I am not normally a fan of fantasy but this book was beautifully descriptive and drew me in. It was at times, bewitching, poignant and very well written.

I started off loving Midnight in Everwood, which is good because I own 2 special editions of it! Robert Dinsdale’s The Toymakers is one of my favourite books and I got a similar vibe from this book. From the start there’s a very strong feminist theme to this book, Marietta, our protagonist, feels trapped, she wants to pursue an education and career in ballet but her family has an expectation, demand in fact, for her to marry and and that to be her sole purpose. Marietta resents these limits and pursues her dreams regardless and I really enjoyed having a strong female voice to spend time with at the start of this book.
The world building is also exquisite. Yes the descriptions get a little repetitive, with the sweets, smells of chocolate etc, but you can see Everwood on the page, it’s done incredibly well.

I think my main issue with this book is Marietta, the main character, simply isn’t the most likeable or the most interesting and yet the whole book is essentially from her perspective. Throughout the book Marietta is self aware enough to acknowledge her vanity, selfishness and privilege, which would be refreshing, however she doesn’t actually do anything about that because she continues to act rather vain and self important. Marietta is surrounded by people who have been trapped in Everwood far longer than her but she feels she knows best and refuses to be controlled, so what is, I believe, supposed to be an empowering, spirited woman actually comes across very destructive and impulsive to a fault, putting herself and others in danger in the name of being an independent woman.
Dellara and Pirlipata are the heart of this book, 2 women who have actually endured terrible things, particularly Dellara, who are defiant and brave and incredible women I adored on the page. I would have loved to have read more about these 2 women, their past, their thoughts, their future … Legat too is fascinating but underused, a complex character with so much of his motivations and thoughts, beyond Marietta, untold. In comparison Marietta just wasn’t as engaging and yet makes everything about her to the very end.

There are a few issues with the plot, a few things that feel too easily resolved or require more explanation, and the pace can be a little slow at times. But nonetheless I needed the escape to this world and fully immersed myself in it.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

I think this one suffered for me by being read in close proximity to Eva Ibbotson's ballet book which while not containing any actual magic is nonetheless infinitely more magical than this! Not really for me, and despite being billed as adult it definitely reads more like YA.

What a fantastic story. The town of Everwood sounds mystical but it has a sinister twist too.
Not my usual story style but I really liked this

This is another very hyped book that has been everywhere for at least 12 months, even though it was only released in September. Unfortunately, it really did not do it for me. The writing was so lyrical and whimsical, however there was literally no plot. The MC did nothing to progress what little plot there was and it ended up being the worst type of plot device- by the end, the whole of the plot did not have any impact on the resolution. If the MC had laid down and just taken a nap for the whole book (which she may as well have done), she would still have got to the same resolution.
I think if you like The Night Circus then you might enjoy it.

CAWPILE: 4.00 2*
Characters: 4- The characters were boring. I felt that they could have been done better if they had more depth
Atmosphere: 5- There was some lovely atmosphere but just didn't make up for the lack of anything else
Writing: 5- Similarly, the writing was beautiful, but I need more than purple prose
Plot: 3- NOTHING HAPPENS
Intrigue: 4- Because there was no plot there was no intrigue
Logic: 3- There are one or two mystery points, these aren't explained at any point
Enjoyment: 4- I just didn't enjoy this book.

When it comes to fantasy, I really teeter on the edge of liking the genre. It’s definitely one I struggle with and I often give up on books if I can’t keep up with the various characters and their powers and the nuances of their worlds. But when I find one that I can get into, it almost always ends up on my favorites list: first it was Katherine Arden’s Winter Night trilogy, then Addie LaRue, and now I can happily add Midnight in Everwood to that list.

This retelling of The Nutcracker is filled with magical (and delicious!) descriptions. During many of the ballet scenes, I was totally transported to the theatre, remembering all the times I’ve watched The Nutcracker. Midnight in Everwood is a self discovery adventure set in fantastical world with threads of romance, dark magic, female friendship & empowerment, and yummy descriptions of sweets and treats throughout.

There were certainly points where the plot dragged on too much, or plot points that I felt were skipped over, but I put some of these down to it being Kuzniar’s debut adult novel. It definitely hasn’t put me off her work and it didn’t take away from the overall magic 🪄 of this wonderful read.

I highly recommend this one if you like ballet, enchanted winter forests, or are looking to dip your toes in the genre of fantasy.

Rounded down from around 4.5 stars ⭐️

Midnight in Everwood is a retelling of the nutcracker which follows dancer Marietta who is transported to the magical Everwood. However, not all is quite as magical as it seems in this new world.

