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The Light of the Midnight Stars
An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.
Deep in the Hungarian woods, the sacred magic of King Solomon lives on in his descendants. Gathering under the midnight stars, they pray, sing and perform small miracles - and none are more gifted than the great Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters. Each one is blessed with a unique talent - whether it be coaxing plants to grow, or predicting the future by reading the path of the stars.
When a fateful decision to help an outsider ends in an accusation of witchcraft, fire blazes through their village. Rabbi Isaac and his family are forced to flee, to abandon their magic and settle into a new way of life. But a dark fog is making its way across Europe and will, in the end, reach even those who thought they could run from it. Each of the sisters will have to make a choice - and change the future of their family forever.
For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Sisters of the Winter Wood.
Deep in the Hungarian woods, the sacred magic of King Solomon lives on in his descendants. Gathering under the midnight stars, they pray, sing and perform small miracles - and none are more gifted than the great Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters. Each one is blessed with a unique talent - whether it be coaxing plants to grow, or predicting the future by reading the path of the stars.
When a fateful decision to help an outsider ends in an accusation of witchcraft, fire blazes through their village. Rabbi Isaac and his family are forced to flee, to abandon their magic and settle into a new way of life. But a dark fog is making its way across Europe and will, in the end, reach even those who thought they could run from it. Each of the sisters will have to make a choice - and change the future of their family forever.
For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Sisters of the Winter Wood.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 13, 2021
141 people are currently reading
9694 people want to read
About the author
Rena Rossner
6 books426 followersRena Rossner hails from Miami Beach, Florida. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University's Writing Seminars program, Trinity College, Dublin and she holds a MA in history from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Her debut novel, The Sisters of the Winter Wood, was listed as "One of the 100 Best Books" of the year by Publisher's Weekly. She currently lives in Israel, where she works as a Literary Agent at The Deborah Harris Agency. Her grandparents and great grandparents immigrated to the USA from Hungary, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova - their stories, together with her love of Jewish mythology and fantasy, inspire her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 375 reviews
January 30, 2022
evocative, compelling, poignant, truly beautiful
April 16, 2021
My thanks to Orbit/Little, Brown Book Co and NetGalley for a review copy of this one.
This, like the author’s previous book The Sisters of the Winter Wood combines history, fantasy, Jewish folklore, and fairy tales (the previous book didn’t have a fairy tale but Christina Rossetti’s Gobin Market as its base). In 14th-century Hungary, in the small village of Trnava lives Rabbi Issac with his wife and three daughters, Hannah, Sarah and Levana; also the Rabbi’s old mother. They are Solomonars, descendants of a clan to whom Solomon had handed his secrets. Each of the family possesses certain powers—Rabbi Isaac can change form, his wife has healing powers and knowledge which she is passing on to Hannah who also has a way with making plants grow; Sarah can weave by magic and also can set fire to things, and Levana is absorbed in the stars. The Rabbi and his wife are training each of the girls in certain skills but Sarah in particular feels very dissatisfied and is rebellious for she feels she is not getting the opportunity to do the things she would were she a boy, in particular to study the texts that boys can. The story is told mostly in the narratives of the three girls with folklore and third-person sections tying them together.
The family are leading a relatively peaceful, devout life but a dark mist is creeping across the country and into their lives, something each of the girls can sense but don’t seem to share with anyone else. While their father and his students/disciples seem to be taking steps to keep this at bay, it spreads and ultimately brings tragedy into their lives as not only must they suffer personally, they are blamed for bringing the misfortune upon their village and must flee. In a new village, a safe place, they give up their heritage, their names and their past and start anew. But can they really be safe and finally find happiness or will trouble follow them in their new lives as well?
This was something of a mixed read for me. Starting out with the story, I found it very easy to get into the three sisters narratives, enjoyed their individual voices, and seeing events proceed from each of their perspectives. (Compared to the Sisters of the Winter Wood, where I felt I needed to get my head around some of the plotlines, and reading the basic story of Goblin Market made it easier to follow, in this book I didn’t face that problem). I felt for the family, for all that they lost, and that they had (as many other have) to live in constant fear, constant uncertainty, not knowing when they would have to give up their home, become unwanted again. Of the three girls themselves, I liked Hannah and Levana better than Sarah somehow (though Levana was rather strange compared to the other two). I felt Sarah, though one understands the reasons for her dissatisfaction, has a touch of nastiness, also of selfishness about her. Still all three girls are strong—have to face much, bear much, and give up much, still they carry on and keep trying. One can’t but admire them for that.
I also found I enjoyed the stories and elements of folklore that are interwoven in and between the different narratives. I liked reading those, and also following the lives of each of the three girls.
The issue for me in the book lay in the fact that I felt like the stories of the three girls, the paths they follow and where they end up, didn’t really fell cohesive like part of a single tale—they felt like different stories that could well have been complete in themselves and that were just put together. Also, while Hannah’s and Sarah’s stories involved fantasy elements and a bit of magic, Levana’s felt like it belonged to an entirely different realm than that of the other two even though the author has woven it in with their world.
So this turned out to be a book with many elements I enjoyed but one that didn’t quite seem one story over all. (The cover by the way, is once again absolutely gorgeous).
3.25 stars.
This, like the author’s previous book The Sisters of the Winter Wood combines history, fantasy, Jewish folklore, and fairy tales (the previous book didn’t have a fairy tale but Christina Rossetti’s Gobin Market as its base). In 14th-century Hungary, in the small village of Trnava lives Rabbi Issac with his wife and three daughters, Hannah, Sarah and Levana; also the Rabbi’s old mother. They are Solomonars, descendants of a clan to whom Solomon had handed his secrets. Each of the family possesses certain powers—Rabbi Isaac can change form, his wife has healing powers and knowledge which she is passing on to Hannah who also has a way with making plants grow; Sarah can weave by magic and also can set fire to things, and Levana is absorbed in the stars. The Rabbi and his wife are training each of the girls in certain skills but Sarah in particular feels very dissatisfied and is rebellious for she feels she is not getting the opportunity to do the things she would were she a boy, in particular to study the texts that boys can. The story is told mostly in the narratives of the three girls with folklore and third-person sections tying them together.
The family are leading a relatively peaceful, devout life but a dark mist is creeping across the country and into their lives, something each of the girls can sense but don’t seem to share with anyone else. While their father and his students/disciples seem to be taking steps to keep this at bay, it spreads and ultimately brings tragedy into their lives as not only must they suffer personally, they are blamed for bringing the misfortune upon their village and must flee. In a new village, a safe place, they give up their heritage, their names and their past and start anew. But can they really be safe and finally find happiness or will trouble follow them in their new lives as well?
This was something of a mixed read for me. Starting out with the story, I found it very easy to get into the three sisters narratives, enjoyed their individual voices, and seeing events proceed from each of their perspectives. (Compared to the Sisters of the Winter Wood, where I felt I needed to get my head around some of the plotlines, and reading the basic story of Goblin Market made it easier to follow, in this book I didn’t face that problem). I felt for the family, for all that they lost, and that they had (as many other have) to live in constant fear, constant uncertainty, not knowing when they would have to give up their home, become unwanted again. Of the three girls themselves, I liked Hannah and Levana better than Sarah somehow (though Levana was rather strange compared to the other two). I felt Sarah, though one understands the reasons for her dissatisfaction, has a touch of nastiness, also of selfishness about her. Still all three girls are strong—have to face much, bear much, and give up much, still they carry on and keep trying. One can’t but admire them for that.
I also found I enjoyed the stories and elements of folklore that are interwoven in and between the different narratives. I liked reading those, and also following the lives of each of the three girls.
The issue for me in the book lay in the fact that I felt like the stories of the three girls, the paths they follow and where they end up, didn’t really fell cohesive like part of a single tale—they felt like different stories that could well have been complete in themselves and that were just put together. Also, while Hannah’s and Sarah’s stories involved fantasy elements and a bit of magic, Levana’s felt like it belonged to an entirely different realm than that of the other two even though the author has woven it in with their world.
So this turned out to be a book with many elements I enjoyed but one that didn’t quite seem one story over all. (The cover by the way, is once again absolutely gorgeous).
3.25 stars.
February 25, 2021
I want to bar myself,
from the light
of the midnight stars.
I have no one else to turn to.
Perhaps if I step out
onto the balcony
and fall,
a star will catch me.
I don’t know if I gave The Light of the Midnight Stars a completely fair shake: I started it just before my life got busy again, and when I realised that it was kind of a YA Fantasy Romance, I wasn’t eager to keep picking it up again; I spent way too long with this and it wasn’t entirely the book’s fault. I didn’t love specific aspects of the formatting (and especially the repetition of plotpoints, and of motifs from folklore), and being told from the rotating POVs of three very different sisters, I unevenly connected with them and their stories. But when I sat down to finally finish the last two hours of this book, things started coming together, and in the end, I found myself touched by this family and their fates. I can see how this novel would provide amazing representation for the right reader (especially at the intersection of Jewish, queer, and female), and I may well have enjoyed it more if I had had the time to read it more quickly, but for me it’s a three and a half star read, rounded down. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
I have begun to write my own story in these pages. The story I will tell my children.
