The first time I read its synopsis, I was already enthralled. The premise seems really intruiging, two young magicians pitted against each other to continue an ancient, long-standing rivalry between their mentors, both renowned magicians in their prime. Despite their mentors’ professionalism and ruthless ways in continuing the competition, the love and attraction that bloomed between the now young rivals was not foreseen, and spells doom not only for their own existence but for those who belong to the mysterious traveling circus.
Magic, love and mystery amidst a grand circus backdrop…sounds irresistible to me. But I was not prepared for the beauty and madness of it all.
“The Night Circus” is an incredible debut novel by Erin Morgenstern. I have to tell you, as a reader I do play author favorites in novels: I have read almost all John Grisham books since college days when he kept me awake all night (on a school night!) just to finish “A Time to Kill”, Dan Brown novels (first 4, I have yet to read “The Lost Symbol” though), 3 of Emily Giffin’s 5 novels, the whole Hunger Games trilogy by Suzzane Collins, the entire Hush Hush trilogy by Becca Fitzpatrick, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga (including the unedited manuscript of the 5th book “Midnight Sun” written from the point of view of Edward Cullen), well among other hundreds of books everywhere, and thousands more with Kendra. Point is, I do play favorites by authors and if one work impressed me, I will keep on gobbling more from the same author, genre and style until I practically throw up phrases and verses.
But it was a gamble with this writer. For one, she is unheard of, and next, I did not see really good reviews about the book at first. I did not exactly search for it, which was good because it thrilled me no end to discover what I did between the covers (ok, Kindle has none, but shall we allow technology to diminish all the drama?).
Anyway, “The Night Circus” was probably my slowest read. (Uhm…let me re-think that: “One Day” by David Nicholls was my record slowest-slash-longest read, which I read through more out of obligation rather than willingness to finish.) But “The Night Circus” was a slow read – there is no other way to appreciate it but to stop in the middle of a page, breathe in the scenery, and visualize it – and when you do, you can almost see the scene, smell it, feel it as though you are there. It is simply enchanting.
As a young girl I frequented circuses (read: perya!) with my cousins in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, and would often look forward to trips in Manila that would always include visits to Fiesta Carnival. Of course they were nothing compared to all the magnificent scenery painted by Morgenstern in this novel but for some reason it felt both strange and home-y, which brings me to weird. But a good weird, and I like it.
Get the book, get the e-book, whatever. If you are a fan of fiction and fantasy, this is a must-read. Wait for the movie if you are not a fan of reading (which is doubtful since you have read this far now). But I have a strong feeling even Steven Spielberg or James Cameron will have a difficult time meeting readers’ expectations should it cross over to the silver screen. It is that good. It is surreal. I am thinking of reading it again soon. OMG, I am now also spellbound.
“The circus arrives without a warning…”
sun*star.baguio.12jan2012.
