‘The Night Circus’ Review

GENERAL SUMMARY

       “The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.” So begins Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, a twisting fantasy romance that follows Celia and Marco, two young magicians, as they attempt to best one another through feats of illusion and wonder. Behind the circus gates, however, darker forces are at work. Dreamlike scenes spiral into nightmares as Celia and Marco realize there is more to their rivalry than meets the eye.

REVIEW

       This story is nothing short of magnificent. It masterfully couples poetry with prose to create mental imagery that is remarkably vivid and, at times, haunting. The blend of whimsy and tragedy that define this story are unlike anything the reader will have encountered previously and routinely challenge the limits of the fantasy genre. The only criticism I have of this piece is the pacing, which tends to jump decades forwards or backwards in time as is called upon by the narrative arc, which can be disorienting to the reader. Despite this the piece remains a must-read for those looking to explore fantasy’s darker side without losing the enchantment and wonder that define the genre.