The Night Circus
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Two starcrossed magicians engage in a deadly game of cunning in the spellbinding novel that captured the world's imagination. • "Part love story, part fable ... defies both genres and expectations." —The Boston Globe
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.
- Pages
- 392
- First published
- January 1, 2011
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Shelved by 22 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished July 30, 2023
3 stars probably isnt fair, but i want to give myself 5 stars for finishing
- adventurouscozyemotionalchallengingreflectiveSlow-paced
Started September 26, 2026 · Finished October 3, 2026
Started September 20, 2026 · Finished September 30, 2026
I need to come back to my thoughts on this one. I loved parts but I was also so confused for alot of the book and not invested until 70%. I think this is something that needs to be reread to full understand and until I do that I’m unsure on my rating.
- inspiringmysteriousreflectiveSlow-paced
Started September 1, 2026 · Finished September 12, 2026
It is rare for a story to be so atmospheric that you can eat the vibes with a spoon, and it still remains coherent. It drags sometimes... but overall it is an enchanting story, the sort that can put you in a trance. It is also a perfect fall read; you can practically smell decaying leaves and wet soil. This book makes the heart ache, envelops you in anemoia, and lingers long after it is finished.
Started September 15, 2026 · Finished September 30, 2026
- adventuroushopefulmysteriousemotionaltenseMedium-paced
Started October 5, 2026 · Finished October 7, 2026
- Slow-paced
Finished September 20, 2026 · Read 2 times
This is my favorite book of all time because it is the only book that I genuinely wish was real. I wish Le Cirque des Rêves was a real place that I could visit and waste a week exploring; nothing is more disappointing than knowing I will never experience it in real life. Erin Morgenstern does a wonderful job at creating something so atmospheric and lifelike that there is no way you cannot picture yourself among the tents, watching the performers and smelling the popcorn. This is a slow read, full of details that seem meaningless until they suddenly aren't. You won't find the deepest, most complex characters you've ever met in this book; you won't find a breakneck plot that keeps you guessing. You will find a slow excavation of the lives and motivations of the people who created this circus, and even of the circus itself. At its core, this is historical fantasy, bordering on literary fiction; if you don't think that's for you, give this a pass. But if you want to fall in love with a setting and an atmosphere, with the fictional history of a place you'll never see, pick it up.
- adventurousmysteriousrelaxingSlow-paced
Started April 7, 2024 · Finished April 10, 2024
Started November 2, 2025 · Finished November 9, 2025 · Read 3 times
Finished July 25, 2021
Finished March 15, 2026
Finished October 21, 2023
Finished August 31, 2013
▸ Did not finish (1)
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