Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus is celebrated for its imaginative narrative, rich character development, and feminist themes. Critics admire Carter's witty and evocative prose. However, some find the plot meandering and overly fantastical. Overall, it’s praised for its originality and depth, appealing to readers interested in subversive storytelling.

Fans of magical realism, Victorian settings, and feminist themes will relish Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter. Readers of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children will find Carter's imaginative narrative and richly layered characters equally captivating.

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter follows journalist Jack Walser as he investigates Sophie Fevvers, a woman with swan's wings who performs as an aerialist at Colonel Kearney’s circus, by joining the circus undercover. The story unfolds in 1899, revealing Fevvers’s extraordinary past and the circus’s journey across Russia, culminating in a series of supernatural and transformative events. The novel contains depictions of violence and exploitation.

Angela Carter

Adult

Novel

Fiction

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Study Guide

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Overview

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Nights at the Circus Summary and Study Guide

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “London”

Part 1, Chapters 1-5

Nights at the Circus Part 1, Chapters 1-5 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “St. Petersburg”

Part 2, Chapters 1-6

Nights at the Circus Part 2, Chapters 1-6 Summary & Analysis

Part 2, Chapters 7-11

Nights at the Circus Part 2, Chapters 7-11 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Siberia”

Part 3, Chapters 1-5

Nights at the Circus Part 3, Chapters 1-5 Summary & Analysis

Part 3, Chapter 6-Envoi

Nights at the Circus Part 3, Chapter 6-Envoi Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Nights at the Circus Character Analysis

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Themes

Nights at the Circus Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Nights at the Circus Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

Nights at the Circus Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

Nights at the Circus Essay Topics

Nights at the Circus

Before You Read

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