I'm an avid reader, but English is not my native language so the descriptive style of writing was a challenge for me. I also checked the 'difficult' box because of the way the story unfolds; each chapter will give you an answer and some information... and a couple of question marks. If you only like to read stories without the use of your memory and jigsaw skills, this book is not one for you.
Page after page you'll be more curious, more addicted to the ambiance and the characters and the last page will leave you longing for more.

Loved this book. From the real world and back. highly recomend it

I usually don't read these types of books but I was surprised that I enjoyed it.

It was a little difficult to get into at first but once it grabbed me I couldn't put it down! Great love story mixed with a little drama that keeps you wanting more.

The book was really great, but it's confusing with the jumping around of dates, so be sure to pay attention to the chapter titles and where you're at. It's a great story and has a good ending.

Loved this book. It was so different from most other works out there today. A truly original idea. It is confusing with the changing dates but if you pay attention to the chapter titles you will stay on track.

Thoroughly enjoyed this and felt totally swept away. Genuinely sad when there was no more to read.

Our book group had mixed reviews but we all agreed that the book was sensual, bringing out all the senses. The shift in time was confusing at times. There was no doubt that we had a lot to talk about and we all got to create our own ten!t

Our first book club of the new school year, & it was a hit! I recommend this to anyone who loves to read fiction! You've never read brilliant beauty like this one.

This book is like a breathtakingly stunning cake, all spun sugar and marzipan, but it won't sustain you or fill you up. It actually doesn't even taste very good, and it will surely make you sugar-sick.

But oh, the pretty prose! I love the descriptions, both inside the circus and out, and the mood and tone are just... Glorious. Plot? What plot? Character development? What's that? But I DIDN'T CARE about the complete lack of any real substance. I was too taken away into the dream of Le Cirque des Reves.

I love it. I love it in the same way I love cotton candy, and snow cones, and kettle corn.

This is not the kind of book I would typically pick up, but I loved it. I was impressed that it is the author's first book, and I am looking forward to her next one.

This read more like a movie script than a novel. I liked the descriptions of the various "tents" in the circus but the story line was weak and the characters were poorly developed.

I thought the book was beautifully written and very visual and for that reason I cannot give it a bad review. I just think this book isn't for everyone. If you really love fantasy you may love this book, although it did lack something in the story line. Most of our book club was not happy with the ending and I thought the whole idea of the book was a bit silly, but then again I am not a big fantasy reader. Based on how imaginitive and visual the writing was I definitely would have liked to visit The Night Circus!

Very descriptive and fantastical. A bit strange on the ending.

We hated it. Very choppy. Confusing. Morgenstern tried to put too may ideas in this book and never really finished any of them. Too many unanswered questions. You never got to really know the characters and toward the end you really didn’t care.

This book was brilliantly written and it is a must read. It is a fantastic journey into the
world of this stange and beautiful circus.

I thought this book was beautiful & well written. The imaginative & masterfully worded imagery awakened the wonderful secret, childlike place that makes me still want to believe that Neverland, Oz & Hogwarts truly do exist. Thought it also had lovely concept of right & wrong & the power of love & self sacrifice. There is a haunting quality to it as well, That followed me around long after I had finished the story.

Well written, deep with graphic visions of your surroundings it transports you to a magical place full of wonder. Characters are wonderful and would recommend this book to everyone. It can be confusing with the back and forths in time...just keep track!!!!

I really don\\\\\\\'t want to write a lot. I\\\\\\\'d rather read. But I loved this book. I want to GO to the Night Circus!

Dark with beautiful imagery. I would be interested to see the movie to see if it can equal the author\'s descriptive and imaginative world of the night circus.

This is the first book I have ever read, that I would have preferred seeing the movie (if there was one) over reading the book. Some amazing visuals but there were too many unconvincing elements and the timeline was all over the place. Almost there...

