"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" (Goodreads review).

Morgenstern has a fabulous imagination that she stunningly captures in her writing--at the expense of characterization. Perfect for an up-and-coming movie adaptation. The final "fight" scene for Marco and Celia is a masterful ending

Spoiler

where they end up embracing each other in a pseudo-world, thus forfeiting the competition

. If you don't like fantasy--stay away. If you do, welcome to the circus.