Sunday, March 15, 2015

The Night Circus- Part One (Primordium): Chapter Eleven (The Contortionist's Tattoo) - She's Actually Important...Just Not For a While

This chapter begins with the creation of another set of ridiculously lavish dinners for the creators of the Night Circ- I mean Le Cirque des Reves.

These circus dinners bring together the whole gang, except for the fact that Mr. Barris is there occasionally, and Mr. A. H- rarely.

For the Circus Dinner this chapter focuses on, only Chandresh, Mme. Padva, and the Burgesses are present, as Mr. Barris is working on finding a clockmaker, who turns out to be more important to the circus than most of the Circus Dinner guests.
Their unplanned entertainment arrives in the form of Tsukiko, a contortionist. Chandresh invites her to eat, because she wasn't scheduled to twist herself into pretzels for their enjoyment this evening.

Marco, who for some reason is still satisfied with tending to Chandresh's frivolities, upon removing her coat, is transfixed by the symbolic swirls of the massive tattoo covering her shoulders, chest, and upper back.
In response to his borderline creepy staring, Tsukiko simply says "It is part of who I was, who I am, and who I will be."

The guests whisper to each other as she performs, because Tsukiko is pretty damn good. Chandresh, realizing this, exclaims, "We simply have to have her, I will not accept anything less." Marco quickly arranges her a seat. 

Apparently Tsukiko doesn't initially want to join the circus, because Morgenstern writes that she only agrees "after five courses and a great deal of wine," and this chapter ends with Tsukiko becoming a permanent performer at the Circus Dinners.
Note: she leaves contact information with Marco. I choose to see this as premonition. Sneaky, Morgenstern, sneaky, unless of course it was unintentional and I'm just fishing for spoilers I can add to entertain myself.
But shhh, I know what I'm talking about, I already read the book.

Chapter Twelve should be out by next Sunday. Enjoy these frequent reviews, earthlings, it is likely they are about to end.

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