Robert Frost, in another context, made a comment about playing tennis without a net. That’s what I felt as I pushed through The Night Circus. Yes, there’s magic on practically every page. The Night Circus is an incredible place, full of marvels. Everything is possible. And that’s the fatal flaw of fantasy fiction. Without some limits, anything can happen. And it does. Although there is a competition between two master magicians, there’s no suspense, no thrills, no tension. It’s just magical incident piled upon magical incident. The Night Circus may be the first book in a projected trilogy. I won’t be reading the rest of the series. The Night Circus has 387 pages, but it felt twice as long when I was reading it. GRADE: C
My review is coming up. I liked it a little better than you did.
I’ll be happy to read your review of THE NIGHT CIRCUS, Bill. The lack of suspense was a fatal flaw for me.
OOh and Scott Parker didn’t like THE MAGICIAN today either. Two books to cross off my list.
Several of my friends didn’t like THE MAGICIAN, too, Patti. But the reviews in the major media have been mostly positive.
Good. I mean, not good that it’s not so good but good that I don’t have to add it to my list. Besides, Bill is way more into magicians than I am.
I like magic as much as the next guy, Jeff. But I want a STORY, too, not just a series of incidents.
There was a huge push to make this the next Harry Potter. Publicists were “suggesting” midnight book parties, etc. This all worked wonderfully with the final Harry Potter books – an established author and proven series. Some of our booksellers who gave it a try said it didn’t warrant the hoopla.
I think the Midwest Booksellers Assn. has decided to push it in the Christmas catalog. It just didn’t appeal to me so a chapter was all the time I gave it.
I’ve got The Magician and hope to read it on vacation next week.
The lack of tension and conflict in THE NIGHT CIRCUS spoiled the novel for me, Beth. I’ve heard mixed reviews of THE MAGICIAN. Neither book has the power of the Harry Potter books.
Nothing I’ve read about this previously made me interested, and you comments did nothing to change that. I don’t even like the cover.
As Beth pointed out, Rick, THE NIGHT CIRCUS has had plenty of “buzz.” Morgenstern introduces plenty of brilliant elements, but they just don’t jell.