This book transported me right back to my childhood. I was in love with ballet from a young age and it was so lovely to experience that love again through this book. To begin with, Everwood felt so magical, I desperately wanted to be able to travel there myself! This is a story of friendship, love and courage and was a perfect read for December!

The writing in this book reminded me of the classics I have loved. However, if you struggle with/do not enjoy classics you might find the writing difficult. Additionally, there are a lot of ballet terms which could get overwhelming if this is not your thing. Unfortunately it did get a little repetitive for me in the middle, and I didn’t feel the same urge to keep reading that I had felt to begin with. Nevertheless I still really enjoyed this story and really want to go and see a ballet now!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves classics and retellings…or ballet fans! I want to thank Netgalley, HQ publishers and M.A. Kuzniar for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.

This book deserves more than the three stars I’ve given it and I feel like I have to explain the reason for this score.

I took one star off for the first quarter of the book. I felt like the author just wanted to right about Everwood and the route to get there wasn’t important. As soon as we arrived in Everwood, the writing changed and I started to really enjoy the book. The reason for dropping another start is completely personal. I have never read ‘The Nutcracker’ and I feel like you need to, in order to really understand the underlying themes and nuances of this book. I felt like I was always reading above the surface and never getting to know the characters on a deeper level.

I loved being within the magical world of Everwood. Honestly, it is a pretty good book. As I’ve said above, it starts off slow but as soon as Marietta arrives in Everwood things pick up. The characters aren’t very well-rounded, but this is probably because I’ve not read ‘The Nutcracker’ and didn’t have any preconceived ideas to refer back to. Marietta and Delara were my favourite characters. I kind of want a sequel with the sisterhood exploring different worlds; travelling pants style.

“Yet when th0se nights were at their bleakest, those twin pillars stood firm and unyielding, the two women framing Marietta’s life into something she could tolerate.”

In the end, I’m a little disappointed and would only really recommend this book to people who have already read and love ‘The Nutcracker.’

I thoroughly enjoyed the style of descriptive writing in this book. The author can certainly write with flourish. However, I can’t say I enjoyed the way the storyline developed and it didn’t captivate my interest as I had expected it would. The pace is altogether too slow for me. It just wasn’t a book I enjoyed much.

Midnight in Everwood is simply divine. A fairy tale for grown ups, full of magic, sparkle and fierce women - I loved that!

Marietta has a passion for ballet and longs to pursue it professionally. But her parents are determined to marry her off, and when Dr Drosselmeier becomes their new neighbour, it seems a match may have been made. However, there is something off about him, and Marietta is determined to reject his proposal.

On Christmas Eve, she is exploring the set for her performance of Sleeping Beauty - a set built by Drosselmeier. As the clock strikes midnight and she attempts to escape his advances, she finds herself transported to another world. A world filled with gingerbread houses and marzipan streets. A gleaming palace of ice and sugar that seems magnificent. But behind its vanilla scented facade lies dark magic and she becomes entrapped by the evil King.

Forming an alliance with Pirilipata and Dellara, they conspire to escape their gilded cage, and with a little help from the handsome Captain Legat, their plan is set in motion.

Absolutely delightful to read and to be transported to a land that is filled with sugary filled treats. A real festive sparkler.

I must confess that I have never read the original Nutcracker, but I fell in love with the ballet years ago, and because of this, I was so excited to read this reimagining. It was everything I hoped it would be and more – just pure Christmassy wonder. M.A. Kuzniar’s writing made me feel like a child again, as I was swept away by the magical world of Drosselmeier’s creation.

Marietta is a character who is easy to fall in love with, and I adored her determination to follow her dreams and loyalty to her new friends. In Drosselmeier, we are gifted a character who is mysterious and chilling and yet absolutely captivating and wondrous. I think I would have found it impossible not to fall for his charms in Marietta’s shoes.

Kuzniar’s writing is wonderfully descriptive, and I was utterly captivated. The world that Marietta is drawn into is so delightful on the surface that it makes King Gelum’s cruelty quite startling. While reading Midnight in Everwood, I found the real world just melted away, and it was a real struggle to drag myself back to it when annoying things like the need to eat interrupted my reading.

I adore the ballet and wasn’t sure how this would translate but the author has captured the very essence of it and I could almost hear the music as I read. I know this book will become part of my Christmas reading ritual for years to come!

