The bulk of this book has delightful descriptions full of rich and delicious prose. I was one of those readers that didn't want the book to end...alas it did end and the ending was perfectly awful. It was as if the author ran out of steam and just wanted the story to be over. She apparently had nothing left to give. I would not recommend this book. The trip isn't worth the destination....too bad. You can see the potential.

The book was magical for me. I really enjoyed the descriptions and even more so enjoyed letting my imagination run off with Erin Morgenstern's descriptions. A magical book that any true dreamer would be able to enjoy.
I can somehow understand how people might not enjoy as much as I did. There is a lot of slow parts and for those people who don't have the creative imagination it takes to read a really good book, I imagine that they would struggle.
Hopefully it won't be long before the author writes another amazing book.

I really didn't like this book. Yes, the descriptive prose is beautiful (would it surprise you to know the author is first and foremost a painter?). But there is no story, little plot, no character development and an unnecessarily confusing timeline. I don't believe there is ever a true duel between the two illusionists, their love doesn't hold up to scrutiny (why does he continue an affair for years?), and the kernel of a story - whether illusionists are born or made (think 'We Need to Talk about Kevin' but magician not murderous) is never properly developed. I finished feeling completely dissatisfied and I'm donating my copy to the library - it's not a keeper.

A wonderful book where magic and reality are blended together. The reader is quickly drawn in to the uniqueness of the circus, as well as the lives of Celia and Marco and the contest they must complete. Drawn together by a bond that was forced upon them as children, they build the circus which becomes the platform for the contest.

I highly recommend this book. It combines fantasy, intrigue and romance in a delightful book, sure to please.

I absolutely lived this book!!! It was mystical, imaginative, unique and creative! I would love to see Erin write a sequel and a prequel. I am suggesting it in my book club and giving it away in a book exchange. Thank you for the entertainment, I savored it.

Erin Morgenstern has done it! “THE NIGHT CIRCUS” has definitely lived up to the hype and hoopla. This is a purely magical and enchanting story that will fit the bill for every reader. The prose is beautiful but not too simplistic, the fantasy images are easily understood and so vivid and almost real. The descriptive narrative is so clear and concise that one’s mind easily slips into the circus at night as you experience the words on the page with such clarity and vividness that it’s startling.

The love story that takes place between two illusionists is at once real and tempered with just the right amount of verbage to keep you guessing and wondering to the end. It’s fairy-tale atmosphere that makes this romance a slow-burning ride to the conclusion.

The Night Circus was utterly flawless and Ms. Morgenstern is well on her way to becoming a well-known, respected, and talented author. For a debut novel, it surpassed the mark by millions!!

This was a book I could not put down! The characters are fascinating and so memorable. The settings, interactions, and conversations are fantastically described. I could see it all and imagine being there.

The overall setting of a circus is irresistible and a circus that's only open at night....who would want to resist?

This was a beautiful, exciting, sad, happy and altogether elegant story. The author created a world in which I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself. I intentionally waited to read it until I had time to read it in just a few sittings. I’m glad I did. This is the kind of book that wraps it’s setting around you as you read. The imagery is both delicate and strong and always beautiful even in the darker parts of the story. At its heart a love story, the book is about a competition between magicians that takes place within a mysterious circus that seems to appear and disappear and is only open at night. Its storylines weave in and around each other and forward and backward in time in a way that feels almost like a dance. There is a distinct elegance to the writing and the story that takes the reader on a wonderful journey.