Fantasy Book Club discussion

Having now finished your visit to Le Cirque de Reves, let’s look at a few lighter pieces.

What was your favorite part of the circus?
Which character would you most want to meet?
Which tent would you most want to visit?
Which food sounded most appealing?
Would you consider yourself a reveurs?

And, of course, did you enjoy your visit, will you return, and will you encourage others to take a spin at The Night Circus?

I really enjoyed this book! The description made it sound a bit ominous, but the story progressed in a manner more dreamlike than foreshadowed. And the final point of being able to influence your future is an important one.

One thing I didn't like at the end is how Alexander suddenly changes character. It didn't ring true to me.

Lara, question for you... Did you post your discussions as you were going through the book or did you go back and answer them as though you hadn't read through it yet? I'm simply curious. :o)

Krista of the Many Sparkles and and Shimmies wrote: "Lara, question for you... Did you post your discussions as you were going through the book or did you go back and answer them as though you hadn't read through it yet? I'm simply curious. :o)"

The first couple I posted after getting into Part 2, but the rest I posted soon after finishing that part. Of course, I was usually some ways into the next part before I answered it. The book is such an easy read!

My favorite characters were Poppet, Widget and Bailey. I never got into the "big" romance of the book. I never connected with the leads. Although I did love the book's atmosphere. And the writing enough to read any new books by the author.

I loved loved loved the end when you are handed the card and it has (view spoiler)[an email address on it. (hide spoiler)] :)

Apropos of nothing, I hope these guys have a tent, or are playing somewhere on the grounds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRUcDR...

Joseph wrote: "Apropos of nothing, I hope these guys have a tent, or are playing somewhere on the grounds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRUcDR..."

What a great soundtrack they would make! Great call.

Lara wrote: "What a great soundtrack they would make! Great call."

I actually tweeted the link to Erin Morgenstern and she said she thought it was cool. I believe the technical term is "SQUEEEEE!!!!"

Squeeeeeeee indeed!

A follow up to squeee is yeeeeeeyeeeyipyipyeeeeyip! ;o)

So has anyone seen the HBO series Carnivale? I thought that was an interesting contrast -- almost like a funhouse mirror reflection of the Night Circus. I also found myself reminded of Peter Straub's Shadowland at times, although it's been so long since I read that book that I don't quite remember why . . .

I loved it! I glowed upon finishing it. :) I thought about putting the book down and writing out my reactions and thoughts after each part, but... I just really wanted to finish it, haha. Perhaps I'll post my thoughts later. :)

The chocolate mice, almond ears and all, would be the confection that I'd sample, if I could. I have a weird, wonky thing for food shaped like animals. It doesn't make much sense, but there it is.

I'm happy that all of the questions I had about Bailey were answered in a tidy manner by the time the book ended. The pieces of the puzzle began falling together throughout both the fourth and fifth parts, but like Poppet's astromancy, my conclusions were vague and watery until the plot fully played itself out.

And the spoiler cut details my long-winded thoughts on the Man in the Gray Suit and the meaning of the challenge itself, because I don't want to bore anyone:
(view spoiler)[As for the man in the gray suit that called himself Alexander, I wasn't so sure that he changed character at all. I don't think we saw enough of him at the beginning to make heads or tails of his behavior, other than it was apparently inhuman, which, you would think, would be enough to judge his character; yet, when he's juxtaposed with Hector, who was formerly (and implicitly) Alexander's student, a long long long time ago, it's not so easy. Even from the beginning, you got the "evil and unlikeable" feeling from Prospero, but Alexander was very... contained, I guess. He participated like reserved a man might in a poker game, but his age and the resulting emotional distance didn't ring the evil bell that Prospero's cruelty did. Alexander never sliced Marco's fingertips open, or break his bones to see what he did to fix it. Marco didn't specialize in bodily reparation, sure, but Alexander never inflicted bodily or direct psychological harm. Celia's father never showed mercy or a bit of love, hurt his daughter frequently because "she annoyed him" or to force her to learn things, and yet Alexander made his affection for Marco clear through small, indirect gestures that only the reader "saw"--almost knocking on the door again when Marco shut his flat's door in his tutor's face, the argument he and Hector had after Chandresh murdered Herr Thiessen on Halloween, the saddened expression on Alexander's face when the truth of the challenge's outcome become apparent, etc.

That, and I think Alexander's methodology of "manipulation" was telling in itself: because you know magic and can do something, it doesn't make you special. But it's a beautiful sort of not being special, whereas Prospero's insistence on Celia's innate magical ability put her above others and, really, is an unhealthy way to think. The outcome of Bailey's journey, I think, corroborated what Alexander was getting at all along and which Celia summed up quite nicely at the end:

"'You're not destined or chosen, I wish I could tell you that you were if that would make it easier, but it's not true. You're in the right place at the right time, and you care enough about what needs to be done.'"

It's difficult to explain, but I think it's about what we do with what we have, regardless of where we are in space and time--not about being special and unspecial. Celia and Marco might have never met and fallen in love without the dire circumstances to bring them together, just as Isobel never would have met Marco if her train had been on time, but they could have fallen in love living the lives of normal people. It's about time, circumstance, and how your heart deals with both as they conspire against you, and neither school of thought on "manipultion" adequately proved that adequately, though Alexander was closer to the mark. I thought it was a pretty message, and even if Morgenstern didn't intend to convey that at all, I'm happy I found it.

Buuut I found myself liking Alexander at the end, while he and Widget were speaking. He was a bad guy that turned out to actually be an amoral (not immoral!), emotionally-stunted-but-not-emotionally-incapable man worn down by time and the epitome of what it means to be "the stuff of dreams." I found it hard to dislike him after looking at him that way.

/end long-winded rambling here! (hide spoiler)]

And I dug the romance. I pretend I'm not girly most of the time, but I couldn't resist it. What can I say? ;)

I think Isobel should be given a round of applause for being a rather good sport about her heart practically being stomped into the ground. She was deceiving herself, sure, but at least she came around and was anything but a villain at the end.

Also, Detektivbyran is lovely. They would do fabulous circus music. :) Their song "Hus vid Havet" is exquisite.

I'm home for Christmas break from school, and usually I would take my favorite books back with me (and, yes, this did become a favorite!), but I'm going to leave it here so my mum can give it a spin. Like Traci said, whenever Morgenstern does come out with a new book (considering the Night Circus' immense success, it would seem almost silly to not publish something else!), I'll be happy to give it a look-see myself! Great book choice, everyone!

/end aimless chatter here!

Amazing. Superb. Magical. Fantastic. Magnificent. These words are some I would use to describe this book. As my frist book from the group, I definitely enjoyed it.

Celia and Widget are my favorite characters. But more than the characters, I liked the descriptions about the tents in between chapters. It made me feel like I was there. Like I was actually walking down the black and white path.

I absolutely loved this book. My favorite character was Herr Thiessen. I was so sad when he died!

I think I'd have wanted to see the original lighting of the bonfire. That description was wonderful. But maybe I'd be a revêur and follow the circus around so I could see lots of tents!

Ah, yes, Herr Thiessen. I so desperately want one of his clocks. And if I didn't already have a couple of cats, I'd be in the market for one black & one white kitten.

Anatha wrote: "I loved it! I glowed upon finishing it. :) I thought about putting the book down and writing out my reactions and thoughts after each part, but... I just really wanted to finish it, haha. Perhaps I..."

This is totally not related to the book itself but I thought you would appreciate this recipe for little chocolate mice (almond ears and all). I made these a couple of years ago at Christmas and they were delicious! Here it is:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolat...

I kept thinking of these every time they were mentioned in the book. I might have to make them again soon.... And maybe some caramel corn!

Herr Thiessen and his clocks... What's not to love! I would absolutely find a way to spring for one of his creations.

