A 12th child is born into a family of scientists. It is 1877 and this extraordinary family live in the beautiful city of Prague. This baby is named Ema and she is raised by her menagerie of siblings. At first the oldest child takes care of Ema and teaches her all she knows about her chosen science.

As the siblings grow old enough for university and leave to continue their studies, they pass the responsibility of teaching Ema down through the five sets of twins who remain. Throughout her first 11 years, Ema has learnt much, including the fact that her particular gift is to read people’s faces, and have an uncanny intuition for events about to happen, and the ability to feel other’s emotions.

Her parents worry about their youngest daughter. These abilities can not be called science, and they try to guide her into something more concrete to enable her to follow her siblings into study. But this is not to be, and soon to be alone in their home as her parents are departing on a scientific research trip, Ema is to stay with her uncle whom she has never met.

Her uncle’s home is nothing like her own. There are no servants, the rooms are sparse and her own is up in the attic. But it is from one of her windows that she sees a girl across the street in another window. This girl’s name is Silvie and they quickly become the very best of friends. Silvie is Ema’s opposite – brave, courageous, and full of adventures which they share around the city at every full moon.

Then Silvie is suddenly gone. Sneaking out at night, Ema searches all their favourite places to no avail. Until she discovers a whole new world under the streets of their city. This world is where the Midnight Guild operate. Rooms full of one marvel after another fill these rooms, which fill with patrons who stare in awe.

Silvie had mentioned something about an underground. Surely this must be where she has gone? In her search, Ema discovers a murder plot, and the truth behind Silvie’s life in Prague. In order to find her best friend, Ema must put all her intuitive skills to use, no matter the scorn that is thrown at her from every corner of this magical underground society.

So imaginative, with a brilliantly original setting, The Midnighters is something truly special. I enjoy historical novels for any age and this step back in time into the city of Prague is no different. This novel however, for adept young readers, has so many layers making it stand out. Twelve children instantly caught my attention and then the way the main character is raised is charming.

Her realisation that she doesn’t quite fit the norm in her family is another hook. Suddenly left with a quirky uncle with a giant cat, this story takes off as an enigma of a character called Silvie joins the cast. A stark but welcome contrast to the main character, Silvie is impetuous, courageous and incredibly interesting to the main character of Ema who has been raised on nothing but scientific fact.

The middle of this novel is a world of illusion, magical theatre and curiosity, so readers must absorb these extravagant spectacles at their own pace. The conclusion brings everything together brilliantly, providing me with a personal favourite in novels – taking me on an adventure with whimsical but vivid characters to a world completely original, but at the same time putting everything in a current context through the novel’s themes.

In this case it is acceptance, celebration at one’s differences and allowing those you love to be their complete selves, no matter how far from ‘normal’ that might be. It is only then that the true gifts of that person shine.

Author – Hana Tooke

Illustrator – Ayesha L. Rubio

Age – 8+

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(2022, Penguin, Imagination, Magic, Midnight, Friends, Science, Intuition, Other worldly, Ghosts, Murder, Crime, Historical, 1877, Family, Acceptance, Self Belief, Differences, Trust, Love, Siblings, Courage, Secret Society, Prague, Uncle, Cat, Maine Coon, Mystery)