Join our discussions below about "The Night Circus." Here's who you'll be hearing from...

Andrew Losowsky, Books Editor
I'm British, so anything you think I've spelled wrong, is actually just spelled older. I look for stories to take my brain into new spaces, and I'll be particularly discussing the facts as we think we know them, and the clues I think we're being given by the story. Let me know if you think I'm wrong! I'll also be choosing a few facts to use as jumping-off points for tangential discussions.

Zoë Triska, Associate Books Editor
I was a Literature major so I can't help analyzing every single thing (from the syntax and language to metaphors, similes, you name it). I (reluctantly) admit that I'm one of those people who Googles phrases, places, names every couple of pages when I'm reading. There are constantly things that stump me, though so I'd love to hear your thoughts on the significance of words, places, phrases, events that take place in the book.

Madeleine Crum, Assistant Books Editor
I like looking at language particularities, but in case you think that's a snooze (you wouldn't be alone), I'm also interested in reading what critics say about books and whether their reviews are spot on or way off. Let's talk about it.

Annemarie Dooling, Community Editor
Quotes, locations and descriptions speak to me the same way characters do. I love dissecting the same details that tell us more about the story than the actual prose. If you read the same books over and over and over again the same way you visit an out-of-town friend, we're going to get along just fine.

Here's our reading schedule:
May 27: Pages 1-64, or beginning through Condolences
June 3: 65-141, or The Contortionist's Tattoo through Atmosphere
June 10: 142-205, or Reveurs through Ailuromancy
June 17: 206-266, or Tete-a-Tete through Stormy Seas
June 24: 267-328, or An Entreaty through Precognition
July 1: 329 and on, or Pursuit through the end.

If you'd like to blog your experiences, or join the discussion, leave a comment below and let us know what you think about "The Night Circus."

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Want a signed copy of "The Night Circus?"

To sum-up our reading of The Night Circus, we'll be giving away 5 copies of the book signed by Erin Morgenstern, as well as a special edition tarot card designed by Erin herself.

To win a copy, leave us a comment below, or tweet to @huffpostbooks at #hpbookclub and give us your best one-sentence summary of The Night Circus. If you haven't read the book yet, get creative and let us know what you think the book is about. After we pick our five favorite replies, we will contact readers to coordinate their prize.

So, let's hear it: In one sentence, what is The Night Circus about?

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HuffPost Book Club in Boston

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Thank you for reading along!

On Tuesday we celebrated the end of our reading of The Night Circus and the release of the paperbook version of the book. Between the tarot card read, the caramel popcorn and the amazing musical performance, we're not sure what we loved the most.

If you couldn't get to Boston in time for the circus, we've got video of the performances and Erin Morgenstern's wise words on magic, National Novel Writing Month and her next book coming up shortly, as well as a chance for you to win a signed copy of The Night Circus plus a tarot card designed by Erin.

In the meantime, check out all of the live tweets from the event here.

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HuffPost Books at the paperback event!

@ armyoftoys : RT @HuffPostBooks: @WalterSickert & The @ArmyofToys is gearing up! #hpbookclub #nightcircus http://t.co/lxGyrTPU

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Erin Morgenstern on voice

@ elisir : RT @TravelingAnna: "I found my writing voice when I stopped trying to sound like anyone else." -Erin Morgenstern #HPbookclub

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A Night Circus fan

@ bookoisseur : The only words to describe #TheNightCircus: bookporn realized and luscious. Thanks for the rec @HuffPostBooks! I want another!

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Night Circus art

Two great crafts we found this weekend

Source: Uploaded by user via Melanie on Pinterest

Source: via Becca on Pinterest

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In your own words

So, maybe I am wrong. It isn't a book about love or a book about magic. Perhaps, The Night Circus is a book about memories and shadows; weaving between the cracks in your mind to pull up other memories, other moments of brilliance.

Tara Newman, HuffPost Books community member, writes beautifully about her experience reading The Night Circus.

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Throw your own midnight dinner

If you've been salivating while reading The Night Circus, here are some tips on creating your own desserts straight out of the book.

