Pages: 387
Rating: PG - no language, but 2 people die, and there is a very vaguely described sex scene.
Summary:
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.
My Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this book. The circus is absolutely magical. I want to go there now so bad! All the descriptions of the different acts and tents are seriously so good. You just feel the mystery and the magic of the place. However, I found the storyline to be a bit frustrating. The game Celia and Marco are playing is vague and confusing. There seem to be no set rules, and no one is forthcoming about how it is supposed to work. I felt that although the circus itself was well-described, the characters are all a bit lacking. There just wasn't enough background to them. I also felt that the love story between Marco and Celia was lacking depth. One minute they don't know each other, the next second they're deeply in love for no discernible reason. It was kind of dumb. I just didn't emotionally connect with their love story in any way.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, if just for the pure imaginativeness of the author when coming up with circus tents. Also, the ending was satisfying. But, I was very frustrated by the general feeling of being lost and confused the entire time...and some of my questions were never adequately answered.
