Reviews with content warning for Injury/injury detail - The Night Circus

"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. His punishment? And his reward." —Oscar Wilde, The Critical as Artist

Undeniably beautiful writing in a turn of the century fairytale that is groundedly gritty and soaringly ethereal. I don't care for circuses, but it was the exact right venue for this story. This one didn't knock me off my feet quite as much as The Starless Sea, which I read first and with no expectations. Partly, I think, because I wasn't as enamored with Marco as I maybe was supposed to be and I wasn't as satisfied with the ending here, but mostly because:
"The finest of pleasure are always the unexpected ones."

Definitely recommend for fans of The Starless Sea and Alix Harrow's Ten Thousand Doors of January.

Content Warnings

sarah_plemmons's review

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book is a testament to the power of language in storytelling. Every moment I was reading, I felt like I was fully there, walking through the circus, experiencing the white and black powdered ground and caramel-scented air. It was enchanting and intoxicating and strangely distant. It was like being fed maraschino cherries dipped in dark chocolate by my secret lover while they whisper old stories, only to close the book, wake up, and realize it was a dream and that nothing was real except the confusion and disappointment and longing that lingered.
It's almost impossible not to wax a little poetic about it because this is a highly poetic book, which is wild considering it's at least partially about Disney adults. All that to say, it was a near-five-star read for me, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for what I can only describe as a luscious read.

Content Warnings

aylalynnwhite's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.25

Content Warnings

lilithreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Content Warnings

annasbooks00's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

10/10 reading experience

Content Warnings

katvou's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

flucillie's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

st0bbit's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

this book single-handedly dragged me out of my reading rut… where do i even start. a gorgeous tale of whimsical magic and wonder that’s left me with a sense of comfort i haven’t felt in a long time. this book was constantly at the back of my mind when i wasn’t reading it, and it was so nice being able to settle down and fully immerse myself in it, with each part i left off at.

where do i even start! the characters are (generally) so lovable, with changing povs but not too many that it gets confusing and overlaps. they were also slowly introduced, so that i didn’t feel too overwhelmed or mix up people’s identities. i’m normally not a fan of non-linear timelines either, but this one was brilliantly executed — plus it’s only another diverging timeline from the future and they converge in the end, so it wasn’t messy or distracting.

the romance was a special kind of gorgeous. i love this forbidden lovers kind of trope, and it didn’t detract from the overall plot of the story either; it complemented the main storyline and made it stronger. the descriptions of fleeting gazes and uncontrollable lust was so JWBSHSHSHSH be still my heart….

overall, the flowy, descriptive prose really captured the circus in all its allure, in all its mystique. made me yearn to disappear within its folding, looping paths and get lost in that world of secrecy. the passion of those who chased after it, the emotions evoked from the injustice of pawns trapped in a game they never wanted to participate in (or even had a choice). all feels so raw, and vivid

i do have a few small qualms though… that overall did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. for a story that has elements of loss and dealing with grief, it feels very brushed upon? the reactions of characters would feel too casual, some conversations talking about these losses somehow making it all about the main characters again. felt like this didn’t do the deceased characters a service and felt kinda out of touch during those times:/ and at this point, there’s certain elements about characters’ decisions and actions that don’t feel adequately explained or rationalised. and i suppose because of that things felt off balance — especially towards the end as things were unravelling.

but all in all… so many hearts and love for this story. 😢😢😢 take me back

Content Warnings

More...