Source: Uploaded by user via Melanie on Pinterest

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Decadent

@ rball3 : Decadent RT @HuffPostBooks: What's one word you'd use to describe 'The Night Circus?' #hpbookclub

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This Rêveur Found Her Red Scarf

"I love it when books and real life meet."

HuffPost social media editor Mia Aquino finally gave in and joined a book club - ours! She wrote about her first experience, as well as the serendipitous events that occurred after she started reading. Read her whole entry here.

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Celia artwork

Source: google.co.uk via Wendy on Pinterest

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"Pursuit" through the end of the book!

Happy Sunday, readers. We've reached our last chapter review for "The Night Circus" and you might have noticed that we're already looking for our next book selection. But that doesn't mean we've finished with Erin Morgenstern's NaNoWriMo book completely.

This week we'll be publishing a few reviews from our readers, and on July 3rd we'll be in Boston celebrating with Erin and many other "Night Circus" fans. If you're in the neighborhood, please drop by! And if you missed the post with all the information, click here. We'll be collecting your questions and thoughts through Tuesday evening. Send yours by commenting below or sending us a tweet.

Back to our reading, little Bailey, whose fate we have been debating since our first discussion, has become the center of the story. Not only has his own fate intertwined with Widget and Poppet, but with the circus itself: he's destined to be a part of the event, but what kind of part exactly, we all wonder.

Click here to read some spoilers and thoughts on the end of the book.

In London, Isobel confronts Marco to apologize for tampering in the circus and the events surrounding the game. She's left the circus completely and feels a little more freedom to tell her former lover what she is really feeling. It's sad, but honest. It needed to be said.

The circus has traveled to New York and with it, Celia and Marco - thanks to a little magic. Tsukiko is revealing her heritage to them (her past apprenticeship, her real connection to Marco, and the love of her life) when the two lovers begin a long fight to end their game. Traditionally, there is only one winner; Celia and Marco are not willing to live that way.

"Our instructors do not understand how it is... to be bound to someone in such a way." - Tsukiko

Marco is preparing to make his sacrifice - Celia carries the circus inside of her and to sacrifice any part of her would even the event forever. But she won't allow it. And then in one of my favorite parts of the entire book, Celia and Marco determine that they can survive their instructors mistakes: her father might not have been able to straddle life and death, and Alexander might not have been able to apply his emotions to his work, but they can. Celia flies into the bonfire with Marco just as Tsukiko flicks her cigarette into the flame, and the bonfire erupts in a flash. Together they burn, focusing only on each other. A clock stops, and time slows. The lovers make it out of the bonfire to the other side of the circus... not quite their but not quite gone. They meet in the ice garden of their own world but Celia is struggling, pulled from one life back and forth to the next.

"It can't be self-sufficient without us. It needs a caretaker." - Celia

Bailey is also in New York, having following a large group of fans, who have warmly accepted him into their ranks. It's his time to find his place in this story. The circus is closed for the night, but Bailey goes to it; he feels the strong pull that something is happening. He enters on his own, first meeting Tsukiko who leads him through the still tents and bonfire-less entrance.

"I see you have taken up the banner." - Tsukiko

He finds his way to Marco who expresses concern at his young age as Bailey fights with reality.

"You look like a ghost." "You appear the same way to me, so which one of us is real?"

Finally, Bailey meets Celia, who immediately identifies him as an ally as he wears the red scarf popularized by her friend Frederick Thiessen, a death she never completely got over. She directly and honestly lays out the plan to Bailey: He must take over the circus. He must become the caretaker, he must stay with Poppet, he must help the show go on. A tall order to ask of a young boy.

But as Bailey accepts the gift of Widget's dream bottle, packed with the scent of a pine tree and an old fashioned tree house, he knows what he has to do.

"His choice was made when he was 10 years old, under a different tree, bound up in acorns, and dares and a single white glove. He will always choose the circus."

