The Bibliophiliac’s Corner: “The Night Circus”
By Amanda Merriman
Connection writer Amanda Merriman admits she is hopelessly addicted to books. It has been this way nearly all her life. Every month she shares what she has been reading with the hope that others will share in the obsession too.
Fantasy lovers unite! “The Night Circus” is in town and will surely entrance you. I must have been under a literary rock to have only just read Erin Morgenstern’s novel, which debuted in 2011.
This captivating tale begins in the late 19th century and introduces readers to two rival magicians, one named Hector Bowen and the other only known as Alexander H. Bowen discovers he has a young daughter when she arrives at his doorstep one day. His daughter Celia seems to possess the same talents that he does. Bowen cannot resist the temptation to make Celia a pawn in an ongoing competition he has with Alexander. Alexander must find a player of his own and sets out to discover an equally talented child. An orphan named Marco becomes the other piece to their game. Marco and Celia each hone their skills in preparation for a future competition. They are unaware of who their competitor is or when this battle will take place. Meanwhile, Chandresh, an eccentric but successful theatrical producer dreams up the idea of creating a circus during a midnight dinner party that challenges preconceived notions of entertainment. Thus Le Cirque des Reves was born. The circus is an enigma. When it comes to town, it just appears as though it was always there. It only runs at night and the black and white tents that make up the circus are not the only mesmerizing thing about it. Celia is its very skilled illusionist. Later, Marco becomes Chandresh’s assistant. Chandresh is unaware that Celia and Marco are actually in a magical duel of sorts. The circus is ground zero for the two apprentices, as they battle to outdo each other. As the story builds towards its ending, bibliophiliacs will race through the pages to see what becomes of the Night Circus and its people.
Reading The Night Circus is an act of consumption. The imagery and themes are worthy of a lengthy book club discussion. The story reminds me of the movie called “The Prestige,” which I enjoyed. Now that I have finished the book, I’m dreaming of throwing a midnight black and white dinner party of my own.
Fellow bibliophiles and book club members, feel free to join in the dialogue. Blog your thoughts and feedback at www.castlepinesconnection.com and enter the keyword “bibliophiliac” in the search bar. Have you read a great book recently? Email your find to me at amerriman@castlepinesconnection.com.
