"Le Cirque des Rêves", or, The Circus of Dreams, arrives without notice, and travels across the world. It is only open at night, and you will see things you will likely never forget. You won't see bright colors and lion tamers, but black and white tents that each hold something magical. The smells, the sights, the performances - one never forgets.
But, behind the curtains a battle of magic is being played between Celia and Marco, two magicians that have been trained since they were young for the purpose of being the best. Only one victor is possible, but as the two fall madly into love, they begin to work as a unit instead of against each other. It's not only their fate they are rearranging, but the fate of the circus patrons and entire cast.
If you happen to read the book jacket, which most of us do, you will be expecting one story, and the real story, in all honesty, will not be what you are expecting. For some, you may feel misled, or angered at this, but for others, you will find the real story enchanting and beautiful. I am in the latter. I expected action, fighting, deaths, and bloodshed from the book jacket. I also expected a deep and timeless romance budding from the first few pages, and leaving me breathless. None of this is true, but what is true is that Morgenstern fills the pages with such magic and beauty that I couldn't put the book down. The lavish descriptions of the circus sights and smells, combined with the flashbacks and sheer talk of magic made me wish this book was a reality. And, if you enjoy changing perspectives, each chapter is a different character, so the reader gets to see the circus from an insider's view, and from an outsider's viewpoint.
Mind you, there is not much action, and the love story certainly takes a back seat to the magic and talk of the "battle" waging. But, this book didn't need action to propel it forward. Overall, if you have expectations for this book, get rid of them. If you are looking for a true romance novel or an action/adventure novel, this isn't the book for you. But, if you want to step outside of this world and believe in something magical for approximately 400 pages, give The Night Circus a shot.
