Book Review {The Night Circus}

Good Day, Friends!

I hope this finds you doing well!

I have been doing a LOT of reading lately

(I guess I've been trying to make up for my lack thereof in previous years...).

Joining the Blissful Bookworms Book Club is partially responsible for this,

but not completely.

I honestly think that I have simply re-fallen in love with the written word

after a long, dry separation.

And, let me just say, 

The Night Circus is one of the best books I've read in a LONG time.

(via)

Now, I know what you're thinking...
NO...it isn't better than The Fault in our Stars,
or The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner or Eleanor & Park.
But then, it really can't be compared to those books.
For one thing, its not a Young Adult book.
And while there is romance in it,
it is a more dark, forbidden seduction than in those works of fiction.
But I'm getting ahead of myself...

You know how occasionally you will read a book

and when you finish it, you're almost relieved to be done with it?

This book was the COMPLETE and TOTAL opposite!

When I finished the final page,

I felt as though I had lost my best friend.
Added to this disastrous feeling was the realization
that the book was due back to the library that exact day.
I didn't even have time to mourn the loss of my new best friend
before having to let it go!
To comfort myself, I went directly to Amazon.com
and added The Night Circus to my shopping cart
(it should arrive any day now!
*SQUEAL*).

(via)

But anyway, enough of my personal feelings...
on to the official review! :)

The Night Circus is exactly what it sounds like:
a tale about a circus that is only open at night.
But this isn't just an ordinary circus...
rather, it is the venue for two young magicians,
Celia and Marco,
who are locked into the ultimate challenge.
But the challenge isn't of their own design or desire.
No, instead these two skillful magicians were forced into this as children
and were trained for most of their lives for this challenge.
But setting aside the fact of their slavery to this task,
they are both quite fantastic at their jobs.

The Circus in which they host their respective abilities is,
thanks to them, far from ordinary.
In addition to oddity of the circus only being open after nightfall,
further fanciful and dreamlike oddities include:
a blazing, brilliant bonfire that never goes out,
a candle-lit wishing tree,
a marvelous clock that seems to perform rather than just keep time,
a gloriously cold ice garden,
statues that no one can decide if they are alive or not,
and a peculiar hall of mirrors
that seems to reflect what it wants, when it wants.

And I haven't even mentioned the color scheme of this chimerical circus!
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is black and white.
The flames of the bonfire are white,
the wishing tree is black with white candles,
the clock has been shaded in hues of black and white.
Even the grass surrounding the tents has
had it's colors manipulated to match the setting.
The performers all dress in shades of black and white as well.
There is a spark of color to be seen though...
true lovers and frequent visitors of the circus
distinguish themselves from other circus attendees and performers
with the employment of a splash of red.
A red scarf or a red flower pinned to the lapel
tells of the individual's ardor for the circus
and all of its charms.

(via)

It is the magicians' skills that keep the circus running.
However, the inevitable occurs.
Celia and Marco fall in love
much to the disapproval of their prospective teachers.
Then the seriousness of the challenge comes to light:
for there to be a victor,
one of the challenge participants must die.

(via)

And, yes, that is where I'm going to stop.
If you want to know the whole story,
you'll have to read the book.
Or if you've already read the book,
I have great news for you.
Apparently, the film rights to The Night Circus 
have already been optioned by Summit Entertainment,
a Lionsgate Company.
According to the author's website,
no further information is yet available.
But can I just say that I'm BEYOND EXCITED to see
what these movie makers can do with this enchanting story!
Summit Entertainment has brought such movies as:
The Twilight Saga
The Hurt Locker
Letters to Juliet
and Ender's Game.

I hope you enjoy reading The Night Circus as much as I did!

Have you read any good books lately?
I'm ALWAYS open to books suggestions! :)

Thanks for stopping by!
And have a Great Thursday!