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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.

Plot & World: Where do I start with this plot? The plot is good. But the world is what kept me reading. I love the idea of this circus, all the different tents were what I look forward most to. The Wish Tent was some of my favorite scenes. The ending I could see half, but I didn't see the other half until right before it happened.

Characters: I like reading about characters who change and develop over time but when there was a time jump during this story, I felt that the characters didn't develop or change at all. They felt the same during most of this book. Also, I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters, I enjoyed them but didn't feel that connection I like having with characters while reading.

Overall: This is the first circus plot, themed story I've read and with that said, I quite enjoyed it. It's a fun read. The characters weren't my favorite read, but this world is what kept me reading. Hasn't been my number one favorite read so far this year, but it's on my enjoy list.