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)

simply amazing

Absolutely loved this story and the narration done by Jim Dale was just perfect... I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

I just love Jim Dale

Would you consider the audio edition of The Night Circus to be better than the print version?

Yes, because of the narrator. Story left a lot to be desired. Ending to fast and trite. Even Jim Dale didn't save that part, but he is a joy to listen to.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Needs help at the end...didn't come together.

Have you listened to any of Jim Dale’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Harry Potter, all of them on tape or CD...gosh he is great. But this has less story to work with.

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

Not really

Any additional comments?

Would if I could, not bother to listen, but Jim Dale...ah.

All around fantastic!

I could listen to Jim Dale read everything! He's perfect for his and the story is wonderful. Loved it and wasn't expecting to!

I Absolutely Adore this Book!

I absolutely love every aspect of this book. After completing, I immediately began re-listening, and can hardly cease listening to certain parts of the recording; the language, narration, and story are all SO beautiful! ! I can barely wait for the Author's next offering.

Amazing

After getting used to the back and forth from different itimes, you'll become swept up in the story. Truley amazing! And the narrerator was a pleasure to listen to

Made me want to run away and join this circus!

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

All around Wonderful!

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

The discriptions of the insides of the tents.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending, it didn't let you down.

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

I wouldn't want to listen to it all in one sitting because I wanted it to last and the imagery to last.

Any additional comments?

The narrator, Jim Dale of Harry Potter, made this listen perfect. His reading made the book that much more magical.

Believe in magic

This is a wonderful and fantastical story told by a master storyteller. If you have ever loved the voice of a parent or favorite babysitter reading words into your psyche as they became magic, this may remind you of that.

Jim Dale Can Do No Wrong

What made the experience of listening to The Night Circus the most enjoyable?

I absolutely love Jim Dale. I've listened to him narrate the Harry Potter books and was excited to hear him again. He did not disappoint! I also liked the story. I did feel like the time span was a little drawn out. I didn't fully understand the whole point of the game and how Celia and Marco's

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

I don't want to give out any spoilers (I hate spoilers) but I'd say I probably liked the first half of the book better.

Which character – as performed by Jim Dale – was your favorite?

I loved his voices for the twins. He moves so easily in and out of different characters and accents.

If you could take any character from The Night Circus out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Oh goodness. Probably Celia.

Any additional comments?

I did feel like the time span was a little drawn out. I didn't fully understand the whole point of the game and how Celia and Marco's moves. They didn't even feel like moves. I guess the author was trying to step away from just doing duels and such by being more subtle but I think she went too subtle.

Captivating story, and excellent narration!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Night Circus to be better than the print version?

Yes, Jim Dale does an amazing job and really brings each character to life through the different voices and accents. He reads with such excitement in his voice and it really draws the listener in.

What did you like best about this story?

I always appreciate an author that gives just the right amount of detail. Morgenstern describes the circus so well that I had no trouble imagining every detail, including the mystery and magic of the circus. Each character was so interesting and colorful. I loved how all of the character's story lines come together in the end. At first you get all these separate stories and the time line jumps around, but as the books goes on the character's stories start to converge until the end when it all comes together. I don't think I appreciated that as much as I should have until I read it a second time. It is really well done!

Which character – as performed by Jim Dale – was your favorite?

Poppet and Widget! That's two, but they're like a set.

If you could take any character from The Night Circus out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Chandresh because he's so eccentric, and then I might get an invite to a midnight dinner.

The BEST Audiobook yet!

Magical! The narrator takes you on a wonderful journey through this magical circus. I wish it didn't have to end.