The Midnight Guardians

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And Col and Ruth were lovely leads - I think their gradual opening up to each other made for an honestly lovely way to connect with them. No amount of screen presence can detract from the narrative being an overstuffed mess in need of a purge. Every episode, we spend time in the worlds created by the characters when they tell stories at night, but none (save perhaps Anya’s doppelganger nightmare The Two Danas) is as interesting as the events taking place at Brightcliffe. The series at first manages a balance between the two layers of fiction, but maddeningly tips the scale to luxuriate in the heavy-handed allegories of the stories they tell. After watching Sumpter deliver a devastating speech to his estranged mother that expertly walks the line between melodrama and melancholy, to subsequently see him flattened in a lame sci-fi concept is infuriating. With the spirit of Narnia, but a heart of its own. The Midnight Guardians is totally enchanting . I gobbled up every word.” Aisha Bushby

Midnight Mass review: blood-soaked horror - The Guardian Midnight Mass review: blood-soaked horror - The Guardian

Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticizing your favorite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not to proceed with reading this review. A tale of enchantment and friendship … a ll the warmth of a timeless story, told between friends round a winter fire … funny and true in the way all good stories are.” Thomas TaylorFollowing the death of their father, 12-year-old Col is evacuated during the Second World War, while his big sister Rose stays in London to help with the war effort. Learning that Rose is in terrible danger, Col embarks on a perilous journey to save her. I loved all of the characters so much! Col, with his stubborn determination and bravery, the Guardians and their love for Col, and Ruth: a Jewish girl from Germany, who helps Col along the way. Their friendship was one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever read about, and their journey to save Rose—the kindness and hope they show to everyone they meet—made this book so special. I also loved learning more about Chanukah and the lesson it teaches: that a little light can sometimes be enough to defeat even the most terrifying darkness. You simply sizzle as much garlic as you like (for me, that’s a clove per person, sliced thinly), in as much olive oil as you fancy (bearing in mind it is the heart of the dish – so let’s say 30ml per person, but 50ml if you are making a single portion). Add chopped peperoncino to taste (only you know how hot you like your chillies), before adding as much al dente spaghetti as you feel like, then finish with a handful of chopped parsley. In the past I have also added anchovies, and added a topping of pecorino (both of which, you could argue, turn the dish into something else). Spectacular . A story of real and rare power - The Midnight Guardians is one of the best books I've read in years." Kiran Millwood Hargrave I inhaled this wonderful book in one sitting ... humour, beautiful writing, heartbreak, hope, and a fat badger in a waistcoat. I'll be recommending it to everyone ." Katya Balen

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer review - The Guardian Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer review - The Guardian

One of the best children's books I've read in a very long time. It's so rare you find such a quality, in depth, and perfectly realised novel that is so easily read. It doesn't shy away from dark and intense subject matters, and can use some quite advanced vocabulary- but at the same time remains utterly readable, even for reluctant readers. Just as in the other two films (Before Sunrise and Before Sunset), what is miraculous about Before Midnight is the talking. Not talking things out, or talking things through, just talking. Two or more people having a conversation somehow turns out to be as gripping as a thriller. The second scene of this film shows Jesse and Celine driving home from the airport: a scene that plays out, in one continuous take, for around seven or eight minutes. And what happens? Nothing, or rather everything. They talk about important things. Despite its door-stopper density, Midnight Sun does not amplify the original novel. At times, it even undermines it. The whole appeal of a vampire-boyfriend is that he is deadly and undead, but Midnight Sun just exposes how toothless Edward really is. Meyer has described him as an anxious character, and says that writing him exacerbated her own anxiety – one of the reasons Midnight Sun was a “huge, pain in the butt book to write … Every single word was a struggle.” Why, then, are there so many of them? The company is funded by French entrepreneurs, including the telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel, co-owner of Le Monde newspaper. Keira isn’t just any guardian, she’s the prophesied child “of sun and moon”, destined to bring about the end of the house of Gammen which rules over the Mogdoc Empire.Another thing I really did enjoy reading about, however, was the humour between each of the characters. The jokes were neverending and quite often had me laughing out loud - but again, I feel that the humour was perhaps too sophisticated for some younger readers and may just have confused them. This is a streamlined novel; no side plots, no broad cast of characters, no twists of fantasy for the sheer joy of it. While the concept does fly high, it also flies straight. For those readers who might be put off by speculative fiction, The Midnight Library is a charming way into the genre.