The Midnight Lie

call me old fashioned, but i was raised to serve nirrim. clean for her. cook for her and everything i do is for her. and if she cheats? that is on me! she caught me slipping and i will apologize and do better.

** spoiler alert ** THIS BOOK WAS ANOTHER MARIE RUTKOSKI MASTERPIECE !! Please read it after the winner’s curse trilogy because noticing all the easter eggs in it about Kestrel and Arin was just... the most beautiful experience if you loved their story. I’m so invested in the world she’s created and I again LOVED the slow burn relationship. So many details, such beautiful writing.... I am at a loss of words. I need the sequel now and can’t wait to know more about kestrin ruling together and why their relationship with Sid got that bad. The way she described them was sooo different from what we get from them in the trilogy. Nirrim was such a good main character, and i loved her ending, can’t wait to see what’s next for her in Ethin. p.s. Roshar I love you and your tiger with all my heart

LOVED this book, it's not perfect but dang it's entertaining, and the world-building is fascinating. I like this as a standalone series -Although technically it's set in the world of her Winner's Curse series, of which I read the first book, you don't need to read that to understand this. While her writing style in Winner's Curse was captivating, I don't care for the icky setup. (Like Captive Prince-lite, the politics and enslavement but without the nuance. Yeesh. I think it gets better later in the series.)

I need to write a more composed review later - long story short, I loved Nirrim's narration, the worldbuilding drops you RIGHT in with no roadmap, and Nirrim and Sid's banter is fantastic. The story and mysteries unfold expertly. This book did topsy-turvy fantasy glamour better than Caraval, and mysterious god mythos better than House Of Salt And Sorrows.

and they were CELLMATES (oh my god they were cellmates) “It’s a midnight lie... 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.” So a lot of people hyped this one up for me. I don't know if I didn't like it more because audiobook/reading slump/wasn't my thing idk but I didn't love it as much as I hoped? that said I did still like it. I LOVED Sid, and I loved Sid and Nirrim's relationship. Thematically, the exploration of compulsory heterosexuality was excellently done, in a way I've never seen before in young adult fiction. But I found the plot meandering, with not enough clear motivation or goal for the characters. The worldbuilding felt overly explained, given it lacked originality. I also didn't vibe with Marie Rutkoski's first book, The Winners Curse, so maybe it's just me and not Marie. Overall though, still enjoyable especially for the lesbian relationship. "I can't be good to you, then be bad" took me TF OUTTT. Will probably continue the series, since I feel most the drama and plot it yet to come and this was just a large, large set up

3.5,, oh the angst, oh to have my own sid, also very scared for nirrim

Hmmm. I’m sad. There were some things I really liked in this book: the writing, and the excellent slow burn would be the top two. And there’s Sid. I liked Sid a lot. The storyline is also quite interesting... but the pacing is so weird. Slow doesn’t feel like the right word — more like uneven, and unfocused. It often feels like the story is meandering and forgot which direction it was moving towards. And the reveal was so anticlimactic?!? Sad. So sad. That slow-burn, man. Such a waste.

I am OBSESSED with this. The world isn’t ready for this masterpiece. The characters are so easy to love. The magic system and society are well-developed and awesome. The subtle discussions about class privilege and queer love are just excellent. Nirrim takes us on a wild journey and I was rooting for her (and Sid 😍😍😍😍) every step of the way. Thanks so much to Macmillan for the advanced copy!! I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this!

-lesbians -subterfuge -politics -assassins -BLOOD DRINKING!!!!

"It is a Midnight Lie. 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." I went into this not knowing what the book was about. For me it was a bit slow at the beginning. You follow Nirrim and her life. There was a bit of romance. There were times where what was happening to the half kith it would make me uncomfortable. The ending isn't what I had hoped for but I wasn't disappointed with it.

God thank you for blessing me with this amazing one of the best sapphic fantasy I have ever read. Scratch that, this is just one of the best books I've read. I made a promise that I'll lower the rating if Nirrim didn't confront Aden and Raven but SHE DID AND IT WAS SO AWESOME and can we talk about Sid and Nirrim? New favorite couple I am in love with them, especially Sid GAH Marie Rutkoski you have outdone yourself with this book. Also WHAT WAS THAT LAST CHAPTER? AND NIRRIM???

