That is, until Sid arrives and brings our understanding into the story, revealing to Nerrim what we cannot. Her problematic relationships are vividly painted, presenting a jarring distance between us and her. While the reader treads the same path of enlightenment as Nerrim, learning most of the important details of plot and place at the same pace as she does, there are some issues hidden from her that we see with brutal clarity. The realities of both world and character are deliberately obstructed, muddied by what Nerrim thinks she knows and by visions which make her unsure of what’s real. It’s a believably slow discovery of truths by a girl caught in webs of emotional manipulation, obligation, and expectation. Her journey is nothing less than the finding of self. Her voice is contemplative, somewhat naive, and quite clearly institutionalised, but increasingly determined to ask questions and find her way. Nerrim is a fascinating creation, far from the traditional heroine so often set up as the protagonist in these kinds of stories. It might not feel new, but it still works, especially since, for me at least, it seemed merely the foil that allowed the characters to shine.Īnd what characters they are! Identity is at the heart of this and the book never stops questioning what it takes to be who you are. It's a pretty crowded genre in which to impress, but while the namings here feel somewhat contrived, the larger world-building is effectively realised. Of course, it's impossible to read about this kind of dystopia, typified by its rule-bound, stratified society and victimised group, without recalling the many, MANY other YA books that begin with the same concept. It’s this poetic style which makes the book stand out. It has sentences that stop you in your tracks more than the weirdness of this imagined world, it is the enchantment of the words that take you somewhere magical. Each sentence is cleverly crafted and beautifully evocative, emphasising the tone of the scene or clashing with it in arresting discord. So you tell me what would make a good, quiet girl get herself in trouble, especially when she had so much to lose.īy far the most impressive part of The Midnight Lie is the writing, the author playing with lyrical or prosaic language in turn. The world around her is made uncertain, it’s a place full of lies. When the Elysium bird appears one day, it brings change with it, triggering a series of events that transforms Nerrim’s life. Hers is a near colourless existence made bearable by her found family and the secret work she performs to help other Half Kith live free. It's a district of limitations, of danger and drudgery.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski