Night Circus Book Review

This is my review of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

NC Book Review

            Dreams are a phenomenon that can never be explained fully, only experienced through feelings and emotions.  This same characteristic accompanies The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  The incredible setting is a breathtaking circus that seemingly appears overnight and captures the attention of visitors from around the world.  The story begins as young Celia Bowen appears at the door of her father, who happens to be a world-famous magician named Prospero.  Under her father, Celia uses her natural ability for manipulation and is soon pitted against another young student named Marco.  Neither of the students is aware of their competitor, and they continue to hone their skills until the marvelous idea of Le Cirque des Rêves rings in the head of the entertainer Chandresh.  Marco works under Chandresh as an assistant, and as the circus takes shape he discovers that Celia is the person he has been training his whole life to battle.  The young magicians add their own touches to the marvelous atmosphere that truly is the identity of the circus.  Both students do not completely understand the challenge they are competing in and have only been able to ascertain that the circus itself is the venue for the epic competition.  Over time, the two face many challenges with the circus in how it affects their lives, and although love marks their hearts, they must suppress it to complete the task.  However, true love reigns supreme, and the new lovers must find a way to break the challenge and save their lives from the terrible game. 

The magical setting of the story draws readers to the novel and leads them to imagine themselves within the story.  The circus itself contains the classic aspects of any circus, but the setting in this story goes above and beyond.  Herr Frederick Thiessen, the main writer on all things to do with the circus in the story, notes that, “Rather than a single tent with rings enclosed within, the circus contains clusters of tents like pyramids, some large and others quite small.  They are set within circular paths, contained with a circular fence.  Looping and continuous” (7).  The circular layout of the circus and the fact it is continuous strongly contributes to the dreamy feel of the setting.  The circus can go on forever and ever in each reader’s own mind, enabling every reader to form strong connections with the different tents, stands, and acts, and making readers want to experience the night circus themselves.  The venue differs from any circus experience they may have experienced, which is important because it leads readers to imagine the venue for themselves.  When the audience becomes personally involved and able to create a clear mental image in their minds, it aids their understanding and helps them to better enjoy a story.  Anytime an author can create a setting that is as interesting as the plot, the reader benefits and so does the story as a whole.  Personally, I found that the setting was so powerful that I could see every action taking place in the story as I read it, which only inspired me to keep reading more and see what I would come across next.  Clearly, the setting maintains the focus of the audience as the story plays out, leading them to more thoroughly enjoy the book overall. 

Poppet’s unique ability to see and predict the future is an interesting tease for the audience that keeps them on their toes as to when her visions will come true.  Poppet, born after midnight on the night the circus first opens, is born with the power to see things before they happen.  One image, although out of context and scrambled, dominates the plot for the majority of the story.  While talking to Widget, her twin, she says, “The entire courtyard, not just the bonfire.  Bright and burning and hot.  Then I don’t know what happened but Bailey was there.  That much I’m sure of” (368).  This image that constantly appears throughout the story does in fact have a major significance in relation to the final, climactic scene of the novel.  The fact that Poppet does not understand all that she sees leads the reader to draw conclusions for themselves.  This keeps the interest level high because people keep reading to see if their prediction is correct.  The fact that the entire image was described as “bright”, “burning”, and “hot” shows just how significant the event likely is.  It hints at how big of an ending is about to unfold and puts the reader at the edge of their seat for the final chapters and scenes.  Again, Morgenstern does not simply give away the great details; she attaches them to different moments.  She makes readers work to understand her story, and when they go through it and find crucial elements, they enjoy the book more as it begins to make more sense.  Clearly, Poppet’s ability to see into the future intrigues readers, draws them in, and challenges them to make predictions as they go.

