The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is whimsical tale of a magical competition by proxy between two conjurers which takes place through the medium of a fantastical circus which “opens at nightfall, closes at dawn.” The challenge is further complicated by the fact that the two chosen proxies fall in love. I read recently that the novel in its original form was little more than a series of vignettes with little in the way of plot or cohesion to pull them together. While in the published form it’s true that visual images are more important than plot, it still flows very well. I found that The Night Circus sneaked up on me. It didn’t immediately draw me in, but the more I read the more I fell in love with Morgenstern’s circus and the people who live and work in it. What I liked Visual imagery. One of the real treats of The Night Circus is the beautiful images conjured up by Morgenstern’s writing. Her descriptions of, say, the Ice Garden or the Cloud Maze are breathtakingly evocative and stunning. It really made me wish I could visit them in person. Larger than life but relatable characters. All of the…