Nights at the CircusNights at the Circus
Score Classic
What it's about
American journalist Jack Walser joins an enchanted circus of literate chimpanzees, tragic clowns, idealist bandits and a Siberian shaman. Its star is a six-foot-two aerialist who is part swan and part woman.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a wild, inventive novel by Angela Carter.
You'll love it if you liked
Wise Children
The Passion
The Master and MargaritaGood to know
Expect magic and plenty of humor.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #325 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #670 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2122 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Godfather
The Hobbit
The Pillars of the Earth
FoundationExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Nights at the Circus worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,122 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Nights at the Circus about?
American journalist Jack Walser joins an enchanted circus of literate chimpanzees, tragic clowns, idealist bandits and a Siberian shaman. Its star is a six-foot-two aerialist who is part swan and part woman.
What should I read after Nights at the Circus?
If you liked it, try Wise Children by Angela Carter, The Passion by Jeanette Winterson or The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.