Brianna - Thanks for the mice recipe. Perhaps when the book becomes a movie I'll have to have a party featuring various delectable treats from the book and include these!

I just finished the book last night and I really enjoyed it. I don't think it'll be a "favorite" for me, but it was an entertaining, quick read. (The whole time I was reading it, I was thinking what the story would look like on the big screen...then I come here and realize they're actually talking about turning it into a movie!)

My favorite characters were the twins and Tsukiko - I just thought she was soo cool and aloof - and the picture I have of her in my head is someone with a sort of quiet, odd elegance.

I don't think I'd consider myself a reveurs...I don't think I'd be sucked in that much - but I can't really say. Unfortunately, I've never been inside an ice garden so I may change my tune if that ever happened :)

One thing I was *kinda* disappointed about with the book was that it was not more macabre. The whole time I was reading it, I really anticipated more...I don't know - spookiness? The idea itself is kind of weird and creepy (a circus at night where the people never age), I guess I just wanted MORE creepiness - not so much romance :)

I just finished the book, and while I did enjoy it, I found that a couple of things left me cold. I wanted to love the book, but I just couldn't connect on a basic level with Marco and Celia's romance. It seemed sudden and forced, as there wasn't any natural encounters between them before the 'big romance'. The 'challenge' between them also seemed to boil down to nothing more then seeing who could make prettier magical things then the other. Perhaps I'm over-simplifying things, but I didn't get a sense of that there was a real challenge going on between the two.

However, I cannot get over the lush descriptions and imagery in the book.
The entire time I was reading this, images from The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus kept flirting through my mind - it felt like I was reading that strangely beautiful movie captured into book form.

The Murray twins definitely were a highlight of the book for me. I think that their circus act captures their presence and personality perfectly: wonderous circus kids who perform with somersaulting kittens, just the right combination of whimsical and magical.

Overall, it was an interesting read, and I particularly loved that it was set in a circus. That gave it a more mysterious feel - with the circus you always feel that anything could happen, and that was captured perfectly in this book.

One of the things that I loved about this book is that there were so many great characters. Usually there is just one or two that is a favorite, but reading through the discussion so many people had different favorite characters! My favorite plot line was that of Bailey and the twins. I did also love Herr Thiessen and his descriptions of the circus. I really enjoyed all the different point of views. I did really like Celia but I don't think I identified with Marco very much. Did anyone else find him less appealing than the others?

The sensual details in this book are really wonderful. I could have just read about all different tents and been content, but the characters are interesting as well. The twins and Celia were my favorite characters, my least favorite being Prospero and Alexander. I think I would have enjoyed the book more of it were a little longer.

A lovely read, and my thoughts have pretty much echoed many here already. I liked the twins and Bailey, but also the tents. I could picture these places so well and feel like they are almost a memory rather than something I've read. Where can I get the clock??

I really enjoyed this book. The imagery was amazing and I enjoyed the subtle displays of romance throughout. This book was a little different than what I usually choose to read, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

I agree with Heather almost completely. I also wished for a bit more... gothic-ness, I guess.

I enjoyed the book a lot, mainly because of the colorful descriptions. But it also seemed incomplete somehow, or... like a puzzle that has been put together but a few pieces just don't fit very well, and the picture they form seems a little "off". The whole main plot about the challenge seemed oddly "tacked-on", and I didn't quite buy it. I also echo some of the sentiments above in saying that the central romance did not do much for me. I found it a lot more believable that Bailey would be taken with Poppet and vice versa; Marco & Celia, however... meh.

I agree with Anatha about Alexander: I ended up liking him in a way. Couldn't have put it quite so eloquently, though! ;-)
(BTW I was thoroughly irritated by the constant use of "Herr" - what was the deal with that? Yes, I get it - he's German. I got it the first time around. "Herr" is not a title and no part of his name. Also, the German name is spelled FriedricH! Just a small thing - I just think if you want to seem world-wise by adding foreign names and words, use them accurately and only where it fits... no?)

All in all I liked and enjoyed the book, but it won't become a favorite.