The Night Circus Group Read: Week Two

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The Night Circus Group Read: Week Two

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1msf59
Nov 16, 2011, 7:39 pm

I wanted to get this posted. Folks seem to be reading it fast, including myself. This thread will begin at chapter "Tete a Tete", about page 205. Enjoy it everyone!

2mckait
Nov 19, 2011, 7:36 pm

Finished! and So glad I read it!!!

3ChelleBearss
Nov 20, 2011, 9:58 pm

I'm here now, yay! I'm loving the future chapters with Bailey, Poppet and Widget. I can't wait to see how this ties into the other chapters.

4DeltaQueen50
Nov 21, 2011, 3:32 pm

I couldn't resist and I finished the book yesterday. I loved it and rated it 5 stars, very much in the running to be one of my top reads of the year.

5benitastrnad
Nov 21, 2011, 6:09 pm

I finished the book over the weekend and loved it. It is going to be one of my top reads of the year.

6msf59
Nov 21, 2011, 8:14 pm

Wow, back to back 5 Stars!! Yippee!

7ChelleBearss
Nov 21, 2011, 9:06 pm

I have less than 100 pages left, should finish it tomorrow evening.

Just passed page 282, 'The Pool of Tears'. What a wonderful idea! If only getting rid of all our troubles was actually that easy!

8benitastrnad
Nov 22, 2011, 3:20 pm

I found this novel to be of the same quality as that of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Both authors were able to transport the reader into another world. Setting the mood of the book was really important and part of the wonderment of this story. Morgenstern succeeds in creating a world and a mood that just sucks you in. It is not a slam bang thrill ride, but it more gentle and yet sinister. I liked how the pieces fell together at the end.

What about Tsukiko's interfering?

9lkernagh
Nov 22, 2011, 9:39 pm

Finished the novel late last night - Loved it! A great literary feast for the senses.

>8 benitastrnad: benitastrnad - I have been meaning to read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell for a while now. Great to learn the two novels have the same quality.

Tsukiko was a bit of a conundrum for me... while she provides a reason of sorts to Celia as to her presence with the circus and possibly her interference, I just don't buy it. There is more that wasn't disclosed or I missed it. Either way, the story didn't properly close that off for me.

Is it just me or did she - meaning the author - leave the door open a crack for a possible sequel/prequel?

10ChelleBearss
Nov 22, 2011, 9:53 pm

I was wondering about Tsukiko. She kind of wandered off towards the end. I wonder if she could be a spin off novel?

11mckait
Nov 23, 2011, 7:14 am

I wouldn't mind a sequel.... and I felt Tsukiko's presence was explained well enough.. for me..
and, in fact, I loved her!

12benitastrnad
Nov 23, 2011, 10:00 am

I liked Tsukiko. As a character she provided the way to break the rules and get something moving. It is clear that Tsukiko thought that the two main characters would stay in a state of inertia. It was clear to me that she forced the issue. She did so because she knew that she was the only person who could force the issue. She, alone among the characters, had the freedom to do so.

I never thought of a prequel or sequel. In fact I hate to think of such a thing. It seems so premeditated and manipulative on the part of the author and the publisher.

13DeltaQueen50
Nov 23, 2011, 12:27 pm

Personally, I would prefer there not to be sequel or prequel. I think there's far too much of that today, and often you just end up with a watered down version of the original. Of course, I also realize that in today's publishing, finances play the most important part, and a guaranteed, built-in audience will be hard for them to resist.

14wookiebender
Nov 24, 2011, 12:51 am

Finished, and it was a good fun read. I had quibbles with it, so not a five-star read, but a good solid entertaining four stars from me.

I don't think I'd want a sequel/prequel, I think it all tied up nicely enough for me, returning to the Circus might lose some of its freshness.

If she were to return to the same milieu (fin du siecle, with magic) I'd be happy, but I'd want the Circus and these characters to remain on the edge of the story at most (just hints of them maybe), not to take centre stage.

I'm trying to pick a favourite tent. I think maybe Widget's, with such a clever idea for story telling. And some of the stories had a dark edge, it wasn't all lightness.

15mckait
Nov 24, 2011, 6:56 am

I agree.. that often, sequels can be less than the original.. I hate.. and avoid.. prequels.
Sometimes though, a talented author can pull it off ( J K Rowling comes to mind ) and I would not mind a chance to revisit these characters.. I became quite fond of them :)

I also agree that all too often the books become all about the sequels .. lots more series and trilogies and so forth these days and when it is so clearly planned that way it often falls flat. But if it is a natural progression? Different, I think ?? :)

16msf59
Nov 24, 2011, 9:00 am

Good morning everyone! Overall, this book looks like a HIT! The more I think about it, the more I agree, this should be a stand-alone. I still can't wait to see what this very promising young author does next. She'll be under a bit of pressure.
Did anyone mention the "Reveurs"? They reminded me of the "Deadheads". I liked this idea and the character of Herr Thiessen, who was the clockmaker and founder of this red-wearing band of groupies.

I also have to give Mortenson a lot of credit for merging these timelines together so perfectly. It was one of my favorite parts of the narrative.

17wookiebender
Nov 24, 2011, 11:26 pm

#15> Kath, the difference to me is that if a series is planned (eg, Harry Potter, which was always going to be seven books), then it stands a better chance of working than if a surprise hit suddenly has sequels/prequels tacked on.

