*This review contains mild spoilers*

I was first introduced to “The Night Circus” in English class. We read a short excerpt from the introduction of the book because my teacher liked the descriptive and unique style of writing. This short excerpt immediately caught my attention. The style of writing contributes greatly to the whimsical and mysterious tone of the book while still maintaining a sense of sophistication. Morgenstern uses a mixture of non-linear narrative structure, differing viewpoints and vivid imagery to describe the setting of the circus as well as the characters that create the magic.

The plot of the book is wonderfully laid out, starting with some background information, then continuing on to the present day with the development of the main characters’ relationships. The descriptive style paired with the mysterious tone of the book creates a vivid sense of wonder, almost as if you are at the circus yourself. 

To briefly summarize this book, there are two magicians that have been trained since they were kids for a “challenge.” This challenge was never fully explained to them, but there can only be one winner. Throughout the book, the two magicians battle within the circus, causing more strangeness and mystery. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say they find a way to end the challenge in an unexpected way. 

Eventually a darker side of the circus is hinted at and Morgenstern does an amazing job of revealing just enough to keep you hooked, without making the plot twist obvious. There are new characters introduced throughout the book that keep the plot rich and interesting. Overall I highly recommend this book to all readers, but especially to those who like fantasy or mystery with a hint of romance. I give this book a 5/5 rating.