The Midnight Lie

The book is about Nirrim. She is Half Kith and an orphan. She now works at an inn and bakery (& as a forger) for bed and board without pay. The phrase "It is as it is" is one used by people like Nirrim quite often. There are no questions like "Why". The city is dark in places and the law such as it is has a disregard for those of lower status such as Nirrim. On the other hand High Kith can do what they like really. However Sid arrives. There have no travellers on this island and yet that is exactly what Sid is. When Nirrim meets Sid things begin to change.

There is so much I'd love to share about this book but that would simply dilute the journey for other readers and that would be sad. The gradual reveals about Sid and Nirrim, and her world, made for gently compulsive reading. I kept think - "just a little more and then I'll put it down". For the last quarter or so I stopped pretending and just kept reading!

The Midnight Lie itself (though bear in mind this is from a proof copy) from early in the book.
"It is a midnight lie, she said. A kind of lie told for someone else's sake, a lie that sits between goodness and wrong, just as midnight is the moment between night and morning. Or a lie that is not technically false, like a misleading truth".
As you read this there is an underlying tension - do we know all the "Midnight lies" that have been told - I doubt it...

Is this perfect - maybe not but so so readable and, for me, enchanting. Initially this feels like rather a soft fantasy book. There are no ghastly monsters, no spells being cast, no quest etc. However as the book progresses you realise that you just haven't noticed the darkness and depth! The book allows you to watch the fading of innocence - quite uncomfortable. The story offers darkness, tension, lies and distrust. However it also offers light, love, revelation and beauty. It is certainly one of the best books I've read this year. I found it fresh which I liked and so engaging - my real sadness was that it ended - this part at least.

I really don't want to wait a year for the next part of this though I guess I will have to! However it has introduced me to a new fantasy writer which leaves me some other book from this author to explore while I'm waiting. Maybe this depends on what you want in your fantasy reading; for me this is somewhere between modern and classic fantasy. This may not suit everyone but I loved it.

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed!

The plot follows Nirrim, who is a Half-Kith. Half-Kith are “lesser” people who are forced to live in the Ward - a walled off part of the city of Ethin. It all begins with the sudden appearance of a beautiful bird which is believed to belong to a High-Kith (The superior people) outside of the wall. Against her better judgement, Nirrim catches the bird and turns it in to the militiamen who arrest her for thievery and charge her with the collection of a tithe for a whole month while she’s imprisoned. In the prison she meets Sid.

Sid is a traveller. The people of Ethin know nothing of other lands but their own so Nirrim hesitates believe Sid but chooses to indulge the traveller as they’re unlikely to meet again. However, Sid takes an interest on her and the rest is history!

What I loved:

- Cocky, flirty, smug and with a fuck-boy attitude love interest. Kind, inquisitive, selfless yet strong main character.

- The relationship and banter between Sid and Nirrim was the best I’ve read in a long time! I haven’t been this invested in a fictional relationship in a long time and Sid has become a new favourite character for sure!

- How well the author explored subjects like abuse by a mother figure, the dynamics of relationships where one part does not bear any romantic or sexual feelings towards the other but thinks they must reciprocate such feelings for fear of disappointing them.

- The further world-building of a world we are already familiar with and how the new information we get fits with what we already know.

- That bloody ending!! What a cliff-hanger! I feel like I’m reading The Winner’s Trilogy all over again. I’m also mad and heartbroken because that ending hurts!

- The mentions of Herran, Valoria and Dacra, as well as the unexpected cameo at the end!

- Nirrim’s sisterly relationship with Annin and Morah. I want to see more of their relationship and how the ending will impact it.

- How Nirrim grows and develops throughout the book. Her determination and resourcefulness are refreshing. I like how she uses her skills to her advantage rather than continuing to let herself be taken advantage of.

This is such a good start to a series, I am amazed! I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed because The Winner’s Trilogy is still one of my favourite series to this day and I still remember a lot of it having only read it once! Revisiting this world makes me want to reread the books and lose myself in Kestrel and Arin’s story.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC. This book was my most anticipated 2020 release and I was over the moon when I got approved to read it earlier so, again, thank you so so much!