The fascinating character Tsukiko creates a connection that links different pieces of the story together and keeps the plot on track.  While talking to Marco and Celia in a frantic scene where the lovers attempt to save each other, Tsukiko says about the circus, “It is wonderful and it is terrible.  I am not prepared to give it up, but you are letting it fade” (461).  Tsukiko serves as a perfect character that moves along the plot without interrupting the main storyline of Marco and Celia.  Tsukiko has the ability to save the circus if Marco is willing to accept her proposal.  Tsukiko will no longer allow for the circus to fade away and for people to get hurt in the process.  Although she does not want to end Marco and Celia’s relationship, she shows that their bond is not more important than the safety of her fellow circus performers.  This development of her character brings the story to its most climactic moment, and Tsukiko is the reason it all plays out.  Morgenstern did an excellent job using a secondary character to have such a profound impact on the story as a whole.  She is also able to create emotion from her audience as they react to Tsukiko’s actions, which is good because the more emotion a reader has, the more invested they become in the story.  Throughout the story, my thoughts on Tsukiko constantly varied.  I hated her one minute, loved her the next, and was a bit scared of her in between.  Her character also helped to clarify different aspects of the novel, which helped me to better understand and enjoy exactly what was taking place.  Morgenstern does an excellent job because readers do not want to be spoon-fed challenging information, so using Tsukiko to help clarify was an excellent choice.  Overall, the character of Tsukiko develops to become a central piece of the entire story, provoking emotion and clarifying subtle details of the story.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a fantastic novel, and I specifically recommend it for lovers of fantasy, but also for those who are looking for a complex plot.  There are so many different aspects that come together.  To sit back and trace the book’s plot and character development is a massive undertaking, but one well worth it.  The detail ensures that readers never lose focus, but the argument can also be made that the novel could be shortened because it is a lengthy book.  In my perspective, the length fits this book well.   This is not a novel someone can pick up and completely understand after only a few chapters.  However, after taking the time to digest and understand this book, the benefits are huge.  Different ideas about chapters or connections I make pop into my head about this book every day, and I believe it is a novel that has a lasting impact on those who decide to give it a try.

Book Review: The Art Of Racing In The Rain

Ryan Cullen

Mr. Davidson

CL/3^rd Period

11-23-15

AMDG

AR Book Review

            Perspective is a very powerful tool that helps to provide a frame of reference for a story.  In The Art Of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein, the story is told from the viewpoint of the family dog, Enzo.  Enzo is just like any family dog, but the audience is able to gain interesting insight into the happenings of his family and their lives because of the information he relays.  Denny, Enzo’s owner and best friend, picks Enzo out when he is just a puppy, and they live happily together until Eve comes into the picture.  Eve is Denny’s girlfriend and eventually his wife, and Enzo has mixed feelings about her overall.  He always feels a stronger connection to Denny, but becomes closer to Eve after she gives birth to a daughter, Zoë.  Everything goes well for the family, especially Denny who has first-time success as a racecar driver.  However, the good times do not last as Eve becomes seriously ill over the course of the story, her eventual death shocking everyone close to the family.  Maxwell and Trish, Eve’s parents, are upset with Denny for the way he handles their daughter’s sickness, and this leads to the grandparents suing for custody of young Zoë.  Although the case seems like an easy win for Denny on the surface, old problems find new life when the suit begins, and Denny is forced into the fight of his life to keep the daughter he loves.  Enzo serves as a guide to readers throughout the proceedings and provides a unique perspective on the difficult situation ahead for Denny.

The narration by Enzo provides a unique look into events during the story and reveals important facts that give the reader a more complete understanding.  The importance of Enzo’s perspective is clear when Enzo, Denny, and Zoë visit Eve’s family and go with them on a ski trip.  During this time, Eve’s niece Annika falls in love with Denny and believes that Denny shares this same feeling.  Denny is determined to head back home to see his wife, even when met with the brutal conditions of a snowstorm throughout the dangerous drive.  When he finally gets home, he is overcome with sleep and Annika “pulled his pants down to his ankles, then lifted one foot and then the other to remove them completely” (Stein 143).  Enzo reveals that it was Annika who took advantage of Denny and put him in an extremely difficult and complex situation.  Since Annika pulled down Denny’s pants herself it is clear she is the person to blame in this situation, not Denny.  The reader learns that Denny does not want the sexual encounter to happen, he does not promote it or seek it, and as soon as he realizes what is happening he shuts it down.  Enzo’s “fly on-the-wall” perspective allows the audience to see what actually happens.  The reader learns from Enzo the details of the encounter from a first hand point of view.  There is no bias, and the facts are presented clearly.  A clear, truthful story is actually quite unique when it comes to literature, and it serves as an interesting framework of this story that readers will enjoy.

The struggle of communication between characters is central to this story as a whole because of the emotion it creates and value it adds to the novel. Enzo again proves his importance using his instincts which  are important because when Eve leans down to feed Enzo later that day he knows “There was something inside Eve’s head that didn’t belong…But [he] hadn’t a facile tongue.  So all [he] could do was watch and feel empty inside” (36).  All along Enzo knows that Eve is sick, he is able to smell what is going on inside Eve’s head which results in sadness and hardships for everyone involved.  This is such a difficult section of the story to read, and it depicts for the audience how difficult life would be without the ability to communicate.  The audience experiences the same struggle with emotions as Enzo, they have to watch Eve suffer and refuse to go to the doctor while they already know that she has a serious problem.  Enzo’s lack of a facile tongue is heartbreaking because the audience is able to see how badly he wants to let the family know, but he never has the opportunity or ability to tell them.   This empty feeling of frustration Enzo demonstrates also sticks with readers and creates a bond through sadness that can give the reader a reason to keep reading.  The inability for Enzo to communicate to his family leaves the reader feeling helpless and creates a deep irony; even they cannot save Eve.  Therefore, it is apparent that the struggle to communicate in the story is key to the story’s message to not take the little things for granted.

