I’ve never found the circus hugely appealing, until I read this book. I remember it coming to our small town a couple of times when I was a kid, but I never found the wonder that some others seemed to find in it. But I so want to spend time in the Night Circus. Exploring its myriad tents, the monochrome colours and finding wonder and amazement around every corner.
This is a story of competition, of co-operation, of found family and love. I found the characters enchanting and the story riveting. The strange proxy competition between Hector Bowen and Alexander H has a dreamlike quality to it, never seeming quite real, right up until the stakes are revealed, right at the end. Celia and Marco, our protagonists, are people that you grow to care about, moreso than the people who raised them did. Hector is clearly an abusive parent to Celia, and while Alexander isn’t in that sense to Marco, he’s distant, never offering anything that could be seen as affection. These two, who are older than they seem, have lost touch with what it means to be human, seeing people as just pawns and playthings for their own competitions.
The contrast between them and their children is stark. Celia and Marco feel vivid and alive, thriving in the circus and building relationships while the elders do nothing but observe and plot.
The book was a pleasure to read, with smooth and joyful language that gets under your skin. Its structure involves lots of time-shifting, so you really have to pay attention to what’s happening when, but it’s very rewarding for it. I suspect it would reward rereading.
This was a beautiful book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Heartily recommended to anyone who’s ever enjoyed the circus or even wanted to enjoy the circus. It has the added benefit of having no clowns.