I can’t wait for everyone else to read it and for the sequel to come out. I NEED IT ASAP!

Nirrim is a Half-Kith, the lowest rung on the ladder. Their jobs are to create things that Middlings sell to the High-Kith and Nirrims speciality is creating masterpieces of art with bread. As an orphan she was apprenticed to Raven, a Middling who took her in and created a safe space and life for her, one Nirrim believes is better than anything else out there. She gets by making herself seem as normal as possible, shying away from the militia and living an ordinary life, only Nirrim is anything but ordinary. When she gets arrested and meets an intriguing character in prison this person sees something special in her and takes Nirrim on a journey where she things not only about herself, but about her Island as a whole.

Nirrim was a truly intriguing character, she is normal, or so she keeps telling herself. Only she keeps imagining things that she hasn’t been told, and she has the unnatural ability to remember anything she has read or seen and copy without fault. She believes that she is destined to stay in the ward, the part of the Island designated to the Half-Kith. She has been used by everyone she ever loved, most of the time without even realising it and I loved seeing her growth as a character. She has an awful lot of information dumped on her, betrayed and lied to for her whole life seeing her realise there is more out there for her and coming into her full potential by the end was a sight to see.

“He kissed me and I let him. Sometimes it can feel so good to give someone what they want that it is the next best thing to getting what you want.”

Sid was a similarly amazing character. Born into nobility, and so completely unaware of the hardships of life that Nirrim has been put through, she has an almost humorous look on life. She seemingly never takes things seriously, but through her interactions with Nirrim we see the true Sid come out, a girl who wants something she has been told she absolutely cannot have and her realisation at then end was heartbreaking. There were a multitude of other characters, some you despise and some you love.

“If someone stole her voice, she would still find a way to flirt, even silently, with whomever was nearest.”

I haven’t read any of the authors other works so I am unsure how this would tie in, but you absolutely don’t need to have read them to fall in love with this story and the characters. The authors writing style is poignant and beautiful and I was completely swept away by the story she wanted to tell. This book made me angry, sad, wistful and a whole other host of emotions and I fell head over heels in love. She creates a world that wholly encompasses you as a reader, you get angry at the treatment of the Half-Kith and Middlings and feel an over whelming resentment of the High Kith and their prosperity.

“Goldsandaled dawn fell like a thief upon me I wondered what kind of night was so precious that when morning came it felt as it you had been robbed, as if what you wanted most had been cut from you like a bloody tithe. I had never had a night worth stealing.”

The relationships in this book were brilliantly written. From Nirrims love interests, one she desires but feels she does not deserve/ knows it would be dangerous to have, and the other someone she feels indebted too, someone she feels has a power over her, one that if she didn’t do as they pleased she could end up in a dire situation. It is a brilliant insight into cultures and countries where what you want and what is safe for you might be two completely different things. I lived for the romance in this book and when Nirrim decided the danger was worth it I whooped with joy.

“But I knew what it really was. I liked Sid too much. I liked the sight of her bare back. I had wanted to follow the water droplet with my fingertip. In my bed in the dark I touched the Elysium feather where it burned against my breast. I wondered if the feather had made me want Sid. I wondered if it could make her want me.”

Unfortunately the other main relationship in Nirrim’s life is one she sees as maternal, but anyone reading the book can see how completely the person has wound Nirrim around their finger and tightened and tightened until she can’t, and doesn’t want to see a way out. She is used for her skills, but her naivete make her see people in the best light, and even when she hears stories she only believes them when she see’s facts with her own eyes. She doesn’t realise quite how sheltered her life has been until she gets the chance to leave it, even if only for a small time.

“She lit no lamps along the way, so the home was nothing but heaps of shadows around us. The stairs were soundless beneath my feet. I had never walked up stairs that didnt creak. At the top of the landing, she opened a door to a little bedroom that smelled like her – like her dusky perfume, her skin, and brine. The balcony door was full of pink sky. Sid opened the door, and the scent of the sea rushed in. I followed her out onto the balcony. The sea spread before me. It rumpled darkly against the coast. The sun was drowning on water. I heard the muted calls of gulls. And nowhere could I see the wall. I had never seen the sea. I had never not seen the wall.”

