Early Review – The Midnight Lie (The Midnight Lie, Book 1) by Marie Rutkoski (4.5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN-13: 978-0374306380
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Midnight Lie series
Source: eGalley from NetGalley.com
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
“Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.
Nirrim keeps her head down, and a dangerous secret close to her chest.
But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away, who whispers rumors that the High Kith possess magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Midnight Lie series. I got an eGalley to review through NetGalley.
Story (4/5): I ended up enjoying this quite a bit. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, but still ended up being very good. I was hoping for a bit faster pace and more adventure; what I got was a beautifully done mystery about the source of an island’s magic. There were some twists at the end that took me entirely by surprise without feeling contrived, so that was a special treat.
Characters (4/5): I really enjoyed watching Nirrim and Syd explore the amazing magical city and unravel the horrifying truths behind the magic there. Nirrin and Syd have great chemistry together and watching how they both grew in each other’s company was fantastic. These two characters are really well developed but other side characters are definitely lacking in depth.
Setting (5/5): I loved this fantasy setting on this mysterious magical island. Although the world-building is mostly narrowed to this small island, there are hints about the great world and I look forward to reading more about this world in later books.
Writing Style (5/5): The writing and description in here was truly mesmerizing, the settings really come alive. This was a very engaging read and flowed really well, it was a joy to read.
Summary (4.5/5): Overall, aside from the pace lagging at points, I really loved this. I enjoyed the characters, the interesting magical island, and the fascinating mystery. I plan on continuing the series and would recommend to those who enjoy reading about magic and fantasy.
