(Reccomendations) The Night Circus -- Erin Morgenstern

[cassiatwenty]

Hiya

Has anyone read The Night Circus? It was such a brilliant and magical experience.

Can anyone recommend something like it please?

[Hedjwitch]

Absolutely loved this,one of my all time favourites. Sadly the next book by that author was really disappointing..cant remember the name of it now.

I enjoyed "Babel" which has a similar magical feel but its a bit darker ( and a slightly more difficult read. For me anyway)

[cassiatwenty]

@Hedjwitch Hello and thank you for your recommendation! Yes I absolutely agree, her other book was "The Starless Sea" and I thought it was disappointing, too. I just couldn't finish it. Funny, I thought I was the only one.

Is it "Babel" by R.F. Kuang?

[TheInfusionist]

Loved Night Circus, I've never read anything like it. Incredible. Beautiful. Just wanted to explore every part of it.

The Starless Sea was like a fever dream, relentless but no plot or point to the story, just an endless journey. I loved some of the imagery but gave up waiting to care about why any of it was happening.

[Hedjwitch]

Yes, sorry. Forgot to add the author.

[TheInfusionist]

It's an old book now but Chocolat by Joanne Harris maybe gives a similar feel? Worth reading even if you didn't like the movie.

[cassiatwenty]

@Hedjwitch

Yes, sorry. Forgot to add the author.

Oh found it, thank you so much

[cassiatwenty]

@TheInfusionist

It's an old book now but Chocolat by Joanne Harris maybe gives a similar feel? Worth reading even if you didn't like the movie.

Actually that's a great recommendation thank you for thinking of it, I didn't see the movie so I'm looking forward to reading it (Always good to read the book first in any case )

[TeabySea]

I found The Starless Sea harder to get started and stuck into but loved it just as much.
Similar feels for me were from Orfeia (might have spelled wrong) by Joanne Harris, Stardust by Neil Gaiman and Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield.

I've just finished The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley. Not really Steampunk, not exactly historical fiction- it really grew on me.

[Sandysandwich]

The Bone Season had a similar feel to me
And some parts of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series- underlayer of magic in a normal world type thing

[cassiatwenty]

@TheInfusionist

Loved Night Circus, I've never read anything like it. Incredible. Beautiful. Just wanted to explore every part of it.

The Starless Sea was like a fever dream, relentless but no plot or point to the story, just an endless journey. I loved some of the imagery but gave up waiting to care about why any of it was happening.

Me neither. The Night Circus was wonderful. I never read anything like it. It was like someone's beautiful dream captured in a book.

I agree with you on The Starless Sea. I wasn't a fan of abstract bits and it felt like a bit of a slog. Shame

[Phineyj]

I enjoyed The Night Circus but was gradually driven mad by the comma splicing!

I think if you Google magical realist fiction you will find more in a similar vein though.

[Mothership4two]

Similarish Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke and The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale

[cassiatwenty]

@Mothership4two

Similarish Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke and The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale

Oh thank you, I think I really might like this

[cassiatwenty]

@Phineyj

I enjoyed The Night Circus but was gradually driven mad by the comma splicing!

I think if you Google magical realist fiction you will find more in a similar vein though.

Magical realist fiction, got it, thankyou

[cassiatwenty]

@Sandysandwich

The Bone Season had a similar feel to me
And some parts of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series- underlayer of magic in a normal world type thing

Thank you!!

[cassiatwenty]

@TeabySea

I found The Starless Sea harder to get started and stuck into but loved it just as much.
Similar feels for me were from Orfeia (might have spelled wrong) by Joanne Harris, Stardust by Neil Gaiman and Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield.

I've just finished The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley. Not really Steampunk, not exactly historical fiction- it really grew on me.

Oh I really want to read "The Watchmaker of Filgree Street", Stardust is fantastic! I assume you read the "13th Tale" by Setterfield? I'm glad you loved The Starless Sea and managed to get into it.

[Hedjwitch]

Watchmaker of Filigree Street is good. I enjoyed it

[greezelouise]

It's a remarkable and beautiful book. I've heard it as an audiobook as well. Just magical

[cassiatwenty]

@greezelouise

It's a remarkable and beautiful book. I've heard it as an audiobook as well. Just magical

Do you recall who was the narrator?

[ColinFuckingRobinson]

@cassiatwenty

Do you recall who was the narrator?

Jim Dale of Carry On fame! He's actually perfect for it

[cassiatwenty]

@ColinFuckingRobinson

Jim Dale of Carry On fame! He's actually perfect for it

Oh interesting, I never knew that

[cassiatwenty]

@Hedjwitch

Watchmaker of Filigree Street is good. I enjoyed it

Now I really want to read it!

[spriots]

Have a look at Frances Hardinge - esp the Lie Tree, I think her books have a similar style

[Beamur]

I enjoyed the Starless Sea but may be a minority.
Piranesi by Susannah Clarke is excellent and also quite dreamy and other worldly.

[Songlines]

Another one to recommend Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Give yourself long enough to get into though, it's long!
I loved the Night Circus. If you want a classic introduction to magical realism, try 100 Years of Solitude. This would be my desert island book