Erin Morganstern's "Night Circus" shows promise, but a maddeningly slow read

I recently finished "Night Circus," written by Erin Morganstern. And while I was immediately overcome with a desire to have a seizure when I saw the dizzying black and white stripes, I enjoyed this book, though I have to say I was getting more frustrated with it as the story went on.

Photo from http://.erinmorganstern.com

Before I get started, let me first describe what "Night Circus" is about--or supposed to be about. The story takes place over the course of many years, first starting in the mid-late 1800s, and winding its way into the 1900s. It tells the story of two people, Marco and Celia, who have been training since childhood for a challenge that eventually pits them against each other, though they don't know it. The stage for this challenge is the Night Circus, or Le Cirque des Rêves,a magical circus open only at night. Many lives are affected as Celia and Marco eventually fall in love, and the people of the circus as well as the circus itself hang in the balance as the challenge is played out. 


Not the greatest description, but considering how I felt about the book I think it's pretty accurate. What is NOT accurate, is Good Read's description, seen here:

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, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

Spoiler alert: The description makes it sound really enthralling and exciting, when in fact it isn't. 


I don't know about you, but I love a good story. As discussed in a previous post,  I really need a good story to get me through a book or movie. And "Night Circus" didn't deliver. The story line was extremely vague and slow, and the pace was even slower. I think in hopes of keeping the reader interested and to bide her time, the author inserted many, many, many passages of excellent description. And they were quite amazing. But when I wasn't vividly imagining the circus tents or smells, I was desperately trying TO imagine what was going on in the story. The "challenge" that Marco and Celia are forced to be in? There wasn't even the merest hint of what it was supposed to be about until 10 pages from the end. The rules were vague, and I as a reader was just as frustrated as the characters who weren't given any idea on what was supposed to be going on. The strings being pulled by Marco and Celia's masters (who, by the way, are HORRIBLE people, as this reviewer points out) are not so much strings as thin bits of thread--you can't even see that they're being pulled because there's nothing to pull.


As for the "remarkable battle of imagination and will" that was supposedly going on throughout the story, it's Marco and Celia building tents for each other in the circus. They collaborate on the project, so I was highly displeased with the choice of words the summary gave me. You can't collaborate with each other in a battle, otherwise it's not a battle. Granted, they're very nice tents, but it really took away from the suspense the book seemed to promise.


And as far as the love story is concerned, I wasn't as bothered by it as other reviewers. It's true that there isn't much development as there could (and probably should) have been, but I've read other books about lovers who can't be together due to various circumstances, evil masters, bad timing, etc. etc., and it's something I just don't mind as much as other aspects of the story like action or dialogue. Maybe I'm just used to it. Or, maybe I'm too cynical to care--after all, half the time the lovers end up separated or killed. 


But don't get too discouraged! Are you a fan of wondrous description? "Night Circus" definitely knows how to take a cue from that. And if you don't mind a meandering story, especially one about circuses, then I would recommend this book. I think it shows potential from the author and I would read something else by her on the hopes that she has upped her game and will provide a story with a little more substance while still combining her fantastic use of imagery.