It also smacks of lack of self-confidence: returning to the hit, instead of trying something new. (And if the return is after a string of less well-regarded books, it's in desperation county.)

#16> Mark, the Deadheads were a bit before my time :) (or maybe just not in Australia), but it did remind me of modern fandom. I, too, loved Herr Thiessen, what a lovely man. Is it just my imagination, or was "he" writing the pages in the second person? I'm not sure if it was explicitly stated as such, but from the description of his descriptions of the circus, it definitely fit.

18-Cee-
Nov 25, 2011, 9:10 am

Personally, I hope Morgenstern writes many more books.
With her imagination, they are bound to be great - and I doubt very much she lacks self-confidence to go in new directions.

I was completely taken by surprise with Night Circus. It was a fun ride!
Thanks for snagging me on this one, Mark. :)

19porch_reader
Nov 27, 2011, 9:18 am

I agree, Claudia! The Night Circus took me by surprise too. I'm finding it hard to describe to others. I just tell them to read it! I loaned my copy out to my mom at Thanksgiving and think it will get passed around many more times.

Thanks for organizing the group read, Mark!!

20msf59
Nov 27, 2011, 9:29 am

Hey, everyone! I'm so glad everyone has enjoyed this one! Anyone else still reading it? I know it was a fast read and most of us read it in the 1st week.

My next and final Group Read, for the year and probably for several months, will be for Sea of Poppies, which begins December 7th. If anyone is interested, jot it down. I plan on posting the G.R. thread soon.

21benitastrnad
Nov 28, 2011, 11:22 am

The only author I know of who successfully pulled off a prequel was Robin McKinley. She wrote Blue Sword and then came back with the prequel Hero and the Crown that was as good or even better than Blue Sword. Since then there have been no other books in the series. There was a short story book Knot in the Grain that had some stories set in the same world as Blue Sword, but no full length novel. I think this was smart on the part of the author and the publisher.

I think this was a successful book. I was very impressed with it and pleased that a new author wrote something so terrific and that she found an agent and publisher.

22Carmenere
Modificato: Nov 30, 2011, 8:31 am

I finished a day or two ago and I guess I'm the lone dissenter on this one. I would give it 3.5 out of 5. I just didn't buy into it but it could possibly be because I'm not a great fan of the fantasy genre.

And just like the old adage, you can't go home again, I would hope this novel is a stand alone.

However, it was great to read this book along with all of you and I love what everyone has taken away from it.
Thanks for putting this together, Mark.

23benitastrnad
Nov 30, 2011, 7:26 pm

I forgot to add that Robin McKinley won a Newbery Award for Hero and the Crown. That makes it a very special prequel. It was well written and won a major award. Very unusual.

24avatiakh
Nov 30, 2011, 7:43 pm

I keep forgetting to come here and comment, I finished the book last week and enjoyed it a lot. I loved the circus, her descriptions certainly brought it alive for me and also the idea of the Reveurs. I hope it stays as a standalone novel, I'm also tired of having to add followups to my Mt tbr.
I followed reading this with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children which I didn't enjoy anywhere near as well.

25benitastrnad
Nov 30, 2011, 7:57 pm

I liked the idea of the Reveurs as groupies. It is exactly what they were and is a good description of them.

26Citizenjoyce
Nov 30, 2011, 8:29 pm

I just finished. Boy do I want to go to that circus, and to the midnight dinners. Where can I get a silver ticket? I read a couple of interviews with Erin Morgenstern, and she says she has no plans for a prequel or sequel and that her next book, when she has time to write it, is a kind of Alice in Wonderland fantasy. I'm kind of sad there will be a movie because there's no way the depictions of the circus could come close to what I've imagined. She says she likes the idea of Geoffrey Rush for Hector, that makes sense to me. I guess with anything this popular Hollywood has to try to get its share. She doesn't mention The Tempest as an inspiration, but surely it was.

27benitastrnad
Nov 30, 2011, 10:09 pm

I agree - the referencing to The Tempest was oh so transparent, but oh so much fun.

28billiejean
Dic 15, 2011, 1:59 pm

I have finally finished the book. It was a little slow for me in the middle, but as I pushed on and when the two timelines started to intersect, I was more and more drawn into the story. Ultimately, I thought this was a great story. I never would have heard about it except for you, Mark. Thanks! I am sorry that I am missing out on the next group read. I am trying to get used to working. It cuts into my reading time.

29msf59
Dic 15, 2011, 5:59 pm

BJ- I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was a special read! Happy Holidays to you!
BTW- The G.R. of Sea of Poppies is going very well too!

30flissp
Gen 6, 2012, 7:49 am

I've just been keeping an eye on this read because I read The Night Circus a while ago (and loved it, hence dropping by to see people's thoughts).

Very glad to hear there won't be a prequel or sequel - usually a bad move unless they were already planned that way (eg HP), I agree. Re prequels, I have, however, got another good one, albeit children's books - I actually prefer The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones to her original Charmed Life - this said, it's not a prequel in the usual sense - both books stand alone with no problems.

#26 They're making a film?! Argh that's going to have to be hideously abbreviated, isn't it. I'm not sure I'll dare go anywhere near. I suppose I might risk it if it's Tim Burton directing (seems like his kind of thing) - do you know who is?

31HilaryL
Gen 11, 2012, 12:46 pm

The skill with which each chapter is woven adds to the dreamlike quality of this book. A real 5 star - reminded me of The Time Traveller's wife, but more complex and less repetition. Just beautiful to read