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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The
Night Circus revolves around the stories of the people involved in a
magical circus that is only open during the evening. It centers on two
characters, Celia and Marco, who are rivals and destined to win a lifelong magical
competition that is set at the circus yet has no rules. Other characters help
bring that circus to life and, by the end of many years, feel entrapped by the
world they’ve helped create. With the assistance of a young spectator, Bailey,
Celia and Marco are able to free themselves of the circus, complete the
challenge, and stay together.
This novel was a joy to read. The world is so fully
developed that the entire time I felt I was floating along in this whimsical
land that just came alive. The descriptions are lush and full. There are many
intertwining characters and plotlines and the intersections of each is
pleasingly unpredictable and satisfying. Although a very strong novel the
ending was a bit out of place. The magic used to secure a happy ending wasn’t
one that had been fully present throughout the rest of the book and decisions
relied too heavily on a secondary character, Bailey, that was abruptly pulled
to the forefront. It felt a bit convenient. Nevertheless, the strength of the
world and the impressive handling of multiple characters and plotlines makes
this a really strong novel, and the fact that it’s a debut novel makes it even
more impressive. One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel was that the
depth to it—compared to YA novels it’s a larger scope, covering more time,
including more characters, and entwining more complicated stories. It was
refreshing. A highly recommended read.
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Pretty Crooked (ARC 3/13) by Elisa Ludwig
This is a great caper story that flips the Robin Hood myth
upside down: when Willa Fox moves to a wealthy town and realizes that the
popular girls are bullying the scholarship students she decides to steal from
them and give to the poor girls. It’s a really fun story and Willa is likeable,
despite her questionable decisions. There is also an underlying mystery about
Willa’s past and her mother’s activities that I look forward to finding out
more in the second book.
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The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
This classic title was enjoyable to read, although I
enjoyed the companion title The Blue
Sword better. Aerin is a relatable character and her grown throughout the
manuscript is nice to see. I found her relationship with Luthe, though, rushed
and poorly developed, yet Aerin’s decision to put her kingdom before her
relationship was still powerful. This is a great piece of early feminist
fantasy and clearly beloved as it was a Newbery winner and continues to be read
by fantasy fans.
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Extra Yarn
written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen
