Waiting on Wednesday: THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern

The book that I'm featuring today, THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern, was all the rage at this year's London Book Fair and that's where I learnt about it. It was impossible to miss since it was hugely promoted - the cover was mounted up on the stand, there was a table covered in black & white promo leaflets (gorgeous, I have one in front of me right now, maybe I'll scan it if anyone's interested) and the publisher even enlisted circus performers to promote the book (quite fitting, isn't it?). You can see a picture of them here or watch a clip here. I only saw the Tall Woman, who was walking around and handing out these leaflets, but sadly I didn't take a picture or film a quick video since I was in a hurry.

Here's what the book is about:

In 1886 a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, the Cirque des Rêves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire. There are contortionists, performing cats, carousels and illusionists – all the trappings of an ordinary circus. But this is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice. The circus seems almost to cast a spell over its aficionados, who call themselves the rêveurs – the dreamers. And who is the sinister man in the grey suit who watches over it all? Behind the scenes a dangerous game is being played out by two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who, at the behest of their masters, are forced to test the very limits of the imagination – and of love.

A feast for the senses, a fin-de-siècle fantasia of magic and mischief, and the most original love story since The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Night Circus is an extraordinary blend of fantasy and reality. It will dazzle readers young and old with its virtuoso performance, and who knows, they might not want to leave the world it creates.

The leaflet thingy says this is "the most magical novel you'll read this year" and the book is "set to be the publishing sensation of 2011". I can't wait to see if it lives up to all this massive hype!

The first thing that really caught my eye was the stunning UK cover that was posted above the Random House stand. I also found the US cover so you can compare them below. Sorry about the low quality of the UK cover - that's literally a bit of a pic I took of the stand and I couldn't find a HQ UK cover anywhere online.

Which one do YOU prefer?

Personally, I quite like the US one, but on the other hand, I'm head over heels in love with the UK one - isn't it stunning?! I love love love it and the cover alone would make me buy this book, regardless of the summary.

The book comes out in September - 13th in the US and 15th in the UK! Can't wait!

Lastly, here's the trailer for the book!