About a girl who fell in love with a star.
About a girl whose heart was made of fire.
About a girl who found a way to plant herself in the earth and grow.
Set in the Kingdom of Hungary in the fourteenth century, we first meet the three adolescent sisters — Hannah, Sarah, and Levana — as they negotiate fairly ordinary lives as the daughters of a respected Rabbi in their multiethnic town of Trnava. Each of the daughters enjoys a special, magical gift (based on the kabbalah and Jewish folklore), and while Hannah is a healer, Sarah can control fire, and Levana can read the stars, they are careful to hide these powers from their gentile neighbours and avoid accusations of witchcraft. When a killing Black Mist descends on first the surrounding forest and then the town itself, Trnava’s Jewish population finds itself scapegoated and persecuted, and the sisters flee with their parents to nearby Wallachia; a region famous for its freedom of religion, but where the Rabbi decides to keep his family safe by posing as Christians. Hidden gifts, hidden desires, hidden identities: the second half of this book is about three scared and broken young women (and to a lesser extent, their peripheral parents) and their efforts to learn to live and love again.
Some evil is so unspeakable that the only way we can fight it is by telling a story. Over and over again, until history stops repeating itself.
As for the formatting: Author Rena Rossner explains in an afterword that while researching her own grandmother’s ancestry, she came across numerous legends, fairy tales, and authentic historical records from the medieval Kingdom of Hungary and she pretty much used all of it in this novel, as stories she’s telling us and as stories that characters tell each other. Events will occur in one of the sister’s lives, and then at some later point, that sister will recount the events to someone else with a “Once upon a time” telling, and the details repeat over and over. And as for the repeating motifs: There are so many twins and dragons and foxes eating grapes, sentient stars falling from the sky and pregnant women walled up in monasteries, and I truly didn’t understand why everything repeats in this way (unless it’s commentary on the repetition of violent antisemitism throughout history? The creeping Black Mist from Part One can be read as a magical dragon attack from local folklore, the Black Death, or antisemitism; in any case, the Jews are certain to be blamed and purged; be forewarned about some shocking violence in this tale.)
There is no good and evil, no light and dark, no man or woman. Every one of us contains multitudes. Every one of us contains a spark of God.
But this isn’t a totally bleak novel, and as I said, I ultimately found the story touching. I feel like maybe Rossner tried to put too much of her research into her final effort — it felt, for sure, like far too much was going on in Sarah’s story (some from folklore, some from the historical record; a weird, unconvincing mashup) — but again, maybe I just didn’t give this book the chance to carry me away. Definitely, I can see how this will appeal to the right readers.
April 20, 2021
The Light of the Midnight Stars is a gorgeous, captivating book set in the 14th century. It is about Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters, all of whom have special powers. When the dark mist comes creeping in, however, can they be saved?
This is a wonderful combination of history, Bible stories, fantasy and folklore that is gorgeously written by Rena Rossner. I have heard some of the Bible stories all my life but they come alive in this book and are so well told.. The Bible stories and folklore are told as "stories within the story" and are fascinating.
Although I received a free digital copy of this book, I also purchased the audiobook because I had a feeling that this would be even better in spoken form. I was right. This is the way the original stories would have been handed down, verbally from generation to generation. Ana Clements does an amazing job as narrator.
This is a finely woven together creation that defies a rating. Five stars is not enough for this exquisitely crafted novel.
This is a wonderful combination of history, Bible stories, fantasy and folklore that is gorgeously written by Rena Rossner. I have heard some of the Bible stories all my life but they come alive in this book and are so well told.. The Bible stories and folklore are told as "stories within the story" and are fascinating.
Although I received a free digital copy of this book, I also purchased the audiobook because I had a feeling that this would be even better in spoken form. I was right. This is the way the original stories would have been handed down, verbally from generation to generation. Ana Clements does an amazing job as narrator.
This is a finely woven together creation that defies a rating. Five stars is not enough for this exquisitely crafted novel.
March 5, 2021
When I read the description as a fairy tale set in Eastern Europe, I thought this would encompass one of the genres I love: magical realism. Instead I found it a confusing hodgepodge with a minimal story line and characters who were not well developed. Very disappointed. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
April 13, 2021
The Light of the Midnight Stars has left me mystified, in wonder at what I just read. This novel was evocative and gorgeously written. I started it and finished it in one sitting, as it pulled me along in almost a dreamlike quality and demanded to be finished. I think this book is best read that way; devoured whole with nothing to break your concentration from the spell that it winds.
It very much was told in the manner of a dark fairytale. Do not be expecting Disney style telling, expect something more in line with Grimms’ style. The Light of the Midnight Stars takes inspiration from Hungarian, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Slovakian folklore. It retells a multitude of legends and tales, including the story of the Solomonars, who were whispered to be Jewish mountain men that could control the weather and rode cloud dragons. Be warned, not all endings in this novel are happy. In fact, this book is strewn with tragedy. Rossner addresses a lot of the anti-Semitic messages in these myths, as it is sadly part of the history. This book is part fantasy and part historical fiction and therefore, depicts events that are macabre in nature. I’ve never shied away from getting my heart broken by books though, as hard as some content can be to read.
I will be the first to admit that I don’t know much about the Jewish faith– or any religion, for that matter. While a knowledge of it might have altered my level of enjoyment (for better or for worse), I didn’t feel like it took away from the experience I had. I didn’t need background knowledge to enjoy my reading, as Rossner does a thorough job at clarifying background information in her author’s note and includes a glossary at the back of the book for phrases that might be unknown to the reader.
Rossner expertly gives these three women their own voices and stories, even as they intertwine with each others’ storylines. The narration style changes with each POV and I truly enjoyed how their thoughts were easily distinguishable. The writing style changes with each character’s inner monologue. Levana’s writing style in particular might not work for everyone, but for me it was like stepping into the mind of an idealist. I felt like we got a true sense of who she was and how different she was in comparison to her sisters. Her narration style was a thoughtful and heartfelt touch by the author.
There were moments in this novel that made my head spin and I felt like I had to wrap my mind around what just happened. The story moves in a fast paced way that might be off-putting to some people but I liked the force at which it pulled me along. If you view this as a fairytale, I think that pacing and the rhythm of the novel makes complete sense.
The Light of the Midnight Stars is a wonderful demonstration of the resilience of the Jewish people. It is captivating and dreamlike, yet capable of putting down roots in your heart. This compelling tale will have you thinking on it long after you put it down. You can now buy this novel in stores or shops near you. Thank you to Orbit for the beautiful finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
It very much was told in the manner of a dark fairytale. Do not be expecting Disney style telling, expect something more in line with Grimms’ style. The Light of the Midnight Stars takes inspiration from Hungarian, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Slovakian folklore. It retells a multitude of legends and tales, including the story of the Solomonars, who were whispered to be Jewish mountain men that could control the weather and rode cloud dragons. Be warned, not all endings in this novel are happy. In fact, this book is strewn with tragedy. Rossner addresses a lot of the anti-Semitic messages in these myths, as it is sadly part of the history. This book is part fantasy and part historical fiction and therefore, depicts events that are macabre in nature. I’ve never shied away from getting my heart broken by books though, as hard as some content can be to read.
I will be the first to admit that I don’t know much about the Jewish faith– or any religion, for that matter. While a knowledge of it might have altered my level of enjoyment (for better or for worse), I didn’t feel like it took away from the experience I had. I didn’t need background knowledge to enjoy my reading, as Rossner does a thorough job at clarifying background information in her author’s note and includes a glossary at the back of the book for phrases that might be unknown to the reader.
Rossner expertly gives these three women their own voices and stories, even as they intertwine with each others’ storylines. The narration style changes with each POV and I truly enjoyed how their thoughts were easily distinguishable. The writing style changes with each character’s inner monologue. Levana’s writing style in particular might not work for everyone, but for me it was like stepping into the mind of an idealist. I felt like we got a true sense of who she was and how different she was in comparison to her sisters. Her narration style was a thoughtful and heartfelt touch by the author.
There were moments in this novel that made my head spin and I felt like I had to wrap my mind around what just happened. The story moves in a fast paced way that might be off-putting to some people but I liked the force at which it pulled me along. If you view this as a fairytale, I think that pacing and the rhythm of the novel makes complete sense.
The Light of the Midnight Stars is a wonderful demonstration of the resilience of the Jewish people. It is captivating and dreamlike, yet capable of putting down roots in your heart. This compelling tale will have you thinking on it long after you put it down. You can now buy this novel in stores or shops near you. Thank you to Orbit for the beautiful finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC!