Have we all read the same book? This put me in a reading slump... What even is the plot of this book? Is there plot? I was listening to the audiobook I had to start over twice and go back a couple of times... I wasn't invested in the story... I kept on reading because I sincerely hoped that I will find the rest of the story interesting. I just do not understand all the high ratings...

literally read this in one night. held my attention from start to finish. sapphic, magic, the banter between Nirrim and Sid - what else could you want? the next book. which I will start the moment I wake up tomorrow.

I started this because I was promised a wlw romance of the sexy kind. But the more I read, the more I stayed for the world more than anything else. It's funny when I think of like, queer theory, feminist theory, or queer readings and feminist readings. Are queer people, or women, able to turn their perspective off? Are people able to turn it on at will? Because I can't really do it. I read this world as if it was something set in a fantasy variant of Istanbul. Even the names sound vaguely Middle Eastern at turns. That's what really intrigued me about it all. You could smell the world at some point in the book really. It's vivid, and I love that so much. Problem is, well... prose is something I'm consistently picky with, and if you lose me with that, you'll get me frustrated at every turn (literally). This one had occasionally brilliant moments, but more telling, and FAR more dialogue, than showing. And that was boring? Cause you just wait for the next dialogue run (which, admittedly, was entertaining) It was really like watching a dizi and having closeups every time. Even then... like? Entire stretches of JUST dialogue tags? So that's one, and two, Nirrim is not it. What a boring protagonist. What a boring character and a boring arc to mach. Sid had potential at least, but it was... all told via Nirrim, so what's the point really. Did I mention the dialogue tags sucking ass? Yeah? I'm mentioning it again. Probably a 3.5 once days pass, and I'll definitely stick around for the second book (DRAMA!!!!) but.... eh. Could've been a lot, lot, lot better.

I actually thoroughly enjoyed this book, and its individuality in a fantasy world full of books that are so similar to each other. Despite its slow start, it had great character progressions, a few good plot twists and it was enchanting enough to keep me wanting more. I’m interested to see where this will go.

"What good was a heart, if it hurt so much?" One word: Incredible. I was immediately drawn into this book when I started reading, the writing felt almost mystical in the way I couldn't pull my eyes away from it. The characters are very well written, I loved seeing Nirrim's development and who she became. The romance, although important, didn't overshadow the main storyline, and it was perfectly bittersweet— it made me feel every emotion from the range of butterflies to the sad feeling of emptiness. The plot twists in the story are amazing, and I could barely see them coming. I am so genuinely impressed with this book, it's definitely one of the bests I've read this year!

WOW!! The slow pacing of this book paid off. Nirrim’s story, Sid, and the ending just blew through me and enchanted me every step of the way. I am desperate for the second now!!

This was my first book from Marie Rutkoski and I realize that I have been missing out. I was thoroughly captivated into The Midnight Lie in just the first few chapters. The world building was cruel and beautiful. It was done within the story being told so there was never a dull moment. My love already powerful obsession for this book grew the moment our main character Nirrim meets Sid. Sid is witty, obnoxious, and mysterious. A perfect spark in our sweet, imaginative Nirrims life. Their banter and teasing was as delightful as it was tortuous. This was a beautiful read. So far my favorite book of 2020. I now own two of the different editions and have the authors Winners series on my tbr. Just a bit obsessed.

oof

3.7 stars. It was a solid read. I particularly enjoyed the world building, which I found rich, vibrant and lovingly written. As a character-oriented reader, I had no qualms about Nirrim or Sid. Sure, Nirrim toes the line of becoming a Mary Sue, but she was still bearable and didn’t detract from the story. [SPOILER] My biggest critique would probably be that the novel is sometimes too on the nose, particularly with its portrayal of abusive relationships. The reader is essentially told from the very start that Raven and Aden, the two main perpetrators, are bad guys. I think this plot element could’ve been more compelling if this was not apparent at the start, building up a sense of unease in the reader as well as in Nirrim, such that when she finally realises it herself near the climax, we are right there with here. I am intrigued by that ending and ready to see what the sequel has in store.