I feel like im blabbering and that might be the case but this book was just so good! It was my first 5 star read of the year and I can see it making it onto my top books of the year already. I will definitely be picking up the authors other works, especially the ones set in the same world. Get this one added to your TBR’s because you don’t want to miss it.

I love Marie Rutkoski and when I learned that she was doing a spin off in the world of The Winner's kiss serie I was in joy.

We are in a completely new world, indeed, we are on an island that has been isolated from the rest of the world for decades. On this island, there are 3 different castes. A very rich one which lives in excess and where socially everything is accepted, a middle class where the inhabitants live well and has many freedoms and finally the last rather poor and socially restricted to many rules. It is an island which also has a rich history around the gods and magic. I must admit that the magic was not present in the first series, but its appearance here is nice. This allows the story to deepen the universe and bring something new.

Our characters Nirrim and Sid are very interesting. I find that Marie Rutkoski is good at writing complex characters and this is again the case. Nirrim is a fairly naive heroine, she has always lived in the poor part of the island, she never asked too many questions until she met Sid. The latter comes from the continent and does not know the island, she realizes that society is unfair and in the course of her quest around magic she will realize how many inequalities there are. She is fearless, she knows what she wants and goes for it. But she remains human and has a lot of ambiguity I really liked her character.

For the plot, I must admit that I was surprised, the novel does not have the fastest pace, but the characters take us with them in their torments and emotions. In addition, the author reserves us, big surprises especially in view of the ending which is absolutely GREAT. Overall, I find this spin off well done, it offers us a real novelty and a richness in the universe which is good. The characters are great and I can't wait to read more.

When I saw The Midnight Lie was coming out I was super excited. I was blown away by The Winner's Curse Trilogy and to have a new book set in that world... well, left my heart racing. 

While set in the same world, The Midnight Lie focuses on a different part of that world, a secret hidden part. One that the rest of the world has all but forgotten, except in rumours... 

While I had every intention of rereading The Winner's Curse before this I didn't. But it didn't matter, because while there was some allusions to the previous series it didn't effect the storytelling. Although it probably have been helpful as I couldn't remember the past events. 

We follow Nirrim, a half-Kith, living in the Ward, the poorest part of the city, impoverished, and with low expectancy of what life holds, until she meets Sid. A traveller, Sid opens Nirrim's eyes and together they begin to explore the city and discover the secrets long forgotten.

Wonderfully woven, this is an incredible story that will suck you in. I had no idea of what to expect when I started. But even with my high hopes for this book I was not disappointed. This was a book that I struggled to put down from the very moment that I picked it up. 

Luckily this is a trilogy and I cannot wait for the next book. Sadly we have to wait for it to come out. But if you have a hole in your life and need a new fantasy YA book then look no further!

I loved loved loved this book!
I don't know where to start with this.

I love Nirrin as the main character. I love her guilt. I love that she does not give up. I loved the way the author depicted her relationships with Raven and Aden. With Raven, you understand that Nirrin loves her, but from the very start, you see that there is something incredibly wrong with their relationship. I mean the chair incident. For the longest time, while reading the book, I assumed that Raven did this to train her in some way; to genuinely be prepared to stay quiet under pain. Of course, by the end of it, you see what an abusive relationship that was.

Aden is so ughhhhhhhhh
He tries to blackmail her into marrying him and keeps trying to pretend that he loves her. I also understand Nirrins reaction; she has to work with him regularly, people say he's great, she doesn't see the point in saying no to him. I'm not articulating this properly, but what I mean to say is that I could relate, and I think a lot of us could.

Sid.
Sid. Sid. Sid. Sid. Sid.
I loved their relationship from start to end. Yes, I was as surpirsed as Mirrin to find out Sid wasn't a dude. It didn't matter in the slightest. LOVED THEM SO MUCH. I was so sad at the end even though I understood Mirrins point of view.