‘Midnight in Everwood’ is the perfect book to read around Christmas time. It has the perfect blend of magic, adventure and Christmas spirit. This book take place in Nottingham in 1906 and follows Marietta who is passionate about ballet and dreams to dance and achieve her goals. Unfortunately, she is limited by the social constraints of her time and her gender. Her parents expect her to give up dancing and marry. Their plans seem to gather speed when a new neighbour moves in and he is deemed to be the perfect match for her. Marietta is not keen on following through with their plans and she rebels. She is a strong character who knows what she wants and will fight for it.
The writing in this book is magical and it helped create strong visuals while reading. The descriptions of the dresses people wore, both in Nottingham and in Everwood, are exquisite. I also loved how well and aptly the world building was achieved in Everwood and the food descriptions were simply stunning. I found myself craving chocolate and pastries while reading.
This book is simply beautiful: plot, writing and character development.

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. This part of the story is quite accurate. Also, I like that it takes place in Nottingham and the descriptions are perfect for the time and place.

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.

The setting is absolutely beautiful and so perfect for the festive season. I loved reading this during Christmas time. The atmosphere is perfect and the plot is well balanced. My favourite part was the character development: Marietta changed to much during the book and I really liked her at the end. Also, she encountered some awesome women in Everwood and I really like all of them, they are great examples. I am happy I read the book for the incredible women in it.

Also, there is a little bit of romance, but the ending was so new and refreshing! I have never read a book with this type of ending! 10/10 for it.

I really liked this take on the Nutcracker ballet, the characters were delightful and it was definitely a christmassy read.

I’ll start by saying I never really knew the story of The Nutcracker properly, the most I had probably seen or known was from Mickeys Once Upon a Christmas! So I was really excited for this book. I bought it a few weeks ago and really felt in a Christmas mood reading it. Also, I bought an amazing Waterstones exclusive copy, and it has the most gorgeous spredges. I also had it approved on Netgalley so thank you to HQ and Netgalley for the advanced e-arc.

5 stars from me. This book was fabulous and so magical. I loved the descriptions of Everwood. The gingerbread houses, the smells and scents people and things gave off, the magic was found everywhere. The story was a great retelling (if I can say that without having read the original), and I loved Marietta. She was fearless, and strong and brave, and I loved how she stood for what she believed in. Now Drosselmeier was awful, but I loved his character! Ms Kuzniar has written him brilliantly, he is so evil, and the scene in the ballroom with the clock was amazing, it had me on edge. But when Marietta was transported to Everwood, wow it was just captivating.

I think everyone would love this book, it’s full of magic, beauty, sorrow and happiness. Give it a read… you know you want to!

I loved this book and it’s magic. Set in my home town of Nottingham,
I was griped from the first page.

Marietta Stelle has big dreams of being a ballerina but expectations are that she will marry.
The arrival of a mysterious toymaker, Dr Drosselmeier, starts a magical journey.

As the clock chimes midnight, Marietta finds herself transported from her family’s ballroom to a frozen sugar palace, silent with secrets, in a forest of snow-topped fir trees. She must find a way to return home before she’s trapped in Everwood’s enchanting grip forever.

The beautiful, magical world just pulls you in. A perfect winter read.

I want to start by saying the descriptions in this are incredible. The world building is exquisite. But that’s really all there is unfortunately. The characters are one dimensional and the actual plot was slow paced and lacking. It felt like it took an age to actually get to Everwood and even then it didn’t pick up in pace. For something that’s only 300ish pages I would usually fly through but it’s been a hard slog and I was avoiding picking it up as it just wasn’t clicking. Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me.

2.5

I didn't know what to expect when I received this book, other than that it would be a perfect wintery read, it was an adult retelling of The Nutcracker and the cover is absolutely stunning. The world of Everwood was magical, vivid and atmospheric, which immersed me in the story and was one of the strengths, as was the whimsical writing. However, at times, the expressive prose was personally too much for me and repetitive when I wanted more depth. I also couldn't connect with any of the characters because I found them a little too surface layer and I wanted more complexity and deeper characterisation to flesh them out. The conclusion was quick and ultimately anti-climatic.

While there were great aspects to this story, overall it wasn't for me. However, I do think that A Midnight in Everwood will appeal to other people who will be swept up in the world of Everwood.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for a copy in exchange for a honest review.

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.

Beautifully atmospheric and wonderous, unfortunately I just could not get on board with the writing style for this one. It's incredibly descriptive, to the point of over exaggerating every scene, and as a result my mind just could not follow the story. The plot is also very slow, to the detriment of my enjoyment. By the time the story picks up and we actually reach Everwood I'd lost all interest in Marietta, and I feel like we never really scratch the surface oh who she is as a person beyond her love of ballet.

So much promise, and I love the concept, but this was too stylised and descriptive for somone like me.