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Title: Midnight in Everwood
Author: M. A. Kuzniar
Pages: 339
Publisher: HQ
Release Date: 28th October 2021
Blurb from Goodreads:
There’s nothing Marietta Stelle loves
more than ballet, but after Christmas, her dreams will be over as she is
obligated to take her place in Edwardian society. While she is chafing against
such suffocating traditions, a mysterious man purchases the neighbouring
townhouse. Dr Drosselmeier is a charming but calculating figure who wins over
the rest of the Stelle family with his enchanting toys and wondrous mechanisms.
When Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for
Marietta’s final ballet performance, she discovers it carries a magic all of
its own. On the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, she is transported to a
snowy forest, where she encounters danger at every turn: ice giants, shadow
goblins and the shrieking mist all lurk amidst the firs and frozen waterfalls
and ice cliffs. After being rescued by the butterscotch-eyed captain of the
king’s guard, she is escorted to the frozen sugar palace. At once, Marietta is
enchanted by this glittering world of glamorous gowns, gingerbread houses,
miniature reindeer and the most delicious confectionary.
But all is not as it seems and Marietta is soon trapped in the sumptuous palace by the sadistic King Gelum, who claims her as his own. She is confined to a gilded prison with his other pets; Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance with the two women to carve a way free from this sugar-coated but treacherous world and back home to follow her dreams. Yet in a hedonistic world brimming with rebellion and a forbidden romance that risks everything, such a path will never be easy.
My Review:
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to HQ and NetGalley*
Note - I read the audiobook but was given an eARC of the novel.
Marietta Stelle loves her ballet lessons and dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. However, after Christmas Marietta's parents expect her to quit ballet and marry well.
When the Stelles meet their new mysterious neighbour Doctor Drosselmeier, they are all charmed by his exceptional toys.
On Christmas Day, Marietta is due to dance in her final ballet performance on an elaborate stage created by Drosselmeier. But, when the clock strikes midnight while Marietta is practicing, she is transported to a far away land.
This new land has a frozen sugar palace, magical sweet treats and gingerbread houses. However, this new world is more dangerous than it appears and Marietta finds herself in the clutches of the devious King Gelum. The king keeps Marietta locked away with other women he has collected - Dellara and Pirlipata.
Marietta must work together with her fellow captives in order to escape King Gelum and find a way home.
The cover and blurb for this book both intrigued me, especially as I think it's a Nutcracker retelling, which I don't know much about.
Marietta was a likeable and relatable protagonist. Living in Edwardian England, she was expected to conform to certain rules, and she didn't want to marry as her parents were determined for her to. While I did feel for Marietta, I didn't feel that I really connected with her or any of the other characters.
The settings of both Edwardian England and the sugar world that Marietta was transported to were interesting.
The plot was enjoyable overall, but it didn't grip me and I didn't feel invested. If I hadn't been listening to the audiobook, and had been reading a physical copy instead, I'm not sure I would have finished the book as I did get a little bored.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.
Overall, this was a mixed read.
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