This was amazing. I was left speechless and this review is going to be just me fangirling. The writing is fantastic, the plot so intriguing and I loved all the characters, even those ones with twisted personalities. I never read the Winner’s Trilogy so I was concerned it would not make a lot of sense but I understood the world building and the magic system with no problem. Of course, The Winner’s Trilogy is now on my top priority book series to read.
I mean, I don't have much to say, sorry, except that I loved it so much and I can’t wait for book two. I loved everything about this book, I loved the romance, the banter and half-lies between Nirrim and Sid. I love how every single detail comes together in the end…. And that ending line!! That was a killer.

Whoa. Just whoa .

That ending has me speechless, stunned, tongue-tied, stupefied... You get the gist.

Where do I start this review?

Do I tell you that this book is eloquently written, the world captivating and bewitching? Do I tell you that our characters have mettle; spunky yet endearing at the same time?

I'll just list out all the things I loved about this story, and hope that you'll see it as reason enough to read this book. Numbered lists are so much easier to deal with, when you're generally rendered dazed by a book like I am now.

1. The world-building is fantastic. The Midnight Lie is set on the island of Herrath, where the society is caste-based. The High Kith are akin to nobility, the Middlings their servants, and the Half Kith similar to serfs and indentured labourers. There are laws about everything — right from what colour clothes a particular caste is allowed to wear, to which section of the island they're allowed to exist in. The Half Kiths are made to pay hefty tithes (fines) for the smallest of transgressions, and there seem to be rules and no rules at the same time.

It's an intricately built world, and Marie Rutkoski's vivid descriptions remind me of two other worlds that I loved as a child — Holly Lisle's "Ruby Key" world, and Angie Sage's "Septimus Heap" world. I was enthralled right from the first line.

2. The characters are well-developed, tangible, and real. They have their imperfections, they make their mistakes. They lie, they steal, they even murder, but they also love, care, and help those in need.

Our main character is Nirrim. She's a lowly Half Kith who works for her abusive guardian, Raven. She thinks the cruelty from the lady she works for is love, because that form of exploitation is the only affection she's known. She's skilled at the work she does, and she cares about the people around her and her adopted family — she's a "good girl". But things happen (as they are wont to do in epic fantasies like this one), and she finds herself thrown into a sequence of events that cause her to meet Sid.

Sid, Sid, oh how do I even begin to describe Sid? Sid is someone I can see myself falling for — flirtatious, smart, witty, gentle, kind, confident, feminist — the list goes on.

Sid is a traveler who sails to Herrath (which Nirrim doesn't initially believe because her people have always been told that only Herrath exists), convinced that there's magic on this remote island; magic whose secrets Sid would like to learn about.

Sid convinces Nirrim to stick around long enough, and the two are off on an exploration of truth — do the High Kith really possess magic? Does magic actually exist in the first place? Why does no one on Herrath know the history of the island? Why does no one question how things are run in this orthodox society? Why does everyone say "it is what it is" , instead of being curious?

3. It's an epic fantasy with a sapphic romance. That's enough of a reason to love this book. Nirrim learns about her sexuality and eventually accepts it, and that sort of character growth makes her a protagonist whom I can root for.

And the romance — it's a slow burn. Nirrim and the lady she'll come to love are so perfect for each other, and the slow burn only makes it all the more tantalising and impactful. It's exactly the type of romance that makes a fantastic book even better; it's the wine that complements your feast.

4. That ending is cruel but delicious at the same time. In other words, I cannot wait for book 2.

5. The writing is impeccable. This is my first Marie Rotowski novel, and I'm already hooked to her writing. It's vivid and intricate and colourful. As I stated in the comments section while reading, I wanted to break open the screen of my Kindle and jump into the story. The plot and descriptions were that effing good.

This is the first time in a long time that I found absolutely nothing to criticise in the book, and while I wait for the sequel impatiently (we don't even have an ETA!), I 100% plan to read her other novels to fill the void I'm beginning to feel as I write this review.

As I said, I'm hooked.

