and some mystery to it.

A quote that stood out for me -

Lainie Bariss to Celia Bowen -
"If you need anything from me, I would like you to ask.  I am tired of everyone keeping their secrets so well that they get other people killed.  We are all involved in your game and it seems we are not so easily repaired as teacups."

31/2 cannolis