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“You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Rêves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”
The closing sentences of the novel describe the experience the circusgoer has upon leaving the circus as it closes in the early morning hours. The use of second person point of view occurs in short vignettes throughout the novel. It also bookends the novel, with both the very first pages and the very last chapters being told as though speaking directly to the reader. The use of second person point of view blurs the line between the book itself and the reader, drawing them into the story and into the circus itself. The final use of second person provides closure to that part of the narrative. The quote beautifully exemplifies the lingering, dreamlike quality that Le Cirque des Rêves has on the people who attend it. The circusgoer is fundamentally changed by their experience within the tents and they carry it with them beyond the boundaries of the circus. This final dream-like vignette parallels the readers’ experience as they leave behind the magic and dreams of the novel itself.