I'm immensely grateful to Hodder & Stoughton for giving me a chance to read this story; for providing me an ARC via NetGalley. Words cannot express how much I loved this book, and how glad I am that I got an opprotunity to read this masterpiece.

*4.5 stars rounded up*

I was so excited to read this book: queer fantasy? Sign me the heck up. This book reminded me a little of Strange the Dreamer, with its beautiful, lyrical writing, and the city reminded me a lot of Weep. It also reminded me of Woven in Moonlight, mostly due to the richness of the setting and atmosphere

We follow Nirrim the Half-Kith, the lowest class in this world. Their section of the city is walled off from the Middling section, and the High-Kith beyond that. When Sid, a person who looks and acts High-Kith, enters Nirrim's life her world begins to expand and she's forced to question everything she knows about the class system

This book did something I love in fantasy: started off small, with one person's perspective of one place, and then expanded massively by the end. In that way it reminded me of Strange the Dreamer too

*mild spoilers ahead*

I was bothered a little by how quickly Nirrim grows accustomed to life in the wealthier portion of the city; I'm not sure it's believable she'd thrive in the lavish lifestyle that quickly. BUT that's my one gripe, everything else Nirrim did was totally believable

I also loved the rep of a lesbian relationship. I can name a million books I've enjoyed with male-male relationships I love but so few female-female, and I really appreciated it

5 Stars

I LOVED this. From the beautiful writing to the characters to the world-building to the plot - literally everything in The Midnight Lie was fantastic, and I need the sequel NOW because that ending hurt.

A spin-off of the Winner's Curse trilogy, The Midnight Lie very much works as a standalone, though for peak enjoyment I would suggest reading the original trilogy first. The way in which things have developed since the ending of the The Winner's Kiss is absolutely fascinating, and there is definitely an extra emotional layer to the story if you know what preceded it.

There are two main differences from the original trilogy that I found really fascinating. For one thing, the setting is completely different. Herrath, despite having a lot in common with Herran, is completely isolationist to the point that most of its people don't even believe in the outside world, and for an age the outside world similarly has been similarly unaware of Herrath's existence (though the occasional traveller sneaks in).

The second major difference is that this book is about magic. The Winner's Curse isn't really a magical fantasy, more of a story of political intrigue, whereas magic is an incredibly important part of The Midnight Lie. I really loved how the High Kith basically live like the citizens of the Capitol in The Hunger Games but with magic, and there's some super interesting stuff going on with the gods and Nirrim's own abilities too. It was simultaneously super fun and disturbing.

What I loved most about this book was the characters. First off, Nirrim herself. Nirrim is the main character, and like Kestrel in the original trilogy, she is a super fresh female lead - but in a completely different way. Nirrim is known for her kindness - which is her greatest strength and also her greatest weakness. An orphaned, lower class Half Kith, she accepts anything even resembling love, and because of this is a victim of multiple toxic, abusive relationships at the beginning of the story. As a reader you can see all the red flags, but you can also see why she is so dependant on these relationships. It's sad but also so, so realistic and well-written, and I loved watching her find herself throughout the story. Though Sid (the love interest) plays a big part in her progress, as well as her sisters, Nirrim's development is still at the end of the day the product of her own desire for more, for something new, and eventually for something better, not just for herself but for all the people she cares about. It's wonderful.

Then there's Sid. I LOVE Sid. She embodies what I have discovered is my absolute favourite trope, and though it would be a spoiler to say exactly what it is, I've never seen it in a female character before. Sid is alternatively hilarious and vulnerable and steals every scene she's in. She is a character who is open about being a liar, who plays games and hides under a mask of confidence as a form of defence, and she's so, so interesting. Her relationship with her parents and her home kingdom of Herran is heart-breaking (especially if you've read the original trilogy), and her relationship with Nirrim is absolutely wonderful. If you're looking for a great fantasy f/f romance, this is the best one I've read.

I've a sneaking suspicion this series may become a new favourite of mine.

