There are few books of contemporary fiction that I wholeheartedly recommend, for which borrowing from the library is not enough and ownership is required. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is one of these rare novels. It is a story of Marco and Celia, of love and magic and illusion. It is also the story of an atmosphere, and it is this that makes the book. The atmosphere of the Cirque des Reves draws you in. It truly is a circus of dreams, where the impossible happens naturally. Trees can make wishes come true, gardens can be made from ice, and evocative smells can be bottled. Each tent is more magical than the last. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who wished that the circus was real and could be thoroughly explored.
Celia and Marco are both magicians, trained by magicians who differ philosophically in what exactly that training should look like. As a result, they create a competition for their pupils. The venue is the circus. Moves are made by each side, and as they are, Marco and Celia begin to fall in love. This leads to all sorts of complications in a competition where only one side should be left standing at the end. As you would expect from any good writer, the solution to this problem is ingenious, both completely unexpected and completely inevitable.
I enjoy books where magic is woven into our normal world. The Night Circus reminded me of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke for this reason. Magic is there; you just need to know how to use it. It doesn’t require a wand or fancy spells. The world can be manipulated by your mind, real magic disguised as illusion. The twist of competing magicians who then fall in love simply provides more opportunities for the magic to shine through.
This was one of those books that I wanted to devour and savor all at the same time. I viewed the dwindling pages with dismay, wanting to stay in the world that Morgenstern had created. The characters and the story were wonderful, but it was honestly the atmosphere of this book that grabbed my imagination on the first page and still hasn’t let it go. It’s an impressive debut novel, and I’m already looking forward to what else may come from this author.
Celia and Marco are both magicians, trained by magicians who differ philosophically in what exactly that training should look like. As a result, they create a competition for their pupils. The venue is the circus. Moves are made by each side, and as they are, Marco and Celia begin to fall in love. This leads to all sorts of complications in a competition where only one side should be left standing at the end. As you would expect from any good writer, the solution to this problem is ingenious, both completely unexpected and completely inevitable.
I enjoy books where magic is woven into our normal world. The Night Circus reminded me of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke for this reason. Magic is there; you just need to know how to use it. It doesn’t require a wand or fancy spells. The world can be manipulated by your mind, real magic disguised as illusion. The twist of competing magicians who then fall in love simply provides more opportunities for the magic to shine through.
This was one of those books that I wanted to devour and savor all at the same time. I viewed the dwindling pages with dismay, wanting to stay in the world that Morgenstern had created. The characters and the story were wonderful, but it was honestly the atmosphere of this book that grabbed my imagination on the first page and still hasn’t let it go. It’s an impressive debut novel, and I’m already looking forward to what else may come from this author.
| Atmosphere |
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