This book is great on so many levels, I didn't want it to end and now I don't know how I'm going to wait for the next book. The world: this book is marketed as set in the same world as The Winner's Curse and it is a bit misleading since this story is set in a different country with different set of "rules". There is a small connection to Winner's trilogy story but if you didn't read, that's totally fine. Winner's trilogy world had a Roman empire atmosphere, this world feels on a dystopian side and we learn more about the world as the story unfolds. Characters: I absolutely loved both Nirrim and Sid. Nirrim has an amazing character development arc: she starts the story as a obedient girl with a Stockholm syndrome and slowly finds her own voice throughout the course of the book. She goes from "it is what it is" to asking "Why?" and trying to find answers. Sid is the voice of reason in the book and she calls out everything wrong that she sees in the world, she questions status quo and follows her heart. Relationships: Nirrim and Sid have such a great chemistry, from the moment Sid appeared and they started talking I fell in love with this book. The author did a great job showing abusive relationship between Raven and Nirrim, I think she got victim's thoughts psychologically right, the way Nirrim justifies Raven's actions, the way she keep defending her in front of other people, the way she blames herself for the abuse. And I loved how Sid called her out for what Raven was. I want to give the book to Holly Black so she can learn how to not normalize abusive relationships in YA books (though she is thanked in Acknowledgements already so maybe there is hope).

Мари Руткоски вернулась с новой книгой, и все, кто отдал свое сердечко The Winner’s Trilogy (я в том числе) встрепенулись. Тем более что действие новой серии происходит в том же мире, хоть и в другой стране, и мы даже встречаем кое-кого из знакомых персонажей. Итак, наша главная героиня Ниррим живет в части города под названием Ward – значений у этого слова много, от простого «административного района» до «места заключения» и «больничной палаты». Район обнесен стеной, жителям его выходить оттуда нельзя, они в районе и рождаются, и умирают. Еще им нельзя носить яркую одежду и красивые прически, нельзя есть сладости и фрукты, и даже если они ничего не нарушают, их всё равно могут остановить на улице, отправить в тюрьму, а там отрезать волосы, выкачать флакончик крови, а то и лишить какой-то части тела, например, глаза. Помимо бесправной касты в городе живет средняя каста и аристократы – средние как раз курсируют туда-сюда, выкупая у бесправных товары, которые те производят, и продавая их аристократам втридорога. А хозяйка таверны, в которой живет Ниррим, продает бесправным поддельные паспорта, чтобы те могли сбежать из района. Вот такой примерно сеттинг – чуть-чуть антиутопический, но скорее всё-таки фэнтезийный, потому что на социалке здесь упора мало, рефлексией по поводу общественного устройства никто принципиально не занимается, зато магии в этом мире место явно есть, а какое именно – мы узнаем ближе к концу. Есть только одна вещь, про которую я могу поныть применительно к этой книге – это импульсивные, непродуманные поступки героини, особенно в последних главах. Такие, в стиле молодежных хорроров, «что это там у нас завывает на чердаке, пойду проверю», и это одна из немногих черт и людей, и персонажей, которые заставляют меня орать. Причем я даже не поняла, специально ли Руткоски сделала её такой, или просто не смогла вывезти какие-то части сюжета (как было в Winner’s Trilogy с амнезией). Надеюсь, ко второй книге Ниррим поумнеет и начнет думать, прежде чем делать. Всё остальное – реально хорошо. Очень правдоподобно выписан стокгольмский синдром сироты Ниррим, которую взяла из приюта Рейвен, хозяйка таверны – знаменитые качели «плюнет-поцелует», и то, как Ниррим постоянно оправдывает жестокость Рейвен, и как она доказывает себе, что Рейвен её любит, и не верит другим людям, пытающимся её разубедить. Отдельный, тоже очень цепляющий момент – как показана тоже характерная для травмированных людей диссоциация Ниррим с телом, как вяло она размышляет об угрозе изнасилования стражником – «потерплю» – или как, не испытывая желания, соглашается на секс с мыслью «ну он мне сейчас очень помог, он заслужил, мне жалко что ли». Ну и конечно любовная линия здесь прекрасная – Руткоски в моих глазах подтверждает, что она королева sexual tension in YA. А тут еще она решила не ограничиваться гетеронормативным каноном и устроила Ниррим жаркую страсть с девушкой, и после вялых попыток других авторов, типа Наташи Нган, романтика в The Midnight Lie свежа, как майская роза после дождя. Вторую книгу ждем, видимо, через год – и думаю, в ней мы еще и помимо прочего узнаем, как там дела у Кестрел и Арина (потому что всё связано, мвахаха).

