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From the Bookshelf of Basically Books!…

The Night Circus

Erin Morgenstern

Start date: March 1, 2012

Finish date: March 31, 2012

Discussion: Former Group Reads

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Former Group Reads

* Reckless by Amanda Quick (September 2013 Group Read)
By Rea , Ghost · 9 posts · 20 views

last updated Oct 26, 2013 12:24PM

* Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin (September 2013 Group Read)
By Rea , Ghost · 2 posts · 8 views

last updated Sep 01, 2013 07:24AM

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What Members Thought

Mar 17, 2016 Suzie marked it as dnf

Strike one was writing this in the present tense and choosing a style of prose that was reminiscent of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

Strike two was the way Tsukiko was introduced.

And strike three was this:

He reads histories and mythologies and fairy tales, wondering why it seems that only girls are ever swept away from their mundane lives on farms by knights or princes or wolves. It strikes him as unfair to not have the same fanciful opportunity himself.

What?! What mythology was he reading? I' ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 24, 2021 Venessa Johnstone rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Loved the magic!! Great read...

3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 18, 2011 Tamsin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, fiction, circus, sword-and-laser, 2014

Absolutely loved it! To begin with, the premise reminded me a little of the film 'The Prestige', and when I started the writing style and storyline felt a little like the great Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, but The Night Circus turned out to be a completely different kettle of fish completely. I was completely hooked by the sheer gorgeousness of the writing, descriptions and characters that I soon grew to resent work after reading during my lunch break (thats not really that diffic ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2011 shalini rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-reads, young-adult, spectacular-writing, fantasy-fiction, contemporary-fiction

Simply stunning!! I couldnt put the book down and wanted to join the circus world to live all of the wondrous things told in the book. Hats off to the author's imagination and wordlore. The book is simply briliant!!! ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 03, 2012 Naomi cooper rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

amazing, read it in a few hours because i couldn't put it down. literally found myself walking around with it reading, so addictive. really emotional and still have the story with me even after finishing the book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2011 Tracy rated it liked it

Shelves: read-at-your-own-risk

I finally finished this book and you know how books are supposed to make you think or feel good or something? This book gave me a freaking headache. For real, I just dreaded picking it up and reading it. Allow me to explain...

1. Too much writing. There were too many words in this book. If you have read "Interview with the Vampire" it's like that kind of wordy. I just wanted to get old red and strike quite a few words.

2. Too many disconnected characters. I could see where she wanted to intertwine I finally finished this book and you know how books are supposed to make you think or feel good or something? This book gave me a freaking headache. For real, I just dreaded picking it up and reading it. Allow me to explain...

1. Too much writing. There were too many words in this book. If you have read "Interview with the Vampire" it's like that kind of wordy. I just wanted to get old red and strike quite a few words.

2. Too many disconnected characters. I could see where she wanted to intertwine all the fates of the characters AT THE END. But Jesus, this chick just kept bringing people in that were not truly relevant and then, nothing would happen to them. (Example-what the hell with most of the folks at the dinner parties?)

3. Told from the wrong perspective. I think this would have worked better told from the perspective of the two magicians that had to face each other, so we got an idea of what they were thinking and how it all felt. It was told from a third person omni..omni...all knowing profile (it's late, I'm tired, you try nanning an 8 month old that wants to walk and skip crawling and a 2 year that apparently has gone deaf today-today only-in public). Anyway, we found out too much. There was no mystique, there was no true mystery and when it all comes together at the end, well, let's just says someone turns out to be a big jerk when I thought, as one of the most integral characters, they would be awesome.

The only thing this book made me want to do is paint my bedroom black and white. Her writing style sets the mood of a circus and I guess, you just wanted to read more about the circus instead of the makings of a circus, the duels at the circus and how the circus needs to sustain istelf to survive. When I finished this book, I passed it off to my sister who is telling me the same thing-too many characters. It could have been better but it was just good.

For something with so much hype behind it, I have to say that I was really disappointed. Let's hope they don't screw up the movie (see "I Am Number Four for examples of how to mess up an adaptation). It could be a beautiful movie, but I just don't know at this point. ...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Kris-10 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, favorites, circus

More of my reviews at The Cozy Reading Corner

This book is so amazing that I can't even construct a proper, articulate review and instead am reduced to writing phrases that I hope can convey at least a fraction of this book's radiance.

The Night Circus is an enchanting, fantastical, spellbinding story. Erin Morgenstern is a literary genius. This book was a warm fire on a cold, winter night; a blooming rose in a bushel of weeds; and a gleaming diamond in a pile of coal. It read like a dream that I ...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Jessica (BookRockGoddess) Bolton rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-on-cd

I have a love hate relationship with this book. It was clear from the start that this book was going to be a rollercoaster ride. I hated the game and Celia Bowen father. He to me was the very definition of evil and selfish. There is so much going on with this book that once you think you have a handle on things you are tossed around all over again. You feel that you are constantly falling fast and then you come to a sudden stop then it starts all over again. There are a lot of different points o ...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Renuka rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, young-adult, fantasy, adventure, romance, historical-fiction, magic, e-book, fav-couples, livebrary

I loved this book. It was recommended to me by a friend absolutely obsessed with it and now I have to go thank and we can both be obsessive together. The world was rich, lush and full of characters I completely and totally fell in love with. The concept was complicated but with a little thought I figured the challenge thing out. Watching Marco and Celia fall in love was so beautiful and heartbreaking and I thought the ending was completely satisfactory. No loose ends or unnecessarily sad deaths. ...more

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