Only Until Midnight

by Michael B. Chikondi

There are battles in this world which most people never see.

Sometimes the need to preserve our spirit, hope and dignity is the trial that we face, and love just the prize. This is one such tale.

Retelling the classic fairytale, this story focuses not on the quest to win the handsome prince, but on Cinderella before the ball, and the reality of life with a narcissist – the stepmother in whose ‘care’ the young girl is left after she becomes an orphan.

How does a person maintain their optimism and their sense of self in a hopeless situation that they cannot control, when even other people living in the house cannot see what is going on right under their noses? Some conflicts are fought over many years, lost and won without anyone knowing that a war was happening at all.

Only Until Midnight is at once a return to the traditional values of the fairytale and an unflinching look at the reality behind it, making the magical princess more relatable than ever as a woman in an impossible situation.

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2024

About the author

Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel gored out by its own teeth, judging by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.

“Can we approach?” we call.

“No soliciting.” the voice returns.

“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”

“Ask.” the dread voice responds.

“Alright, who are you?” we try.

“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen."

”You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.

“Yes, but now…I hunger…”

We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that it never comes out on its own.

Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist's rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies. Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.

Reviews

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but when one comes my way by an author I enjoy, bring it on. That is the case with Only Until Midnight by Michael C Chikondi. It’s always fun to see what kind of spin an author can put on an oft told tale and Michael did a great job.

The mice running around the house added a fun touch.

There is not a lot to say on a subject that has been written about so much, but Michael added this and that, making the story his own. The Prince…that was nice touch, even though I had immediately caught the twist.

A quick, fun story that is sure to entertain, and it left me with a smile on my face.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

[Aaron Kempton · Rating 4 out of 5]

As mentioned in every review, this was the retelling of the famous fairytale, “Cinderella.” It stayed true to the storyline where it mattered most, and even offered some creative author influence, allowing you to breeze right through. Enjoy this for the fun retelling it is!

[Kearstin Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing Cinderella retelling with perfect twists from the author

I loved the characters and how the story line played out.

It followed Cinderella but with cute differences

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t the classic that many of us grew up with. The basics are there but it’s definitely a different story. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. It is on the darker side which if you think about the classic and the stepmother isn’t really different but I guess it’s all in the telling. Two things stand out for me for a shorter book the pacing is slow and the tone overall is too dark. I like my fairytales classic or retellings to be brighter, quicker and lighter. So for me this didn’t work. My two cents, your mileage may vary.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristi Spinks · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is definitely Cinderella. It's not much of a retelling though. It just seems to be from the point of view of the narrator being Cinderella and told as a memory. Not too bad though.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tarah Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best retelling of Cinderella ever. I couldn’t put this down! I loved the spunk that Ella has and the twists in the plot I didn’t see coming. It developed nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.
Absolutely a delight to read!

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the new trend of fairy tale retellings this one leans toward the darker side of retelling. This darker side may not be for some people, however, I don't mind. I grew up with an Auntie from a different country and her versions of the fairy tales my grandmother told me were always darker, gruesome and somewhat disturbing from Cinderella to Hansel and Gretal there was never a retelling she gave that was not disturbing on some level - and quite frankly scary.

I say all this to say - this author gives us a darker side of this story. And I say give it a chance. It's a short enough read to enjoy in a day or two - a classic weekend read. The writing is good. The pacing is somewhat slow, however not unbearable. However, if you prefer bright, easy retellings don't even bother - no need in hating on a book because it's darker than you're used.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Only Until Midnight" is described as a retelling of Cinderella, and in that respect it does not disappoint. Unfortunately, I couldn't help but be bored while reading it.

Technically speaking, the story has an issue with pacing. Chikondi is excellent when it comes to descriptions, but the pace of the story was slow for a tale that is familiar to the reader. It took around 40 pages to mention the Prince, for example, who along with the ball is the main drive for the story (with the ball itself being the climax). I also felt as if the name of Cinderella's step sisters was just thrown in at one point; we did not get introduced to them by name, and so when their names are used, it comes a little out of left field.

