Reviews with content warning for Violence - Il circo della notte

Marco Alisdair and Celia Bowen have been groomed since childhood to compete against each other in a competition of fantastical manipulation and illusion, although they are not told whom they are competing against, why they are competing, or the rules of the game. The venue of the competition is a traveling black-and-white circus that only opens at night, a circus full of magic, wonder, beauty, and enchantment. Marco and Caelia must contend with the complex and dangerous rules of the game while protecting the circus and its people they have come to love.

Review:

I first read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern when I was young (perhaps eleven or twelve), and I read it far too quickly. My impression of the story was that it had a beautiful, evocative setting but a weak plot and characters. I am not sure what compelled me to pick it up again, as I rarely re-read books, but I can safely say that my opinion of the book remains the same.

Morgenstern has a gift for creating imaginative and fantastical settings and descriptions so delectable to all five senses that they feel like magic. I loved falling into the Night Circus and exploring it; it felt like entering another dazzling world. I did not even mind how slow-paced the book is because I enjoyed indulging in the sensory cornucopia of the circus.

Characterization and plot remain the book’s weak spots. The characters, while not poorly written, lack depth and complexity in the way that young adult book characters often do. Beyond the initial setup, the plot moves at a glacial pace. The climax and resolution at the end feel rushed and rather fuzzy on the details. In terms of representation, the book’s Asian character is depicted as an exotic, Oriental stereotype, which isn’t great.

Overall, however, the book is so good at what it does well that I did not mind its weaknesses.

The Run-Down:

You will probably like The Night Circus if . . .

· You love rich, multi-sensory, imaginative, and fantastical settings and descriptions

· You like star-crossed lover stories

· You don’t mind slow-paced stories

You might not like The Night Circus if . . .

· You can’t stand lengthy descriptions of setting, characters, etc.

· You need strong characters and plot to enjoy a book

Content Warnings

permanme's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

lily_peach's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

gummifrog's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.75

I had heard so many great things about this book, and I think the hype outshone it for me unfortunately. I like a lot of the idea of this book: magic, magicians, love stories, circuses, the odd and extraordinary. But ultimately the writing felt very dry and rambling, and I wished there were a feeling of greater closeness with Marco and Celia, whose thoughts we almost never get to see.

However, I am glad I read this. I did get goosebumps at the ending. I loved the setting descriptions and the atmosphere, and all the characters were uniquely quirky and lovable. I want to visit the circus - I would totally be one of the nerds with the red scarves. The magic systems were fascinating and was described in a way that allowed room for imagination, while being so full of beauty and clockwork machinations. I love the idea that magic is always present in the world, and that most people would rather not see it.

Idkkkk I think I'll have to let this one marinate!

Also, I read this on audio and I was not a fan of the narrator. He ascribed so many annoying voices and unnecessary accents to characters that didn't need it (does every red headed person need to speak with an Irish accent? Does every Asian character need to have a vaguely-foreign accent? Come on bro 😭). I might have enjoyed this way more if I'd read it in text form. I may revisit it in several years if I feel in the mood.

Content Warnings

chelseylb1988's review against another edition

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dark hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

abookwormspov's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

zoemaleah's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

A creative, whimsical fantasy novel about a forbidden romance and a dangerous game. It had the aura of a fairy tale. The characters weren't unique or multi-dimentional, but that was okay because they served the purpose of the story beautifully. The main plot is romance, but in a way that creates this beautiful, complex story and layers that kept me intrigued. The writing style was descriptive and sensory, and it made me feel like I was there at the circus some times.

Content Warnings

nicole12's review against another edition

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inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

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