Point of View

The Night Circus is recounted from the point of view of an omniscient, third-person narrator, which means that the narrator has access to the thoughts and emotions of all the novel's characters. The narrator is all knowing and can be in many places at once. For example, on the night of the circus' opening, the narrator retells the events from multiple character's perspectives, giving the reader a well-rounded representation of circus life, and the events of important events such as the lighting of the bonfire and the accidental murder of Herr Thiessen. It is interesting to note that the narrator knows more about certain characters, such as Mr. AH, than the other characters do. The reader is privy to Mr. AH's uncertainty about the competition and his treatment of Marco, even when Marco, Mr. AH's closest ally, remains ignorant. This knowledge gives the reader a...