Poudelivre

October is usually thought of as a great month to read scary stories, but I prefer my own tradition: reading Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. It’s a lovely, magical tale unlike any other I’ve read before and both October and Halloween plays an important role in the story, making it a good book to read this time of the year.

The circus of dreams, it's called, the mysterious and magical Night Circus that appears overnight, out of nowhere, and disappears just as quietly and without a trace. Like it was never there in the first place, like all your memories of it is only a dream. But the Night Circus is real and what very few knows is that it's the venue of a very intricate competition in the art of magic. The two competitors, Celia and Marco, has been bound together for many years and they've prepared for the game even longer. But it's not until the Night Circus sees its light that the actual competition begins. People fall in love with the Circus because it's a respite from a boring, mundane life and offers everything you can dream and imagine in one spectacular experience. But the game can’t continue for ever and what happens to the Circus when the challenge is about to end?

I've loved The Night Circus since the first time I picked it up. Author Erin Morgenstern has created everything I ever wanted in one perfect novel and the only thing I dislike with this book is the fact that the Circus isn't real. Every part of the novel is magnificent, from the interesting and intricate characters that moves the story forward to the imaginative Circus itself. You can smell the caramel, the bonfire, the cinnamon treats and the perfume of the other Circusgoers while you read. It's really like you're walking around in the Circus yourself and not many novels can create a world as realistic as this.

Unlike many books, this is one that spans out over many years. It's told in third person and alternate the point of view to suit the reader, so that you can get the most out of the novel. Every chapter starts with a name, a place, a month or sometimes a date as well as a year, making it easy to follow along in the story and not get confused about where you are. You get to see parts of Celia and Marco's pasts and how the Circus came to be before a large portion of the novel is spent in the Circus while it travels around the world. Between chapters are smaller poems about the wonders in the Circus, making it feel even more real and believable. Morgenstern’s beautiful writing is a very big part of the novel, but I also enjoy the age difference between the characters. Some people are younger, and some are older but they’re all relatable and everyone has a story that will interest you.

I’ve read this novel quite a few times now and I’m still surprised at the new things I notice when I read. It's a book so full of amazingness that you can't possibly take it all in the first time you read and, I hope, never. To read this novel every October is something I long for months in advance and I really believe that this is a book for everyone. Pick it up, dive in and be amazed. This is an extraordinary novel and it remains one of my favourites.