The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: A Review

This much talked about novel has sat idle on my bookshelf for a fair amount of time, the beautiful design on its cover has finally drawn me to it as has the reading of a number of conflicting reviews online. I felt it was time to form my own opinion of a novel that continues to sell well from the shelves at work without even having to push it into the hands of customers. It seems it is indeed hard to resist the pull and the mystery of Erin Morgenstern's 'The Night Circus'. 

The title itself refers to a circus, one that appears unbidden and as if by magic. The tents and performers draped in black and white, the only real colours coming from the curious guests that pour through the circus gates. Little are these happy, wowed consumers aware that beneath the jovial, fun exterior of the circus there lies a secret, one that threatens to pull the circus apart along with everyone within it. 

First and foremost, this novel is just great fun. It never sways too far into the world of surrealism and magic to make it confounding and tricky yet doesn't brush too lightly across it's surface as to make the wonders of the tale seem trivial and unimportant. Morgenstern has created a tangible balance between realism and the world of magic that deserves a gargantuan pat on the back. I was completely and utterly drawn into this beautiful world and grumbled audibly whenever it needed to be put down for some reason or another. 

The narrative is written in chapters headed by dates and geographical locations, and it soon becomes clear that there is some time lapses going on. We are brought in towards the story's end as well as its beginning. I was expecting this to be aggravating as it has to be done well in order to allow for a tale to run smoothly. However, I was gladly proved wrong as the seemingly separate narratives reach a natural and unobtrusive convergence in a timely manner before the novel's grand finale is reached. The two stories that appear separate at the start feature characters that differ immensely from one another. One narrative string follows the awestruck Bailey and his obvious love of the mysterious Le Cirque des Reves, from his sneaking in during the daytime to his forming of a close friendship with the circus' only pair of children. The other takes us through the inception of the circus, created by an elite group of midnight diners and tells the intriguing love story of Celia and Marco, arguably the most important characters of the narrative.

It is tricky to write a review of this novel without giving too much away, because this is a book best read without really knowing too much about the direction of the story itself. So all I will say about the story is that the magic within the circus is as a result of a tortuous duel, one which even it's participants fail to understand the implications of. It is this duel that results in the creation of the circus itself as a stage, a place to show off one's skills, an extremely public stage nonetheless. The descriptions of the various attractions within the circus are intoxicating, each tent holds its own sort of magic. I was particularly fond of the ice garden, a beautiful display made from what appears to be a flowering garden hewn from ice. Even as the ice sculptures are accidentally broken, they reform to restore the beauty of the exhibition.

It is worth mentioning that the descriptions in the novel are more fleeting than padded, Morgenstern clearly does not feel the need to add too much and it is a tactic that works. Descriptions of time, place and magic are handled beautifully and well enough to conjure up dazzling images that stick with you and don't bore you slightly to death (ahem, Salem's Lot). 

I have drivelled on enough about the magic and intents of the circus, obviously the characters are important too. Morgenstern creates very believable personalities, none are all knowing and each of them has their flaws. Celia is a delight, a mistreated child grown to become a beautiful yet haunted illusionist, one who forms friendships somewhat easily yet suffers her losses greatly. Marco I found to be a bit of an enigma, his love is obvious but there is a cruelty to him that put me off of him a bit, but not in a disappointing way, it merely adds more depth. I fell in love with the clockmaker Friedrick Thiessen in much the same way as he falls in love with the circus, a kindly, pro active gent undeserving of his eventual fate. The only character I did not feel a particular affinity with was Bailey, he just felt a little under formed and in need of some vibrancy. 

All in all a fantastic well rounded and well paced read. It's style reminded me in parts of Audrey Niffenegger's writing and as such I am sure that if you have enjoyed her books then this will spark your interest as well. Be warned, once you start reading this the real world will lose its sparkle as you get drawn further into the enchantment that is 'The Night Circus'.