The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a fantasy book that is incredibly focused on the setting, the Night Circus, right around the late 1800s early 1900s.  I think the idea of a Night Circus that is only open from sun down to sun up that is so elaborate and magical as this one is described is pretty cool.  I think I would go to it, however, I just wished there was a bit more to the story.    

The Night Circus is interesting.  I can't say that I love it, but I can't quite say I hated it either.  I would give this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.  It is just over 500 pages long, and I was roughly 200 pages into it when I realized I was just reading to read it.  I read a lot of pages but I didn't have any strong feelings for any of the characters or for much of the plot.  I mentioned this to a friend.  I was saying how the book wasn't character driven or plot driven.  She then commented that it was driven purely by the setting, and she is correct.  It is a 500 page book about the setting, and for me that was a bit much.  I can say that the last 100 pages were more interesting b/c the story pulled away from the setting of the circus.  We started to learn more about the characters and how they were all intertwined.  Those last 100 pages I read all in one sitting b/c I was interested at this point.  I'm just a bit disappointed it took the book that long to draw me in.  I'm also a bit surprised with myself for lasting that long in a book that I didn't love.  Usually, I stop at 100 pages if the book hasn't captured me.  

My motto is: There are way too many books to read a book you don't love.  

However, if you are intrigued with the book let me give you the book description from Amazon: 

"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance."    

The Night Circus is interesting.  I don't think I'll recommend it to many people, but it wasn't bad.  Plus, for an adult literature book it was quite clean.  Sure, there was alcohol drinking and one sex scene (though it wasn't blatantly described); however, for an adult literature book it was pretty darn clean.

Have any of you read The Night Circus?  Am I alone in my thoughts and or opinions of the book? What did you think?