by Erin Morgenstern
Disclosure: I should never read a review before I read the book or while I'm reading the book. It tends to influence my own view and subsequent review. Such is the case with The Night Circus. I'm trying to forget what I've read and keep this review my own.
The Night Circus originally didn't call to me but learning that it was high on the list of some of my friends I added it to my list as well. One of those friends sent me a copy which moved it to the top of my 'to read' list. (Thank you, Victoria!)
The premise behind the story is that magic is real and only real magicians know that it's more than an illusion. Two ancient magicians challenge each other's talent by pitting their proteges against one another in an unnamed, unspecified duel. The winner is the survivor, the loser deceased.
The platform for the duel in this story is the Night Circus, an incredible traveling circus that arrives and departs without notice and is only open during the hours of darkness.
The book is full of wonderful characters set in the late 1800's early 1900's. The circus is not scary and foreboding as one might expect but delightful and very imaginative. I would truly love the Night Circus to come to my town!
I was drawn back to the story each time I had to put it down, which is something we really want in our books, right? But I found that when I got to the end of the story I was still looking for the great duel between the two proteges. It was clear that they had beat their mentors by both surviving, but for me the climax of the story was a little less than climatic.
Read this book for some great imaginative settings and the characters we are introduced to. But know you will be kept in the dark just as much as the two young magicians regarding their challenge.
I give this book 3 of 5 shots.
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