Quickie Recap: A mysterious circus that opens only at night enraptures its audience wherever it goes, but for all the amazing acts and sights to see in the circus, it's the people who run the show who are of most interest. As the book unravels, we begin to understand that two powerful and rivalling magicians are pulling more strings than we know, and less than they'd like.
Quickie Review: This is another book I walked by a few times before I finally picked it up. I suppose it reminded me a little of Water for Elephants and since I loved that book, I didn't want some pale comparison mucking it all up for me. But while yes, they are both circus-y, they are different books, and now I could not say which I preferred because this one was definitely the best thing I've read this year, and my favourite thing I've read in quite some time. It's her first novel, which astounds me, because it felt really rich and layered and well-developed. It's the kind of book that leaves you with really strong pictures in your head, and while at times it feels as if the author just has yet another really cool idea and is trying hard to finagle it into the book, I can almost forgive it of her because it IS a cool idea, and it adds to this magical universe she's created where maybe not everything is plot-centric, but rather floats around creating this overall impression. At this point, I'd say Morgenstern was more magic than craft, but for this novel it really worked, it was a wonder, and I look forward to reading more from her.
Quickie Recommendation: Without reservation.
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