book reviewThe Midnight Lie by Marie Rutoski is about a young girl named Nirrim who lives in the ever grey Ward, content with a life without pleasures (like color or sweets) until Sid, the strange traveler starts whispering about magic in one of the upper sections of the kingdom. Nirrim has to choose if she wants to risk everything she knows to trust this stranger and learn more about her country with no history. Holy crap. I haven’t fallen in love with a book like this in suuuuccchhhh a long time. Once I picked this book up, I didn’t want to put it down. I devoured this book. And I never would have picked this book up if I didn’t get in a care package from my favorite local bookstore Changing Hands Bookstore. I bought a quarantine care package and choose to let them pick the book, said I’d be interested in anything including YA and maybe something with feminist vibes… I was not expecting to be blown away! Like… almost speechless at how much I love it. Can I admit something to you? I did not think I’d like this book. Wasn’t a huge fan of the cover. I grew up during the Hunger Games era, so I have read a lot of dystopian society novels. I just.. I felt like it was going to be a meh, 3 star book. But from the beginning I loved every aspect of this story. I enjoyed the caste system, the commentary on different social classes, the romance (which is HUGE for me to like), the ending didn’t necessarily set up a sequel—all positive things. Nirrim is a great main character. She definitely has some abandonment issues or trauma bonding which adds some complexity to her character. I really enjoyed watching her interactions be affected by this because as someone who has been in some manipulative relationships, I really related to Nirrim’s thought process, and watching her work through her thoughts throughout the novel was rewarding for me. Sid, our mysterious traveler makes my heart so happy. Sid’s snarky, smart, feminist to her core. She challenges everything around her and is a perfect partner for Nirrim in this story. The romance aspect of this novel was definitely a slow burn. What I’ve learned is I need a slow burn relationship to enjoy the romance. Relationships that spark right away or pop up randomly just cause me to roll my eyes at the naivety of the characters and their Shakesperean infatuation (I was not a Romeo/Juliet fan). But Rutkoski really did a great job, and it was a great LGBTQ romance in my hetero opinion. It was interesting to read Nirrim come to terms with her attraction to Sid when her caste isn’t allowed to like someone of the same sex. In my research of reviews online, I didn’t see anything negative about the romance from someone in the LGTBQ community (or at all), but if there are some issues with it, please let me know in the comments so I can learn more! This book didn’t have much action, most of it was a slow pace but not in a way that I found distracting. The ending didn’t set up for a sequel and I love that. I have a huge pet peeve when books feel like they are set up to support a sequel. You know what I’m talking about? Like if the sequel doesn’t come out for some reason you’re left feeling like the first was a waste of time because there aren’t any resolutions found in the first book. And while this book definitely leaves me ready for a sequel, and I can tell there will be, I was also satisfied when I finished reading. Anymore I feel like this doesn’t happen in series so I definitely have to give a book props when it does. My one issue is that there were a couple predictable “twists” that happened. It fit in with the YA genre, so I’m not so upset that I’m taking away a lot of points for the book. Honestly, I was okay with the twists cause what do they mean for the sequel?!?! I need to know. I have an obsession. I had an issue with the world building at first; it felt lacking. But one of the points of the novel was trying to find out the history of the country, so I quickly changed camps and love how she presented the information to give readers enough knowledge to confidently move around the world while knowing as little as they do. I feel like that could have easily been done incorrectly and Rutkoski did an amazing job. The other major issue other people had with the book is that because it’s apart of an already established world!! (one moment while I go request all of those books from my library) some readers felt it was repetitive. So if you have read the Winner’s trilogy, keep in mind that it could feel repetitive at times. Since I was unaware of it’s position in an already established book world, I didn’t have any of these issues, loved the book entirely. Though I do feel like I’m going to have another Six of Crows situations on my hand. I read the spin off series first, loved it, going to find the original disappointing in comparison… but still going to read the whole Trilogy just for more Rutkoski since I now love her. Overall, this is an amazing book. As soon I finished I messaged all my bookish friends and told them to find a copy ASAP. This book gets 🧳4.5/5 passports for its world building, addictive characters, and slow burn romance. I’m beyond excited to read any future novels and the Winner’s trilogy. If you’re looking for a YA LGBTQ romance novel with feminist vibes, look no futher. If you’re looking for a good dystopian novel, look no further. This is the book for you! Feminist AnalysisFeminist novels will always make my heart happy. Young adult feminist novels? They have a special place. Because… literature shapes reality! So having feminist ideas presented when you are younger? Helping shaping your mindset on the world? Yes! 10000% yes. Going to support every day.
I have to start with Sid because god damn, this girl is challenging gender norms left and right! (Check out my summary on gender performative theory for more info on gender norms) She dresses however she wants. High kith girls are supposed to wear fancy dresses with beautiful colors and lace? Sure when she wants. But she wants to wear pants with a Middling man’s jacket? She’s gonna do it! She’ll curse when she wants, curtsey when she feels like it, and owns who she is at all times. She challenges Nirrim to see the world in a bigger light. Sid talks about women being viewed as a prize to be won, as property, and how wrong it is. She flaunts her sexuality and talks of her “conquests” (breaking more gender norms by talking about sex the way one would expect a dude to, with disregard, casually). I love her. I could quote pages on things she says and does that I love. Nirrim I love for her growth. She starts the book by doing what is expected of her, by those around her, by her standing of a half-kith girl. While she has moments of breaking the norm—not wanting to get married, or have children—she originally gives in to others ideas on it quickly. At the end of the novel, she starts standing firm in her wants. And I loved watching her change her thinking, it gives me hope some young girl reading this will be like Nirrim as she reads. Because I think it’s important to note: while I focused a lot on breaking gender norms and how that is good, there is some debate on how to correctly break gender norms. Some would argue that Sid acting “like a guy” about sex is not truly feminist because fitting into a patriarchal idea on a gender isn’t truly liberating. Others say while it’s a good first step, it’s still a first step. These are things that are important to know, think about, discuss, because it’s how we keep moving forward. Remember, some go as far to argue we will never have a true feminist writing until we create our own language outside of the patriarch… which can’t happen by someone raised in a patriarchal language.. meaning basically never. So, I celebrate these first steps. These breakings, these challenges, because a step forward is better than none.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Hello, love! Please, don't mind the cat hair. I'm a lover of all genres (except romance, ironic, I know), and potentially --accidentally-- obsessed with feminist literary theory. Feel free to scroll around, hopefully see a few cats, and find a good new book or two!
ArchivesCategories
All
|