Two flashes of light close "The Night Circus." First of all, Bailey leans on the candles of the wishing tree and receives the ring from Marco that will bind him to the circus - it burns but he moves on from it. Finally, he goes on a short scavenger hunt, collecting simple everyday items that have created the emotional makeup of the circus. With them he relights the bonfire and the "shower of sparks falls like stars." around two lovers who kiss like they are the only people living in their world.

With Bailey accepting responsibility for the magical spectacle, a few things happen: old caretakers are released, new caretakers are chosen, a few final secrets are able to be revealed, and once again (and again and again), the circus arrives without warning.

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Can you help us pick our next book?

As we near the end of The Night Circus, we're looking forward to our next HuffPost Book Club reading selection. We've done a handful of new books, both fiction and biography, and now we'd like to take a spin back in time. That's right, we're looking at classics.

All four of your Huffington Post Books editors have picked a favorite classic they want to read again with the Book Club community. Hear our pleas below then take our poll and leave a comment letting us know which book you'd like to read. Voting will close on Wednesday, July 4.

Click here to vote!

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@ emily_gruenke : Was behind in #HPBookClub three short days ago, but now is all caught up! Loved #TheNightCircus and can't wait for the next selection!

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Join us and Erin Morgenstern on July 3, 2012 in Boston!

HuffPost Books is proud to announce the next Book Club event, in partnership with Random House and Brookline Booksmith. Join us in Boston on July 3rd, 2012 at 5pm for a "Night Circus" celebration with author Erin Morgenstern.

Wear your best reveur costume for the Night Circus Costume Contest and be prepared to see the circus come to life with a cast of amazing characters like magic and fortune telling by the Urban Circus, and music and mischief by the fantastic Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys! We'll be doing a Q&A with Erin and taking comments and questions from our readers throughout the whole week.

HuffPost Book Club readers following along at home will have the chance to win a signed paperback copy of the book, along with a limited edition tarot card designed by Erin Morgenstern herself. This entire week we'll be sharing tips on hosting your own midnight dinner, our closing thoughts on the book and we'll tell you how you can taste those delicious little chocolate mice that Bailey loved so much right in your own home.

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Your 'Night Circus' Words

We put together a list of the one word you think of when you think of 'The Night Circus' on Twitter and put that together with the most used words in the comments of the discussion page, and here's what you said:

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What's one word you'd use to describe 'The Night Circus?'

@ ChiefAaron : @HuffPostBooks Magical. Cliche or not, it’s simply the most accurate.

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Is "The Night Circus" a YA novel?

When I explain "The Night Circus" to friends who haven't read it, it's difficult to describe without making it sound like a rip-off of "The Hunger Games."

Two talented, introverted teenagers are unwillingly committed to a battle to the death, but end up falling in love?

Of course, the books are very different: "The Hunger Games" is a commentary on media and social class, whereas "The Night Circus" reads more like a character study wherein the lavish scenery is to be admired rather than frowned upon. Perhaps more notably, Morgenstern says her book isn't meant for Young Adults, even though the two main characters are young and the story is fast-paced.

So what defines a Young Adult book, if featuring young protagonists isn't enough of a qualifier? Must a story be plot-driven? Does it have to read more like genre fiction? Should it exclude difficult language and literary references that may be more difficult for teens to digest?

"The New York Times" complied a handful of opinion pieces on the YA phenomenon that could help answer these questions.

Let us know what YOU think the difference is between YA and literary fiction, and which category "The Night Circus" belongs to.

-Maddie Crum, Assistant Books Editor

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"An Entreaty" through "Precognition"

Hi everyone! Maddie here to discuss the next portion of "The Night Circus." I hope you're enjoying it!

As the book nears its climax, the chapters seem more fragmented and the plot is speeding up. Do you find the pacing to be exciting or difficult to follow?

As Bailey is tending to his sheep, Poppet greets him with a difficult proposition: She says that if he does not join the circus, it will be in grave danger. Although it seems fine from the outside, there is something wrong, Poppet asserts. She hands Bailey a bottle with the scent of his favorite tree, in case he chooses to leave, and the two finally engage in a much-anticipated kiss.

