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What readers think of The Night Circus, plus links to write your own review.

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus

A Novel

by Erin Morgenstern
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • First Published:
  • Sep 13, 2011, 400 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jul 2012, 400 pages
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Reviews

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There are currently 31 reader reviews for The Night Circus
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Kristine I. (Carmel, IN)

A book to savor
I highly recommend this book to anyone one who enjoys magical tales. The story isn’t fast moving, but each scene was so vivid that I just savored every word. It was highly creative and the story was well put together. I read it every chance I could get, yet I didn’t want it to end.
Carole C. (Upper Marlboro, MD)

A Fairy Tale Under a Curtain of Stars
"Like stepping into a fairy tale under a curtain of stars (p.143). This quote from Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus captures my reaction to this unusual novel. Coming from a reader who does not list fantasy as a genre of choice, these words of praise may be more compelling. A tender love story, a dark and devious competition, and a stage for myriad actors and characters, this circular novel pulls the reader into its thrall and captures the imagination. As Morganstern slips from the third person point of view into the second throughout the book, so I invite you to don a red scarf, join the line to slip into Le Cirque des Reves, seek out the fortune teller and have her cast the stars to read the future -- one that is never set in stone.
Debbie V. (Jupiter, FL)

Night Circus!
Fantastical journey!! Ms. Morgenstern has done an outstanding job of creating a truly magical world - sharing each and every incredible detail with the reader until we too are transported along with it's wonderful characters. .. I did not want the book to end and it has stayed with me long after I read (and reread) the last line... Thank you to Ms. Morgenstern for reminding me of why I am a reader!
Erica M. (Chicago, IL)

A rare find!
I hated for this book to end. It was one of those delicious stories that you hate to put down to eat or sleep and look unhappily at how few pages are left as you near the end. This is an excellent first effort, which hopefully, will be the beginning of a wonderful career for Erin Morganstern. The themes of love, conflict and the ability to rise above challenges are well-developed and interestingly presented. I’m sure this is one book In which I will need to inscribe my name to assure that it is returned to me after it is repeatedly lent out.
Mark O. (Wenatchee, WA)

The congealed imagination of The Night Circus
After reading The Night Circus, I too would like to be a member of the rêveurs, the society of ardent followers, tracking the circus on its unscheduled itinerary. Entering the circus is like falling asleep into someone else’s dream, a dream full of wonders but sustained at great cost. All of the old verities are here - coming of age, the cost of winning, love growing on sterile soil. But when art transcends craft, old is new. Morgenstern’s circus is a new place, one of the “100 imaginary places you must visit before you die.”
Sara S. (Murfreesboro, TN)

Intriguing
The Night Circus is full of wonderment and intrigue. It was quite difficult to put this book down, but when I did the magic still lingered in my head. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of curiosity and magic. Beautifully written... I absolutely adored this novel.
Kathrin C. (Corona, CA)

A Most Pleasurable Escape
The Night Circus brought me completely back to long-gone childhood days: settling in the big chair with a pile of books borrowed from the library, picking up one, curling up and completely losing myself into a wondrous faraway place populated with intense and captivating characters – ones that I might want to hang around with forever, and a story that leaves the everyday reality lost in dense fog. And continuing to read on and on, ignoring those annoying "come to the dinner" call outs or that mandatory "lights out, go to bed" order. An amazing first novel – and it better not be the last one from Erin Morgenstern!
William E. (Honolulu, HI)

Salammbo Move Over
And I thought that Flaubert could write sensual prose as a counterpoint to his journalistic style. I found the book a great read. The book is a major achievement for nothing else than the cinematic descriptive evocations of places, characters, etc. Loved it.

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