The Night Circus, written by Erin Morgenstern, is a captivating story of two apprenticed magicians who have been entered in their own magical competition. Celia Bowen is the daughter of a world-famous magician, Prospero the Enchanter. Prospero bets his own daughter against an old friends own apprentice, a young boy named Marco Alisdair. They both begin their training under their respective masters from a young age, always having harsh lessons and multiple performances. The two young magicians are told very little about the competition and they do not know who their opponent is.
Chandresh Christophe Lefevre is the creator of the circus, which becomes the arena for Celia and Marco. With help from Ethan Barris and the Burgess sisters, the circus is created. The whole place is black and white, from the huge tents to the performers costumes to even the grass within the gates. Magic and wonder fills the air as people enter the unusual scene. Chandresh constantly works with Mr. Barris and the sisters to continue creating new tents, along with the help of Marco and Celia. Eventually, the circus becomes the playing board for the apprentices. Each new creation of a tent is built up from the others ideas. Magic courses through the circus, but to the patrons it is all illusion and misdirection.
Bailey Clark is a young boy who dreams of joining the circus. He goes the whole while the circus is in town. He starts to fall in love with one of the young performers and eventually has to make a difficult decision that could save the whole circus from disappearing forever. Bailey's journey of self-finding and growing up will have you smiling the whole time you read about him and his wonderment of the circus.
With such vague, but strict rules of the competition, the magical components that keep the circus and everyone apart of it alive, and the desperation of a winner, things soon begin to turn complicated. In strong attempts to not give in, Marco and Celia begin to fall in love, but the competition prohibits that from happening. The circus starts to die. Misdirection turns into manipulation and things start to go wrong for everyone in the circus. No one is safe and it all comes down to Bailey to save everyone.
The book is written in a multi-perspective scenario, often jumping to a new storyline, new time era, and new events with each chapter. When reading, one should take careful notes of the starting dates and times at the start of each new chapter. Each individual story eventually comes together at the end, but read carefully or the illusions of the book might just trick you as well. Let yourself go and return to the childlike mentality of magic and wonder. You must attend the circus soon, for it only comes for a short time... and there is no warning. It will open at dark and close at dawn. Enjoy your time around the bonfire and get lost among the tents. Welcome to the Night Circus.
