Review: The City in the Middle of the Night

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could have spent a lot more time in the world created by Charlie Jane Anders in The City in the Middle of the Night.  Not that this is a hospitable, comfortable world; far from it.  This is a place you go when you have nowhere else to go.  Yet, it captured my imagination, and I just wanted to know SO MUCH MORE.  I could read more books just about the history of this world.

There are so many elements of this story that I loved.  Sophie engaging with the Gelet when others consider them nothing more than animals is absolutely something I would do.  The concept of an "Anchor-Banter" is kind of genius.  It really helps explain why you keep getting thrown together with certain people against your better judgment.  I'm surprised we don't have a term for it too.  I could read a whole book about Mouth.   

I am not usually one for romance in my stories.  I'm old and jaded. I usually find romance annoying and worried early on that the relationship between Sophie and Bianca would ruin the story for me.  Turns out I had nothing to worry about.  Instead of being cloying, it was very familiar.  Love is complicated.    

Bonus points for my pleasant surprise at Merida references.  I loved living there (and the food!) and like to think the culture (and the food!) would survive even if our planet doesn't.    

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