Book review: Night Cirus by Erin Morgenstern

Two starcrossed magicians engage in a deadly game of cunning in The Night Circus, the spellbinding bestseller that has captured the world’s imagination.

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 both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

Verdict

I recently picked up a copy of The Night Circus after Morgenstern’s release of her latest novel, The Starless Sea.

Over the years there has been a great hype over the book, and I finally gave in and decided to read the book of magic. Unfortunately, it disappointed me. I did not get the excited, fulfilled feeling others did after reading it. Actually, I couldn’t wait to finish it.

There are many storylines that amalgamate into one plot, but the story only picks up about a third into the book. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The book is well-written, has a wonderful and surreal plot and story with a magical world, leaving no stone unturned when describing and bringing you into the world of Le Cirque des Rêves. The author takes you on an entertaining ride through the circus and its beautiful tents that are bound to capture your interest, but this is to the detriment of the characters.

I liked the characters, but they were depthless. None of the characters were protagonists, accept Bailey who seemed to stand out more. I could not even make a connection with Celia and Marco, who are the ‘main’ two characters. Even the love story between the two characters didn’t feel real. They all seemed boring.  The book is a perfect example where characterisation was left to hang out and dry due to the focus on the plot line, which was, also, mediocre due to a lack of tension.

In conclusion, the book left me feeling empty and almost like I didn’t get to say goodbye to Le Cirque des Rêves properly.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

About the Author

Erin Morgenstern is the author of The Night Circus (2011) and The Starless Sea (2019) and someday hopes to write other books so she can have more things to list in biographies.

She grew up in Massachusetts and studied theatre and studio art at Smith College. She currently lives with her husband Adam in the middle of the woods in the Berkshires, where she is writing and playing video games, while trying to improve her cocktail mixing skills.

She collects bloodmilk jewellery and knits things as long as it doesn’t involve too much math. She paints and is obsessed with artisan perfume oils.

Other novels by the author

The Starless Sea (2019)