The Night Circus - All Done!!

We are introduced to our main characters, Celia and Marco, in unconventional ways.  Before we truly understand the context of the book, we find our main characters being locked into a duel that they did not sign up for, by their “mentors.”  Celia has her father, a great magician, as her mentor.  Marco, however, was picked out of an orphanage by a mysterious man in a grey suit.  Both children were taught the ways of magic by their mentors, and informed that they would have to compete against another magician when they are ready.  Marco and Celia were never told about one another, but because of the creation of Le Cirque des Rêves, they are drawn together by this magical circus.  Though there are many side stories within this book, the lives of Marco and Celia touch every other character.  Marco takes on a job as an assistant for the Circus director, and in the process, meets Celia when she auditions for the part of a magician.  It is at the moment that he realizes that she is his competitor, but Celia does not figure it out till much later in the story.  Eventually, the two discover that what they create in the circus directly relates to the competition.  They both create tents that are more amazing every time, and that completely amaze the patrons that come to see the spectacle.  During this time, Marco and Celia begin to fall in love.  Their tents turn from spectacles for the patrons into gestures of love to one another.  Unfortunately, Marco and Celia realize that the only way for the competition to end is for one of them to die. 

I loved this book more than I ever thought that I would.  It took me awhile to get started, but as I read, I found that this book got more and more interesting.  The connection between the characters and the content drew me in, and I was so sad to finish the book.  I did not know that this would end up being a love story.  I thought that it was just a story about magic, but it ended up being this romantic story that was weaved in and out of a magical circus.  Marco and Celia just started out as pawns in a magical contest, but finding out that they were literally in a contest of  Nature vs. Nurture magic was kind of interesting.  Which is better…magic that is inherited, or magic that is taught?  I thought that this was a quite an interesting idea for the book.  It would also be a great idea for teaching my students.  They could create nature vs. nurture ideas for different talents and argue what would be better!  I only wish that there were a companion novel that I could read as well!