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This book was not entirely what I expected. Perhaps because my edition is a Penguin Vintage Classic which led me to believe it was written long before 2011 but either way I did enjoy it.
The story centres around a magic ‘competition’ between two competitors, set up by their prospective mentors. Celia Bowen is the first, taught by her father, a famous illusionist, (who is actually a real magician) and the second is Marco Alisdair taught by Celia’s father’s mysterious frenemy, Alexander. It is hard to explain more than this without giving away spoilers really.
Though the language is simple, the imagery was really something else and I did think in a book like this it would have been easy to disrupt the balance between story and description but I thought Morgenstern did it really well overall. I did come out of it wanting to buy a red scarf and head to a circus even though I know these days they are just wacky fun fairs with strange clowns as opposed to this kind of, for lack of a better word, experience.
There are a few nitpicks but nothing huge. I found it slightly difficult to follow as the chapters jumped around between cities and dates and years and so on and sometimes in an order that made it confusing who was how old and what had already happened. I got a general grasp by the end but it made the reading slightly less easy.
There is something of an explanation for this large presence of wizards in the 19th century at the very end but it isn’t really an explanation but they ignored it for so long I was barely even curious at that point. I had just accepted they could just do magic because they could do magic and that was that.
Otherwise, I loved Celia and Marco and actually felt that they were well matched really but it would have been better had they had more than 2 (ish) full-length conversations so it was obvious they had gotten to know each other a little bit.
Bailey and the Murray twins were also brilliant and my favourite characters. However, my favourite part of the whole book had to be “You deceitful little slut.” because it just came out of nowhere and I laughed far too much.
I had been warned the ending was disappointing but I had such low expectations going in that I think it balanced it out and I felt it was an okay ending. I wanted to give it 4 stars, but it’s just missing … something. I’m not sure what and I feel like this is a book I could have really loved, but I just didn’t get excited about it as much as I had about other books I’ve read recently. I didn’t have a problem picking it up it just wasn’t more.
Too bad you didn’t love this one! It has beautiful imaginary but unrealistic. Great review!
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I think I wanted to love it too much, so I didn’t, but yes it is beautiful in description.
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I’ve looked at this book for a while but my TBR list has always been too big to pick it up. Not sure I fancy it now, I hate disappointing endings. Great review.
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It’s not hugely disappointing, there is just so much build up I think people expect explosions at the end but the real ending fits, makes sense even when I think about it retrospectively. Maybe if you get the chance to read it for free, it’s something of an easy read so.
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I’ve heard similar reviews! I am going to sit this one out, thank you for the heads up 🙂
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It’s not for everyone, it’s true. I don’t regret reading it. 🙂
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Great review
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Thanks!
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You summed this us so well – I want to frame it for inspiration when I’m struggling to capture this same conundrum!
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I always love reading honest reviews. The cover is lovely, it’s too bad this one didn’t work out.
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Nice review. I didn’t know Penguin Vintage Classic did anything other than, ya know, vintage classics.
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I’ve went back and forth on deciding to read this one or pass because I have seen a wide range of reviews on it. I think this edition has the most intriguing cover though. Great post!
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Wow, this is a beautiful cover. On books I like linear stories, your review just made me think of how this book should behave on a film.
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I have seen this one around. Beautiful cover!
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I hadn’t heard of this one. And to know it is that huge and to just end so disappointingly… I think I’ll pass on this one.
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I found your review to be interesting and really insightful. I do think that this books cover is stunning it’s a pity that the book doesn’t live up to its impressive cover.
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I have this book . Thanks to Goodwill ( it was only $1) I haven’t had the chance to read it. I heard Caraval reminded a lot of people of the Night Circus which was what had made it piqued my interest.
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That’s a bargain right there! Hope you like it 😄
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I’m hoping so too. but if I don’t at least I won’t be complaining about the price of it. lol
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Great review, I’ve been dying to read The Night Circus for so long now but I have been hearing mix reviews about it, but after reading your review I might need to check it out and see if I enjoy it or not. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
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It is a personal thing, worth the read no matter how you come out of it though!
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