The Night Circus

Hardcover, 384 pages

English language

Published Sept. 13, 2011 by Doubleday.

ISBN:
978-0-385-53463-5
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OCLC Number:
691204158
ISFDB ID:
1307896
Goodreads:
9361589

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3 stars (1 review)

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.

5 editions

The Night Circus

3 stars

A pretty fairy-tale about a pointless magical duel conducted over an extended period of time at a circus that is both real and surreal.

There is romance, manipulation and illusion as the central characters, unbeknownst to them, fight out some proxy war over theories in learning magic.

It's an enjoyable fantasy but I found it easy to put the book down and forget about it for a while. I wasn't fully immersed in the fable nor invested in the characters.