Reading Rainbow: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I know that we usually only rec YA books, but every now and then a book comes along that, while not categorized as YA, has that "YA feel" to it.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is one of those books.  (And you all know I mean that as a very high compliment, because YA books are the best!)  I was very excited to read this book, mainly because of the gorgeous cover, but also because of the much-discussed, intriguing first line, "The circus arrives without warning."  How could I resist that?

From Goodreads:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

I will start by saying that I have a HUGE love of imagery, especially when it is does well.  Some people find this book "too descriptive" and I could not disagree more.  I loved the every last word of this book, and nothing seemed superfluous to me.  Each scene (and oh, the scenery!) seemed so real, so vivid - I could not help but fall in love.  

And then, THE STORY!  It's mysterious, romantic, dangerous, and magical all rolled into one amazing story.   It does jump around quite a bit, so if you're a detail person, pay attention to the dates at the beginning of each chapter.  It took me a bit to realize that the book is not linear, and sometimes this bothers me, but not so in this case.  I loved the way the story folded in and knitted itself together in the end.  The last line of the book (prior to epilogue) actually made me gasp and say (out loud), "Wow, that was good."  

So, if you want to sink into a delicious novel that will keep your mind's eye very busy, definitely pick up The Night Circus.