This book was beautifully written. The imagery was so clear and vivid. It's the classic Romeo & Juliet story, but with a new and magical setting. Only negative was that the book jumps around in narrator and time, which could get confusing.

If you are looking for something to read that is one-of-a-kind, Night Circus is it! Author, Erin Morgenstern truly paints a picture with her words. Each room of the circus really came to life as I read. I could easily visualize the miraculous rooms. I would like to visit the Bottle Room & the Ice Room. If this book is made into a movie, the director and screenplay writer have a lot of work ahead of them.

The Circus is magical and with every new visit, I was equally drawn in and yearned for more; I couldn\\\\\\\'t wait for the story to take me back to the Circus. But just like a clock works, the pieces that makes this Circus operate are dark and disturbing. The timeline presented in the text did not always seem to fit or be correct; once I let that go, I was able to just enjoy the story and the Circus. I look forward to a visual (e.g. movie) especially of some of the elaborate tents.

The best way to describe this book is \\\"STRANGE\\\". I never really understood it, I guess. The circus is a magic circus, one that isn\\\'t really there and yet you can see it in your mind. The author did a great job of describing the tents, the acts, and the smells but the characters were shallow leaving no connection between them and the reader. The last 100 pages are the best of the book but they still leave you asking \\\"huh\\\"?

I have read that we only use 20% of our brain capacity, so conceptually I\\\'m wondering if the author was thinking that these things could be possible if we used more of our brains than we do. I also wonder if this book is enjoyed by a much younger generation. I guess I\\\'ll find out during our discussion at book club. As for me, I wouldn\\\'t recommend.

Beautiful descriptions. Very clever book that really doesn't fit any genre. Maybe fantasy. Entertaining and worth a read. Good summer or YA reading.

There is a lot of hopping around but it does keep your attention.

I loved this book, very unexpectedly! The characters were unique and mysterious and the circus was filled with acts that were magical, vivid and so engrossing. I will read it again.

Probably my favorite Club Book this year. Completely smitten. The descriptions were divine. One could get lost in them. They took your imagination on a joyous swooping ride. The story itself was intriguing with shocks, surprises and mysteries throughout. Not frightening in any way
but definitely edgy. Astonishingly fabulous. I liked it so well I bought a copy for my own libary.

Intricate plot taking us beyond the realm of our imaginations. Illusionists playing a game with other peoples lives. Lavish midnight dinners. The visuals in this book takes us up and away in every tent in the circle. Is it all real or an illusion?

A great read, different from my usual mysteries, very addictive with fantasy and magical elements that challenge your imagination (in a good way).

A wonderfully composed tale of magical realism. Our book club started talking about it before we even got in the door of our hostess\\\' home. Larger than life, the circus was life and the fantastically beautiful illusions were richly woven into a story to be devoured and savored. A favorite of every single member of our book club.

Book club members started talking about this book as soon as they walked in the door. This is a first for us. Those of us who read it loved it. We all would love to experience a circus like the Night Circus. Erin Morgenstern has created a very visual experience for the reader. I can\\\'t wait to see it as a movie.

Teacher and student pair off once again to satisfy their egos as they mentor the world\\\\\\\'s greatest magicians. Hopelessly caught in the clash of their epic egos are their proteges. The Night Circus is the mysterious venue that appears without notice and features the most fantastical spectacles driven by the audience\\\\\\\'s own ability to imagine and believe.

Although beautifully written, the book is fantasy and I am not a fan of this genre. We had one member love it and 6 did not like it. This parallels other reviews found on Amazon - people either love it or hate it.

We enjoyed this book very much. Probably longest discussion we have had on a book ever.

We enjoyed this book, and found it interesting and perhaps different to our usual books. Well-written and very descriptive which we liked, however, we all felt that it left us a little flat.

This is such a magical well written book, can't wait to read it again.

This book kept me up at night. The imagination displayed by the author kept me wondering...."how in the world can you think this story up." I felt a little guilty in that it made me feel I was delving into some witchcraft, but I decided it was all fantasy and just a good amount of fun entertainment.

