Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

212 reviews

craftysnailtail's review against another edition

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lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

So initially, I thought this book would be about 3⭐ for me. It was very difficult to follow as an audiobook, with it jumping back and forth in time and character focus. It was also painstakingly slow and long-winded. I started it in Sept and let the rental lapse twice over the course of 5 months before I finally finished it. 

But I think if I had read this rather than listened, I would've liked it a lot more. And even more confusingly, I keep thinking about this freaking book! I've read several very good books since this one, but whenever I space out throughout the week, this book is what pops into my head. The fanciful descriptions of the circus have burrowed under my skin. And that ending! Unlike any other book I've read. I think I would have been missing out if I hadn't gotten to that ending. 

This novel really felt like a meandering dream in the most frustrating yet fascinating way... So I have to bump up my rating. I think maybe the author achieved exactly what they meant to. It was just very difficult to stick with it in audiobook form. And you have to be in the mood for a book this unique. Do you want to feel like you're tripping through a magical circus where time moves incredibly slowly? Then this is the book for you!

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anindistinctaccountant's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Features a character who agrees to help the main characters up until "the time is right" to figure their shit out. When "the time is right", there is no warning or indication why. Otherwise, everything smart in the book was stellar.

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linzlee's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75


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bookshelvesandbookcorners07's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Interesting story
Last half of book kept me intrigued 
First half lagged a little bit

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keiraonyxraven's review against another edition

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mysterious relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

2.7 stars: beautiful writing but weak plot

I tried so hard to like this book. I wanted so badly to agree with all the wonderful reviews because, in theory, I should have loved it. Unfortunately, I found it hard to finish. 

I started reading The Night Circus in June 2023 and it lost my interest within the first 100 pages. I then returned in December, determined to give it another chance. Although I did manage to finish the book on my second attempt, I am sad to say the plot just wasn’t captivating enough to warrant almost 500 pages of unnecessary POVs, repeated information and seemingly unimportant chapters. The plot itself was rather weak, and I believe the story could have been told in under 200 pages. 

That being said, it is undeniable that the Authors descriptive writing, world building and ability to make you feel like you are really in their story, are undoubtedly the saving grace of this book. The plot may have dragged and I may have guessed the ending almost as soon as it was hinted, but to say this book was bad by any means of the word would be simply untrue. 

Maybe I am simply too old for this type of fantasy (mid 20s) or maybe The Night Circus just wasn’t for me. Either way, I would neither recommend nor condemn this book, I guess I am simply indifferent.

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folkofthebook's review

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

“The circus arrives without warning.”

if you thought caraval was trippy, give this a whirl 🖤

slow-paced, but vivid and fantastical. i admittedly felt a bit bogged down sometimes with the time jump POV changes and would have liked a little more of the romance, but overall erin morgenstern delivers a vividly crafted tale of magic, time, and mystery. she cuts no corners on her lush scenery and revelry, the imagery so vibrant and detailed you can almost taste the caramel popcorn.

“When all of this is over, no matter which one of us wins, I will not let you go so easily. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”

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flowersindecember's review against another edition

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

4.0

such good vibes all around i enjoyed myself so thoroughly there were just a lot of timelines to keep up with but i LOVED the romance subplots and that they weren’t the main focus of the book but also were at the same time. it was just really good but i cannot explain most of it

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ko2h3ckh's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It's a story about stories and how we tell them to each other. It's sad & beautiful & v v complicated.

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megj23's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75


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quasinaut's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

In the beginning, the world of the circus was entrancing, but as the story unfolded, I became less intrigued by a place that lacked color and energy. Don't get me wrong - I would love the chance to explore the circus, especially the tents that defy explanation, but I question how engaging it would be day after day, year after year. 

I listened on audio and while I liked the narration, I think this made it trickier to keep track of the different characters and chronology. I suspect I might like it better if we jumped between characters, but each of their stories didn't jump back and forth in time. 

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