Saturday, January 23, 2016

Review of THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern

Image result for the night circus by eAn Enchanted Novel Written by a True Magician

Reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is like being in a lucid dream. A part of you realizes you're reading a book, but mostly you're lost in its depths.

I have to say, be careful where you read this thing. It's totally possible to forget where you are, how to cross a street, how to stir the soup, or whatever it is you are trying to do while reading. The book takes you over. 

But let's marvel at the magician – I mean the writer. How does one even begin to write in the second person, at times the first person, and the third person – all in the present tense? All with a rich, turn-of-the-century feel, an attention to detail, and a story and timelines that run on many levels? With places and settings you can walk through yourself, not just watch the characters walk through it. With characters that are sorcerers and real people, at the same time? 

And even with all this sorcery, the experience feels as smooth as resting your head on a pillow. 

This is a sweet, dreamy read. I was hoping it would never end. 

Added later: 
I'm in heaven. The Night Circus is total joy. I am immersed in the story, carried away by the magic, and lost in the marvelous imagery. 

In her interview with GoodReads, Ms. Morgenstern says she was influenced by Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes . I read it when I was very young, and it's been a part of the unfolding of my life ever since.

The Night Circus will stay with me always, too.



(c) 2015 Suzann Kale