Queer Rep: bisexual woman POV character, lesbian love interest
Major Trigger Warnings: sexual violence, sexism/misogyny, violent antisemitism, sexual content involving minors/with adults, grief, death generally, and more specific very visceral acts of violence/execution that are spoilers
I really wanted to love this book, and there are parts I did love! The grounded, complex and messy portrayal of Jewish identity and belief and history and mythology in this book was excellent. I love that the author brought these lesser known (at least outside of specific communities) Jewish folktales to life. Each sister felt like a unique character with very different approaches to the world around them, and they all, especially Sarah, changed in interesting ways over the course of the book. I am so glad to see a f/f relationship in a Jewish fairytale book. I was engrossed the whole time – I stayed up until 5am reading this book at one point. I wanted to like it, and spent my whole experience reading it feeling very conflicted. I didn’t hate this book, but I don’t think I can say I liked it either. The word that feels most fitting is “conflicted.”
I struggled with how young the sisters were at many points (specifically around marriage and sex). I know this is likely what was happening at the time, but I would have had a much more positive experience with this book if they were all aged up even two years. The characters’ lives also seemed to revolve almost entirely around marriage and sex – desperately wanting to have sex, therefore desperately wanting to get married immediately, despite being, for example, thirteen years old. This seemed to be what their whole selves revolved around. Not a single character had a completely platonic friendship outside of their family. The characters didn’t seem to have wider lives outside of their tragic fairytale romances, which makes sense when trying to fit so many fairytales into the lives of a single family.
The romances themselves all started so quick and so strong and desperate that they felt almost unreal, especially as that kept happening over and over and over again. I felt the heavy hand of the author while reading this – that in order to weave all of these different tales together, she had to maneuver the characters into encounters that just felt absolutely unreal, even in a fairytale, to imagine happening to the same person. It’s as if Cinderella also experienced the story of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood. At some point, the woods feel too full of princes and you have to wonder how the princess could still fall ever again, why she wouldn’t just sit down right there and refuse to budge. And if, like with this book, we’re using the gritty, original, haunting version of the fairytales, the amount of trauma and pain the character has to go through to live through all of these stories is too much.
I think it’s the author’s choice to weave all these stories into the life of one family of sisters that made this book not work for me. I think I could have loved this book as a short story collection happening to different people, or if the second half of the book happened to the Solomonars’ cousins, for example. Actually, the moment I most thought I would turn out to love the book was when I mistakenly thought that a transformation that happens midway through the book was a permanent and complete one, down to memories, and identities, and origin stories. I think going in that direction could have been so fascinating, and made a big difference for me. I saw the way that the first part of the book was almost a prequel to the rest of it, and I just wish that the sequel had differed more from its predecessor. I kept hoping for an ending to pull enough of the strings of the stories to feel satisfying, to bring meaning to it all, for something to click, and I just kept waiting. I feel like I'm still waiting.
This book seemed to be made for me, as an Ashkenazi queer Jewish person who has a niche interest in queer fairytales. Ultimately, although I was engrossed, I spent just as much time and energy being concerned about the book as a book as I did about the characters and story while reading. I absolutely want to see more from this author and want to see more Jewish fairytales especially with queer representation, but this was not my book.
Queer Rep: bisexual woman POV character, lesbian love interest
Major Trigger Warnings: sexual violence, sexism/misogyny, violent antisemitism, sexual content involving minors/with adults, grief, death generally, and more specific very visceral acts of violence/execution that are spoilers
I really wanted to love this book, and there are parts I did love! The grounded, complex and messy portrayal of Jewish identity and belief and history and mythology in this book was excellent. I love that the author brought these lesser known (at least outside of specific communities) Jewish folktales to life. Each sister felt like a unique character with very different approaches to the world around them, and they all, especially Sarah, changed in interesting ways over the course of the book. I am so glad to see a f/f relationship in a Jewish fairytale book. I was engrossed the whole time – I stayed up until 5am reading this book at one point. I wanted to like it, and spent my whole experience reading it feeling very conflicted. I didn’t hate this book, but I don’t think I can say I liked it either. The word that feels most fitting is “conflicted.”
I struggled with how young the sisters were at many points (specifically around marriage and sex). I know this is likely what was happening at the time, but I would have had a much more positive experience with this book if they were all aged up even two years. The characters’ lives also seemed to revolve almost entirely around marriage and sex – desperately wanting to have sex, therefore desperately wanting to get married immediately, despite being, for example, thirteen years old. This seemed to be what their whole selves revolved around. Not a single character had a completely platonic friendship outside of their family. The characters didn’t seem to have wider lives outside of their tragic fairytale romances, which makes sense when trying to fit so many fairytales into the lives of a single family.
The romances themselves all started so quick and so strong and desperate that they felt almost unreal, especially as that kept happening over and over and over again. I felt the heavy hand of the author while reading this – that in order to weave all of these different tales together, she had to maneuver the characters into encounters that just felt absolutely unreal, even in a fairytale, to imagine happening to the same person. It’s as if Cinderella also experienced the story of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood. At some point, the woods feel too full of princes and you have to wonder how the princess could still fall ever again, why she wouldn’t just sit down right there and refuse to budge. And if, like with this book, we’re using the gritty, original, haunting version of the fairytales, the amount of trauma and pain the character has to go through to live through all of these stories is too much.
I think it’s the author’s choice to weave all these stories into the life of one family of sisters that made this book not work for me. I think I could have loved this book as a short story collection happening to different people, or if the second half of the book happened to the Solomonars’ cousins, for example. Actually, the moment I most thought I would turn out to love the book was when I mistakenly thought that a transformation that happens midway through the book was a permanent and complete one, down to memories, and identities, and origin stories. I think going in that direction could have been so fascinating, and made a big difference for me. I saw the way that the first part of the book was almost a prequel to the rest of it, and I just wish that the sequel had differed more from its predecessor. I kept hoping for an ending to pull enough of the strings of the stories to feel satisfying, to bring meaning to it all, for something to click, and I just kept waiting. I feel like I'm still waiting.
This book seemed to be made for me, as an Ashkenazi queer Jewish person who has a niche interest in queer fairytales. Ultimately, although I was engrossed, I spent just as much time and energy being concerned about the book as a book as I did about the characters and story while reading. I absolutely want to see more from this author and want to see more Jewish fairytales especially with queer representation, but this was not my book.
April 8, 2021
Rounding up from 2.5 stars.
Unfortunately, this novel did not work for me, which is a huge disappointment. I loved the author's first novel, and had high hopes. This book suffers from being too much -- simply too much story, too much allegory, too many flights of fantasy -- and it distracts from the main plot, which actually has some powerful and moving moments.
I received a review copy from the publisher. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
Unfortunately, this novel did not work for me, which is a huge disappointment. I loved the author's first novel, and had high hopes. This book suffers from being too much -- simply too much story, too much allegory, too many flights of fantasy -- and it distracts from the main plot, which actually has some powerful and moving moments.
I received a review copy from the publisher. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
April 14, 2021
Whoa! I need some time to process this story. It was a beautiful and a poignant historical fantasy.
FYI: The tone is VERY DIFFERENT from the author's previous novel.
Add this book to your TBR!
You can read my review of this novel here: https://mistyaquavenatus.com/2021/04/...
FYI: The tone is VERY DIFFERENT from the author's previous novel.
Add this book to your TBR!
You can read my review of this novel here: https://mistyaquavenatus.com/2021/04/...
April 16, 2021
Sometimes, you have such astounding hopes for a book and they fall flat on their face. Unfortunately, that’s what happened with me and Rena Rossner’s The Light of the Midnight Stars.
The novel follows the tales of three Jewish sisters who each have their own specific type of magic: Hannah, Sarah, and Levana. Raised in the forested village of Trnava by their respected rabbi father, a violent and traumatic tragedy forces the family to flee the village and start a new life away from their heritage and traditions.
There are definitely elements I loved about this novel. The way Rossner weaves Jewish folklore and history into each one of the POV characters shows the love, care, and research she put into crafting this story. It truly was a story inextricably shaped by Jewish experiences to a degree I haven’t seen in a fantasy novel before, filling a dire gap in speculative fiction. I won’t personally speak to the quality of the representation within, but there are Jewish reviewers who have spoken on this and I would encourage you to seek out their reviews! In addition, the prose in many places was quite beautiful; this definitely got a fair number of highlights for poignant turns of phrase.
The main thing that didn’t work for me about this novel was that it tried to do WAY too much with the space it had. With three POVs (one of which was rendered in verse for a large portion of the novel), lots of interjected side stories, a complete shift in names and language at the turning point of the book, and each sister’s character arc going in vastly different directions after said turning point, a plethora of historical information mixed with magical elements… there just wasn’t enough space to accomplish the ambitious goals this novel had. A side effect of this is that I felt like I never got to really know Hannah, Sarah, and Levana as characters; so much of their chapters, in addition to jumping around right as many of them hit a stride, felt almost allegorical in nature instead of like three dimensional characters. As such, this made many of the emotional beats of the novel miss the mark for me.
