“The circus arrives without warning” and without warning, you are transported to a beautiful and enchanted world.

Before long, you are blissfully lost in a charming world full of wonders and mysteries, mesmerised by a dreamlike circus full of engaging characters and many a spellbound tent.

Erin Morgenstern’s world building in The Night Circus is richly imaginative and superbly crafted with the circus serving as a lush centre stage for a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque forbidden love story amidst a mysterious magic challenge with seemingly no rules and no ending.

It is written in a diary style though it is not always in chronological order. Whilst it can be disorienting, it nevertheless is a nostalgic reminisce of childhood choose-your-own-adventure books.

The concept of The Night Circus is marvellous and the idea of it being the backdrop of an epic love story is excellent.

The stage was perfectly set for a stunning tale though the story never quite matches up to the glory of the circus. I wish there were more depth and nuance with a stronger build up towards a more magical finale. In the end, it was as though it has simply run out of magic and fizzled out.

Despite that, I would still very much like to see the dazzling costumes, the decadent la maison Lefèvre, the magnificent Wunschtraum clock, and the many mind blowing love-letter-in-disguise circus tents come to life in a movie and found myself picking actresses and actors for various roles along the way!

The Night Circus is a much enjoyable read, one that leaves you wishing you were one of the rêveurs with a shiny silver ticket.

Grab your copy of The Night Circus here*.