The Night Circus

This book was truly magical! There really are no other words to describe it.  I did think about Water for Elephants a few times while reading this, but it really is a different type of circus book.  It is much more about the magic in our world that we fail to see on a daily basis.  It's about that childhood belief that life can still have elements of awe.  The very basic premise is that two illusionists are pitted against each other in a competition that is played out in a circus for all the world to see.  But does the world see it or is your illusion a solitary pursuit? I completely expect this will be made into a movie (there is a fabulous opportunity for whomever designs the fashion and the set of the circus), but nothing can compare to the world you envision in your own mind.  Yes there is also romance in this book, but it is both a romance of the carnal kind as well as the romantic feeling you get when you fantasize about something that was wonderful, yet ephemeral.  This is one of the better books I've read this year. Highly recommended!