“Playful and Intensely Imaginative, [She] Has Created the Circus I Have

— A U T H O R B I O — — R E A D A L I K E S — Erin Morgenstern was raised Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter in Marshfield, Massachusetts and Is Sophie Fevvers, toast of Europe's studied theater and studio art capitals, part swan...or all fake? at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, graduating in 2000. Courted by the Prince of Wales and In addition to writing, she paints, painted by Toulouse-Lautrec, she is an mostly in acrylics, including aerialiste extraordinaire and star of the Phantomwise tarot deck. She Colonel Kearney's circus. She is also signed with Inkwell Management in part woman, part swan. Jack Walser, May 2010 after being rejected by an American journalist, is on a quest to thirty literary agents, and sold her discover the truth behind her identity. debut novel to Doubleday in Dazzled by his love for her, and des- September 2010; The Night perate for the scoop of a lifetime, Circus was published in September 2011. She has Walser has no choice but to join the circus on its magical participated in National Novel Writing Month since 2003, tour through turn-of-the-nineteenth-century London, St and first wrote about what would become The Night Petersburg and Siberia. Circus in November 2005. Morgenstern recently moved to New York City. (Source: Wikipedia.org, 2016) The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman The daughter of a Coney Island boardwalk curiosities museum's front man pursues an “Playful and intensely impassioned love affair with a Russian immigrant photographer imaginative, [she] has who after fleeing his Lower East Side Orthodox community has created the circus I have captured poignant images of the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist always longed for...this is a Factory fire. marvelous book.” Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja “A world of almost unbearable beauty.” -Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader (Source: NoveList Plus, 2016) — D I S C U S S I O N Q U E S T I O N S — — S U M M A R Y — 1) The novel opens with a quote from Oscar Wilde: "A dreamer 10) Celia emphasizes that keeping the circus controlled is a matter is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his of "balance." And Marco suggests that the competition is not a The circus arrives without warning. No announcements punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the chess game but rather a balancing of scales. However, the circus precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. world." How is this sentiment explored in The Night Circus? and the competition become disordered at times—leaving both Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly Who in the novel is a dreamer? And what is their punishment physical and emotional casualties in their wake. Is the circus ever unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is for being so? really in "balance," or is it a pendulum swinging from one extreme called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. to the other? 2) The novel frequently changes narrative perspective. How But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a does this transition shape your reading of the novel and your 11) From the outside, the circus is full of enchantments and duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who delights, but behind the scenes, the delicate push and pull of the connection to the characters and the circus? Why do you think have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose the author chose to tell the story from varied perspectives? competition results in some sinister events: i.e., the deaths of Tara by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is Burgess and Friedrick Thiessen. How much is the competition at 3) The narrative also follows a nonlinear sequence—shifting at fault for these losses and how much are they the individuals' a game in which only one can be left standing, and the times from present to past. How effective is this method in doing? circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination revealing conflict in the novel? What role does time play in the and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco novel? From Friedrick Thiessen's clock to the delayed aging of 12) What is Hector's role in determining the fate of the tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the circus developers to the birth of the twins—is time competition? He lectures Celia about remaining independent and the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so manipulated or fated at the circus? not interfering with her partner, but ultimately, Hector largely much as brush hands. influences the outcome of the competition. Explain this influence. 4) Between the chapters that tell the story of The Night Circus True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of are descriptions of the circus itself, written as if you are visiting 13) Poppet and Widget are especially affected by the lighting of the everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus it right now. What do these chapters add to the story? bonfire. How crucial are their "specialties" to the ongoing \per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended success of the circus? as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 5) "Chandresh relishes reactions. Genuine reactions, not mere polite applause. He often values the reactions over the show 14) Isobel is a silent yet integral partner in both the circus and the itself. A show without an audience is nothing, after all. In the competition. She has an ally in Tsukiko but seemingly in no one response of the audience, that is where the power of else, especially not Marco. How much does Marco's (Source: Erinmorgenstern.com, 2016) performance lives." How does this statement apply to both Le underestimation of Isobel affect the outcome of the competition? Cirque des Rêves and the competition? 15) Mr. Barris, Friedrick Thiessen, Mme. Padva and even Bailey are 6) Did you feel sorry for those who were being used in the game aware that the circus has made a profound, inexplicable change in -- Isobel, the Burgess sisters, even Celia and Marco? Why do their lives, but they each choose not to explore the depth of these you think some people, like Mr. Barris, don't mind being changes. Friedrick Thiessen states, "I prefer to remain trapped by the circus while it drives others, like Tara Burgess, unenlightened, to better appreciate the dark." Do you agree with mad? this standpoint? What inherent dangers accompany a purposeful ignorance? 7) Why do you think Bailey was willing to give his life to the circus? 16) Celia tells Bailey that he is "not destined or chosen" to be the next proprietor of the circus. He is simply "in the right place at the 8) Chandresh is portrayed as a brilliant and creative right time...and care[s] enough to do what needs to be done. perfectionist at the beginning of the novel, yet he slowly Sometimes that's enough." I n this situation, is that "enough"? Can unravels as the competition matures. Is Chandresh merely a the responsibility of maintaining the circus be trusted to just puppet of the competition—used solely for his ability to provide anyone, or, despite Celia's assertion, is Bailey truly special? a venue for the competition—or do his contributions run deeper? 17) At the closing of the novel, we are left to believe that the circus is still traveling— Bailey's business card provides an email address as 9) Marco asserts that Alexander H. is a father figure to him. In his contact information. How do you think the circus would fare what ways does Alexander provide for Marco and in what ways over time? Would the circus need to evolve to suit each generation, has he failed him? or is it distinctive enough to transcend time? (Source: LitLovers.com 2016) .

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