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
I have been a fan of Marie Rutkoski and her atmospheric writing ever since I first picked up the Winner's Curse so I was curios but also a bit terrified to read this. I shouldn't have worried. This is a masterpiece.
Paced incredibly well with a heart-wrenching sapphic relationship that had me swooning from the first moment Sid graced the pages and a mysterious plot involving long-forgotten gods and curious elixirs, this is the best fantasy novel I have read in a long while. Rutkoski excels at writing authentic characters whose struggles you can't help but feel for and creates a world so entrancing that even while you read about the Ward, you feel the walls closing in on yourself - when Nirrim gets her reprieve, so does the reader.
Nirrim was such a powerful and fierce protagonist and that cliffhanger ending had me biting my nails and makes me wish I could read the sequel right away. It's going to be a pain in the ass to wait for the next installment after those last few lines - I can't wait to see Nirrim make this world her own.

It’s been quite a while since I picked up a Marie Rutkoski book. Her last series, The Winner’s Curse trilogy was packed with beautiful prose, sizzling romances, and some really awesome characters. So, as weird as it sounds, I was kind of in two minds about The Midnight Lie, especially when I heard that the book would be set in the same universe as the trilogy. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried. Anyone who hasn’t read The Winner’s Curse series (or like me, has a sieve-like memory for settings and world building) should be perfectly capable of picking up The Midnight Lie without having to do a bunch of homework first. There were a few mentions here and there based on other countries and some political/foreign policy stuff that I am about 90% alludes to Rutkoski’s other work, but it’s still definitely a book that stands on its own and doesn’t require an extensive knowledge of the other series. If anything, I think fans who remember a lot of details from TWC books will probably smile wryly at the information and allusions, and then continue on. That’s it, really.

Initially, The Midnight Lie was a little difficult to sink my teeth into. The prose is… odd, especially to begin with. I know that doesn’t sound especially eloquent but it is just a bit unique and hard to wrap your head around to start with. It’s quite lyrical and flowery, and there’s a lot of glimpses into the character’s mind and thought process. But Nirrim also sees things, almost like a hallucination, so it can be kind of unsettling and difficult to come to terms with how she views the world around her, and how she describes these things. It also makes the pacing a little slow to start with, but it’s definitely worth powering through.

Character-wise, the book is definitely strong. Nirrim is fantastic, and I love how fleshed out she is and how she somehow manages to both be a survivor, and also come across as quite naïve and innocent. There are some moments in the book that might make readers eye-roll at how oblivious Nirrim is, but honestly, it was quite refreshing to see these situations given exploration in a YA book. I will say that there’s potentially some CWs for manipulation and abuse. I’m not personally sure if it’s something that should/would be addressed by Hodder or Rutkoski on the cover/in an intro to the book, or not, but I’m still mentioning it because it’s possible that people who have experienced similar behaviour might struggle with some scenes in the book. I personally think it is handled really well, but again I am coming at this with my own unique opinions, and it might not reflect what other people think. Sid is my favourite character. She was so mysterious and sneaky and infuriating, but also just marvellous in every way. Some of her secrets were pretty easy to figure out (or at least I thought so) but she definitely kept me on my toes throughout the story, and there were some twists and turns with her story that I did not expect.

The romance was also just breath-taking. Just so beautiful and amazing. There was a slight element of instalove in there, admittedly, but it was very well-written and felt organic. I liked that Rutkoski also wrote an LGBTQ+ romance that was so heavily character driven, and that wasn’t focused on coming out. While I appreciate that coming out stories are important, I also love when fantasy worlds don’t just mirror the realities of our world, and being LGBTQ is viewed differently. A lot of the narrative is focussed on this romance, and I think the magic mystery stuff is more of a sub-plot if I’m looking at it objectively, but I think this works in the book’s favour. We see so much of these characters and learn so much about them through their blossoming romance, so I don’t really mind that the other plot elements take a bit of a back-seat to them. Especially since this is the first book in a series.

