Reviews

Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

aurora69006's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

natcat's review

adventurous reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

The first half of this book was honestly really slow, with our two main characters doing nothing but be passive and react to the actions of others, but once the plot really kicked off about halfway through and Deven and Lune realised they were involved in the same plot and had to do something about it, I became really invested! I thought the worldbuilding really picked up then too, with the reveals about the Onyx Court being very effective. The tone felt quite detached to me, but I still ended up invested in Deven and Lune and their actions and their relationship, so a job well done! I'm intrigued to read the next book in the series.

sophie_ginny's review against another edition

Just stopped for no reason, will come back

annasirius's review against another edition

3.0

I very much enjoyed A Natural History of Dragons and spontaneously picked up this book recognising the author's name. I cannot say that her writing style vastly differs in the two novels, but I find it much less suiting here. In NHoD, I noticed that I was not feeling a particularly close connection with any of the characters - I thought this rather suited the theme of British society with its many rules that are more important than personal freedom or affection. With a strong female character driving a plot that I - as scientist - could very much relate to, this distance did not bother me. However, in Midnight Never Come there is no clear plot, no clear goal discernible. The book revolves around the two main characters, a man from the worldly court and a woman from the faerie court, their personal aspirations of power, and their relationship. What Brennan fails to establish in my perception is any reasons why I should care about either of them. Or why they should care about one another. They are literally not given any character traits beyond a strive for bettering themselves in society. That's a rather pale portrayal and one that did not convince me to finish the book.

anzunagi's review against another edition

3.0

Definitely closer to 3.5 for me

I liked this a lot more tan I was expecting! The characters really grew on me and the attention to detail on the time period (though I am no scholar for this era) was great. I may check out the others in the future.

ergative's review

3.25

 Hmm. I wanted to like this more than I did. I love Marie Brennan's other work, but this felt a bit slow and I couldn't connect with the characters. In part I think it was the heavy reliance on historical figures. There are so many names associated with Elizabeth I's court, and Brennan invoked them in such profusion that I had difficulty keeping track of who was who, or how their various concerns and motivations connected to the main plot (because, of course, to the extent that their concerns and motivations were historically accurate, they weren't). Invidiana's court was easier to follow, because it was invented, and so the various people and their relationships and tensions could all be neatly constructed. I think that's one of the challenges of setting a book in a historical period and incorporating actual people and events: you have more work to do to make your plot and cast hang together. And this couldn't quite do that in a way that held my attention. 

I might read more in the series, because my disappointment with this book is not enough to overcome my admiration for Marie Brennan, and I've seen with RJ Barker and Naomi Novik and Charles Stross how an author whose earlier books don't quite hit the mark can develop. Maybe her later books will be better. She's earned that chance from me. 

stuffandwhatnot's review against another edition

3.0

A lovely tale of Elizabethan intrigue and a corrupted faerie court.

cmbohn's review against another edition

2.0

DNF this one at about pg 88. I didn't hate it, it just got to where there were too many characters, too many names, and I wasn't interested in them. It was a very cool premise though.

avaleeplusthree's review against another edition

4.0

Slow beginning but I ended up dealing liking it.

cael_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0