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.