I felt the first person perspective was an excellent choice on behalf of Chikondi. It is an excellent way to provide more context for the tale - that being Cinderella's internal thought process - but unfortunately Cinderella is such a flat character that it becomes almost monotonous to read. That being said, the story does hit the major beats we have come to expect from the classic tale and Cinderella is not out of character (except in the sense that her characterisation was altered for this tale), she is just dull.

If I had to compare it to something, I would say it has similar vibes to the movie Ever After. Chikondi takes the story and changes just enough to do something different with it but keeps the major points of the story. If pacing could be adjusted and Cinderella given a less dull voice, I think this story could be something special. As it is, it is a solid three out of five stars from me. Do not let that stop you from reading this tale if you enjoy retellings, however, as it is still worth a read.

I received a free digital copy of this book on Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to withdraw my review promise for this on Booksprout, as I couldn't meet all of the requirements, but I'm choosing to review it nonetheless.

Cinderella is one of the most recognisable classic fairy tales that many of us enjoyed as children. As a small child, Cinderella was my favourite princess, so I'm always interested to look at retellings, partly to see how authors recreate her as a character to make her their own.

I enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella. It seemed darker and eerier than the original story, but with all the necessary components to feel like Cinderella. I felt a connection with Ella, and she seemed to express herself in a dark, thoughtful sort of way, which I enjoyed. This was short enough to read in one sitting, so if you like fairy tale retellings, consider giving this a try.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

A retelling of the classic Cinderella by Michael B. Chikondi, titled 'Only Until Midnight,' is told from Cinderella's point of view. In the Ebook version, there are just 119 pages. I was looking forward to reading this, but I think the author fell short. My opinion of the book is that it's a bit flat, slow, Cinderella's character is a bit depressing, and the story is somewhat dark. Reading it felt like reading a first draft. Creativity and imagination were lacking. Cinderella's visit to her mother's grave was depressing. After visiting the witch, she was mistreated horribly by her stepmother. While I try to find positives to include in my reviews, I can't in this case. I am sorry.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Cinderella, a slight twist in the fairytale we all know and love.

Pros:this author has fantastic descriptions, the point of view the story was told from was wonderful, and I appreciated the love and depth that Ella had for her mother.

Cons: Pacing was off in this book. While I was able to read it in a day, it wasn't hard to put down. The second half of the book was better than the first, but honestly I felt like giving up part way through it.

I received a copy of this book from book sprout in exchange for an hones review

[Diana Menshikova · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read, easy to understand and follow. It is a very familiar story since it is a retelling of a famous fairytale, but I liked the modern additions and the focus on being true to self, as well as having the least expected person to be the most helpful. I love the ending and how it tied every loose end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Char ღ Denae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only Until Midnight is a fresh look at the fairytale of Cinderella. Mostly keeping to the original plot, it’s a bit darker than Disney but was pretty good. I found it a bit slow at times but would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairytale retellings.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suze82 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected more
Reading the blurb I expected more from this book than a mere retelling of Cinderella in a prolonged version.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[brenda hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it but then again who doesn't love a Cinderella story. It was very well written that i kept turning the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hanna Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cinderella is a classic fairy tale and this retelling of it was so cute! I liked it, I just wish it was a little bit longer to expand the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christine Tejada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet read. It reads more like a journal in my opinion but I enjoyed it. The stepmother is a witch and the sisters while not cruel are more ignorant. However I really liked the ending.

[Nyssa Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only until midnight, is a Cinderella retelling from Cinderella's perspective, kind of like she's having a conversation, telling someone her life story. Enjoyed reading it. It's a quick read.

[Nevaeh Ruegger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my review at Nevy's Bookshelf

[Thai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite saying that it is a Cinderella retelling, I didn't feel that there was much difference between the classic tale and this book. The biggest difference is that the story was told from Cinderella's POV, so it's as if you had a passage into her thoughts while everything happened. However, the events of the book are not very different from the classic tale, if you know the story of Cinderella, you already know what will happen in this book. Which made the pace very slow as there wasn't much need to build a world that the reader already knows. The author does a great job of describing the places and characters but ends up making everything very slow and doesn't hold your attention. For such a short book, it lacked a lot of fluidity. It's not terrible, but it's definitely not for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joseph Hallett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful retelling of a classic!

The author weaves a new spin on this well-known tale with a flowing narrative that draws you in. Great story and a satisfying ending!