Next we see Isobel sulking after Bailey has informed her that he is not in love with her, but Celia. She is shuffling her tarot cards and lining up all of the cards with swords on them. She removes a box containing a black hat from under her seat, and there is a looming sense of importance surrounding the object, which she tears to shreds. A moment later she hears Poppet screaming.

It is Halloween, a particularly magical night at the circus. Chandresh is following the man in the grey suit, and Marco is watching from afar. Presumably at the same time as Isobel's destructive deed, things begin to go wrong - an acrobat falls and a kitten in Poppet and Widget's act lands on its back. Then, in an attempt to throw a knife at Mr. A. H, Chandresh kills Herr Friedrick Thiessen, causing Poppet to scream. This unfolding of events is tense and quick, and in my opinion is executed very well.

Around the time Bailey is preparing to leave home, the man in the grey suit and Hector Bowen discuss the state of the competition. Mr. A. H says the loss of Herr will cause Celia to break, and that seven of Hector's students have chosen to end the game themselves already, but Hector maintains that Celia will be the winner.

We then return to Marco's flat, which is described as covered in books, blueprints, and paper with glyphs and symbols -- "very old magic," Celia remarks, to which Marco replies, "it's the only kind I know." There's a love scene that's a little too prosaic ("Marco traces apologies and adorations across Celia's body with his tongue), and Marco discovers that his leather-bound safeguard is gone.

We discover that Celia has stolen the notebook, and she runs into her father while leaving Marco's flat. Hector calls her names - "weak," and a "slut." He also reveals that the game is not about skill but willpower and endurance - it lasts until one of the contestants willingly retreats.

When approached by Celia on the train, Tsukiko reveals that she is a previous winner of the same sort of challenge Celia and Marco are involved in. She then asks Celia if she loves Marco, and offers advice about not getting romantically involved with your opponent, stating that love is fickle. Celia adamantly disagrees.

While sitting in the field where the circus was, Bailey laments the fact that the train has already left. However, he meets a group of reveurs. They discuss Herr and his contributions to the circus, and decide to follow it to New York.

Marco sits in one one of Celia's shows and we learn that she has been avoiding him, probably due to Tsukiko's advice. She tells him she has been attempting to learn how to make the circus run without her, as she believes in the happiness and magic it bestows on others. She also tells Marco that she plans to let him win, and he protests.

In "Visitations," Hector visits Celia and chastises her for attempting to learn Marco's old magic from his book which she stole. The man in the grey suit visits Marco, and Marco is uncharacteristically emotional towards him, asking "Why would you do this to me?" The man in the grey suit reveals his good intentions by responding, "I thought it preferable to the life you might have had otherwise." After Marco locks him out, he lifts his hand to knock but instead leaves.

The final chapter of this section involves Poppet and Widget frantically informing Celia of a vision -- a bonfire, and a sense that the circus is in danger.

How do you think Celia and Marco will resolve their predicament?

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@SocialMia:

@ SocialMia : I love my Kindle, but it is nice to hold an actual BOOK again. The Night Circus is amazing #hpbookclub @HuffPostBooks http://t.co/fncPZV74

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More "Circus" Art

Source: polyvore.com via Laura on Pinterest

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'The Night Circus' by deviantART's Viveie

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"Tete-a-Tete" through "Stormy Seas"

Hi, y'all. Zoë here. This is my second time around reading "The Night Circus." I enjoyed the book so much that I interviewed Erin Morgenstern after reading it last year…I also finished this book in about two days (I don't know how anyone couldn't. I just HAD to keep reading until I finished it!)

The second time around, I'm also very much enjoying it. I think it is such a fun, intriguing book.

Today, I'll be discussing pages 206-266, or "Tete-a-Tete" through "Stormy Seas"

At yet another Midnight Dinner, Marco stops Celia before she can leave and asks her to stay for another drink. They talk about their craft. Celia refers to it as "manipulation."

They are very honest with each other, revealing both of their traumatic pasts (Marco's growing up in an orphanage, Celia's mother's suicide).

She realizes that he is creating an illusion to make himself more handsome, and she asks him to remove it. It feels as though a barrier has been lifted between them.

