Review - Midnight CrossroadReview by Paul Fiander
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Author; Charlaine Harris
Published by; Gollancz |
For many the name Charlaine Harris will always be intimately twined with the town of Bon Temps and more importantly Sookie Stackhouse. However the story of the Merlotte waitress with more than a few hidden abilities is now finished in book form at least (the TV show still has one season to run). So with the end of the Sookie’s story our author extraordinaire needed a new project to sink her teeth into. Her new series Midnight Crossroad the first book in a new Trilogy.
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Some of the concepts of this new book feel fairly familiar, the location a small town in the USA filled with a mixture of varied characters all who feel like they are more than they seem. This formula has worked well and won the author lots of reader and critical praise. Midnight Crossroad though is filled with new ideas that I never expected, some are subtle and will only noticed by fans of the author and others are part of the unique feeling of the story.
Let’s start with the big changes this story is told from multiple POV’s, for a writer known for the one person storyline this is a huge departure. It may seem subtle but the ability to tell a story off page is a talent in itself and one that the author has shown a real handle on in her previous works. This new storytelling device helps give the book an extra level of depth for the central characters. Unfortunately it also comes at a price as the story takes some time to hit its stride. This is mostly due to quite a bit of exposition at the front end of the book, if you keep in mind this is the start of a series then it’s quite understandable that giving the reader a sense of the world is a key element. I just worry that new readers may be somewhat put off by the opening especially if they are unaware that this book is the start of a new series. |
The second change is that we are getting the voice of male characters from the storytelling POV. This is an alteration in writing style that some would think could easily fall apart but I feel this is as well executed as the female voices within the book. Manfred especially feels like he has a genuine voice and his story is the one we concentrate on the opening of the book.
Entering the town of Midnight is an odd situation for someone with no knowledge of living in a small American town; however this is Charlaine Harris’s bread and butter as she can create a town that seems real and lived in. The town is of course only the stage where our characters will act out the story but its realism is important to entice the reader into the world. Our guide to the town in the early stages is Manfred as he is the new guy in town. His interactions with the varied if not substantial members of the Midnight community give you the bait to the developing story and start to clue you into the reason why people like living in a town like Midnight.
The plot itself although slow to start does have a rather fast acceleration on the discovery of a girl’s body and subsequent investigation. This is where the book goes from an everyday read to the start of a series of note. This is mainly due to the plot threads that are left open and the entire world building, this book still has a story to tell within its pages. There are twists and turns a plenty as the mystery of who done it plays out in a way that will keep you guessing right to the end. I do feel though that again it’s the secrets that will intrigue and keep you coming back to the series making this a great first stanza.
Being a book by Charlaine Harris I am not sure if saying that there are mythological elements at play within the story is a spoiler or not, but to keep it same that’s all I’ll say about it.
This does feel like the start of a new series and it has a gradual entry I like this style and I would say to readers to give the book the time it needs to grab you, this is not a one chapter hook. Thankfully the author’s name and reputation should help to draw readers in its when the story gets going that I can see many nights being lost to the wonder of Midnight.
Entering the town of Midnight is an odd situation for someone with no knowledge of living in a small American town; however this is Charlaine Harris’s bread and butter as she can create a town that seems real and lived in. The town is of course only the stage where our characters will act out the story but its realism is important to entice the reader into the world. Our guide to the town in the early stages is Manfred as he is the new guy in town. His interactions with the varied if not substantial members of the Midnight community give you the bait to the developing story and start to clue you into the reason why people like living in a town like Midnight.
The plot itself although slow to start does have a rather fast acceleration on the discovery of a girl’s body and subsequent investigation. This is where the book goes from an everyday read to the start of a series of note. This is mainly due to the plot threads that are left open and the entire world building, this book still has a story to tell within its pages. There are twists and turns a plenty as the mystery of who done it plays out in a way that will keep you guessing right to the end. I do feel though that again it’s the secrets that will intrigue and keep you coming back to the series making this a great first stanza.
Being a book by Charlaine Harris I am not sure if saying that there are mythological elements at play within the story is a spoiler or not, but to keep it same that’s all I’ll say about it.
This does feel like the start of a new series and it has a gradual entry I like this style and I would say to readers to give the book the time it needs to grab you, this is not a one chapter hook. Thankfully the author’s name and reputation should help to draw readers in its when the story gets going that I can see many nights being lost to the wonder of Midnight.
Rating 4/5
Images courtesy of Gollancz
Book - Provided by Publisher
Book - Provided by Publisher