I also feel it’s important to warn readers, particularly Jewish readers, that there is a LOT a antisemitic violence and trauma in this novel—far more than I was expecting, and with very little comfort by the end. This is representative of historical events, particularly in the 1500s, but if you aren’t in a place to handle detailed depictions of antisemitic violence, please give this one a pass until such a time as you are. On top of that, this was compounded for me by the other content warnings listed at the end of this review. From the synopsis and marketing, I was expecting a much lighter and fantastical tale, and I definitely wasn’t in the head space for this read.
This is a relatively minor note in comparison, but one of the reasons I picked this up was because I understood there to be a sapphic relationship within. While one of the sisters is LGBTQIA+ (I would say bisexual if the term existed in the 1500s), her relationship with what I would term a genderqueer character does not get a lot of focus AT all and it’s definitely not a romance as far as mood or genre considerations. Another note for readers who might have been interested for the same reasons.
Overall, this just wasn’t the book for me, as much as I wanted to love it. I still plan on checking out The Sisters of the Winter Wood at some point because I can absolutely see the skill and care Rossner brings to her craft. As long as you’re in the space to deal with the content warnings provided, I’d still recommend this to readers looking for a standalone fantasy book with a powerful foundation of Jewish history and folklore, because your feelings may absolutely differ from mine.
Thank you to Orbit for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: extreme antisemitism, extreme misogyny, rape, graphic depictions of violence, religious bigotry, murder, infanticide, confinement, and sexual relations between minors and adults.
The novel follows the tales of three Jewish sisters who each have their own specific type of magic: Hannah, Sarah, and Levana. Raised in the forested village of Trnava by their respected rabbi father, a violent and traumatic tragedy forces the family to flee the village and start a new life away from their heritage and traditions.
There are definitely elements I loved about this novel. The way Rossner weaves Jewish folklore and history into each one of the POV characters shows the love, care, and research she put into crafting this story. It truly was a story inextricably shaped by Jewish experiences to a degree I haven’t seen in a fantasy novel before, filling a dire gap in speculative fiction. I won’t personally speak to the quality of the representation within, but there are Jewish reviewers who have spoken on this and I would encourage you to seek out their reviews! In addition, the prose in many places was quite beautiful; this definitely got a fair number of highlights for poignant turns of phrase.
The main thing that didn’t work for me about this novel was that it tried to do WAY too much with the space it had. With three POVs (one of which was rendered in verse for a large portion of the novel), lots of interjected side stories, a complete shift in names and language at the turning point of the book, and each sister’s character arc going in vastly different directions after said turning point, a plethora of historical information mixed with magical elements… there just wasn’t enough space to accomplish the ambitious goals this novel had. A side effect of this is that I felt like I never got to really know Hannah, Sarah, and Levana as characters; so much of their chapters, in addition to jumping around right as many of them hit a stride, felt almost allegorical in nature instead of like three dimensional characters. As such, this made many of the emotional beats of the novel miss the mark for me.
I also feel it’s important to warn readers, particularly Jewish readers, that there is a LOT a antisemitic violence and trauma in this novel—far more than I was expecting, and with very little comfort by the end. This is representative of historical events, particularly in the 1500s, but if you aren’t in a place to handle detailed depictions of antisemitic violence, please give this one a pass until such a time as you are. On top of that, this was compounded for me by the other content warnings listed at the end of this review. From the synopsis and marketing, I was expecting a much lighter and fantastical tale, and I definitely wasn’t in the head space for this read.
This is a relatively minor note in comparison, but one of the reasons I picked this up was because I understood there to be a sapphic relationship within. While one of the sisters is LGBTQIA+ (I would say bisexual if the term existed in the 1500s), her relationship with what I would term a genderqueer character does not get a lot of focus AT all and it’s definitely not a romance as far as mood or genre considerations. Another note for readers who might have been interested for the same reasons.
Overall, this just wasn’t the book for me, as much as I wanted to love it. I still plan on checking out The Sisters of the Winter Wood at some point because I can absolutely see the skill and care Rossner brings to her craft. As long as you’re in the space to deal with the content warnings provided, I’d still recommend this to readers looking for a standalone fantasy book with a powerful foundation of Jewish history and folklore, because your feelings may absolutely differ from mine.
Thank you to Orbit for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: extreme antisemitism, extreme misogyny, rape, graphic depictions of violence, religious bigotry, murder, infanticide, confinement, and sexual relations between minors and adults.
August 10, 2024
I thought the book was going to be great! I loved Part One! The Set Up was fabulous! A historical fiction fantasy with a splice of Jewish folklore, transfiguration, and prophecy from the stars. And then Blech - it just turned weird. Like I couldn't well follow it anymore. I felt like as the sisters lost their focus and lost their way, so did I. I couldn't get into the rest of the stories that were being woven, and even worse, I felt like I had lost the story that had enraptured me. I feel like this one had great promise. And then kind of fell flat.
April 13, 2021
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/04/12/...
Rena Rossner’s debut The Sisters of the Winter Wood was an enchanting read for me, and so when I heard that her sophomore novel will be another historical fantasy and folkloric myth blend, I’d hoped that it would work the same magic. And for the most part, it did! That said, there was also an overwhelming amount of information to take in, and I think that might have had a lot to do with my initial struggle to connect with the story and characters.
The Light of the Midnight Stars follows the lives of three sisters growing up with their rabbi father in the Hungarian village of Trnava. As descendants of King Solomon, their family is well respected by the Jewish community, and the girls are each gifted with a magical ability—Hannah, who has the power to heal and make things grow; Sarah, who can command fire and make things burn; and Levana, who can read the secrets of the stars. However, as superstition runs rampant throughout the rest of the village, bringing religious persecution and fear of witchcraft, the sisters don’t dare to make their abilities known.
But then a mysterious black mist descends upon Trnava, causing people to fall deathly ill. Despite her misgivings, Hannah, the oldest sister, makes a bold decision to use her healing, setting off a tragic chain of events leading to her own heartbreak and the upheaval of the town’s Jewish population. After fleeing Trnava, the rabbi and his family find themselves settling in a new place, protecting themselves by hiding their true faith and identities. Emotionally damaged and traumatized though, the sisters have a long journey ahead of them until they can feel whole and ready to live and love again.
Like I said, there is a lot happening here, and what I’ve provided above is just an extremely truncated synopsis. While the deluge of information made the early parts of the novel slow to take off, I still found myself captivated by many points and took to certain aspects of the story right away. As with The Sisters of the Winter Wood, I was impressed with how Rossner combined magic, myth, and history from her interest and experiences with her own Jewish ancestry. Central to the book is the theme of religious belief and identity, and I feel the author did a wonderful job exploring these topics through the eyes of the three sisters, who are each unique in their own way. Subsequently, they also dealt with their individual conflicts by following their own heart’s desires and motivations, developing along their own paths. As such, it is probably no surprise that characterization was superb.
That said, when it comes to books with an information overload at the beginning, my experience is that things typically tend to ease off as the story progresses, gradually dispelling any feelings of confusion or of being swamped. Except, I don’t know if I really got that with this. In part, this was due to the structure of the novel, which cycled between the sisters’ POVs while weaving in the odd interlude. The tricky part comes, however, as some of these chapters are presented differently, as journal entries or in verse, etc., and the frequent injection of side stories and folktales. In fact, the act of storytelling is a very important concept, a key part of the book’s premise and the myriad legends and historical narratives that inspired its foundations. In a way, this does explain how some mythological motifs would pop up again and again, echoing throughout the characters’ past and present. It’s a clear nod to the importance of the oral tradition in preserving heritage and culture, especially where religious parables and folktales are concerned.
Still, that doesn’t mean the format was all that conducive to the reading experience, or that it made things any easier to understand. The plot doesn’t follow a conventional roadmap, and despite this providing the book with a distinct feel, there were nonetheless sections I found somewhat convoluted and difficult to follow.
In sum, I’m going to reiterate a few of the same conclusions I drew for my review The Sisters of the Winter Wood, because I think a lot of it applies here as well. The Light of the Midnight Stars is beautifully written, but it is also less plot focused, emphasizing the characters and their relationships instead. That along with the irregular structure and flow of the novel means that it’s probably not going to be for everyone, but it’s worth checking out if the story’s description along with its inspiration from Jewish culture and Eastern European history interests you.
Rena Rossner’s debut The Sisters of the Winter Wood was an enchanting read for me, and so when I heard that her sophomore novel will be another historical fantasy and folkloric myth blend, I’d hoped that it would work the same magic. And for the most part, it did! That said, there was also an overwhelming amount of information to take in, and I think that might have had a lot to do with my initial struggle to connect with the story and characters.
The Light of the Midnight Stars follows the lives of three sisters growing up with their rabbi father in the Hungarian village of Trnava. As descendants of King Solomon, their family is well respected by the Jewish community, and the girls are each gifted with a magical ability—Hannah, who has the power to heal and make things grow; Sarah, who can command fire and make things burn; and Levana, who can read the secrets of the stars. However, as superstition runs rampant throughout the rest of the village, bringing religious persecution and fear of witchcraft, the sisters don’t dare to make their abilities known.
But then a mysterious black mist descends upon Trnava, causing people to fall deathly ill. Despite her misgivings, Hannah, the oldest sister, makes a bold decision to use her healing, setting off a tragic chain of events leading to her own heartbreak and the upheaval of the town’s Jewish population. After fleeing Trnava, the rabbi and his family find themselves settling in a new place, protecting themselves by hiding their true faith and identities. Emotionally damaged and traumatized though, the sisters have a long journey ahead of them until they can feel whole and ready to live and love again.
Like I said, there is a lot happening here, and what I’ve provided above is just an extremely truncated synopsis. While the deluge of information made the early parts of the novel slow to take off, I still found myself captivated by many points and took to certain aspects of the story right away. As with The Sisters of the Winter Wood, I was impressed with how Rossner combined magic, myth, and history from her interest and experiences with her own Jewish ancestry. Central to the book is the theme of religious belief and identity, and I feel the author did a wonderful job exploring these topics through the eyes of the three sisters, who are each unique in their own way. Subsequently, they also dealt with their individual conflicts by following their own heart’s desires and motivations, developing along their own paths. As such, it is probably no surprise that characterization was superb.
That said, when it comes to books with an information overload at the beginning, my experience is that things typically tend to ease off as the story progresses, gradually dispelling any feelings of confusion or of being swamped. Except, I don’t know if I really got that with this. In part, this was due to the structure of the novel, which cycled between the sisters’ POVs while weaving in the odd interlude. The tricky part comes, however, as some of these chapters are presented differently, as journal entries or in verse, etc., and the frequent injection of side stories and folktales. In fact, the act of storytelling is a very important concept, a key part of the book’s premise and the myriad legends and historical narratives that inspired its foundations. In a way, this does explain how some mythological motifs would pop up again and again, echoing throughout the characters’ past and present. It’s a clear nod to the importance of the oral tradition in preserving heritage and culture, especially where religious parables and folktales are concerned.
Still, that doesn’t mean the format was all that conducive to the reading experience, or that it made things any easier to understand. The plot doesn’t follow a conventional roadmap, and despite this providing the book with a distinct feel, there were nonetheless sections I found somewhat convoluted and difficult to follow.
In sum, I’m going to reiterate a few of the same conclusions I drew for my review The Sisters of the Winter Wood, because I think a lot of it applies here as well. The Light of the Midnight Stars is beautifully written, but it is also less plot focused, emphasizing the characters and their relationships instead. That along with the irregular structure and flow of the novel means that it’s probably not going to be for everyone, but it’s worth checking out if the story’s description along with its inspiration from Jewish culture and Eastern European history interests you.
May 3, 2021
This was so beautiful and timeless.
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
The Light of the Midnight Stars is a beautiful and meaningful story that I didn't expect to love as much as I did. It's a difficult story that is full of loss, displacement, sorrow, but it's also filled with hope, family, beauty, magic, and love.
This story follows the three sisters Hannah, Sarah, and Levana and we get perspectives from all three of them. Hannah is the eldest and has a closeness with nature that comes out in a magic that helps things grow; Sarah is the middle daughter and is probably the most outspoken of all the daughters; Levana is of course the youngest and is the most devout of the three who also finds herself most captivated by the stars up above, which plays strongly into her own story later on. I really enjoyed all three of these POVs and found each story equally compelling--and equally devastating at times. This story hurt my heart a lot because everything these three sisters went through was so difficult and heartbreaking, but their courage throughout was also really inspiring and hopeful.
The entire family is forced to flee their home at one point, and this is also when a large plot point occurs involving displacement and major identity struggles. I can't really say more about that because of spoilers, but I found this entire plot development a really interesting choice that sort of took me a little while to fully understand (no joke, I definitely felt entirely confused for a couple minutes after a certain plot shift and had no idea what was happening). This might be completely obvious to most people, but I was pretty jarred by the shift--but it wasn't a bad jarring, if that makes any sense. I really enjoyed how Rossner chose to play with the story and its narrative to fully convey just how impacting and poignant their need to flee because of who they were was.
Rossner has a very poetic prose and is able to convey plot points and character developments through even just the style of her prose, which is hard to describe without simply showing it in the books. Her writing is very flowing and there's a weird level of detachment at times that I think could throw some people off, but that I found worked really well with the flow of the story and the narrative itself.
The thing that most stood out to me about this book was the timeless feel it had. You know how when you read old classics or books of folktales and they just that special ability to fit into any time period? They don't feel exceptionally old, but they are full of wisdom and mature writing; but they also don't feel exceptionally modern? That's how this book felt to me, and I mean that as the highest compliment (in case my poor attempts to convey my meaning don't make sense). This messages are so important and fitting for all times, and the characters also felt as though anyone could connect with them for at least one reason.
Rossner's books always feel as though they have so much heart and that they really come from a personal place. Her bio states that "her grandparents and great grandparents immigrated to the USA from Hungary, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova - their stories, together with her love of Jewish mythology and fantasy, inspire her work," and I feel as though that really comes through in her work. This is more than Rossner just telling a story, this is her sharing something personal and meaningful with her readers, and I really appreciate that.
Overall, it was an easy five stars from me for The Light of the Midnight Stars! I was captivated by this enchanting story and highly recommend it. If you read The Sisters of the Winter Wood and are now hesitant to try this one, I'd encourage you to give this one a shot still--I think you might enjoy it more!
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
The Light of the Midnight Stars is a beautiful and meaningful story that I didn't expect to love as much as I did. It's a difficult story that is full of loss, displacement, sorrow, but it's also filled with hope, family, beauty, magic, and love.
This story follows the three sisters Hannah, Sarah, and Levana and we get perspectives from all three of them. Hannah is the eldest and has a closeness with nature that comes out in a magic that helps things grow; Sarah is the middle daughter and is probably the most outspoken of all the daughters; Levana is of course the youngest and is the most devout of the three who also finds herself most captivated by the stars up above, which plays strongly into her own story later on. I really enjoyed all three of these POVs and found each story equally compelling--and equally devastating at times. This story hurt my heart a lot because everything these three sisters went through was so difficult and heartbreaking, but their courage throughout was also really inspiring and hopeful.
The entire family is forced to flee their home at one point, and this is also when a large plot point occurs involving displacement and major identity struggles. I can't really say more about that because of spoilers, but I found this entire plot development a really interesting choice that sort of took me a little while to fully understand (no joke, I definitely felt entirely confused for a couple minutes after a certain plot shift and had no idea what was happening). This might be completely obvious to most people, but I was pretty jarred by the shift--but it wasn't a bad jarring, if that makes any sense. I really enjoyed how Rossner chose to play with the story and its narrative to fully convey just how impacting and poignant their need to flee because of who they were was.
Rossner has a very poetic prose and is able to convey plot points and character developments through even just the style of her prose, which is hard to describe without simply showing it in the books. Her writing is very flowing and there's a weird level of detachment at times that I think could throw some people off, but that I found worked really well with the flow of the story and the narrative itself.
The thing that most stood out to me about this book was the timeless feel it had. You know how when you read old classics or books of folktales and they just that special ability to fit into any time period? They don't feel exceptionally old, but they are full of wisdom and mature writing; but they also don't feel exceptionally modern? That's how this book felt to me, and I mean that as the highest compliment (in case my poor attempts to convey my meaning don't make sense). This messages are so important and fitting for all times, and the characters also felt as though anyone could connect with them for at least one reason.
Rossner's books always feel as though they have so much heart and that they really come from a personal place. Her bio states that "her grandparents and great grandparents immigrated to the USA from Hungary, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova - their stories, together with her love of Jewish mythology and fantasy, inspire her work," and I feel as though that really comes through in her work. This is more than Rossner just telling a story, this is her sharing something personal and meaningful with her readers, and I really appreciate that.
Overall, it was an easy five stars from me for The Light of the Midnight Stars! I was captivated by this enchanting story and highly recommend it. If you read The Sisters of the Winter Wood and are now hesitant to try this one, I'd encourage you to give this one a shot still--I think you might enjoy it more!
June 13, 2021
Some thoughts:
I Wanted to love this book but it was incoherent and needlessly explored gruesome and uniquely author-imagined antisemitic violence and sex acts involving minors in detail. File under: stories that check off as many awful/triggering things as possible for plot action without reason/a clear message
Book was good and meaningful until the end of part one... after that, a disaster.
Cant someone please write Jewish fantasy that isn’t trauma porn?
When people write historical fiction, why does no one catch things like corn... in 13th century Europe, Hasidic customs/ randomly inserted 300 before Bal Shem Tov, knitting before knitting was invented. That kind of ineffectual or nonexistent research/writing really makes me question the bigger historical claims the book makes
Spoilers:
Was anyone else confused how a devoutly religious family and major rabbi in a universe with clear and tangible proof of Hashem suddenly just like quit practicing even in secret ? Why is this a theme with new Jewish ya fantasy? It always strikes me as unbelievable that anyone can “lose faith” in a story/fantasy context where faith isn’t necessary because there is material proof of Gd’s existence every day in the story. Like literally the characters are performing miracles but uttering Jewish prayers and then the father just... stops and it’s not explored or explained. It’s just left there like it should make sense
On this topic: Why did the parents become one-dimensional props in the second half of the story?
Also: Why was Levana never believable and also the story completely endorsed her being 13 and having “consensual sex” with the star man?
Why tf did Sarah stay with Ivan? Like literally why not leave if you are confirmed to be an ultra powerful dragon being with magic children who is blessed by G-d and a descendant of David and Solomon?
In the book I did love:
the accurate and moving portrayal of Jacob as a righteous ger
Guvriel and Sarah’s relationship
Hot butch princess
I Wanted to love this book but it was incoherent and needlessly explored gruesome and uniquely author-imagined antisemitic violence and sex acts involving minors in detail. File under: stories that check off as many awful/triggering things as possible for plot action without reason/a clear message
Book was good and meaningful until the end of part one... after that, a disaster.
Cant someone please write Jewish fantasy that isn’t trauma porn?
When people write historical fiction, why does no one catch things like corn... in 13th century Europe, Hasidic customs/ randomly inserted 300 before Bal Shem Tov, knitting before knitting was invented. That kind of ineffectual or nonexistent research/writing really makes me question the bigger historical claims the book makes
Spoilers:
Was anyone else confused how a devoutly religious family and major rabbi in a universe with clear and tangible proof of Hashem suddenly just like quit practicing even in secret ? Why is this a theme with new Jewish ya fantasy? It always strikes me as unbelievable that anyone can “lose faith” in a story/fantasy context where faith isn’t necessary because there is material proof of Gd’s existence every day in the story. Like literally the characters are performing miracles but uttering Jewish prayers and then the father just... stops and it’s not explored or explained. It’s just left there like it should make sense
On this topic: Why did the parents become one-dimensional props in the second half of the story?
Also: Why was Levana never believable and also the story completely endorsed her being 13 and having “consensual sex” with the star man?
Why tf did Sarah stay with Ivan? Like literally why not leave if you are confirmed to be an ultra powerful dragon being with magic children who is blessed by G-d and a descendant of David and Solomon?
In the book I did love:
the accurate and moving portrayal of Jacob as a righteous ger
Guvriel and Sarah’s relationship
Hot butch princess
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
I was excited for this because I dont know much about Jewish mythology.
If this book was properly planned out, it would've been more enjoyable.
Actual rating: 1.5 stars.
If this book was properly planned out, it would've been more enjoyable.
Actual rating: 1.5 stars.
June 27, 2021
I'm rounding up on this one because I stayed up all night reading it, but overall I was disappointed with this book.
This is a very Jewish book, which I loved, and the Hebrew and references to the Talmud and Torah and the creation of a fictional liturgy called the Book of the Solomonar were all very well done. There's a glossary in the back, but I think non-Jewish readers might be lost on some of the elements, and that's okay! It's clear this was written by a Jewish author for a Jewish reader.
However, the story itself, the fantasy elements, and the repeated trauma made this a tough one for me. There is a lot of antisemitic violence in this novel, and I know a lot of this story is rooted in fact, including the author's grandmother, but I guess I would hope that an author can use fantasy to show some triumph and right the wrongs of our world. I believe there was an attempt to show that Jewishness persists (the author's note about the twins solidifies that), but even in a fantasy novel it is hidden away and women have to sacrifice their lives (figurative and literal) for it to persist. Maybe I'm too optimistic, but I like joy and triumph where possible from my Jewish fantasy.
I didn't quite understand some of the fantasy elements (mainly the storyline involving a star), and the fact that sister's POV turned into verse made it hard to follow. I did enjoy the connection of Jewish folklore with other central European folklore, and think that alliance is a really powerful illustration of minorities struggling to survive.
I also just want to mention the queerness, because I actually saw this book classified online under "lesbian literature." As a queer person, the queer storyline in this book was pretty troubling, or at least the ending was. Again, I know this was a queer plotline that the author weaved together based on some historical elements, but again, in a fantasy novel, some artistic creativity would've been nice.
Again, while I struggled with this book, I did stay up very late to finish it all in one sitting, and that is the mark of a good book. For me, this was a good book that just didn't hit in all the right places.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very Jewish book, which I loved, and the Hebrew and references to the Talmud and Torah and the creation of a fictional liturgy called the Book of the Solomonar were all very well done. There's a glossary in the back, but I think non-Jewish readers might be lost on some of the elements, and that's okay! It's clear this was written by a Jewish author for a Jewish reader.
However, the story itself, the fantasy elements, and the repeated trauma made this a tough one for me. There is a lot of antisemitic violence in this novel, and I know a lot of this story is rooted in fact, including the author's grandmother, but I guess I would hope that an author can use fantasy to show some triumph and right the wrongs of our world. I believe there was an attempt to show that Jewishness persists (the author's note about the twins solidifies that), but even in a fantasy novel it is hidden away and women have to sacrifice their lives (figurative and literal) for it to persist. Maybe I'm too optimistic, but I like joy and triumph where possible from my Jewish fantasy.
I didn't quite understand some of the fantasy elements (mainly the storyline involving a star), and the fact that sister's POV turned into verse made it hard to follow. I did enjoy the connection of Jewish folklore with other central European folklore, and think that alliance is a really powerful illustration of minorities struggling to survive.
I also just want to mention the queerness, because I actually saw this book classified online under "lesbian literature." As a queer person, the queer storyline in this book was pretty troubling, or at least the ending was. Again, I know this was a queer plotline that the author weaved together based on some historical elements, but again, in a fantasy novel, some artistic creativity would've been nice.
Again, while I struggled with this book, I did stay up very late to finish it all in one sitting, and that is the mark of a good book. For me, this was a good book that just didn't hit in all the right places.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2021
Thank you so much to Orbit books and Netgalley. I am so incredibly grateful for being given the opportunity to review this book. As someone raised in a Jewish family, this novel spoke directly to my heart. Every page was filled with beauty, magic, heartache and hope; both fairy tale and history interwoven into an unforgettable tale.
The Light of the Midnight Stars tells the story of three sisters: Hannah, the eldest, with her affinity for the natural world; Sarah, the middle daughter with her fiery heart; and Levana, the youngest, transfixed by the stars. The narrative follows the family's story from each sister's point of view, with each sister making choices that alter their fate, resulting in the family needing to hide their magic and their faith, as well as questioning who they truly are.
What I loved most about the book was that each sister's story was equally compelling. Often in books where there are multiple narrative points of view, I find that I am eager to return to a particular character and not as interested in others. That was not the case with the Solomonar sisters. I loved all of them. I also loved how well researched this books was. The author's note at the end discusses many of the stories, myths and historical events that influenced the tale which was fascinating to read in of itself. This book has inspired me to research more of my family's own history and to reconnect with faith in my own way. I would recommend this to fans of historical, cultural and literary fantasy and can't wait to share it with more people!
The Light of the Midnight Stars tells the story of three sisters: Hannah, the eldest, with her affinity for the natural world; Sarah, the middle daughter with her fiery heart; and Levana, the youngest, transfixed by the stars. The narrative follows the family's story from each sister's point of view, with each sister making choices that alter their fate, resulting in the family needing to hide their magic and their faith, as well as questioning who they truly are.
What I loved most about the book was that each sister's story was equally compelling. Often in books where there are multiple narrative points of view, I find that I am eager to return to a particular character and not as interested in others. That was not the case with the Solomonar sisters. I loved all of them. I also loved how well researched this books was. The author's note at the end discusses many of the stories, myths and historical events that influenced the tale which was fascinating to read in of itself. This book has inspired me to research more of my family's own history and to reconnect with faith in my own way. I would recommend this to fans of historical, cultural and literary fantasy and can't wait to share it with more people!
November 11, 2024
4.75
read a more in-depth review on my blog
I received this e-ARC through netgalley
I was ecstatic when I was granted access to this ARC because hearing that there would be a sapphic and jewish fantasy novel hitting shelves in April was some of the best news I have ever received.
As a jewish person I can get so easily frustrated when I'm looking for a book with good jewish representation. I was ecstatic about this book because I KNEW it would represent my people in a way that displays how much beauty is in our culture and religion.
Getting into the technical I was so happy to see the use of Hebrew and Yiddish throughout the book, and the writing style was so beautiful, and almost melodic. The characters were all incredibly well developed, and the story itself was so gripping, and held my interest for nearly the whole book.
I do think that it is important to inform any jewish readers that this book does feature some violent antisemitism. I did not know this beforehand, and was extremely distressed when I read it. If you would like to know more detail about the event in question feel free to ask me.
All in all I really adored this book, and I felt like it was written specifically for me. I felt so lucky to see my people represented in such a breathtaking story.
read a more in-depth review on my blog
I received this e-ARC through netgalley
I was ecstatic when I was granted access to this ARC because hearing that there would be a sapphic and jewish fantasy novel hitting shelves in April was some of the best news I have ever received.
As a jewish person I can get so easily frustrated when I'm looking for a book with good jewish representation. I was ecstatic about this book because I KNEW it would represent my people in a way that displays how much beauty is in our culture and religion.
Getting into the technical I was so happy to see the use of Hebrew and Yiddish throughout the book, and the writing style was so beautiful, and almost melodic. The characters were all incredibly well developed, and the story itself was so gripping, and held my interest for nearly the whole book.
I do think that it is important to inform any jewish readers that this book does feature some violent antisemitism. I did not know this beforehand, and was extremely distressed when I read it. If you would like to know more detail about the event in question feel free to ask me.
All in all I really adored this book, and I felt like it was written specifically for me. I felt so lucky to see my people represented in such a breathtaking story.
May 23, 2021
Don’t mind me. Just sitting here crying my eyes out ����
April 16, 2021
Thank you to Orbit Books for sending me a print ARC to review!
The Light of the Midnight Stars follows three main characters: three Jewish sisters, daughters of the Rabbi Isaac, blessed with specific powers. The eldest heals and can coax plants to grow, the middle kindles flames, and the youngest can see meanings behind the stars. When the eldest daughter is asked to heal the Duchess, it starts a series of events that leads to accusations of witchcraft and the Christians turning against the Jewish people of the town. The sisters and their parents are forced to flee and start a new life in another country, but the same mistrust follows them there.
The story is fantasy mixed with folklore and history. It is not a happy one. It was very difficult to rate this.
I first picked it up and read a few pages, and then put it down for over a week, only to finish it in one night. There are things I liked about it, and things I didn't.
The author is Jewish and there is so much of that represented within this book. (I am not Jewish so therefore cannot speak to the quality or nuances of it but it seemed extremely well-done and thoughtful to me) There is also a wlw relationship. I enjoyed both of those.
The story twisted and turned, and I truly did not understand the meaning behind this book. The end just left me with questions and an unsettled, empty feeling. I connected with the sisters during the book and then towards the end completely disconnected. I simply felt bad for all of them. There are so, so many things I just didn't like about the end of this book, and all of them would be spoilers so I'll refrain.
As other reviewers have stated, the novel started off strong, but when the family had to flee and set up a new life, the story went in all kinds of different directions between the sisters. Too many elements and folk tales and historical events/figures trying to be incorporated that the main story the book is trying to tell was lost completely.
One thing that is possibly minor is that, in the author's other book, one of the POV was entirely in verse. I didn't like that at all. Personal taste, perhaps, but it felt unnecessary and, frankly, annoying. I hoped that wouldn't be repeated in this book and in the first part everything was good, but then one of the sisters' POV shifted into verse towards the end of the book. Heavy sigh. Perhaps that won't bother people but it is very grating to me to read. I can't take it seriously.
As I'm thinking about this book and mulling it over in my mind, as I finished it very late last night, I am left mostly with disappointment. I have decided to lower my rating from it's original 3 stars to 2. It's more of a 2.5 but curse you, useless whole star Goodreads rating system.
Overall, was it completely terrible? No. Were some parts good? Yes. Would I recommend it in general? No. Would I recommend it to someone looking for Jewish rep in fantasy? Yes.
The Light of the Midnight Stars follows three main characters: three Jewish sisters, daughters of the Rabbi Isaac, blessed with specific powers. The eldest heals and can coax plants to grow, the middle kindles flames, and the youngest can see meanings behind the stars. When the eldest daughter is asked to heal the Duchess, it starts a series of events that leads to accusations of witchcraft and the Christians turning against the Jewish people of the town. The sisters and their parents are forced to flee and start a new life in another country, but the same mistrust follows them there.
The story is fantasy mixed with folklore and history. It is not a happy one. It was very difficult to rate this.
I first picked it up and read a few pages, and then put it down for over a week, only to finish it in one night. There are things I liked about it, and things I didn't.
The author is Jewish and there is so much of that represented within this book. (I am not Jewish so therefore cannot speak to the quality or nuances of it but it seemed extremely well-done and thoughtful to me) There is also a wlw relationship. I enjoyed both of those.
The story twisted and turned, and I truly did not understand the meaning behind this book. The end just left me with questions and an unsettled, empty feeling. I connected with the sisters during the book and then towards the end completely disconnected. I simply felt bad for all of them. There are so, so many things I just didn't like about the end of this book, and all of them would be spoilers so I'll refrain.
As other reviewers have stated, the novel started off strong, but when the family had to flee and set up a new life, the story went in all kinds of different directions between the sisters. Too many elements and folk tales and historical events/figures trying to be incorporated that the main story the book is trying to tell was lost completely.
One thing that is possibly minor is that, in the author's other book, one of the POV was entirely in verse. I didn't like that at all. Personal taste, perhaps, but it felt unnecessary and, frankly, annoying. I hoped that wouldn't be repeated in this book and in the first part everything was good, but then one of the sisters' POV shifted into verse towards the end of the book. Heavy sigh. Perhaps that won't bother people but it is very grating to me to read. I can't take it seriously.
As I'm thinking about this book and mulling it over in my mind, as I finished it very late last night, I am left mostly with disappointment. I have decided to lower my rating from it's original 3 stars to 2. It's more of a 2.5 but curse you, useless whole star Goodreads rating system.
Overall, was it completely terrible? No. Were some parts good? Yes. Would I recommend it in general? No. Would I recommend it to someone looking for Jewish rep in fantasy? Yes.
August 29, 2021
I really really REALLY wanted to like this book
I did for awhile, I loved the beginning, I loved the world , the magic system and the inspiration from folklore. However, there was just way too much put into one book , way too many stories mixed together, i got so confused on what the plot was or where things were going and i kept asking why and what is the point.
I love Jewish folklore it reminds me of my grandmother, I loved Rena Rossner's "sister of the winterwood" but there was just to much going on here that she lost me in the second half of the book. I almost DNF it multiple times, but kept going bc i though maybe there a reason it was getting so weird but no i was still disappointed in the end. I wish she took all the inspiration form the stories , history and folklore and made 2 or 3 books instead of putting it all in one.
I also wished she made the main characters the three sisters older , i get it this is based in the passed where young girls were made to marry young etc etc but i did not need a 13 who is ignorant sleeping and getting pregnant with a star man.
Again i loved the concept, the world and the inspiration , I just felt there was too much in one story.
I did for awhile, I loved the beginning, I loved the world , the magic system and the inspiration from folklore. However, there was just way too much put into one book , way too many stories mixed together, i got so confused on what the plot was or where things were going and i kept asking why and what is the point.
I love Jewish folklore it reminds me of my grandmother, I loved Rena Rossner's "sister of the winterwood" but there was just to much going on here that she lost me in the second half of the book. I almost DNF it multiple times, but kept going bc i though maybe there a reason it was getting so weird but no i was still disappointed in the end. I wish she took all the inspiration form the stories , history and folklore and made 2 or 3 books instead of putting it all in one.
I also wished she made the main characters the three sisters older , i get it this is based in the passed where young girls were made to marry young etc etc but i did not need a 13 who is ignorant sleeping and getting pregnant with a star man.
Again i loved the concept, the world and the inspiration , I just felt there was too much in one story.
June 11, 2021
The Light of the Midnight Stars is a good read, I need to start with that, it’s a well written, intricately woven and powerful story, intelligent and beautiful, however I found it quite heavy going due to the folklore being listed out, it did feel more like a lesson than a story at times . That's not to say they weren't interesting because they were but I don’t think so many were needed. On the whole the story was sweet and moving but I think needed more editing (3.5 stars)
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
April 24, 2024
DNF at 10%. The beginning was very meandering and scattered and just didn't catch my interest unfortunately.
December 13, 2024
✨️A beautiful story woven with myth history and fantasy based in Hungary/Romania during the 14th century. Really absorbing storytelling, I love the layout of each chapter instead of a standalone continous story it was spilt into small segments featuring each sister and their tale. A real cosy read for winter.
🦊⭐️🌙✡️
🦊⭐️🌙✡️
September 16, 2021
Dieses Buch ist eine magische Mischung aus jüdischer Kultur, Märchen und Tragödie. Da es mir unheimlich schwer fällt, eine dem Buch gerecht werdende Rezension zu verfassen, hat es mich sogar in eine Rezensions-Depression geholfen.
Egal, was ich schreibe, es wird kaum ausdrücken können, was ich während der Lektüre empfand. Es ist ein hoch emotionales, ergreifendes Werk, das mich sehr stark bewegt hat.
Jede Schwester hat ihre ganz spezielle Art, zu erzählen. Die Art, die zu ihr passt. Dabei sind ihre Erfahrungen alle sehr, sehr traurig. Das Schicksal meint es nicht gut mit ihnen, dabei habe ich für sie gehofft und gehofft und gehofft.
Dabei bleiben die Mädchen stark und aufrecht. Wie Bäume im Wind, deren Blätter rascheln.
Selten hat ein Buch so viele unterschiedliche Gefühle in mir ausgelöst. Auch was die oben erwähnte Vermischung von Genres angeht, ist dieses Werk bisher wohl einzigartig in meiner Sammlung. Ein leuchtender Stern, zu dem ich in Gedanken immer wieder zurückkehre.
Egal, was ich schreibe, es wird kaum ausdrücken können, was ich während der Lektüre empfand. Es ist ein hoch emotionales, ergreifendes Werk, das mich sehr stark bewegt hat.
Jede Schwester hat ihre ganz spezielle Art, zu erzählen. Die Art, die zu ihr passt. Dabei sind ihre Erfahrungen alle sehr, sehr traurig. Das Schicksal meint es nicht gut mit ihnen, dabei habe ich für sie gehofft und gehofft und gehofft.
Dabei bleiben die Mädchen stark und aufrecht. Wie Bäume im Wind, deren Blätter rascheln.
Selten hat ein Buch so viele unterschiedliche Gefühle in mir ausgelöst. Auch was die oben erwähnte Vermischung von Genres angeht, ist dieses Werk bisher wohl einzigartig in meiner Sammlung. Ein leuchtender Stern, zu dem ich in Gedanken immer wieder zurückkehre.
May 3, 2021
Hidden away, deep in the Hungarian woods is the sacred and magical Kingdom of King Solomon passed down to his descendants.
When the midnight stars shine bright, they gather and perform ancient rituals and small miracles and non are more gifted that Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters.
Hannah, introverted and calm has the power of the botanical, being able to grow plants in the harshest conditions.
Sarah, determined and strong willed can control fire under her somewhat impulsive nature.
And Levana, the fey, who can read the very stars themselves and sees more than perhaps she should.
Darkness lurks and slowly makes its way from the shadows across Europe and threatens the life of every Jew, and the rabbi makes the decision that his family should flee before it’s too late.
The events that unfold test all three sisters to the very brink of despair as they begin to truly discover what each of them are really capable of, and the stars quickly realign and shift their fates:
Hannah believing she could finally have found the one who can make her life whole witnesses first hand just how damaging prejudice can be.
Sarah stumbles across a revelation which will change her life forever, even if that means questioning everything she thought she once understood.
And after a chance encounter with a star, Levana forever gazes upon the heavens looking for guidance and unable to accept anything less than a heavenly body to free her of a life lived in the shadows.
Ethereal, magical, and a true pleasure to read, the author weaves a tale worthy of the mythology and history that it is so lovingly crafted from.
When the midnight stars shine bright, they gather and perform ancient rituals and small miracles and non are more gifted that Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters.
Hannah, introverted and calm has the power of the botanical, being able to grow plants in the harshest conditions.
Sarah, determined and strong willed can control fire under her somewhat impulsive nature.
And Levana, the fey, who can read the very stars themselves and sees more than perhaps she should.
Darkness lurks and slowly makes its way from the shadows across Europe and threatens the life of every Jew, and the rabbi makes the decision that his family should flee before it’s too late.
The events that unfold test all three sisters to the very brink of despair as they begin to truly discover what each of them are really capable of, and the stars quickly realign and shift their fates:
Hannah believing she could finally have found the one who can make her life whole witnesses first hand just how damaging prejudice can be.
Sarah stumbles across a revelation which will change her life forever, even if that means questioning everything she thought she once understood.
And after a chance encounter with a star, Levana forever gazes upon the heavens looking for guidance and unable to accept anything less than a heavenly body to free her of a life lived in the shadows.
Ethereal, magical, and a true pleasure to read, the author weaves a tale worthy of the mythology and history that it is so lovingly crafted from.
September 18, 2021
I had such high hopes for this novel because 1. I Loved Sisters of the Winter Wood and 2. I thought it was a King Solomon based fairy tale, but what I got was a very hodgepodge story that didn't feel like it was going anywhere. There were points that didn't seem to make sense or move the story along. I wanted more of the black mist, more of the magic but all of that goes away and it's more of love story for the three sisters. We barely even got an explanation of Levana being the fey on other than her love of the stars....I so wanted more from this book and to just love it but I didn't.
November 18, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this enchanted saga of a Jewish family living in the woods of Hungary. Told from the three viewpoints of Rabbi Isaac’s daughters, this is a lovely tale, one I was glad to stretch out in little bits over several weeks to savor each section. A black mist slowly takes over their homeland, destroying much in its wake. Heartbreaking scenes cause the family to reinvent their identities. Many original folk-style stories are interspersed within the main story. Many of the characters have magical gifts and not everyone appears as who they really are or were meant to be. When I later studied the cover art in greater detail, I was excited to discover the sisters are all there in plain sight, and in various forms—beautiful!
August 3, 2021
The beginning of the book was very easy to dive into. It's a fascinating combination of Jewish history and folklore. You get to know each of the 3 sisters through their own chapters/POV. Unfortunately, the book takes an odd turn into full fantasy/folklore. Hannah's story makes the most sense in relation to the beginning of the book. Sarah's story is odd and just doesn't quite fit. Leavanah's is the worst - it felt like a completely different book when you got to her chapters. I kept reading this book solely with the thought that, at some point, it would make sense. It didn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2021
3.5 Stars
Thank you so much Goodreads & Rena Rossner for the ARC of this book.
“But life has a way of surprising us all, I suppose. And even though some destinies are written in the stars, or rooted in the ground—it doesn’t mean we don’t get a chance on this earth to try and change them.”
Wow. This book is a lot. Sometimes in wonderful ways, sometimes just in that it was completely overwhelming.
I can tell you with confidence that the stories told in The Light of the Midnight Stars will stick with me. They were heartbreaking and hopeful stories of survival, tradition, and the struggle to hold a sense of self in a world that is screaming at you “NO!”
There is so much magic here, and it had moments of absolute beauty. The moments where I was most in the story’s thrall all happened while I was connecting with the characters, and while there were a good handful of moments like this in the middle and end, there were many missed opportunities early on that could help hook readers in.
It is completely unique in its genre- fantasy pulled from Jewish & regional folklore, with some historical fiction mixed in. This aspect was a draw for me, because these are all genres that I am so thrilled to spend time in. I personally wish I had a better understanding of Jewish religion, culture, and folklore heading into this because I know it could have drastically raised the ease with which I could have enjoyed this story.
I think my biggest hurdles with getting lost in the magic of this book were:
-The choice of presentation. The changes in POV and delivery (ie one MC’s chapters are delivered via journal entries, while the other two are simply written in first person perspective) and the layout of the storytelling- sometimes felt like it was meandering
-The language and cultural aspects could also become a hurdle for a non-Jewish reader if they were to get hung up on words/names/references that were unknown to them. Some of my favorite stories of all time have been based in cultures that I’ve had no previous understanding of, so I choose to take them in stride and learn as I go, but I can see how it could be alienating to someone less willing to let the storytelling carry them without complete understanding of references.
I also feel that it is important to note several trigger warnings for this book, including rape and hate crimes. I don’t feel that they detract from the value of the book, but important to note for those who would prefer to avoid those topics.
Overall, I felt like this book was a beautiful, if not specific, feat of storytelling that will settle into the hearts of some readers but will not be for everybody.
Thank you so much Goodreads & Rena Rossner for the ARC of this book.
“But life has a way of surprising us all, I suppose. And even though some destinies are written in the stars, or rooted in the ground—it doesn’t mean we don’t get a chance on this earth to try and change them.”
Wow. This book is a lot. Sometimes in wonderful ways, sometimes just in that it was completely overwhelming.
I can tell you with confidence that the stories told in The Light of the Midnight Stars will stick with me. They were heartbreaking and hopeful stories of survival, tradition, and the struggle to hold a sense of self in a world that is screaming at you “NO!”
There is so much magic here, and it had moments of absolute beauty. The moments where I was most in the story’s thrall all happened while I was connecting with the characters, and while there were a good handful of moments like this in the middle and end, there were many missed opportunities early on that could help hook readers in.
It is completely unique in its genre- fantasy pulled from Jewish & regional folklore, with some historical fiction mixed in. This aspect was a draw for me, because these are all genres that I am so thrilled to spend time in. I personally wish I had a better understanding of Jewish religion, culture, and folklore heading into this because I know it could have drastically raised the ease with which I could have enjoyed this story.
I think my biggest hurdles with getting lost in the magic of this book were:
-The choice of presentation. The changes in POV and delivery (ie one MC’s chapters are delivered via journal entries, while the other two are simply written in first person perspective) and the layout of the storytelling- sometimes felt like it was meandering
-The language and cultural aspects could also become a hurdle for a non-Jewish reader if they were to get hung up on words/names/references that were unknown to them. Some of my favorite stories of all time have been based in cultures that I’ve had no previous understanding of, so I choose to take them in stride and learn as I go, but I can see how it could be alienating to someone less willing to let the storytelling carry them without complete understanding of references.
I also feel that it is important to note several trigger warnings for this book, including rape and hate crimes. I don’t feel that they detract from the value of the book, but important to note for those who would prefer to avoid those topics.
Overall, I felt like this book was a beautiful, if not specific, feat of storytelling that will settle into the hearts of some readers but will not be for everybody.
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