The Night Circus

The Night Circus is one of my transient favourites due in large part to my love for dark carnivals. I was impressed with the writing, and the evocatively imaginative imagery.
I recommend this book wholly, based on the writing. Loving descriptions and well-imagined acts make for a fantastic escape from reality.
The mix of fantastic elements and high-fashion are well-suited to each other, and the wonderful prose elaborates in great detail over both the appearance of the circus and the various acts. There is no sense of whimsical comedy to this book, everything is gorgeous or serious or both.
This book does not necessarily feature its darkness as prominently as other books. There is a very real psychological component of mind-control sort, and other psy-thriller aspects.
The romance worked, I enjoyed it though I did not particularly focus on or care for it. I'm not one to judge romance, after all.