Festive, whimsical and filled with lavish descriptions of delectable confectionery that made me crave sugary goodness like never before, Midnight in Everwood is a delight from start to finish.

This retelling of The Nutcracker has everything it needs to craft a captivating tale of adventure, love, self-discovery and independence. As a disclaimer, I should say: I haven't read the original (yet!), though I intend to remedy that ASAP, but I saw the ballet a few years ago right around Christmas-time and remember walking out absolutely enchanted by it. I was delighted to find the same feeling while reading Midnight in Everwood, which included some of the well-known elements of the tale while including some very original new developments and nuance.

Marietta, the protagonist, was definitely the star and I loved watching her grow through her experiences in Everwood, learning from those she meets there. She is passionate about her dance and willing to fight for what she believes in, and even though at times she appeared somewhat irrational and unnecessarily stubborn, I loved seeing her mature without losing her fire. I particularly appreciated how the romantic element developed and was weaved in delicately, without overpowering the main story and, most importantly, without Marietta changing herself and her dreams for it.

The rest of the cast is beautifully varied and colourful, making it easy to empathise with the more positive ones and fully hate the villains. I was especially fond of the female friendships that developed and how those characters evolved.

The setting deserves a special mention, as thanks to the vivid descriptions it almost takes life, between gorgeous dresses, sumptuous meals and frosty forests. It's also a world where not everything is as it seems, and I loved slowly unpeeling the layers to get to the truth with Marietta. My only issue with this was that at times the descriptions were slightly too rich and detailed, and this sometimes didn't really feel like it fit in with what was happening and slowed the pace. This is entirely personal preference though, and it absolutely didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book overall.

Midnight in Everwood is a gorgeous, masterfully crafted tale giving new life to a Christmas classic, and one that I'll look forward to revisiting in Christmases yet to come. Best enjoyed while sipping hot chocolate underneath a comfy blanket.


I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

Audiobook
Very good, novel take on the Nutcracker story. Appreciated the focus on the woman, but the romance felt a little forced.
Excellent narrator. ( )

Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#FirstLine - Marietta Stelle’s mother always said that nothing good came of a rainy day.

This book was spellbinding. It was enchanting and magical. It was one of those stories that brings out the child inside of us. It sparks memories and imagination. Anyone who loves The Nutcracker will love this. Readers will be enthralled and will not want the book to end! Like the cover says: In the darkness of night, magic awaits… ( )

I would note upfront that I have been a fan of these magical realism books that have taken classic fairy tales and retold them from different perspectives. In the case of Midnight in Everwood the story being turned inside out is that of The Nutcracker. Unlike with some of the other books, while I have had the good fortune to see the ballet performed (aaaaaaaaaah) and I instantly recognize Tchaikovsky’s music for The March of the Wooden Soldiers, I really did not know much of the actual story behind the ballet.

I am still not sure that I have any clue of the story behind the ballet but I do know that I had a reading experience that I enjoyed. It was creepy, full of surprises, and empowering. This is one of those books I will keep for a second read at another time as I know it will be different depending on my mood when I read it. I love books like that – they are few and far between.

The heroine, Marietta comes from a class of woman that does not appear on stage as a ballerina. She is expected to get married to the man of her parent’s choosing. But she doesn’t want that – she wants to dance. No matter the consequences she wants to push forward with her dream.

A man comes along who sends her to a place where her dream is made manifest but is it what she wants after all? Both the mysterious set builder and the evil King prove the Marietta that her dream is worth it as otherwise she will lose herself along the way.

A very thought provoking read on many levels – for those dreaming forward and those of us that have left dreams in the past. Is it ever too late to fulfill a dream? What happens when you do and it’s not what you might expect? Can you turn it into what you want it to be?

I guess I have become a philosopher…not one of my dreams but I am living a rather dream life and reading some really great books like Midnight in Everwood. ( )

"Midnight in Everwood" by M.A. Kuzniar is, a fairytale retelling of the Nutcracker set in Nottingham 1906 that follows Marietta who loves to dance and while facing problems brought by her parents, she is sent to a magical world that is filled with hardships and helps her choose to fight for her dancing in her world.

I would give "Midnight in Everwood" by M.A. Kuzniar a 5-star review because, 1; this story is so beautiful 2; the characters were all strong characters who which you could connect to 3; I loved the style of this book 4; I loved how that while reading you felt like you were in the fairytale. ( )