I'm pleasantly surprised!! Normally Christmas inspired stories get a bit too saccharine for my cup of tea but luckily M.A. Kuzniar's enchanting Midnight in Everwood didn't succumb to the usual pitfalls of holiday reads. Inspired by Tchaikovsky's magical Nutcracker ballet, Midnight in Everwood is a spellbinding and also lowkey sinister tale about taking ownership of one's narratives / self-will. It also has a lush and feminist undertone that's redeems this an empowering read.

So let me just say about what makes this an unexpectedly cozy Christmas read. Personally a cozy read isn't the absence of dark / sinister elements (that's cheesy), but it's rather the way the storytelling gives the readers glimpse of hope that warms their heart when after the conflict resolution - the emotional impact to the readers.

Firstly, Kuzniar avoided getting cheesy by ofsetting the sugary backdrop on the worlbuilding and opting to dig deep into the darker side of human psychology. I think Kuzniar is well versed with fairytales: both its light and dark sides. Its darker facets often left in the dark. But what makes Midnight in Everwood worthwhile to read is that it fleshes out the more sinister side of a well known fairytale (which is also adapted as a famous ballet). Fairytales tend to convey an aspect of human nature - The Nutcracker is no exception. I think Kuzniar captured the essence of The Nutcracker very well through her exquisite storytelling.

Another thing that I enjoyed is the element of hope in the book. I think this is well demonstrated from the female characters' resilient characters - particularly Marietta's. The odds that she's been through over the course of the novel and how she finally overcame the difficulties. This is where the heartwarming aspect of the fairytale (the emotion that I associate with Christmas) comes in. And luckily the storytelling saves this from being just another cheesy Christmas story!

While Midnight in Everwood excels in its storytelling and thematic developments, I think since this is a book targeted to older middle-grade / younger YA readers some of the intricacies aren't sketched out in as much detail that I usually look for in a book. For example, the headspace of the villains and the more intricate details about how the palace operates. So if you're accustomed to reading very detailed books / adult fictions, the scope provided here might not fully satisfy you.

A few disclaimers aside, Midnight in Everwood is nevertheless a magical treat. It's Christmassy, atmospheric, and surprisingly hopeful. It's a must read for anyone who loves Christmas, fairytales, and a small dose of something dark and sinister.

N.B. content warnings: emotional abuse, violence, accidents, death, weapons, and blood mention