I do also think the world-building was particularly well executed. I’m still not entirely sure about some of the mythology woven through the book, but I liked how there was lots of discussion about class and rules based on a society that revolves around status. Again, I thought this was handled very well. The magic did at times feel a bit odd, especially since it sometimes didn’t feel like a fantasy novel, but ultimately I quite enjoyed its inclusion. I think a lot of the magic use was creative and imaginative, and in some ways, the descriptions of the parties and the magic used at them kind of reminded me of Caraval and, to some extent, Harry Potter.

I definitely think this is a very unique fantasy book. The writing style is quite flowery in places, especially at the beginning, but once you get used to it, it does give the book a unique flavour. And I thought this worked well to give Nirrim a very defined voice. I don’t think the writing style will suit everyone, but it made the book stand out for me.

Overall, I’d give The Midnight Lie 9.5/10 stars. I thought the world-building and characters were very well-written and the book explores some areas I haven’t seen many YA books cover before. While the book is set in the same world as Rutkoski’s first series, it isn’t required reading, and I found The Midnight Lie perfectly accessible without refreshing my memory. I’m already quite excited for the follow up novel, especially since the plot really cranks up towards the end, and I fell in love with the characters and their stories. Definitely recommending this one to people who like a lot of romance in their YA, and quite flowery, lyrical prose.

This was such an amazing read! If you want a cool plot, a f/f romance, a ton of action and lot of swoon, PICKT THIS UP! Right from the beginning I was hooked! And if you love cliffhangers, this book finishes on a high note! This book is set in a world that is separated by a caste system and Nirim, our sweet MC is the lowest ranked. This book follows her journey in this dystopian fantasy.

The chemistry between the two MC's was very interesting, and I can't wait for the next book in the series! i want a copy now!!

The Midnight Lie is a Y/A fantasy set on the fictional island of Herrath, where a rigid caste system dictates every element of life for the Half Kith who are on the bottom rungs of society. Middlings enjoy some privileges whilst the High Kith are the only ones who enjoy total freedom with extravagant parties, games and excess. Nirrim is half kith, an orphan who was taken in by the unpredictable Raven, whom she feels indebted to. Nirrim also has an innate gift or talent in seeing what is hidden and the ability to remember things perfectly. After a misadventure one evening, Nirrim is imprisoned awaiting her fate, which usually means certain death for the Half Kith. However, Nirrim is saved by the rakish Sid, a traveller from a distant land who brings with her questions of magic and mystery and changes Nirrim’s life forever.

I loved the writing in this book so much, it was so beautiful with sumptuous descriptions and so many memorable quotes that I went a little highlight happy. I haven’t read any of Marie Rutkoski’s other books, including the well known Winners trilogy but I’m definitely putting it on my TBR now. I loved the slow build up in this novel and how there was a lot of exposition and world building, plus excellent characterisation in the first 3/4 of the novel then it was all guns blazing, in the last section. While usually pacing can be a major issue for me, it really worked for me here. Plus that gut punch of an ending? Wow, just wow. It’s been a seriously long time since an ending has left me this devastated but also excited to read what comes next.

As well as the writing itself, there were such interesting and realistic relationship dynamics explored within the book. Although Raven did take Nirrim in and has taken care of her since she was a baby, they have a complicated relationship which is rooted in manipulation and abuse. I thought this was such a sad but real portrayal and is approached in a nuanced way. Another disturbing relationship dynamic explored is between Nirrim and Aden, who guilts and pressures her in such insidious ways to returning his advances. There’s a lot to unpack here, but it is so refreshing and important that these issues are explored, especially in a Y/A novel.

Can I just say how much I love Sid? Sid is great, consider me a stan. I loved her whole attitude and her carefree, adventurous spirit but also her sensitivity which she rarely shows but is so obviously there. I thought the whole introduction between Sid and Nirrim via prison cells was fun to read and the flirtatious banter and sharing of their stories was A+. I can’t fault the romance in this novel, it’s slow burn, it’s angsty and it’s so sweet but sexy too. Hats off to Marie Rutkoski, she really did that.

Overall, The Midnight Lie was such an exciting beginning to this duology and I can’t wait to read the next book already. I can imagine a lot of people will love this book and it will definitely get a lot of hype which it so deserves.