Reviews

At Midnight by Dahlia Adler

d2390's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

shelleyanderson4127's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

 

The 15 reimagined fairy tales of this anthology are creative, excellent and very enjoyable. Many of them, but not all, are queer riffs on stories from the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault. H.E. Edgmon's 'Mother's Mirror' pits a trans child against their narcissistic mother, in a wonderful twist on Snow White. Darcie Little Badger bases her 'Coyote in High-Top Sneakers', in which the trickster Coyote and a resourceful brown boy save their neighborhood from gentrification, on Puss in Boots. In Malinda Lo's 'A Flame So Bright' (based on the Grimm's witch tale, Frau Trude), a repressed Puritan girl falls in love with a mysterious widow.

Like many fairy tales before Disney, some of these stories lean into the dark. Rebecca Podos's 'A Story About a Girl', inspired by the Robber Bridegroom, uses East European shtetl life and Jewish folklore to send shivers down your back. And I defy anyone not to be chilled by Roselle Lim's riff on Hansel and Gretel, wherein two abandoned siblings get their own back.

There are spins on all the classics, from a wise cracking Cinderella to an Indian version of Fitcher's Bird, from the Little Mermaid to Rumpelstiltskin. This is a fun, high energy collection of short stories which portray a loving, modern homage to fairy tales. All with the added bonus of the original tales at the end of the book. If you like retellings of fairy tales, you will love this book.

 

jewelqueenwriter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

delibell's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

0.25

hannahrox23's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

callidoralblack's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

vvv3210's review

I found it boring

alle_kat97's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

utopiastateofmind's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) 

Okay so At Midnight has some of my all time favorite authors. And now combine that with fairy tales, because who doesn't love fairy tales? At Midnight is a lyrical retelling anthology which welcomes new voices and different perspectives. 

its_literature's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

honestly really enjoyed most of these, they’re a good length and were pretty captivating, loved to see so much queer representation!!