Book Review: The Night Circus

The Night Circus is a 2011 novel written by Erin Morgenstern. It features a circus known as “Le Cirque de Rêves, a circus clad in black and white colors that only opens at night. The circus has become the site of a contest between two men: Prospero the Enchanter and Mr. Alexander H---. The two have selected two young illusionists to be their proxies, Prospero choosing his own daughter Celia and Mr. Alexander choosing a young orphan boy named Marco. However, none of the players know the rules of the game or even who their competitor is.

This is a book that is very much magical realism, a world where magic and mundane are intimately linked together. Reading through The Night Circus truly does feel like walking through a childhood dream of a carnival of wonders. It is true that the magical elements of the book are never really explained, but that can be excused given the folklore-esque narrative and that such explanations would ruin the whole point of magical realism. The circus itself seems to be a character; it might not be a living and breathing being, but its presence is always felt throughout the pages.

The Night Circus is also a love story, a tale of two competitors who know that falling in love will only lead to tragedy yet cannot help falling in love with each other. Celia and Marco are very much like the star-crossed lovers of folklore and the author clearly knows how to write their romance in a way that does not induce vomiting or make people roll their eyes due to pretentiousness. The romance between Celia and Marco is a foundation for character development and helps drive the story. There is no cheap grab for audience sympathy with these two; their love is very much relevant to the story.

There is also a small side plot concerning a boy named Bailey. Bailey is torn between going to college to pursue a higher education or taking control of his family’s farm. He becomes quite enamored with the circus, especially with one of the female performers. Bailey, in a way, is like the audience surrogate: a normal boy who becomes enchanted by the weird and the wonderful. His interactions with his friends in the circus not only give readers an idea of what attractions can be found in the circus but also how even the smallest thing can change the course of a story.

The Night Circus is a book I would definitely recommend, particularly those who enjoy magical realism or a decent love story. Reading this book is almost like wading through a good dream, a dream of a place where magic is made of childhood wonders and memories and where storybook tales come to life. Le Cirque de Rêves is a place where the words “stories have power” cannot be any truer, for stories are its lifeblood and stories are what blurs the line between magic and mundane.

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