What I Drank Prior
A whole bottle of the best Pinot Grigio I’ve ever had. Literally, ask Virginia. We’re going to start buying this shit by the case. And now I’m working on glass two of a Pinot Noir. I guess I like the Pinots….
Spoiler-free overview:
I don't think this review is going to be as fun as my others, because this book's style and mood do not reflect drunken debauchery. So how do I even begin to explain this book.
We start with a spectacular magician's show. After the show, these two dudes, hereforto known as Gray Suit and Crazy Man, they get together and decide that there's going to be a competition between two people. And let the best side win?
These two people are Celia and Marco and they a'start a'studyin'.
We also start hearing about this beautiful Night Circus. THey call it by some french-ass name. Le Cirque des Rêves (I googled it, don't judge me). The whole point of the Circus is that it opens at midnight and goes until the wee hours of the morning. Le Cirque is the "venue" for this competition between Celia and Marco. Neither know what the rules are, to be completely honest, even after finishing the novel, even I still don't know what the rules are.
Anyway, this novel covers over a decade of time as this competition goes on. Relationships, jealousy, fear, creation, inspiration, creativity, and love develop over time and Le Cirque des Rêves takes you on a journey into a dream.
Spoiler-free thoughts:
Holy crap guys. I mean. Just. I finished this book today. I thought maybe I needed some time to think about this book before I wrote anything about it. But then? I had some wine. And then some more wine. And I couldn't keep my thoughts in any longer.
You GUYS. This book is beautiful. Seriously. It takes you on this magic carpet ride straight Aladdin style. NOT EVEN JOKING. Okay OKAY. I'll get into more specidics in a minute. This book was so well written and captivating. I have one *minor* complaint that's noted in the spoiler-ey section but other than that, i adored this book. If anyone is looking for something that will integrate you entirely into the story, this book is for you. I wanted to know more about each tent. THough, I think that was the point. No one knows everything about the circus except maybe Marco and Celia, though even they don't know HOW it works. Their whole purpose is to beat the other, though they are unsure why.
Plot
So to be completely honest, I listened to this on audiobook from the library. Narrated by Jim Dale. The FABULOUS Jim Dale who also performed the audiobooks for Harry Potter. Need I say more? *momentary pause while i finish my second glass of wine fromt he second bottle* Alright, i'm good now. The plot was so incredible engrossing. You FELT like you were a part of the circus. You WANTED to be at the circus. And the whole time, you're never really rooting for one side or the other for the competition. I feel like the competition was just a side story. The whole time, you're just trying to figure out what's going on at the circus is, only to realize at the end that the competition is all that matters. Just. Just. Wow.
Characters
These characters are so well developed it's not even funny. Since you get to see thm over the course of their entire lives almost. Celia was a beautifully complex character. What am I even saying, Marco was also beautifully written. Their relationship was beautiful. Their competition, was beautiful.
My favorite characters were the twins. Watching them grow up and become their own? Incredible. I JUST loved them. It's really not fair for me to talk about thos eindividually. Because they were all so enthralling.
The main character, I feel, is the Circus itself. How it changes and effects others. Everyone is involved. Everyone loves it. It becomes the central factor the story revolves around. Anything and everything that happens effects the Circus (man that's a hard word to spell when drunk) and you really feel invested in its future.
Writing Style
Have I not described this enough? THe writing was beautiful. Stunning. Incredible. Out-of-this world. You are totally engrossed in this novel from page one. Literally. Read it.
SPOILERS
Rating
4.75/5 shots. I wish I could give it 5/5. But that one minor thing in the spoilery section got rid of .25 for me.
What to pair it with: A fine wine. Something that you drink to feel sophisticated and mysterious. Maybe even a black and white cookie.
Forever drunkenly yours,
Sam
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