Robyn and I discuss Night Circus by Erin Morganstern. I am behind (having read up to page 125), so we do a bit of projection and discussing some things she had gotten to. We were both recommended the book by different people (I mention my friend Allegra here a few times). There are SPOILERS.
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B: So! Let’s begin. I guess...
R: Sorry, I got things to say! HAHA. First thing is I'm digging the writing style and the pacing. I usually don’t read your typical literary type books because the pacing fucking kills me. I just get so bored. This is setting a lot of plates spinning at once, but it’s doing so with relative grace. We don’t have a lot of long, plodding passages with set-up in them, and I dig it.
B: I agree. I personally like how the characters are given background and depth without long flash backs or reflections. Morganstern could have totally done some passages where it focused entirely on back story or past relations (like with Prospero and Cecila’s mother), but she gives you just what you need to know.
R: It kind of just gives you some details and lets you connect the dots on your own. I kind of hate it when authors feel like they need to hold your hand through everything. You don’t need to spell everything out.
B: It’s really nice in that way. I like not having the “insider” point of view, because it adds mystery and works in the novel’s favour. It helps to set the tone of the story as well as for the circus. People come and no questions are asked as to who they are and where they came from. It lets everything stand on its own two feet.
R: Oh, yes, the mystery aspect is so important to this whole thing. That’s pulling me through, really hard. I’m a bit further ahead than you are, but I'm digging the twins a lot. Have you gotten to poppet and widget? They’re so cool.
B: I’ve read the parts with Bailey where he gets her glove and when he tries to find her when he returns to the circus. I really love the idea of twins and their red hair. I also know a bit about them from Allegra. I ship Poppet and Bailey hard. Any reason as to why you are drawn to them? Just curious?
R: Right now, they’re the most... mystical characters, I guess. I mean, all of the main ones have a bit of magic in them, but the twins are something different altogether. Once you start interacting with them more, you’ll see what I mean. But there’s something of the Hero’s Journey in their mythical appearance. I'm also starting to think that perhaps the author means them as a physical embodiment of the circus itself, but I’ll have to read more to see if that metaphor plays out or if I'm reading too much into it. If it’s the case though, it’s a pretty cool device and I dig it.
B: Oh, I really like that. I don’t think I thought of them that way till now. Considering they were brought into this world while in the circus. Isn’t red also a component to the later colour scheme of the circus or am I imagining it?
R: The circus enthusiasts wear it as part of their black and white costume, to make them simultaneously a part of the circus, while still being separate. Hey, I think you have something there. The twins are kind of part of the circus, but because they’re children they’re also separate. Hmm...
B: I am also drawn to Prospero a lot. His personality really intrigues me because I like off the wall, douche bag characters. Unfortunately, I don’t think he has any cool significance like the twins might.
R: I really like A. H. ___ or whatever. Like, seriously, what is up with that dude? I’m really drawn to mysterious characters-
B: Witness protection program?
R: And damn, that’s an interesting thought, Witness protection. Hehe. I’m more thinking he’s like… He’s done a lot of really bad stuff, and there are people out to get his ass, now. Like I imagine he’s abused his magic very badly in the past.
B: I mean, it’s possible. His best buddy is the guy who cuts open his daughter’s fingers and kills birds in order to teach him a lesson.
R: Yeah, like, I picture him making terrible deals and then giving people what they wanted, but in a twisted way, then getting his ass run out of town on a rail or something. I wonder how old these guys are, too. Like, I sort of feel like they’re actually really ancient.
B: Maybe? I sort of pictured Prospero to at least look younger than he is - mid 40s at the latest. I never really get a clear picture in my head of A.H.___. He is sort of faceless in my mind. I agree, they do seem to have a sort of ageless antiquity about them .
R: I keep picturing A.H.___ like… Oh, where’s that guy in that movie? Hang on, I need a link.
B: Maybe, Gary Oldman as Dracula?
R: Nah, it was this old dude with glasses and a really severe sharp face. I saw him in a reaction image once going like “Yes…? And?”, but I don’t know his name. Dammit. Gonna bug me. Oh well.
B: How are you feeling about Marco and Celia? Not nearly as interesting, but still important.
R: I just got past a part where Marco did kind of a dick thing. I’m sort of mad at him ATM.
B: Does it involve Celia and Isobel? Because I’ve been pre-emptively mad about that.
R: No, it’s about what’s his name guy who runs the circus and has fun parties. Oh, here’s the guy.
B: Chandresh? And yeah, I can see that being A.H.____!