Finally a book most people in our book club liked! It was a fun easy read, and I\'d definitely recommend it to anyone.

The book was difficult to get through, especially the first half. The ending was strange, but it did leave a lot to the imagination.

Reading this is an experience in itself as you are never sure you are seeing the whole picture, the characters develop, then fade into gray. But the imagery is vivid and very colorful, especially the circus itself, which I could smell, taste and feel. Kept me reading to the final resolution, which was just okay. Interesting, different book.

Absolutely loved this book !!

A fun book which is really different from many others. It skips around a bit but was a fun book to read; my husband even read it!

Beautiful and descriptive passages abound in describing the \\\'Circus of Dreams\\\'. Once the reader accepts the fantasy/dream-like premise of the book, it becomes a read that is tough to put down.

This book was one of my all time favorites! But I must warn you, your imagination will be put to the test while reading this book. What a great love story!!!

Started out a little confusing but then you get into the rhythm of the writing and well worth reading. Amazed at the story line and character interaction. Loved it!

This steampunk era novel was one of my favorite books my book club has read. Everyone loved it! The author put a lot of thought into her characters and setting. I want to go to the night circus!!

Absolutely loved this book !!

I couldn\\\'t get enough of this book. It was so different and fun and mysterious, I can\\\'t actually pinpoint what I loved about it. It\\\'s one of those books that just pulls you in and you can\\\'t wait to finish it and at the same time, dread the moment you finish it!

One of my top 10 favorite books. I would love to jump into the pages of this book and explore every nook and cranny of the circus.

interesting idea that caught my attention for a short but became clearly unconvincing, slow and morphed to pointless. The writer is talented but could not hold my attention.

Very descriptively written so you can visualize the fantastic scenes at the circus. The theme of illusion, real or imagined is fascinating. Characters are clearly developed and unusual. Allusions to Shakespearian characters are interesting. Like Prospero, the magician.

This book of magic and love puts you right in the middle of fantastic settings. The descriptions of circus, dinners and costumes are so vivid you seem to be inside the book itself. A good "fantasy?" story with many undertones of real relationships and moral questions.

Beautiful imagery and description. Does a wonderful job of setting up the world. Can be confusing at first with the jumps back and forth in time and points-of-view, but it comes together at the end. It wraps up somewhat quickly at the end without enough build up to get to the end point. A really engaging read that blends fantasy, supernatural, romance and mystery together.

Our actual average rating was 3.5. Some really liked it for the description and just the fantasy aspects, while others were bothered by the back and forth in time and change in narrators.

Trying to be like a Harry Potter book, but just not good enough.

Loved it.

This is a fantastic novel, with tremendous depth and excellent writing. Many different topics for discussion - probably one of our club's best nights.

I don't read many sci-fic books, so I liked the book. The author could have condensed the beginning, so that she could have developed the last 100 pages better.

Beautifully created fantastical story. Loved it.

People were split on this. We decided to meet in the middle and gave it a B.

My favorite book of all time, a magical story of illusions and romance. Fantasy wrapped reality that spans years between rivaling magicians who continuously plan to out-do one another; their students working against each other to create a realm of magic and dream-like displays...until only one remains. The only problem is, for the latest opponents, it’s more than just a game...it’s an act of love. Family. Life and death. And now they must work together to break the cycle...or they’ll be torn apart forever.

Met the mark of a good Covid distraction.

Morgenstern invokes such vivid and colorful imagery within her monochromatic world. The sizable cast of characters all manage to feel real and weave together seamlessly in this beautiful tapestry of a story. I loved so many of them, it would be hard to pick a favorite. I also really liked the little vignettes within the chapters dedicated to individual circus attractions, each one enhancing your ability to enter the role of spectator. I can definitely see myself picking this one up to re-read in the future.

Narrator was super annoying

A magical story, dark in places but warm and welcoming too. You want to go to this circus!