The Night Circus

Most reviews I have read for The Night Circus begin with the opening lines of the book itself, which I admit are pretty beguiling.   The realization that something magical will be happening is immediate.  And then the descriptions begin - the striped tents, the wrought iron gate, the lights, the clock.  I was sucked in and didn't surface for 24 hours. 

First of all, the colors, or lack of them.  Everything about the circus is black and white, shades of grey, silver and crystals, snow and ice, ravens and doves.  Costumes are black silk and white lace - my favorite character is Poppet whose dresses are a patchwork of various white fabrics - a crazy quilter's delight!  The setting, the atmosphere, the visuals of a book or a movie are important to me, so when I find one that delivers all that in such beautiful, mesmerizing language, I have trouble letting it go.  It's already showing up in some of my embroideries and quilted thingies.

The story is about magic and magicians so it's not for everyone.  There are deaths and births and mystery and there's a love story - in truth, the love story is the main plot element, I suppose, but for me, the black and white striped circus tents and all the wondrous adventures that circus-goers may access inside them are what kept me entranced.  It doesn't hurt either that events take place during the turn-of-the-century, as in 1870's - 1900's -- such a black and white, shades of sepia time period anyway for those of us drawn to early photography. 

It's just such a pretty book.  I'll be obsessed for a while yet.  --cds