As usual, I'm way behind on the most popular literature. But this one has been appealing since it's release: A monochromatic circus that only opens at night? Sign me up. 
 This book is all about atmosphere. The circus is whimsical; it's dreamlike, and you easily get sucked into it's black-and-white world. You can see the countless striped tents like you're stepping through the gated entrance, and you can smell the caramel and popcorn on the air. The circus is magical, and even more magical than its visitors know. 
 Behind the scenes are Celia and Marco, who are bound to each other in a magical battle, not even knowing what the other looks like at first. All they know is they're part of an elaborate contest, one whose rules are unknown and they don't even know how to win. The circus itself is the stage. They create tents for each other, and against each other, one more seemingly impossible than the other in the view of the public eye. 
 You almost forget there's supposed to be a story going on beneath all this lush description. It starts strong enough, but once the circus begins the story itself almost dwindles. To no one's surprise, Celia and Marco develop an attraction to each other that's simply more than competitors. While it is ultimately relevant to the story, it happens so quickly and almost randomly that I had a hard time feeling much of anything for the tale's conclusion. 
 But the main characters' shortcomings can almost be overlooked by the minor characters: It's the ones in the background that truly make this tale. Hector Bowen and the man in the grey suit. Poppet and Widget. Isobel. They're characters I won't soon forget, even after I forget Celia and Marco's names. 
 I wonder how this hasn't been turned into a movie yet. It would be gorgeous. And I want to visit this circus.