The Midnight Girls twists the tale of Baba Yaga by following two girls tasked with stealing a prince’s heart while avoiding their growing feelings for one another.

An LGBTQ romance, The Midnight Girls develops the story quickly, filled with magic and mayhem.

Storytelling

The Midnight Girls is a quick read. But it lacks a measure of depth that Jasinka’s previous novel had.

Where The Dark Tide had more world-building and mystery behind all the fantasy, this novel focuses more on the characters and the dynamic between them.

The Midnight Girls retells the tale of Baba Yaga, who is split into three figures: White Yaga, Red Yaga, and Black Yaga. They each have a servant, whom they call Morning, Midday, and Midnight. Midday is MArynka, and Midnight is Zosia. They are often pitted against one another, sent to steal the prince’s hearts. But these girls have never met.

They balance one another out quite well, where Marynka is rash and wild like a raging fire, and Zosia is more controlled, calmer, and icy. They are perfect foils for one another, and that’s why the romance works so well.

They balance one another out quite well, where Marynka is rash and wild like a raging fire, and Zosia is more controlled, calmer, and icy. They are perfect foils for one another, and that’s why the romance works so well.

All Marynka wants is the love of her Grandmother for her to be proud of.

Final Thoughts

I will say this is more of a character-driven story. The characters grow, and the reader realizes they live in a very toxic situation. The Yaga are abusive, emotionally and physically. Red Yaga is also manipulative, and it’s not until the end that MArynka understands what real love looks and feels like. She understands it can be complicated and challenging, but true love is never cruel.

While it may seem superficial compared to her debut, The Midnight Girls offers readers a bittersweet ending and ultimately leaves the reader smiling.