The Night Circus

A Novel

By: Erin Morgenstern

Narrated by: Jim Dale

Length: 13 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

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, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

©2011 Erin Morgenstern (P)2011 Random House

Critic reviews

" The Night Circus made me happy. Playful and intensely imaginative, Erin Morgenstern has created the circus I have always longed for, and she has populated it with dueling love-struck magicians, precocious kittens, hyper-elegant displays of beauty, and complicated clocks. This is a marvelous book." (Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife)

"Self-assured, entertaining debut that blends genres and crosses continents in quest of magic…. Generous in its vision and fun to read. Likely to be a big book—and, soon, a big movie, with all the franchise trimmings." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"Debut author Morgenstern doesn't miss a beat in this smashing tale of greed, fate, and love... a giant, magical story destined for bestsellerdom. This is an electric debut on par with Special Topics in Calamity Physics." ( Publishers Weekly)

Enchanting

Where does The Night Circus rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best books I have listened to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Night Circus?

The descriptions of the circus itself develops the characters in the book.

What does Jim Dale bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His character voices are so distinctive.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The opening line grabs you and from then on you are hooked.

Beautiful Story

If you could sum up The Night Circus in three words, what would they be?

Whimsical, Mysterious, Captivating

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Night Circus?

Marco + Celia's first long scene where they jump from room to room :)

Any additional comments?

A warning to listeners- I loved the first bit of the story.. but then there is a good gap after the first hour where there isn't a whole lot going on. Keep listening though, it is worth the wait. Everything is a beautiful set up. The book really picks up steam around hour 6.

Great book

I enjoy fantasy books and this one delivered. I enjoyed the narration too. Overall great audiobook

So vivid & beautiful. It makes my top 5 favorites!

If only exquisitely detailed writing, imagination & wishes made reality... The Night Circus would exist the moment I opened this supremely imaginative book! I first heard it at the library, but liked it so much that I also bought the physical book & audiobook. Then I re"read" it twice more. Stellar characters, details, narration, settings, & storyline. So vividly fantastical that I'm easily able to close my eyes, relax away from my life & step into this world.

Very deceptive description, but still worth it.

I almost gave the book three stars, but after I realized just what the book was about and accepted it, I was able to enjoy it further.

First off: "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." This, actually, isn't really correct. Especially the "fierce competition" part. 95% of the book, the competitors are completely in the dark about the rules, who their opponent is, or the fact that it's a last man standing situation. Their teachers (for lack of a better word) keep them completely in the dark about basically all the details of the competition.

Second, I was really looking forward to reading this book; as I was anticipating a fierce wizards' duel. Which never happens. Instead, the book almost immediately transforms into a love story between the two competitors. So, really, in the end, the two main characters wind up fighting the contest, not each other. I was rather disappointed by it.

Third, this book jumps all over the place. Just like an actual circus, there are many moving parts and characters; yet it's hard to keep track of all the events that are unfolding. Not to mention that they don't happen in chronological order - which leads to much confusion as to what exactly is happening.

Why am I giving it four stars as opposed to three? First, it was narrated by Jim Dale. His voice is a magic all into itself. It is beautifully written - both in prose and vernacular. So, while I spent much of the book confused by what was going on, I was thoroughly enjoying the charming language in which this book is written.

At the end of the day, would I recommend it? Possibly. But not without warning.

Excellent Book!

The narration of this book was outstanding. Love Jim Dale's voice! The story line was wonderful, especially for a first time author. Well worth the purchase!

Best enjoyed as an audio book!

The story itself was written with flourish that lacked substance but I thought Jim Dale's performance elevated the story! Brilliant voice acting. Listen to this one instead of reading it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A beautiful reframing of classic themes and archetypes with sumptuous details and just the right lingering bite of melancholy. Having completed the book I find myself wanting nothing more than to lay on my bed and savor the feelings of loss and desire.
I love Jim Dale, his voice is like coming hone to the grandpa you wished you had who would tell you the stories that stick with you and change you.

great story

lovely simple story, less whimsical than Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel but very very very similar otherwise, more of a romance. narrator doesn't vary voice or tone much so sometimes hard to track characters. also reads everything mournfully, mostly in a fine way but can get repetitive. still four stars.

Captivating story

What did you love best about The Night Circus?

Hard to choose what I loved "best" -- the narrator was superb, the story was full of unexpected moments and turns, but best of all, it takes you in, gradually, like entering into a dream. Suddenly you realize you're completely captivated by the story, as if in your own dream. Ultimately the story gently winds you back out - and just when you think it is over, there is a little more - and you begin to see that you still have layers to understand as you are gradually brought "back" to a fully awakened state. Beautifully done.

What other book might you compare The Night Circus to and why?

The only other book I have found so deeply engrossing was Perdido Street Station - and believe it or not, I am not much of a Science Fiction enthusiast.

Which scene was your favorite?

I had no favorite - but I am a visual thinker, and the author beautifully draws the detail of fantastical experiences - ice gardens, eternal flames, true magic masquerading as illusion.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Oh, most definitely. It's the one I always looked forward to, even in brief spare moments. But the best listens were when i could relax and delve in.

Any additional comments?

I truly appreciated the author's overall guiding of the listener gently yet persistently through the dream-like story with its fantastical twists and turns - they were just as believable as any deeply experienced dream - where you know it wasn't really true yet somehow, it was.