Le Cirque des Rêves

I had been trying to pick out something to read, and this was recommended by a friend of mine who figured that I would like it. I already owned the book, so I plucked it off of the shelf and nestled down in the chair. Unfortunately, it took me quite a while to finish this one (life just seemed to get away from me), and I think that may have contributed to my overall experience reading this book. I think that I would have been better off if I had committed myself to finishing it right off or putting it back on the shelf until I was ready to commit to it fully.

“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern tells the story of a fantastical traveling circus. Unlike anything seen before, the circus, known as Le Cirque des Rêves (the Circus of Dreams), traveled from place to place offering delights to citizens across the world. The circus, only open at night, is made up of innumerable wonders: countless tents that hold a myriad of unbelievable acts and performers, optical magic and illusions that makes the circus seem like it goes on forever and the interior of the tents stretch to unimaginable sizes, a warm fire that burns bright white and refuses to be extinguished, and even a zany mix of performers displaying incredible acts. The circus is unlike anything that has ever been seen, but the circus also holds a secret. Under the surface, the circus is the venue for a magical battle of wills that have pitted two young magicians, Marco and Celia, against one another. As one attempts to outshine the other, they realize that they aren’t quite as different as they seem. Their competition can only have one victor, and these two soon realize that neither of them is willing to pay the price for victory, but once the competition has started, it cannot stop until one participant is victorious.

What I liked most about this book was the presence of magic. It felt like there was magic around every turn (which, to be fair, there was). The magic that is displayed throughout this book isn’t displayed as magical warfare or the senseless casting of spells back and forth, but the magic displayed is a more fanciful illusion. The magic is wholesome and designed to support the fantastic elements of the circus. I thought that it was an interesting reprieve from the way that magic is so often portrayed in books and movies.

Another thing that I liked about this book was the way Morgenstern was able to write some truly beautiful characters. This book features a colorful cast of characters and leaves you with the sense that there is genuine friendship and love between each of these individuals. Everyone has their own unique style, individual personality, and talent that creates a sense of cohesion and unity amongst the characters and seems to bring the circus to life.

One of the things that I didn’t like about this book was the way that the chapters were broken up. Each chapter chronicled a different date and time in the history of the circus, but it felt as though the chapters never lent themselves to creating a fluid storyline. Just as I felt myself getting sucked in, the chapter would end and it would either jump to a different time or a different character. I felt like the story would have been more encompassing if it had been told as a single, continuous narrative.

If you are looking for a book with a wholesome story, loveable characters, and a bit of beautiful magic, then I wouldn’t hesitate to give Erin Morgenstern’s “The Night Circus” a read.

★★★☆☆