So far, The Night Circus, written by Erin Morgenstern, has been a very complex as well as an astounding read. I was not completely sure what to expect when I heard I had to read this book for summer reading, but I have been pleasantly surprised. I am enjoying how the author gives vague information about the characters and the overall plot to keep you reading. Currently, I have been introduced to a few of the characters and know something about a challenge. Not sure where this will lead to next, but I can not wait to find out!
This book is finally starting to make some sense. The circus was just now mentioned and I put together that it is part of the challenge Celia and Marco are going to be a part of. As I am slowly learning more and more details I am also becoming more curious. To be more specific, I have noticed that each of the characters in the book have a certain purpose that make the story unique. Celia's father, Hector AKA Prospero the Enchanter, has sparked a particular interest in me. He is rather unusual and now people think he has passed away. Is this part of his plan? Or is the author just throwing another curveball to catch the reader off guard once again? Maybe in my next entry I will have more answers. Until next time...
As I have gotten farther in this book some of my questions have been answered while others have formed. So far, Celia’s dad, Hector, has not been mentioned much in the book and because of this I do not know why he wants people to think he has died. In addition to Hector not being mentioned, neither has Marco’s instructor. All I know about him is that he wears a grey suit---His name hasn't even been mentioned! The author is really good at giving the reader just enough information for this book to have a mysterious theme to it. Other than the lack of information about some of the characters I have really enjoyed this book. It is definitely different than anything I have read before, but I think it is a pleasant surprise.
This book is finally starting to make some sense. The circus was just now mentioned and I put together that it is part of the challenge Celia and Marco are going to be a part of. As I am slowly learning more and more details I am also becoming more curious. To be more specific, I have noticed that each of the characters in the book have a certain purpose that make the story unique. Celia's father, Hector AKA Prospero the Enchanter, has sparked a particular interest in me. He is rather unusual and now people think he has passed away. Is this part of his plan? Or is the author just throwing another curveball to catch the reader off guard once again? Maybe in my next entry I will have more answers. Until next time...
As I have gotten farther in this book some of my questions have been answered while others have formed. So far, Celia’s dad, Hector, has not been mentioned much in the book and because of this I do not know why he wants people to think he has died. In addition to Hector not being mentioned, neither has Marco’s instructor. All I know about him is that he wears a grey suit---His name hasn't even been mentioned! The author is really good at giving the reader just enough information for this book to have a mysterious theme to it. Other than the lack of information about some of the characters I have really enjoyed this book. It is definitely different than anything I have read before, but I think it is a pleasant surprise.
Reading this book has shown me the importance of diction in a story. As a result of the author choosing a wide variety of vocabulary the book become more interesting. I feel like most books that I have read in the past use very mundane language. Since this book used language quite the opposite I found it a lot more entertaining and started to write down some words that stood out to me, whether I was familiar with them or not. A few of the ones I wrote down are, bespectacled, meticulously, debauched juxtaposition, mercurial, and lascivious. As I continue to write essays throughout my high school years and even into college, I am going to make an effort to choose my words wisely because they can make or break a book.
The setting of this book has become increasingly important as the book progresses. First of all, the main setting of the story is at the circus, but the circus changes locations frequently. I understand that circuses travel and go from place to place, but why was that chose as the location for the challenge to commence? All I can think of is that circuses often have odd performances so people like Celia and Marco would not stand out when they use their actual magic. Although, that leads me to another question… Why does Marco not work directly in the circus like Celia? That has to make the challenge harder on him because of it constant location changes. I guess I will never understand the author's way of thinking, but that is what makes this writing piece so interesting.
Towards the middle of the book I noticed a shift in the point of view in some of the chapters. The ones with Bailey in it were written in second person point of view (POV) and for some reason, this caught me off guard. It is not often that you read books written in anything other than first and third person POV, especially in fiction novels. Because of the shift to second person POV while I was reading the chapter, I felt more connected to what was going on at the time in the book. Not only was Bailey experiencing these things, but so was I as the audience. I really am enjoying how the author of this book is able to add so many subtle changes to their writing that make their writing so much more engaging and personal to the reader! I am hoping to learn from their writing style and implement it into my own writing.
Conflict has been a very big part of this book. It has shaped every decision made and every character has been impacted because of it. Even though the conflict from a surface level outlook is man vs man or Celia vs Marco, the underlying conflict and the more prominent one is man vs self. Throughout the plot of this book, the endurance of Celia and Marco is tested because of going against each other directly it is a fight to see who can last the longest with their magic constantly being tested. To resolve this conflict Celia and Marco decided to be trapped within the circus, but it was a sacrifice they were willing to make in order to be together forever within something they genuinely love and care for.
There are quite a few themes found in this book, but the main is love and the power it has. Love can impact people's decision whether big or small. Celia and Marco were definitely influenced by their feelings for eachother and let it get in the way of the challenge their fathers had in store for them. Even though the plan of either Celia or Marco surviving was ruined, because of their love for eachpother, they were able to stay together for eternity in a place they also loved. This shows just how much love can change people and influence their decisions.
My favorite part of The Night Circus is the ending. I really liked how Celia and Marco were able to figure out an alternative way to end the terrible challenge they were bound to as children. In addition to the way they were able to get out of the challenge, I absolutely loved how when Mr.AH asks Widget to tell him a story in return for his part of the circus, Widget starts his story by saying, “The circus arrives without warning…” which is the first line in the book! When authors are able to end their book by connecting it to the beginning it makes me so happy because I feel like the story has come full circle. Overall, I found that the ending was able to wrap up the whole story very nicely and for the most part it answered any of the lingering questions I had.
The only criticism I have for this book is the tone. The books that I typically read have more of a joyful tone so it was hard for me to really get into this story. However, I do understand that a more happy tone would have completely taken away from the main message of this book. All in all, I am glad I read this book. It definitely would not have been a book I would have chosen for myself to read, but it challenged my reading abilities and expanded my knowledge.
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