The Night Circus
The circus arrives without warning. Black and white tents and impossible magic and everything smells of caramel. You never want to leave.
Le Cirque des Reves
Erin Morgenstern's 2011 debut novel follows Celia and Marco, two young magicians trained since childhood by rival illusionists for a mysterious competition to be held within the Cirque des Reves, a spectacular black-and-white circus that appears without announcement and opens only at night. As they compete by creating increasingly breathtaking attractions, they fall in love, and the stakes of the competition become clear. The novel was a bestseller in over 35 countries and spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list. A film adaptation has been in development for years.
Reading The Night Circus
Enchantment
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Act
"You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose.
"Erin Morgenstern · The Night Circus
Morgenstern originally wrote the novel as a National Novel Writing Month project and spent several more years revising it. She illustrated the book herself and created elaborate maps and images of the circus before writing a single chapter.
The novel's devoted fanbase calls itself the Reve Lilas. Fans have created elaborate circus-themed events and installations inspired by the tents described in the novel, some of which Morgenstern has attended herself.