The famous Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern has won many awards and is considered, by some, a modern classic. In many reviews, it is described as an enchanting piece of literature that draws you in—much like the circus in the novel itself—and leaves a mark that you will never forget. That being said, I was prepared to read my favorite book of the year, yet it was far from it.
The story follows Celia and Marco, two magicians, who are drawn into a competition to the death by their mysterious guardians. However, the twist is that the game doesn’t have a distinct starting point, end point, or any definite rules to follow. The story traces the two characters from childhood to adulthood as they try to piece together what the game is and what they need to do in order to win. What the game makers didn’t anticipate was that the blood-sworn rivals would fall in love.
Morgenstern does an amazing job of drawing readers into the wondrous atmosphere of the circus by including interlude chapters in the second-person point of view, making it feel as though you are walking through the black-and-white tents of the circus yourself. With her formal English wording, curious tone, and mysterious cliff hangers, it’s extremely easy to get enthralled in Morgenstern’s novel.
At first, the rich world-building and intriguing characters drew me in completely. However, when all was said and done, the characters weren’t enough to keep me entertained. The novel builds its entire foundation on mystery, each page laced with tension that simmers just below the surface. Naturally, this constant buildup made me expect a big reveal or an epic, emotional payoff. But when the climax finally arrived, it felt anticlimactic and unsatisfying.
The central “game,” which is repeatedly hinted at throughout the story, is never fully explored or explained to the depth it deserved. The premise of two lovers fated to battle each other to the death could have been the heart of something spectacular, a dramatic, tragic confrontation that matched the tension Morgenstern had so carefully crafted. Instead, the resolution felt subdued and incomplete, leaving me wanting more from a book that promised so much.
The Night Circus had a lot of emotional distance and fragmented storytelling. While the world is breathtakingly vivid, the characters often feel detached from it—and from one another. The romance, though central to the story, lacks passion and intimacy, making it hard to root for Celia and Marco beyond the surface level. The romance is read as though Celia and Marco were falling in love behind the scenes, and the author was simply filling in the gaps and telling us what happened rather than showing us. The shifting timelines and multiple perspectives, while ambitious, sometimes make the plot feel disjointed and confusing. The book ends up feeling like a series of stunning moments rather than a cohesive story.
The writing is exceptional, the characters are well-drawn, and the setting is breathtaking. But despite all those strengths, the execution and combination of all those things simply wasn’t up to par. Before reading, I had heard many reviews calling the book “slow paced” and “pure vibes with little to no plot,” yet they still adored it. Ironically, I found the opposite — the plot was rich, and the pacing was fast enough for me to finish it in less than a week. Yet, despite its beauty and complexity, I never fell in love with it the way others seemed to.
Ultimately, The Night Circus wasn’t for me. Still, I can recognize why it captivates so many readers. Morgenstern’s imagination and prose are undeniably stunning, and for those who enjoy atmospheric, dreamlike stories more focused on imagery than the plot, this book may be a perfect fit. If the magic of The Night Circus still calls to you, I’d recommend stepping inside and seeing for yourself.
