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A review by writervid
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
5.0
There are certain books that offer very little conflict in how you perceive them. For me, The Night Circus is one of those books.
I entered this book knowing I would like it. I've seen people wax poetic about the angsty relationship, the gorgeous prose, and the sparkling atmosphere. I was a fan of The Crown's Game, which has been compared to The Night Circus. And for me, those expectations were met. I found the characters realistic, the setting stunning and atmospheric, and the prose cinematic.
I understand the complaints with the book--that there are too many POVs, that there is too much atmosphere and not enough substance, that it is hard to follow. And I'll admit, there is emphasis on atmosphere. But I'd argue that it is substance that creates the atmosphere. Every line adds, emphasizes, or contrasts to the character motivations, and the different plotlines strengthen the ideas of the circus overall. Without the Rêveurs and Bailey there's no one to prove that the circus has an impact, or that it matters to people; without Tara and Chandresh, there's no one to prove any negative impacts of the circus.
This is a book that's beautiful, but it's one you need to take your time with. If you skim, you'll miss something, and if you blink, the circus is gone. I'd argue that that's what good literature is: each sentence adding and creating, making it so you have to read each one. And the need to savor the story before it's gone feels like one of the greater themes of The Night Circus overall.
5/5 stars.
I entered this book knowing I would like it. I've seen people wax poetic about the angsty relationship, the gorgeous prose, and the sparkling atmosphere. I was a fan of The Crown's Game, which has been compared to The Night Circus. And for me, those expectations were met. I found the characters realistic, the setting stunning and atmospheric, and the prose cinematic.
I understand the complaints with the book--that there are too many POVs, that there is too much atmosphere and not enough substance, that it is hard to follow. And I'll admit, there is emphasis on atmosphere. But I'd argue that it is substance that creates the atmosphere. Every line adds, emphasizes, or contrasts to the character motivations, and the different plotlines strengthen the ideas of the circus overall. Without the Rêveurs and Bailey there's no one to prove that the circus has an impact, or that it matters to people; without Tara and Chandresh, there's no one to prove any negative impacts of the circus.
This is a book that's beautiful, but it's one you need to take your time with. If you skim, you'll miss something, and if you blink, the circus is gone. I'd argue that that's what good literature is: each sentence adding and creating, making it so you have to read each one. And the need to savor the story before it's gone feels like one of the greater themes of The Night Circus overall.
5/5 stars.