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Cover of The Night Circus

The Night Circus

Erin Morgenstern (2011)

SubgenreHistorical Romance
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingPG
Pages (Standard (250-400))
SettingNew York City
CSM age13

Content levels

ViolenceMild
Sexual contentMild
LanguageNone

Protagonist archetypes

Duo / PartnersStar-Crossed Lovers

Synopsis

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, 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. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart. - Publisher.

Tags

Literary FictionMagical RealismFantasy RomanceGothic Romance

Is The Night Circus appropriate for my child?

Suitable for most readers 13 and up.

Parents should know this book features a magical competition with life-or-death stakes and a doomed romance, with some mild peril and emotional intensity. Content is appropriate for teens and up, with closed-door romance.

What to know going in

This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include manipulation and power imbalance.

Who'll love this

Teens will love the enchanting circus setting, the slow-burn romance between rival magicians, and the lush, atmospheric writing that makes magic feel real.