The Night Circus

Before I read it, I had heard that this book was mostly vibes and that almost nothing happens — which is both not quite true and also pretty accurate.

I loved it. The moody, immersive atmosphere and slow burn was perfect for me and I was invested in the mystery of the game. I think with a little bit of critical thinking it was obvious what was happening after a while, but it was still opaque enough to keep things fun.

I went into this book without knowing basically anything about it (including the back cover) and I think that really enhanced the experience and atmosphere. I don't know if it should have been marketed as a romance, but that's not really the book's fault. I do think that if I had been expecting a romantasy, I would have been disappointed — but I wasn't, so I was dazzled.