Erin Morgenstern’s debut novel, The Night Circus, has topped best seller lists and pleased readers and critics alike. Morgenstern’s highly visual language immerses readers in the magical realm of a 19th century circus that travels the world entertaining patrons by night. While The Night Circus may not move at the same breakneck speed as other fantasy plots of the dragon-slaying or vampire-hunting genres, its elegant, subtle and nuanced narrative makes it a captivating read not only for fantasy fans, but for readers of other tastes as well.
Plot Summary
The Night Circus opens in 19th century New York, where a magician, the famous Prospero the Enchanter, is reunited with his daughter, Celia, who has inherited her father’s skill – a skill readers soon learn is veritable magic. Prospero trains his daughter in the art of manipulation, as he often calls it, and unbeknownst to the child, enters her in an intense and life-long competition between herself and the protégé of Prospero’s rival, Mr. A. H.
Years later, Celia is recruited as an illusionist for the mysterious Cirque des Rêves (Circus of Dreams), which opens only at night and travels around the world at little notice. The entire circus – including the performers themselves – is black and white, and filled with entertainers who possess an unusual amount of skill that mystifies and delights audiences. Celia soon discovers that Marco, the circus proprietor’s assistant, is her rival in the challenge established in her youth. The circus is the venue in which they carry out their competition, producing magical exhibitions for the circus (including an ice garden by Marco, a fantastic carousal by Celia, and a collaborative labyrinth by them both) and they soon fall madly in love with each other. At first unaware of the fatal and inevitable conclusion to their teachers’ wager, Celia and Marco soon learn they must find a way to save themselves and the circus or suffer dire consequences.
Immersive and Visual
Morgenstern’s descriptive writing brings to life the fantastical world of the Cirque des Rêves. The plot winds gradually with slow revelations, rather than being punctuated by climaxes and turning points. Morgenstern invests a great deal of time and energy in establishing the setting and atmosphere, and it pays off as readers are easily drawn into the time and place. While the careful construction and measured pace may grate on some reader’s patience, those who persevere are rewarded by being immersed into Morgenstern’s detailed and vivid imagination. Though many modern fantasy books might sacrifice style for action, Morgenstern’s writing is stunning. It manages to be at once elegant and subtle while also precise and evocative.
It is not only Morgenstern’s talent that adds to the book’s immersive quality. She is also clever in cobbling together different writing styles and perspectives to add authenticity and believability to the magical circus. Throughout the narrative are scattered anecdotes from the circus told from the second person point of view – or “your” point of view. She describes the reader’s own journey through the circus, including all the smells, sights and sounds of the Cirque des Rêves. At the beginning of each new section, Morgenstern includes snippets from the articles authored by one of her characters, a clock-maker and enthusiastic circus patron, detailing his own thoughts and feelings on the circus, adding another layer of authenticity to her fictional tale.
Lastly, the book itself adds to the enjoyment of reading. With many pages detailed with black and white stripes and curly writing, it adds a further visual touch to an already engrossing reading experience.
Final Thoughts
Readers should not approach The Night Circus expecting standard fantasy fare. Instead, it is a story of love, passion, creativity and betrayal that happens to use magic as its catalyst. It may seem slow, but it is the patience and subtlety with which Morgenstern builds her tale that thrills and seduces readers. At the book’s conclusion, the mysterious Mr. A.H. says of one circus performer’s gift for telling stories that “there are many kinds of magic, after all,” and Morgenstern’s beautiful debut proves that story-telling can be one of the most powerful kinds.
Sources
Morgenstern, Erin. The Night Circus. Published by Doubleday, 2011. ISBN 978-0-385-53463-5.
Carolyn Psutka - MA in English and self-professed bibliophile.
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