The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices plastered on lampposts and billboards. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

Within these nocturnal black-and-white striped tents awaits an utterly unique, a feast for the senses, where one can get lost in a maze of clouds, meander through a lush garden made of ice, stare in wonderment as the tattooed contortionist folds herself into a small glass box, and become deliciously tipsy from the scents of caramel and cinnamon that waft through the air.

Welcome to Le Cirque des Rêves.

Beyond the smoke and mirrors, however, a fierce competition is under way–a contest between two young illusionists, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood to compete in a “game” to which they have been irrevocably bound by their mercurial masters. Unbeknownst to the players, 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.

As the circus travels around the world, the feats of magic gain fantastical new heights with every stop. The game is well under way and the lives of all those involved–the eccentric circus owner, the elusive contortionist, the mystical fortune-teller, and a pair of red-headed twins born backstage among them–are swept up in a wake of spells and charms.

But when Celia discovers that Marco is her adversary, they begin to think of the game not as a competition but as a wonderful collaboration. With no knowledge of how the game must end, they innocently tumble headfirst into love. A deep, passionate, and magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

Their masters still pull the strings, however, and this unforeseen occurrence forces them to intervene with dangerous consequences, leaving the lives of everyone from the performers to the patrons hanging in the balance.

Both playful and seductive, The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern’s spell-casting debut, is a mesmerizing love story for the ages.

Ratings and Reviews from the Librarians

Bekka rated it ★★★ and said, “I really don’t know how to rate this book! It’s very strange, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. I don’t know if I actually like it or not, thus the 3 stars – right in the middle. It’s definitely interesting, and compelling enough to read through ’til the end. But its not a typical novel. Its fairly well written and the character development is fairly good. Its just a very DIFFERENT book. I will be very interested to see what this author does in the future.”

Lorna rated it ★★★★ and said, “4 1/2 stars…This was a nice change from everything I’ve read lately. It stands apart from other books. The plot is quite intricate and the writing is so elegant. The circus and the characters all spring to life on the written page. The only thing that kept it from 5 stars was that the story seemed too drawn out in many places.”

Miranda rated it ★★★★ and said, “This was very close to getting five stars. I felt a little slighted at the end, but maybe because I just always want more than there is to a story. I really want to have my own Midnight Dinner. It sounds really fun!”