Rating: 
Summary: Great book! Don't let them dissuade you from reading it.
Review: The negative comments on this forum kept me from reading this book, althought I had bought it last summer. However, curiosity prevailed and I got to listen to the book on tape during a long drive. I LOVED it! The moment I arrived at my destination I went to the hotel store and picked up another copy of the book. What a wonderful treat! I am sorry I heeded those negative reviews that kept me from reading one of the most enlighted books. How could a book from the author-ess of EIGHT be anything but great? Not possible!
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Summary: Seeing things in a new light
Review: I am a mother, wife and graduate student, three reasons why it took me a long time to finish this book!...I am seeking the truth in all things...I note that the stars may have influence on us - but I want to understand how and why this can be... not simply accept everything handed me with blind faith. (This means I'm a bit too skeptical to fit in with the New-Agers, Occultists or otherwise religious, while being too believing to fit in with the Atheist group!) This is why I find Magic Circle so intriguing. It pushes me to see certain things in a new light...to wonder about power points, stars, historical figures, events, gods/goddesses, and all these things might fit together in some giant puzzle of all that is. But sometimes I think people take such things too seriously and are a bit too gullible. It is all just fiction...right?
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Summary: Great historical insights!
Review: I just want to say that this new book, the magic circle is fascinating although it is is a challenge for me to fully understand. It is very well written and full of historical insights which adds much character.
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Summary: I re-read The Magic Circle and enjoyed it even more!!
Review: If one is interested in history, cycles of nature, heterogenity and finding out all about the world's myths and legends than The Magic Circle will take you on a ride you will never forget. This novel is not just a meal - it is a full course dinner with brandy in the library after. The characters comprise a salon of original, diverse and stimulating people. I now feel as though I know them even better. I hope Neville will grace us with more about Ariel and herglobal family in future novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Reading for pleasure
Review: For me, reading is for pleasure and I had a very enjoyable seven hours reading this book. While it was not up to the standard of "The Eight" (a book I found to be an exceptional read), I enjoyed every minute of this book. Having a fairly good knowledge of ancient history I was interested to see how Katherine Neville linked the past with the present day (late 80s). I will certainly be on the look out for her next book. If you read these reviews, Miss Neville - thank you!
Rating: 
Summary: Don't listen to the tape!
Review: In the abridged tape version, this was a silly story. Silly stories are fine, but the ending to this one was too irritating and any redeeming value was obviously edited out. It started out okay, but got sillier and sillier and the ending was super silly. I doubt if I ever read anything else by this author.
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Summary: Oh My Prophet Moroni!
Review: As an avid reader, I was overjoyed to find a book I couldn't skim through in three hours and then forget. Finally! A book that made me stop, think, and have to engage my brain. I'm still not sure I've got all the geneology clear, but no matter. This first exposure to Ms. Neville's work has left an indelible impression and I look forward to discovering the rest of her characters.Personally, as a "Maxfield" (and a Mormon) I was delighted to find a name sake. But, oh my prophet Moroni, am I glad I didn't read some of these reviews before I picked up the book!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing.
Review: It could have been great. What happened Katherine? It is sad that the highlight of the novel was Jersey's fall into the grave. "I was startled by those damned guns going off in my ear." Would that everyone else had done likewise.
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Summary: An outstanding person or product tends to polarize opinion.
Review: The Magic Circle is an outstanding novel. I mean outstanding literally: It stands out from the mundane. Some years ago, a study at Harvard showed that as people or their actions become more and more outstanding, evaluations tend to become more and more polarized. Mediocre accomplishments receive midscale ratings; those at the pinacle attract progressively more widely separate views. The main contemporary characters in The Magic Circle can become a reader's friends; the main historical characters ask us to sympathize with their problems or shock us with cruelty. The plot and subplots move along at such a rapid pace that re-reading uncovers added richness. These valuation are shared by many of the reviewers. But there is another contingent that finds The Magic Circle "boring." The term immediately suggests the mundane, "I've read it all before," or just poor workmanship that puts one to sleep. But there is another cause for boredom. Yawning ordinarily indicates sleepiness and thus boredom in the usual sense. In non-human primates, however, yawning occurs when the animal is threatened. The yawning response is an attenuated "baring of teeth" -- an indication of a potential for counterattack -- which, because of the strength of the threat, is being suppressed. I've seen this response in humans at lectures repeatedly: "I'm bored with this" often means that I'm threatened by the difficulties of the presentation, or actually by its content which challenges very basic belief systems. The Magic Circle describes Jesus as a zealot, sometimes somewhat in a trance state. Caligula, the self-declared "god," is a childish human. Hitler, the devil of our century, comes off as severely misguided but human. Our own sanctity and immunity from engaging in atrocities is challenged by Zoe. Boring? Damn right. It's all superficial and certainly not true of me or my cherished black versus white values. The Magic Circle is outstanding as indicated by the polarization of opinion. I've suggested one possible reason for the highly polarized negative opinions that are at such variance with those that indicated thorough enjoyment of the book
Rating:
Summary: Quite a below-average entertainment
Review: This book was quite below average for entertainment. I don't think even properly prepared readers will find things to appreciate and treasure in the novel. The writing isn't particularly noteworth, and the plot and storyline are absolutely ridiculous and unbelieveable. The characters aren't very interesting either, and the complicated, incestuous web that's woven and thrown out to the readers is detrimental to the entire story. Romantic moments are purely juvenile and read like some teenage romance. What a waste.
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