And, man, at that point, does the sexual tension rise. The room is THICK with it.

He gives her a tour of the house and they discuss when they knew that the other was their opponent.

They come back to their craft, and Celia shows that she can heal her own injuries by stabbing herself in the hand and then mending it.

They realize that the battle is essentially two schools of thought against each other: education vs. experience (or book smarts vs. street smarts)

They discuss some of their trade secrets (how Marco keeps the circus employees rom aging, how Celia moves the circus from place to place).

At this point, Marco touches Celia to help her up, and the sexual tension is so strong that it affects the room around them: "The reaction in the air is immediate. A sudden change ripped through the room, crisp and bright. The chandelier begins to shake."

The readers are stopped by an intermission, during which we learn about a new attraction: the lovers. Two still figures that stand entwined, but not touching.

Clearly, this is an allusion to the episode that Celia and Marco had after the Midnight Dinner. There is an obvious connection between the two of them, but they are terrified of pursuing it, as they are competitors.

There is a party for the 10th anniversary of the circus. The tension between Marco and Celia continues, to the point where the reader is thinking: PLEASE! JUST KISS ALREADY!

But right when it seems that they may be about to, Alexander butts in, and chides Marco for this inappropriate behavior. Marco admits to Alexander that he is in love with Celia. Alexander alludes to the fact that one of them must die at the end, but Marco doesn't quite seem to get it. Nonetheless, Marco is infuriated, leaves his instructor, finds Celia and kisses her (FINALLY!)

Alexander leaves the party, and Poppet and Widget realize that he has no shadow.

Readers, what do you think this means?

The story comes back to Bailey. He explores a new tent called "Bedtime Stories." He plays Hide-and-Go-Seek in the Ice Garden with Poppet and Widget.

Chandresh sneaks into Marco's office and goes through his papers on the circus. He pries open the only desk drawer with a lock and finds only a book. Inside the book are the signatures of each and every person who works at the circus. Marco walks in on him. Chandresh attempts to fire Marco for the deceit, but Marco causes Chandresh to forget that the event ever happened. Marco clears out his office, taking everything with him. At the end of the encounter, Chandresh notes to himself that Marco, too, has no shadow.

Lainie Burgess visits Mr. Barris, looking for answers after her sister's death. It is revealed that he is in love with her and had asked her to marry him. Lainie is not convinced, thinking that Barris could never decide between her and her sister. She begs him to tell her exactly what is going on with the circus. He refuses. Lainie backs off, and then meets Celia for tea. Celia is more straightforward with her and explains what is going on, though she keeps the details vague. Lainie leaves, a bit coldly.

The story jumps back to the circus. Marco watches Celia's show, and afterwards he shows her a new illusion he created. He asks what really happened to her father. Though she has never told anyone, she opens up to Marco. She explains that her father had wanted to disappear from the physical world, but had failed to pull this off completely, and now had trouble fully coming back.

Marco asks Celia if this illusion could actually be pulled off, done correctly, and Celia admits that she believes it could, but there would need to be a touchstone, a physical element, for the person to hold on to in order to come back (REMEMBER THIS, DEAR READERS. IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT LATER IN THE BOOK).

Marco tries to kiss Celia again, and she turns her head away. She says that she doesn't want to complicate matters any more than they already are. He asks her to run away with him, but she says it is impossible. She urges him to think about running away, and when he does, the scar on his finger (from the ring) burns uncontrollably until all he can think about is the pain. She admits that she had thought of asking him to run away with her, and that this same thing had happened.

They talk until dawn, and then Marco gives her a business card with his new address, should she "ever be in the mood for distraction."

So, y'all…WOOH. This sexual tension is so high. Will something actually ever happen between Celia and Marco? What would be the repercussions of that?

Do you think one of them will actually win? Is it fair that all these other people got dragged into this circus business just so these two could have a battle?

Do you even LIKE what is going on between Celia and Marco? Did you see it coming?

Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments!

