UNBOXING | Illumicrate Collections: The Night Circus

 

I read The Night Circus last year and really fell in love with it, I really think it is such a magical book, so when Illumicrate announced their special edition for the tenth anniversary of the book, I was really excited to buy it. I am so happy with the book itself, and all of the wonderful items that came with it!

Hanging banner, designed by Sylvia Bi.

Foiled print, designed by Noverantale.

Book tin, designed by rosiethorns88.

Metal bookmark, designed by Danielle.*

Enamel pin, designed by Stacey McEvoy Caunt.

Tea for one tea pot, designed by Chatty Nora.

Exclusive edition of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern with stencilled edges and foiled embossing on the hard cover, signed by the author with an author letter on the front end papers.

I really am so impressed with this box and everything in it, it is all so beautifully designed and each item is so unique and will be wonderful to own. I will definitely be putting the print and banner up in my room and making use of the book mark, tin and the teapot, the pin will look great as part of my pin collection. The book is a really stunning edition, especially under the cover, that will really be a treasure to have and read from. I think the teapot is definitely my favourite, it is just so gorgeous!

If you got this box, what did you think? Let me know in the comments. If you would like to find out more about Illumicrate you can find their website here.

*Usually I would provide a link to find out more about each designer but unfortunately I could not find this artist online.

BOOKS | Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

 Name: The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Publisher: Vintage

Date published: May 2012

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical

Pages: 502

Rating: 5/5

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 breath-taking 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.

- From Goodreads.

The Night Circus was definitely a unique book, different to anything else I have ever read. It was a very marvellous reading experience and the story was incredibly compelling.

The writing style was so whimsical and flowed wonderfully. Both the descriptions and dialogue were enjoyable to read and really helped create a delightful atmosphere.

The romance between Celia and Marco was so beautiful and they were both such endearing and fascinating characters. The other characters and relationships were also so well written and intriguing. I especially loved Bailey and Poppet's relationship, and the friendship between the two of them and Widget, it was so lovely and heart-warming how the siblings took Bailey in and stopped him from feeling like an outsider. Friedrick Thiessen was also such a loveable character.

The circus was such a brilliant setting, so inventive, a whole world of its own. It was so fun to read about such a magical and captivating place. 

I enjoyed the slow moving plot and how all the small events gradually built up to the climax, the different timelines eventually all catching up and reaching the same point in time. It really allowed you the time to become immersed in the world and feel a part of it all.

Overall, this was an fantastically enchanting book and I was thoroughly impressed by the author's ability to create such a magical story. I would definitely recommend it if you love romance in an imaginative setting that feels cosy but has dark undertones.