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Hailey (Hailey in Bookland)'s Reviews > The Night Circus
The Night Circus
by
by
Hailey (Hailey in Bookland)'s review
bookshelves: owned, fantasy, historical-fiction, adult
May 06, 2014
bookshelves: owned, fantasy, historical-fiction, adult
Read 2 times. Last read January 25, 2018 to February 2, 2018.
Reread: 2018
Maybe more like a 2.5/5?
I apparently enjoyed the audiobook much more because this time around I was really into it (and I remembered basically nothing from my original read, or listen rather) but then I got to the middle and I completely lost steam. I didn’t connect with it in the way I had wanted to and while there were some aspects I found very interesting, for the most part I felt like I was constantly waiting for more (which seems to be the point of the book). Just not for me anymore I guess!
**
This was unlike anything I've read before. Everything about this book was so intricately crafted and made for a masterpiece of a story. The characters and the circus itself were just something out of this world and it was really incredible. The writing was amazing as it built this ambiance leading up to the end of this book.
That being said, I had some qualms with this book that made it not be a 5 star book for me.
The pacing was very slow. I'm generally a fast reader so I get frustrated with slow paced books. This is a book you are meant to take your time with so you can be absorbed into the world and the magic of the circus, and for me, that's kind of a negative. It wasn't really a bad thing but I just like fast paced books is what I'm trying to say.
I felt there were waaaay too many characters. It was hard for me to keep track of who was who and what they did and it was a little bit confusing at most times.
And finally I just felt like there was something missing for me. I cannot put my finger on what it was, but just something.
Overall I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it. I assure you it's unlike anything you've ever read before.
Maybe more like a 2.5/5?
I apparently enjoyed the audiobook much more because this time around I was really into it (and I remembered basically nothing from my original read, or listen rather) but then I got to the middle and I completely lost steam. I didn’t connect with it in the way I had wanted to and while there were some aspects I found very interesting, for the most part I felt like I was constantly waiting for more (which seems to be the point of the book). Just not for me anymore I guess!
**
This was unlike anything I've read before. Everything about this book was so intricately crafted and made for a masterpiece of a story. The characters and the circus itself were just something out of this world and it was really incredible. The writing was amazing as it built this ambiance leading up to the end of this book.
That being said, I had some qualms with this book that made it not be a 5 star book for me.
The pacing was very slow. I'm generally a fast reader so I get frustrated with slow paced books. This is a book you are meant to take your time with so you can be absorbed into the world and the magic of the circus, and for me, that's kind of a negative. It wasn't really a bad thing but I just like fast paced books is what I'm trying to say.
I felt there were waaaay too many characters. It was hard for me to keep track of who was who and what they did and it was a little bit confusing at most times.
And finally I just felt like there was something missing for me. I cannot put my finger on what it was, but just something.
Overall I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it. I assure you it's unlike anything you've ever read before.
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Reading Progress
May 6, 2014
– Shelved as:
to-read
May 6, 2014
– Shelved
January 24, 2015
–
Started Reading
January 25, 2015
–
Finished Reading
January 4, 2018
– Shelved as:
owned
January 25, 2018
–
Started Reading
February 2, 2018
–
Finished Reading
March 31, 2018
– Shelved as:
fantasy
March 31, 2018
– Shelved as:
historical-fiction
April 1, 2018
– Shelved as:
adult
Comments Showing 1-13 of 13 (13 new)
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message 1:
by
Xanthe
(new)
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rated it 5 stars
Jan 29, 2018 01:08PM
Omg yes I totally agree!
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Have had this on my TBR for too long!
I’ve been stuck half way into this book for about two months now
I read this book once and didn't like it. So then I tried the audiobook and DNFed it. I'm honestly glad when I find people who didn't connect with it because we're in the minority!
I didn't like the book first time around. I felt like her attention was all on descriptions and her characters were an after thought. This book could have been amazing but it fell miles short for me
I’ve read a couple of chapters, and it’s still pending completion since august!! I know how you feel.
I totally agree. The pacing was too slow for me and I couldn’t finish the book.
The ending is why I gave it a lower rating. It built up to where I was expecting something grand and amazing but then it flatline. (But I do have to say, listening to Jim Dale read it was the best part of the book too. Lol)
If you thought Night Circus had too many characters, I bet you absolutely loathed Lord of the Rings. :)
I am around 100 pages in and I agree with you on the pacing. I like when books move relatively fast, I don’t want to have it be rushed but I also don’t want to feel like every page I read is 100 pages long. The writing and world building is beautiful and the storyline is intriguing, though I do wish the competition was more... I don’t know.. present I guess. I feel like I’m reading all this dense world building and nothing is really coming of it. I find a lot of it confusing. But I am enjoying it and hopefully my confusion will be resolved by the end.
I’ve been trying to put my opinion on this book into words- and you just did it! 💕
I agree with you 100% this is a great way to explain it
I’m glad you said that thing about the characters. I’m about halfway in and I’m finding myself confused by all the different names!!
