"There are many kinds of magic, after all"
It is during times like these when we all need some sort of escape. Be it via a vacation, or a hike, or even listening to music, we need to leave behind those things which cause us stress.
I escape into stories. And the one I have just finished reading led me far, far away from stress and politics and financial worries. It gently took me by the hand and led me down a path filled with brilliant imagery.
'The Night Circus', by Erin Morgenstern, is the object of my affection. It has been reviewed extensively; either loved or disliked by its critics, it is, for me, one of the most original stories I've encountered in a long, long time.
Magical, delicate, a swirl of colors. Characters that challenge you. Characters with whom you fall in love. A 'game' that has no purpose and no clear end in sight.
This story is magic, plain and simple. No parlor tricks; no 'smoke and mirrors'. Ironically, it is full of real illusion.
The two unwilling pawns in the game are Celia, a brilliant illusionist, and Marco, one of the caretakers of Le Cirque des Rêves. But neither are aware that they are adversaries in an ages-old game set forth by two men: Celia's father and 'the man in the grey suit'.
As a 'stage' for the competition, Le Cirque des Rêves is born, but it is not one full of clowns, bearded ladies, and carnival games. This is a circus ablaze with color and texture, each tent housing scenes and illusions that touch the hearts of each visitor. You will meet Bailey; the twins, Widget and Poppet; the clockmaker, Herr Thiessen; and Chandresh Lefèvre, Marco's 'employer'.
But if I could say more, I would. This beautiful and well-written story must be read and savored and passed on to someone who needs a bit of magic right now. I will visit 'The Night Circus' again, perhaps many times, and go away even more enchanted...
...after the sun sets, and the marvelous clock engages my imagination while I consider just what tent I'll visit next time.
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