Review: Midnight in Everwood

Title: Midnight in Everwood

Author: M.A. Kuzniar

Publisher: 27th October 2021 by HQ Fiction - HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 339 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: magical realism, fantasy, retelling 

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

In the darkness of night, magic awaits…

The Nutcracker for adults, perfect for fans of Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and Stephanie Garber’s Caraval

‘It was a rainy day that the magic came, and once magic has entered your life, you stay in its glittering clutch forever’

Nottingham, 1906

Marietta Stelle longs to be a ballerina but as Christmas draws nearer, her dancing days are numbered. At the wishes of her family, she will be obligated to marry and take up her place in society in the New Year. But when a mysterious toymaker, Dr Drosselmeier, purchases a neighbouring townhouse, it heralds the arrival of magic and wonder in her life. Although Drosselmeier’s magic is darker than Marietta could have imagined…

When he constructs an elaborate theatrical set for her final ballet performance, Marietta discovers it carries a magic all of its own. As the clock chimes midnight, Marietta finds herself walking through a land of snow-topped fir trees leading to a frozen sugar palace silent with secrets and must find a way to return home.

In the darkness of night, magic awaits and you will never forget what you find here…

My Thoughts

‘Might I inquire as to where I am?' 'Why, you have discovered the delights of Everwood, of course. A land of ice and sugar, enchanted beyond measure.’

I had high expectations for this book … and I am thrilled to report it was everything I wished for and then some. This is a story that you immerse yourself in, lose yourself in as it is deliciously full of magical descriptions and imagery - literally and figuratively. From sugar coated villages one could only dream of, to aspirations of fulfilling your dreams.

‘She could not sleepwalk through a life of luncheons and dinners and a marriage that would pin her in place, a butterfly with steel pins puncturing its wings, preserved and beautiful in its glass cage though its heart beat no longer. She needed to set herself free.’

Midnight in Everwood follows Marietta with her passion for ballet yet her family will force her to give it up in favour of marriage. That is until something magical and unforeseen happens and she ends up in Everwood. Inspired by ‘The Nutcracker’, this one's for adults who are open to magical realism. Acknowledgements to the original are subtle but recognisable with no prerequisite to be fully au fait with the original. 

‘It’s an empowering act, stepping into your own identity, forging a deeper empathy with yourself.’

M.A. Kuzniar’s writing is sublime. Her creative and imaginative retelling is exquisite. Her prose is extraordinary at times. Her world building everything one could imagine and more with descriptions and imagery sweeping across all your senses.

‘It is beautiful here. I can feel my pulse slowing, my worries waning.'

You will admire the strength of character of Marietta with her determination to stay true to her dreams. I also fully appreciated that the romance was most definitely not the main focus. It is beautiful but Kuzniar stays true to her conviction to allow Marietta to be all she can and achieve her heart's desire. I would even go so far as to say it is, in fact, the female friendships that hold the spotlight being truly heartwarming and inspiring. On the flip side the villain is truly villainous and terribly vindictive - this can be a harsh and cruel world. All up, the cast of characters demonstrate a real depth and are highly engaging for the reader. 

‘Only the most magical things happen at midnight. When mortal folk are dreaming, safe in their beds, it is then that the sprites and goblins creep out and the air crackles with wild magic.’

How to sum this up? This version - an adult Nut Cracker - is exquisite, enthralling and totally worth your while if this is something that appeals to you. I loved this book and highly recommend you take a trip to the magical land of Everwood. 

‘Everwood might be spun from sugar and enchantments but it was rotten to the core.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Ariadne

Title: Ariadne 

Author: Jennifer Saint

Publisher: 29th April 2021 by Hachette Australia 

Pages: 400  pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, Greek mythology, retelling

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS.

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur – Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother – demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods – drawing their attention can cost you everything.

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?

Ariadne gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel.

My Thoughts

‘In those crucial moments when fateful decisions were made, did they feel the air brighten with the zing of destiny? Or did they blunder on, not realising the pivotal moment in which destiny swung and fates were forged?’

Ariadne follows a similar retelling of the Classical Greek myths but with the perspective of the women who were traditionally left in the shadows. So, if you are at all familiar with Greek mythology, some of what you will read will surely be familiar. However, it is enlightening to see events from little known characters, in this instance, Ariadne.

Although the title focuses on Ariadne, the book in fact alternates between Ariadne and her younger sister Phaedra. The author develops the story of these two sisters whilst incorporating the well known myths - a perfect melding on a range of variations but with a female-focused retelling of the Greek myth.

 ‘Where was the bold Ariadne who had stepped aboard Theseus’ boat, her old life in flames behind her and the future unknown?’

Interestingly, it was Phaedra’s story that held just as much appeal for me as Ariadne’s. With the latter located on an island for most of the book, it was her sister Phaedra who interacted more and therefore had a less introspective story to tell. I had read much on Theseus' tale before, so it was Dionysus' tale that was new to me and engaging - a worthy Greek God inclusion.

If you have read and enjoyed the novels Circe or The Silence of the Girls then you are bound to enjoy Ariadne. It is a most engaging read, a sort of female modern insight and perspective into an infamous Greek tale of tragedy. 

‘My family was gone; they would never acknowledge me again. I knew it to be so, but I could not feel it to be true except in these sudden bursts of realisation. The light of that strange, unthinkable truth would dazzle me for a moment and then it would be gone again, a fleeting sense of terrible loss.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.