R: Yeah, Marco does a shitty thing to Chandresh, I’m a bit pissed at him, even though it was necessary. Like, I get that he’s been groomed all of his life for this challenge A.H.____ and Prospero are putting him through, but he’s even started to question it himself, so I have a hard time with the fact that he’s doing something so morally questionable to try to preserve it. I feel like we’re going to get to the end and have both our main characters be like “nuts to you guys” about the challenge, but if Marco’s pulling the kind of shit he just pulled… I dunno. This might be a book that ends very sad.
B: Yeah. I don’t expect it to be flowers and ribbons at the end. Considering Celia and Marco have been sort of programmed by their respective guardians that one needs to die for the other to win - ehhhhhhh. Have you learned anything about Tsukiko? I know a bit from Allegra and from the Facebook game.
R: I haven’t really. She’s been in a couple scenes, but nothing has been really said about her past and whatnot.
B: Ok, just checking. I think there are parts of Celia I like and parts I’m “eh” about. She’s a little stiff to me, or maybe not that interesting beyond a lead female? I do enjoy her first meeting with Chandresh and Marco. I was giggling to myself a lot during that part.
R: Yeah, I feel like there’s a lot to Celia that the author is leaving untouched. I see a lot of potential in the character, but it hasn’t been realized, yet.
B: Hm. I feel that, too, but not sure what. It’s like she’s too reserved?
R: She’s had to have a lot of control throughout her childhood, so I’m kinda waiting for the “let it go” moment. Maybe she’ll go all Dark Willow, that would be kinda neat.
B: It would add a bit more depth, other than, “I’m just like that.” You do get to see her temper at the start when Prospero meets her - hopefully he didn’t kill that spark with all that child abuse.
R: Yeah, I had forgotten about her temper. Maybe she’ll lose her shit, open some huge transdimensional portal, but then Marco stops her. That would be boss. I probably shouldn’t spend so much time thinking about how books end. I disappoint myself too much. Like that time I tried to read great expectations after having watched the south park episode. Did you know there isn’t a single robot monkey in that whole book? What a let down.
B: I hate Great Expectations. Even not expecting robot monkeys, that book was a let down. I did kind of have a spur of the moment idea though - sort of touching on the twins and how they have that sort of mystic draw. It’s almost like the main four characters (Celia, Marco, A.H.___, and Prospero) are devices for the story of Widget, Poppet, and Bailey. Just a thought or maybe it’s that some storylines just became more exciting than others on accident.
R: Hahaha, that sounds entirely possible. I kind of hope it turns out that way, though. Like, you need to set up the circus in order to make Widget and Poppet make sense, and to do that, you need to set up the challenge, so maybe this is all backstory for the Widget and Poppet show. I would love that.
B: That, and they are the future of the circus. One of Marco and Celia should (if we play by the rules) die by the end of the book. So, there’s a legacy of sorts that will be left? I kind of like that the game is mostly secret, too. I think that A.H.___ and Prospero just make it up as they go. They have a vague idea of the rules, but letting the players just do what they want based on the implications that there are rules would make things more interesting and fun for them to watch, IMO.
R: I still maintain that A.H.____and Prospero are a part of some secret wizarding like… cult or something. Like this is a thing they have to do to keep their powers. I’m expecting something like that, but I also secretly fear that you’re right, and they’re just bored old guys. I really want it to be like, a sacrifice to the elder gods or something totally crazy like that.
B: That would be pretty great. I don’t mind the “bored old men” idea so much because it’s pretty crazy that they thought pitting two minors against each other in a battle of “Wizard’s Chess” to the death as a way to cure their boredom.
R: Now, I can get behind that idea, provided that they are actually really really old. Like, I really want to hear about the other people they did this with, because it’s more than implied that this is not the first time either has done this.
B: I’d like to hear that conversation between Prospero and A.H.___; not in this book, though. Maybe a prequel? Set in medieval times, idk. Really old men. But, back to Night Circus. I like the idea of hearing about previous participants. It would really give a smidge of insight without giving too much of the mystery away (if presented correctly, anyway.)
R: It would be awesome, I agree. Have you gotten to Prospero’s... problem, yet? I think it pops up just after or just before Celia joins the circus proper. I’m intrigued at this turn of events, and can’t really figure out where the fuck it’s going. I feel like it’s going to lead to a really significant story twist, but I cannot for the life of me think of what it might exactly be.
B: About how he’s kind of not all there? Yeah. It’s almost like it’s his ego turned into a god complex. If he was able to will himself in and out of his physical state, he’d be unstoppable (or just a really awesome magician)? Obviously that plan went kind of off the rails for him. Not sure what the twist is though.
R: I wonder if that’s just supposed to be a character trait building thing, or if it’s like, going to be something that comes back around. Maybe Celia will have to choose between bringing Prospero back to the physical plane or having to defeat Marco, or some kind of “OMG WHAT DO I DO???” issue like that?
B: Easy choice - Prospero was a jerk. :)
