Review: Wilder than Midnight by Cerrie Burnell
Star Rating: Five Star

Wilder than Midnight is a truly enchanting and heart-warming tale that celebrates difference, found family and fairy tale.

We are transported to Silverthorne, a place steeped with secrets. Forests with twisting paths and tangled roots. A castle with locked rooms and whispers of tragedy and a Village trapped between terrors known and unknown. In the middle of this are three girls; Saffy – the good girl who is tired of being told to stick to the forest paths and follow the rules. Aurelia – the hidden girl, locked in a castle tower and dreaming of escaping the confines and her fate. Wild Rose – the fierce girl, raised by wolves and protector of the forest full of spells and fearlessness. It is only when fate brings them together that they are able to change life in Silverthorne forever.

Wilder than Midnight is a welcomed book that focuses on finding friendship and family in places you may not expect but most importantly acceptance. In the 21st Century you would hope that such values are embraced by everyone but we still have stigma surrounding groups of people for numerous ridiculous reasons. Cerri Burnell highlights how sometimes the way a certain thing is perceived is not to always be believed. That isn’t to say this is a ‘woke’ book or that people should be put off. There is no agenda found here. It is simply showing how sometimes, just because for the longest time certain things have been believed they are not always true.

The characters are wonderfully fleshed out and beautifully brought to life via Burnell’s prose. The whimsical and fairytale feel they create is so beautiful. I can most definitely see this becoming a firm favorite of readers young and old. I hope that we may hear more of saffy, Aurelia and Wild Rose in the future but I am grateful we have what we do.

As always thank you for providing me with an E-ARC of this title for an honest review.

This was my first Cerrie Burnell book and RIGHT up my street. It is filled with magic, nature and strong characters who I adored. My favourite was Wild Rose, who certainly lived up to her name. This was just full of so much whimsy and I adored it with all my heart and cannot wait to purchase it. It is my absolute favourite type of middle grade book. Thank you so much for the ARC.

I truly loved this book, a whimsical, lyrical fantasy middle grade with disability rep told through the remimagining of fairy tales. When this is released at the end of April, I will be purchasing a physical copy after being approved for an e-arc on netgalley. This is one to watch for this year!

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I really adored this book. I loved the way that so many different fairytales were weaved into this book. It is really, really well written. I loved the characters and the storyline was really great. Loved it.

Absolutely adored this book! It is unbelievably clever how Cerrie Burnell has weaved so many references to different fairy tales into this story but in ways that turn the familiar tales on their heads so that the traditional 'princesses' turn out to be strong, brave and brilliant girls who have it within their own power to change their lives.

I particularly loved how Cerrie drew upon her own experiences and gave Wild Rose a physical disability - this 'mark' initially gives other characters, notably the Queen, the power to make choices for her but as Wild Rose grows, her arm becomes her power and stories of magic are weaved with it. Wouldn't it be amazing to see a TV or film adaptation of inclusive books like this?

I cannot wait for my children to be old enough to read this with me but until then, I shall enjoy it for myself - a simply stunning, endlessly enchanting book!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

This was such a fun and interesting read. The three main characters were well-rounded and well and even for children they weren't juvenile and they were easy to relate to. The fairy tales aspect was my favorite part. I loved how there were so many references to fairy tales and how even though there were so many it wasn't overpowering and didn't take over the plot and the characters were still the main focus of the book.

Cerrie Burnell brings world building to a whole new level in Wilder than Midnight - an incredibly evocative and intricately created book, where the characters leap off the page and the world becomes tangible. This is the ultimate twisted fairytale, where age-old stories are reinvented, reimagined and rewritten. Gone are the powerless - and pointless - princesses of old. In their place are strong, feisty female protagonists. This book also celebrates difference and tolerance beautifully.

I will definitely add Wilder than Midnight to my classroom bookshelf but the complexity of the story means it will be more suitable for Year 6+.

Cerrie Burnell writes brilliant books. The children love her books ( our youngest suggested that if I wanted to read it early she would stay away from school ) such is the pull of this authors work. This is a book that appeals to all ages (even Grandmas). A great family read. The characters are relatable and well rounded. The story is exciting but also has a great storyline to back up the action. We read it after school and before bed because it was impossible to wait till the weekend.

so this book is immediately going to the top of my favourite books of the year so far. I have a feeling it might stay up there. What a fantastic book! I could hardly put it down. The whole thing is just magical and wonderful. It weaves together so many fairytales, but in an unexpected way that i've never come across (i read a lot of fairy tale adaptations, so this was a fantastic surprise!). I loved every character, each coming across as individual and briilliant. Even some of the smaller, side characters were fully realised and interesting. The descriptions of the whole world, the forest, the people, the castle, the villages...it was all just gorgeous and gave me such a wonderfully clear picture of the world, without overdoing things (As i've seen books that leave zero room for imagination, this is not one of these).
truly an amazing book, and an absolute must read! I don't think age really matters, though i think kids from 8+ would enjoy it more than younger children. I recommend adults read it too, as it's just so great. Just read it.

I was interested by the premise of this book but just did not love the execution; there was something about it that fell flat to me and I just did not find myself enjoying it.

interesting concept but not one that I loved.

This is the story of three girls. Wild Rose lives in a forest with wolves and the mysterious forest folk as her family. Aurelia is the queen’s daughter, who is living in a tall tower secluded from the rest of the world. And there is Saffy, the woodcutter’s daughter, who lives on the edge of the vast and wild Silverthorne forest. Wilder Than Midnight is a beautiful fractured fairy tale. I loved how the author took elements from different fairy tales and created something completely new. It is also a brilliantly inclusive adventure.

This book would be perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell, but also anybody who loves a good fantasy adventure with strong female leads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for the digital reading copy.

I read this book in one sitting it is so good. It is well written with a cast of well developed characters that i think children will love and a really enaging and clever storyline that was taken some of the well known fairytalkes throughout history that children will know like the back of their hand and put a new spin on them. I love books that are retellings and this is right up there with some of the best I've read. I will definitely be recommending this to people. I loved it.

What an amazing new book. This takes the canon of fairy tales that we know and basically turns them on their heads. As you read the story there is a constant gasp as you realize how the different tales have been woven together and then altered to suit this new story. What a fantastic story for KS2 children as they try and guess the names of the original tales.