Actual rating: 3.5 stars As a big fan of the Winner’s trilogy by this author, I was very curious to read how this story fit into that world…and that may have been my mistake. I enjoyed The Midnight Lie but I did not love it the way I would have wanted to. While I did love the prose—especially in the dialogues, which were super engaging and fun to read—and I enjoyed the characters a lot, the world felt very different, which was something I did not expect. I was having a hard time understanding how this story fit into the world of the Winner’s trilogy at all. This became easier thanks to one character who helped me bridge the two series, and in the end I believe the disorientation may have been intentional on the author’s part. It’s fair to say, however, that I did not enjoy being so confused. The plot was not the easiest to follow and there were moments where I seemed to not really remember what the characters were doing or what their goal was. As you can see, I had my issues with this one. But Rutkoski is really great at building up a character’s personality, and I found that to be true even in this story. Nirrim and Sid couldn’t have been more different as far as personalities go—one being far too insecure and passive, the other being far too confident and cocky. But somehow these two personalities worked so well together, and both of these characters went through a great transformation during the book that I really enjoyed reading. The relationship between these two women was by far what I enjoyed the most. F/F romance is still not something we get to see a lot in fantasy, and when we do get it, I sometimes feel like we’re getting a hurried sketch of a relationship, but this was not the case. The relationship had a slow crescendo, and there was a lot of self-discovery in the process of its evolution from strangers to friends to lovers. In perfect Marie Rutkoski fashion, there were several twists that had my mind reeling, and the union of those and my enjoyment of the characters made my rating a little less bitter than it could have been. I’m curious to see how this story will continue!

I've read Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse and didn't really get sold onto it so I initially didn't have a lot of expectations (this is also partially because I'm slowly phasing out from the YA romance stuff). Though I have to say - The Midnight Lie exceeds my expecatations and I'm glad the premise didn't disappoint. The writing is very beautifully written and easy to read. I really liked how the vivid colours and the beige colours are associated with the different people in the worldbuilding. I felt like I was immediately drawn into the fictional universe and the aesthetic descriptions of the backdrop kept me engaged in the story. I think the central themes e.g. search for identity, belonging, and social issues - are all very artfully woven into the story, thanks to the superb writing! So if there's anything, the writing style & the prose is definitely the book's biggest forte. I'm glad I've given Marie Rutkoski a second chance because the writing here is so much more enjoyable & poetic than The Winner's Curse (when I read that a few years ago). As of the main characters, I find Nirrin quite a likeable main character. While she still fits within the common YA tropes, her POV is pretty interesting to read from and I can see how her relationship with supporting characters play out. In particular her friendship with Sid is also a slow-burning one so it's a relatively welcome refreshment from the usual insta-love romance that I stumble across in YA. I'm usually not too big with the romance stuff so I probably quickly skimmed through a couple chapters in the middle of the book, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story as a whole. I was a bit surprised about how Nirrin's relationships played out in the end but I think it also highlighed her struggles on wrapping her head around the new sense of reality she's seeing. Content-wise, this epic fantasy has a romance subplot with a small amount of following triggers: gore, violence, and death (off-script). But overall, this is quite a pleasant read and is probably one of the better YA fantasy books that I've came across.

4.5~~~~ kinda gives off rapunzel vibes? but gay?? can't wait for the sequel