Turning the last page of the enchanting tale of Les Cirque des Reves, or the Circus of Dreams, is a bit like waking up from a dream you hoped would never end. “The Night Circus,” by Erin Morgenstern, is the very definition of a page-turner.  Its spellbinding writing and storytelling allows readers to fall back into their most magical dream for as long as they like.

“The Night Circus” centers around two illusionists, Celia and Marco, who are unknowingly chosen from a young age to participate in a competition with one another. Neither is told the rules of this game to which they are bound.  They grow up preparing for the unknown.

The two characters finally meet after they both become involved in captivating Les Cirque des Reves, which they discover to be the arena for their competition. 

This unique circus enthralls audiences with its subtle magic disguised as illusions. The most spectacular tents are the ones made by Celia and Marco, as they each create something increasingly remarkable with every turn they have.

Although the forbidden love between Celia and Marco is to be expected, their relationship is the only predictable element of the story. Morgenstern cloaks every detail in a thin veil of mystery until completely necessary..  Nothing happens by chance.  Every character has a role to play in the game.  The ending, the most important part of the book,  is impossible to predict as well.

Morgenstern’s craftsmanship and storytelling are remarkable for a debut novel.  The story she tells is one woven with a cast of characters whose lives overlap one another in deliberate ways. 

The theme of “The Night Circus” centralizes around the idea that fate is orchestrated in the most complex of ways. According to Morgenstern, destiny does not simply fall into place. Instead, events and contributing experiences that occur in one’s life interlock like the gears of a clock moving forward.

The elements of this story fit together like the pieces of a puzzle that does not completely make sense until the very end.  It is difficult to discern which is more remarkable about this book, the obvious skill in her eloquent writing or the vividly imaginative world she creates with those carefully chosen words.

 Cara Reilly is the Copy Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com