In many ways, I like the idea of leaving my review with the cryptic: "A well-thumbed favorite." Because that is a pretty good description. There is something charming about this book that belongs to who I am and what I was, especially as a young teenager. Bella has been raised by peasants, the only family she knows. Life is simple, even her friendship from childhood with Prince Julian. As a fourth prince, he was shipped off as a youngster to live with his uncle and train to be a knight. But suddenly the world starts slipping, a horribly betrayal from Julian and a discovery that her parents aren't really her parents at all. She is a knight's daughter, sent away as a baby because the grieving man couldn't stand the sight of her. Now she is back, a thorn to her new step-mother, unwanted by her cold father. When a peace treaty is broken and Julian's life endangered, Bella must decide whether or not she will save her prince.There is a kind of dorky "catcher" on the back of the book that says "Will The Worthy Knight appear in time to save Bella's prince?"That is not a good description of this book.Or maybe it is, if really wanted to take the entire plot of this book and put it into one sentence. But I still don't like it. I didn't really mention The Worthy Knight in my synopsis, because he is a part of the plot that is to intertwined not to talk about without giving away spoilers. But the way this book plays out is really cool.Seriously, allow me to repeat a phrase I seem fond of:I love this book. I really do. "A well-thumbed favorite." It isn't very well known, especially as far as Cinderella-retellings go, and that really is a pity. It has the flavor of medieval historical fiction mixed with fairy-tale. Bella...gosh I love her character. The story is told through many different voices, which surprisingly doesn't get to confusing. Bella's voice is so sweet. The story follows her from her birth, so you get some unique perspective as you watch her grow and change. She is strong, yet pure. Beautiful, though not traditionally (okay, I admit. She is a fellow red-head, I'd consider her beautiful even if they called her ugly!) I just love the innocence of her character. Prince Julian also is an awesome character. I mean, he has his issues. You see how he changes, grows up, learns life lessons. (Despite what it may sound like, the book is only 278 pages)Though they are the two "main" characters, there is a host of wonderful supporting cast. Because the story is told through multiple voices, you get to know a variety of people, from Bella's foster peasant Mom to her step-sisters. The story tells about a girl "coming of age" in a way, trusting in God (not preachy, the little bits of Christianity are really neat)and intermixed with battles, disguises, the importance of family. It is an "innocent", book in a way, absolutely perfect for pre- and young teens. One of my favorites :)
I'm going to have to say that Bella at Midnight is now my favorite fairytale retelling. I can't believe I put off reading it for so long! Well, actually I can. The cover is ugly, and the description on the jacket is less than amazing. At any rate, this is a loose retelling of Cinderella. I had no idea what fairytale this was based on when I picked it up. In fact, that it wasn't until mid-way through the book that I even began to see that there were a few Cinderellaish threads woven into the plot.What really made this retelling stand out for me was that the characters had a depth you just don't typically find in this genre. The constant switching of POVs may turn some people off, but in this case, I really think it really worked well. You got to know each character in a way you don't normally get a chance to. I was amazed that Stanley managed to make me feel sorry for the evil stepmother. From listening to her point of view in this story you find her a sympathetic character, who found herself in an impossible situation. You may not like her, but it's hard to dislike her.The romance between Bella and her prince is not at all what I've come to expect from fairytales, either. They don't meet at a ball...or instantly fall in love. They are childhood friends who have been confiding in each other for years, and from that friendship springs the love that drives them both to do great things in the future. The fact that Prince Julian is a three-dimensional character, was also a pleasant surprise.Of course, because it is a fariytale/fantasy, there are a few unexplained magical powers, magical objects, and magical happenings. And if you're looking for a deep exploration of characters and motivations...just keep on looking. This isn't the right genre for you. However, if you're already a fan of fairytales, and you haven't checked this one out yet, then you're missing out on a quite a hidden gem. You can bet I'll be digging around for other books by this author!
Do You like book Bella At Midnight (2006)?
I really enjoyed this book, it was fun and engaging and didn't take me very long to read. It's an adaptation of Cinderella, and the main elements are there, but there are enough differences that you don't see everything coming, there are still surprises in the story. It's also partly historical fiction, but it is made up and vague enough that there aren't the accuracy problems encountered in other historical fiction that drive me nuts. It's easy to accept this world without going "But that's not how things were back then!" All in all, an enjoyable light read.
—Ellen
Isabel is the central character who is unknowingly being raised by a foster family of peasants in a kingdom that has been in war for over one hundred years. She befriends Prince Julian who had the same wet nurse and lives with his uncle nearby. The characters are from four families and face challenges due to differences in class, family expectations, change in position and growing up. The book shows that in the end, it is not class that matters but friendship and self-worth. Also important to note is that although it is a Cinderella tale, it is not just Cinderella that is saved- everyone in the story either helps to save someone else or finds the strength to save themselves. This book is complex as the narrators change among and between families. Two of the families' story lines do not come together until near the end of the book. The constant turnover in perspective leads to a lot of foreshadowing of things to come. Although the ending was a tad predictable, I found myself thinking of this book for days after finishing it (for me, the sign of a great book). This would be a great book for a middle school girl to read independently or as part of a traditional literature unit. The book helps to show how everyone faces their own struggle and that looking at things from another’s perspective can ease judgment and lead to greater understanding and compassion.
—Lauren
It's a very easy, fast read. But it's a pretty good book. It's a mix of the classic fantasy novel with an adventure novel. With a little Jane Austen.I like Bella and Julian a lot, and the humor is really good. The only part I don't like (well, hate) is that Bella's kitten is killed in the scrum at the very beginning. I hate to think of animals being hurt.The writing style is very apt for the kind of story being told. It's not only intelligent, it also sets the scene almost better than the actual descriptions. You can just envisage the kind of people Stanley writes about and the kind of place you're reading about because of the language. It wouldn't fit in, say, Sarah Dessen or even J. K. Rowling. It fits this story perfectly.It's also a very, very good retelling of Cinderella. The twist is extremely unexpected. And it's unconventional while keeping a lot of the original elements of the fairy tale.
—Maia B.
