Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - The Night Circus

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

106 reviews

thehobbitbarbie's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is a testament to the power of language in storytelling. Every moment I was reading, I felt like I was fully there, walking through the circus, experiencing the white and black powdered ground and caramel-scented air. It was enchanting and intoxicating and strangely distant. It was like being fed maraschino cherries dipped in dark chocolate by my secret lover while they whisper old stories, only to close the book, wake up, and realize it was a dream and that nothing was real except the confusion and disappointment and longing that lingered.
It's almost impossible not to wax a little poetic about it because this is a highly poetic book, which is wild considering it's at least partially, basically about Disney adults. All that to say, it was a five-star read for me, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for what I can only describe as a luscious read.

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chronicacademia's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A friend of mine once described Erin Morgenstern books as “bedtime stories for adults” and I can’t help but agree.

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kcmg710's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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queersicles's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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aas's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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lunxchloe's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.5

If you look up the definition of "no plot, just vibes", this novel is probably what you would find.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the world that was build, the magical always-changing circus where seemingly everything is possible. But that world itself is not enough to keep me invested. To say that the story was slow is an understatement. I would go as far and say that the plot was secondary to the world that Morgenstern build. The ending was exciting, however, it feels like low stakes when the "story" takes place in a world where anything is possible.

2.5/5*

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sadiaa's review against another edition

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4.0

I found myself wanting more from the story.
I prefer the starless sea to this book

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thecriticalreader's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Blurb:

Marco Alisdair and Celia Bowen have been groomed since childhood to compete against each other in a competition of fantastical manipulation and illusion, although they are not told whom they are competing against, why they are competing, or the rules of the game. The venue of the competition is a traveling black-and-white circus that only opens at night, a circus full of magic, wonder, beauty, and enchantment. Marco and Caelia must contend with the complex and dangerous rules of the game while protecting the circus and its people they have come to love.

Review:

I first read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern when I was young (perhaps eleven or twelve), and I read it far too quickly. My impression of the story was that it had a beautiful, evocative setting but a weak plot and characters. I am not sure what compelled me to pick it up again, as I rarely re-read books, but I can safely say that my opinion of the book remains the same.

Morgenstern has a gift for creating imaginative and fantastical settings and descriptions so delectable to all five senses that they feel like magic. I loved falling into the Night Circus and exploring it; it felt like entering another dazzling world. I did not even mind how slow-paced the book is because I enjoyed indulging in the sensory cornucopia of the circus.

Characterization and plot remain the book’s weak spots. The characters, while not poorly written, lack depth and complexity in the way that young adult book characters often do. Beyond the initial setup, the plot moves at a glacial pace. The climax and resolution at the end feel rushed and rather fuzzy on the details. In terms of representation, the book’s Asian character is depicted as an exotic, Oriental stereotype, which isn’t great.

Overall, however, the book is so good at what it does well that I did not mind its weaknesses.

The Run-Down:

You will probably like The Night Circus if . . .

· You love rich, multi-sensory, imaginative, and fantastical settings and descriptions

· You like star-crossed lover stories

· You don’t mind slow-paced stories

You might not like The Night Circus if . . .

· You can’t stand lengthy descriptions of setting, characters, etc.

· You need strong characters and plot to enjoy a book

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