Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Harvill Secker, $32.95
A fantastical tale set in the late 1800s about two old magicians engaged in an eternal duel.
Their weapons in this lifetime are a young pair, Celia and Marco, both gifted with extraordinary powers; their arena of battle is a marvellous black and white circus which appears mysteriously as night falls and disappears at dawn.
It is full of wonders and audiences delight to the garden made entirely of ice, the curtain of stars, the eternal white bonfire — the twist being that these are not tricks but real magic, created for the sole purpose of the duel.
Which is, we learn, a deadly game. Only one of the contestants will survive — until Celia and Marco fall in love, putting the whole sinister plan at risk.
This debut novel is a publishing sensation, hyped as the next step for Harry Potter fans, though you needn’t be a fantasy reader to enjoy it. Just roll up, suspend disbelief and let yourself be enchanted.
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