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katvou's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
maeverose's review
dark
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
This is a bit of an essay…
This review is for my first re read of this book, which I originally gave 4 or 5 stars (can’t remember)
!!!This will have spoilers so skip if you haven’t read the book!!!
This review is for my first re read of this book, which I originally gave 4 or 5 stars (can’t remember)
!!!This will have spoilers so skip if you haven’t read the book!!!
TL;DR: It didn’t hold up. I feel very similarly as I did for the starless sea. I love the setting with my whole heart, the writing and the atmosphere. Bailey’s chapters remain my favorite. But I was incredibly disappointed with the romance and the way the plot played out.
The things I loved:
The things I loved:
My favorite thing about this book is the circus itself. I wanna visit it so bad. Just the descriptions of the circus, the different foods, performances and tents. I need it to exist.
I also loved the atmospheric writing, the way she describes scents, sounds, etc makes it so immersive.
Bailey’s storyline is my favorite. I love his friendship with Poppet and Widget and his journey to joining the circus himself.
The things I didn’t like:
The things I didn’t like:
The main romance was so disappointing. For a book that’s marketed as a fantasy romance, I would’ve expected more of a focus on the romance. It’s not even a focus until the last third. They barely interact until then. For an opponents-to-lovers, I wanted tension between them before getting to the romance. What little tension there was came in too late and felt forced. It doesn’t have to be full-on enemies to lovers but it just doesn’t make sense to me that by the time they do finally get together, they get together with no hesitation, knowing they’re opponents. They shouldn’t have been that trusting of each other. I didn’t buy their love for each other. It was very instalove on Marco’s part, and instalove doesn’t work for me for multiple reasons. One being that it’s hard for me to buy his attraction to her when he doesn’t even know her. He fell for her years before they ever really spoke to each other, let alone got to know each other. I can’t buy that, personally. And from Celia’s perspective, she didn’t pay him any attention hardly until the end. It literally says in the book that to her he blended into the background before she found out he was her opponent. She didn’t care about him. It was also somewhat instalove for her after that point. Given that this book takes place over so many years, that would’ve suited a slow burn romance perfectly. Even though it takes years for them to get together, it’s not slow burn. The point of slow burn (imo) is the mutual tension and build up before they finally confess their feelings and get together. They need to interact.
Marco’s relationship with Isobel. He was kinda terrible to her. He fell for Celia the moment he saw her, but didn’t break up with Isobel until 15 years later… like yes Isobel could’ve taken the hint that he didn’t like her anymore but it was really sh*tty of him to not just tell her that it was over. He knew Isobel still loved him, or he wouldn’t have broken up with her at all. He just let that go on for 15 years…… another thing about their relationship that bothered me, is if you pay attention, towards the end Isobel says she was younger than Bailey when she met Marco. Bailey was 15 when Isobel met him, Marco was 19 when he met Isobel. So Isobel had to have been 14 at the oldest…. That makes me uncomfortable.
The competition. I liked that it wasn’t action heavy, but I felt like there was so little focus on the competition that it just felt a bit low stakes. Not even just that but it hardly felt like there was a competition at all.
Marco’s relationship with Isobel. He was kinda terrible to her. He fell for Celia the moment he saw her, but didn’t break up with Isobel until 15 years later… like yes Isobel could’ve taken the hint that he didn’t like her anymore but it was really sh*tty of him to not just tell her that it was over. He knew Isobel still loved him, or he wouldn’t have broken up with her at all. He just let that go on for 15 years…… another thing about their relationship that bothered me, is if you pay attention, towards the end Isobel says she was younger than Bailey when she met Marco. Bailey was 15 when Isobel met him, Marco was 19 when he met Isobel. So Isobel had to have been 14 at the oldest…. That makes me uncomfortable.
The competition. I liked that it wasn’t action heavy, but I felt like there was so little focus on the competition that it just felt a bit low stakes. Not even just that but it hardly felt like there was a competition at all.
———————————
I think I’ll still read future books by Erin Morgenstern, because I love her ideas so much, but so far both her books have been disappointing for me. I wish she would work on creating more fleshed out characters and plots, then she could easily be a favorite author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Murder, Animal death, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Cursing, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Eating disorder
A sort of magical equivalent of terminal illness, stabbing, depression, an unhealthy romantic relationship (side romance), pedophilic relationship (14 & 19 when they get together, side romance)joensign's review
adventurous
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Child abuse
Moderate: Suicide and Alcoholism
Minor: Death of parent
the_reading_wren's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow! I was a little lost with all the flicking between characters and times at the start, but they all weave together so breathtakingly that it was well worth it. I think rereading this book will be worthwhile to appreciate the beginning more; I’ve just ordered a copy of my own and this is the first time I’ve wanted to buy a copy of a book I’ve borrowed and read from the library! The ending is satisfying (except the treatment of one character, which felt unresolved) whilst leaving some lingering magic in the reader. Perfect for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
kaitisbooknook's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism
leahbindi's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Torture
writewithapendragon's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Intensely atmospheric, enchanting language and setting. I didn’t buy into the main romance but I don’t know that it took away from my enjoyment of the book overall.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Sexual content, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Romance/sexual content is all G rated/alluded to, no sexual content on the page though there is kissing.pertinent_sonder's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
3.75
3.75
Morgenstern's writing is exquisite. What I found lacking was a depth to characters, especially the two main characters. I think that if the writing wasn't so beautiful, I wouldn't have finished the book. That being said, I've read it twice, once in 2021 once in 2022. I'd read it again I suppose, but I doubt I'd actually buy it.
Morgenstern's writing is exquisite. What I found lacking was a depth to characters, especially the two main characters. I think that if the writing wasn't so beautiful, I wouldn't have finished the book. That being said, I've read it twice, once in 2021 once in 2022. I'd read it again I suppose, but I doubt I'd actually buy it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Death
orcarroll's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Death
readwithria's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
The Night Circus intrigued me with its iconic opening line, and the rest of the story kept me going. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and completely understand why so many people love it.
The Night Circus flips back and forth between two main timelines and progresses through about 30 years of time. Erin Morgenstern is such a smart writer, she structured this novel so well and crafted so many lovely point-of-view characters. The book was very atmospheric, which was definitely its strong suit. I sometimes found myself wishing that I understood how the magic worked a little bit more, but I also felt like that air of mystery was intentional so I didn't mind that too much.
I think the biggest weak point was the relationship between Marco and Celia. I didn't find myself believing their feelings for each other amounted to love. When other people talked about them I could see it, but where they were together I didn't buy the romance. That didn't detract too much from the book, but I think that's what kept it from being a 5 star read for me.
All in all, this was a lovely book that I would definitely reread. 4 stars.
The Night Circus flips back and forth between two main timelines and progresses through about 30 years of time. Erin Morgenstern is such a smart writer, she structured this novel so well and crafted so many lovely point-of-view characters. The book was very atmospheric, which was definitely its strong suit. I sometimes found myself wishing that I understood how the magic worked a little bit more, but I also felt like that air of mystery was intentional so I didn't mind that too much.
I think the biggest weak point was the relationship between Marco and Celia. I didn't find myself believing their feelings for each other amounted to love. When other people talked about them I could see it, but where they were together I didn't buy the romance. That didn't detract too much from the book, but I think that's what kept it from being a 5 star read for me.
All in all, this was a lovely book that I would definitely reread. 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death, and Emotional abuse