The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (audiobook) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Year Published: 2011

Narrator: Jim Dale
Audiobook Length: 13 hours 39 minutes

My Pre-Reading for The Night Circus

Synopsis: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

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Review: I listened to this audiobook over the course of a long road trip. I took breaks to listen to music pretty often at the beginning, but towards the end I didn't even want to stop for a restroom break. This audiobook really pulled me in. 

This novel covers a large amount of time, following this mysterious duel from its newest initiation on. The story mainly follows the two young magicians participating in the duel, but there are other stories interspersed. I really enjoyed the chapters in second perspective of the reader visiting the Night Circus itself. The storytelling is done so well. At first it may be confusing, but by the end it all came together so perfectly. 

The characters that are involved in the Night Circus are all so interesting. A circus is a perfect place for quirky characters. The way the characters interact with the magic is also done so cool. The magic is so subtle and mysterious. It is the type of magic that makes you feel like magic could really exist in the real world, just under your radar. 

I highly recommend this book. And if you are looking for an audiobook for a long car trip, this book worked perfectly for me. I give this book a 5/5. This book is definitely worth the read!


--PAUL