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My favorite pieces of writing in 'The Night Circus'

So let's see if this works. As part of our continual evolution of the Book Club, I've decided to make public my highlights and notes as I read 'The Night Circus' as an ebook. The ones I'm selecting are those that I think are particularly well written.

You can follow along via Findings.

What are your favorite passages so far?

-- Andrew Losowsky, Books Editor

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Night Circus Art

Source: Uploaded by user via Adrea on Pinterest

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p140-205 Rêveurs to Ailuromancy

First of all, I'd like to express disappointment in my colleagues for getting their French accents right during these discussions. They're just not trying.

OK, that's all I can say spoiler free, so the rest will take place below the jump.

-- Andrew, HuffPost Books Editor

Goodness, what an eventful section I've been allocated.

We have, among other events taking place in a mere 65 pages:

• The introduction of the Rêveurs, aka fanboys and girls of The Night Circus, and a hint that they may become an unwitting part of the game as it plays out. Perhaps somehow in a thematically similar way to the amazing ending of V for Vendetta? (YouTube link, spoiler filled for that movie)

• Mr Barris admits that he knows both about the game and the existence of magic, and that he is willing to work for both sides.

• A tent is created in which the two magicians compete directly, side by side (to the disapproval of the ghostly Hector.) Though disappointingly little seems to come of it.

• Tara seeks out Mr A. H______ and the truth about the circus. And is hit by a train. We also have Tara's rather short funeral in this section.

• Celia has her tarot cards read by Isobel, and realizes something is amiss.

• Celia discovers the identity of her opponent! Finally! And then, frustratingly, the story moving away from them both for a long time. Question: if the text keeps telling us how curious she was about who her opponent was, why wouldn't she test / spy on each person in the circus until she found out? Seems like a weak link to me.

• Bailey's future seems to be intertwined somehow with that of Poppet, in a way that makes Isobel sad. But by the end of the section, he seems to be enjoying himself.

Phew. I need a lle down.

But not before I say a few other things that caught my eye in this section (and I should also point out that I haven't read this book before, so I have no idea if I'm right or not about any of this):

Poppet and Widget seem to be prefiguring the battle itself through their stories.

First, Widget says

"Magic is secret and secrets are magic, after all, and years upon yearse of teaching and sharing magic and worse. Writing it down in fancy books that get all dusty with age has lessened it, removed its power bit by bit."

Marco has learned only through books. So, aha! He will be defeated. That suits me, he's a bit of a shifty kid anyway.

Yet Widget follows that by talking about a wizard who gave his secrets to a girl who

"Was careless in keeping her new magic secret .She flaunted it, and generally did not take very good care of it. Its power faded eventually, and so did she."

So will that be Celia's downfall? Will both of their power disappear?

And what's with the white candle flames, white like the cauldron, a flame that began with Marco throwing a book into it? How will that come into play later?

---

Elsewhere, Mr A. H_____ seems to have Jedi-like powers over Tara ("These are not the questions you are looking for") - and did he also make her step in front of a train for asking too many questions?

As Tsukiko says at her funeral, "We are fish in a bowl... if one of us floats to the top it was not accidental."

This is clearly a comment about the magic that surrounds the circus - but is it also perhaps about the author of the book herself? It seems unlikely we'll get a French Lieutenant's Woman-style authorial intrusion. But I wouldn't rule anything out.

And when Tsukiko says "It will come apart... the cracks are beginning to show" - we instantly realize that the circus will close for good by the end of this book. That there is no other ending that would make sense now, as disappointing as that is.

And there's something very strange about the Snow Queen. She will figure later, I'm sure.

So, some key questions I'm left with at this point:

• How will Celia react now she knows of her opponent?

• What will happen when they inevitably realize they have feelings for each other? (Oh come on, it's obvious)

• Why aren't there any non-hetero-normative characters in a self-designed society of outcasts and geniuses (though Chandresh made a comment once that suggested he might be one, though it was hardly dwelt upon)?

• How do I become a Rêveur (and not just a reviewer)? • What ARE the rules to the contest??

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If You Had Your Own 'Night Circus' Tent...

What would it be?