The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
There has been a lot of hype over this book since it was published and further promotion through the Richard and Judy Bookclub encouraged me to find out what I had been missing.

The story revolves around a magical (truly magical!) circus that travels the globe mysteriously appearing amid fervent rumour rather than organised publicity. And it only opens at night. Two children are chosen from an early age, trained in the art of magic and pitted against each other in a competition established by their manipulative rival mentors.

The descriptions of the circus itself are incredibly vibrant - it becomes a character in its own right around which everything is suspended. It’s a very sensual place, where the enchanting sights are compounded by the equally bewitching smells, sounds and tastes that come together to create such an incredible experience to all who visit. The circus seems to live and thrive with an almost unearthly heart of flame that resides at the centre and is constantly alight. The plot that accompanies all this however didn't deliver the same magic.

The story is essentially a romance, with a ’Twilight-esque’ edge to it which made it feel disappointingly like a teen fiction as opposed to a mature novel. It is a pure escapist novel, with elements of fantasy and fairy tale that I enjoyed to varying degrees and I can appreciate how it has appealed to most people. This just wasn't for me!