This book started off beautifully. It was magical. The author took me to an imaginary place I've only ever visited before in my dreams. I especially loved the clock making. :) I found the mystery of the circus the driving force behind my page turning. I was so confused and could barely wrap my head around what conflicts were going on. This confusion added to my experience in a positive way. There were so many unanswered questions and things I didn't understand, that I didn't even think to question the illusions, charms and other mysteries that made up Le Cirque des Reves. The magic was real and it was bewitching. After the first half of the book the circus started to die and some of the mysterious details about the competition became clear and the book lost some of it's charm. I was like the reveurs, and if I could have I would have followed the circus around the world too. I only wanted to read about the magic! The descriptions of magic bottles holding memories, ice gardens, mazes that move and chocolate mice had me mezmorized. This book was a love story between two magicians, but I fell in love with the circus and was blind to anything else this book had to offer. The characters were so colorful and interesting, but I was never able to get into their head or really feel for them. They were just another amazing part of the circus to me.