The emergence of a villain in the novel is an important aspect of character development that allows readers to connect emotionally to the story and its characters.  Towards the end of the court battle, Enzo is staying with Maxwell and Trish because Zoë misses him.  While lounging near the patio, he is able to overhear a discussion between Maxwell and Trish on Denny and the trial as a whole.  Maxwell asserts that “Denny wasn’t good enough for Eve, and he’s not good enough for Zoë.  And if he’s stupid enough to get caught with his pants down and his pecker in his fist, you’re going to be damn sure I’m going to seize the moment” (228).  Maxwell develops into a villain over the course of the novel, and this progression is illustrated in his chat with Trish.  Since Maxwell is taking advantage of a completely unfair situation, the reader feels for Denny and what he is going through.  When an audience becomes invested in a character because of that figure’s situation, they likely will keep reading to find out what happens to that character.  All of the things that Maxwell says, especially the fact that he mentions that his actions are justified because Denny was not right for Eve, entrench Maxwell into a position where readers will be against him. The audience already understands that the rape allegations are unfounded, and Maxwell even asserts that he is going to use the information whether it is true or not. Maxwell serves an undervalued role as the villain in the story and Stein uses his character to unite his audience and connect them emotionally to Denny’s journey.

The Art Of Racing In the Rain, by Garth Stein, is an extremely unique  and touching novel that every person should make the effort to read.  Stein expertly weaves Enzo’s thoughts and emotions into the story as a whole and the reader actually experiences what it is like to be the family dog.  I liked this book for the messages and ideas it left with me, the most important being to never give up.  Readers will be able to read this book quickly as the excitement never stops, but it can also be evaluated further to find deeper meaning.  This is the perfect book for teens, but that’s not to say adults would not enjoy the book as well.  Although the reading level and overall use of language may not be incredibly difficult, the tale it weaves it provides creates a lasting impact.  The story is touching and the dog’s perspective is heartwarming. Overall, this is one of my favorite books I have read and clearly a novel written from a dog’s perspective adds an interesting twist for the reader.

Fantasy genre

This is my response to a few question regarding the fantasy genre as a whole.  Both whether I like the category overall, and also some of my favorite settings in fantasy books and movies.

Fantasy is a great change of pace when it comes to reading.  With school books, we always tend to focus on realistic fiction or something rather historical.  Although these books are interesting, fantasy is a genre that is often more fun to sit down and read.  It's a topic that I could sit down and read all day long when I find a book that I like.  I think this is because fantasy novels create a very interesting mental image and I can often imagine myself in the same situations in the characters.  Sometimes fantasy can be a little too over-the-top for me, so different books and authors I like more  than others.

A fantasy location I'd like to visit would be Middle Earth in The Hobbit because of all the diverse and interesting things going on there.  The images that popped into my mind when I read it a bit back were fantastic and when the movie came out is was almost exactly as I pictured.  Fantasy gives you a unique perspective into something although impossible, brings out curiosity and creativity.  I really like the battle scenes in the book and also the "my precious" scene with Bilbo and the ring that becomes so important.  Scenes like this would never have been possible in standard fiction, and therefore fantasy is the best way to advance these ideas.  Middle Earth would be an adventure and definitely one that I'd like to go on.

Infographic Project -- Ryan Cullen

1.          I chose this topic because it is something I have a personal belief in and feel strongly about.  Although I understand there are many arguments to be made in opposition to my argument, my position is something I do truly believe in.

2.         Researching one side of a topic is different from normal and it made me feel like I was cheating the audience a little bit.  At times I was able to understand different aspects of the counter-point through some of the data I came across which makes it hard to maintain my bias.  Focus was very hard to maintain as I researched for the project.

3.         I chose a very simple design structure for my infographic that relies mainly on sub-headings followed by different examples.  I felt these were the most compelling facts, and breaking them up into different groups gave the infographic a much better aesthetic look.  I also included a graph to make sure the viewer was able to be drawn in by the facts it displayed.  The pictures I chose were very simple and were only meant to make the project look better and separate different categories.  The most important imaging in the infographic is the final picture seen bottom right before the works cited.  The person fading away is meant to illustrate losing someone who is important to you and I think it is a very powerful message.

4.         Yes, I do think my argument is convincing and I think the viewer will understand the need to side with gun control.  I’m not trying to advocate that guns should be banned all together, I just want people to understand that there are many problems as a result of guns and they could be limited by more strategic gun control.