The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk - Review
I received a free ARC of The Midnight Bargain from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk follows the story of Beatrice Clayborn, a sorceress in a world in which women must give up their magical abilities once they’re married. Beatrice is now old enough for her bargaining season, during which her father will find her an appropriate suitor and “bargain” for her marriage.
Beatrice, however, has no interest in marriage. Her love is magic, and she intends to fumble her bargaining season and bind to a greater spirit, thereby securing her abilities as a sorceress and making her unmarriageable, so she can stay at home and practice magic.
Bargaining season takes place in Bendleton, a major city in the nation of Chasland, and far from Beatrice’s home. On her first day in Bendleton, she finds a sorcery book that will help her bind to a greater spirit, but is prevented from purchasing it when Ysbeta and Ianthe Lavan, daughter and son of the wealthy Lavan family, are also looking for the same book. Ianthe encourages Ysbeta to share the book with Beatrice, and a tentative friendship begins.
Over the course of the story, Ysbeta and Beatrice become true friends, and Beatrice falls in love with Ianthe. It’s revealed Ysbeta, like Beatrice, has no desire to marry, and the two plot to spend the six weeks of bargaining season training to become fully-fledged sorceresses.
The book is truly wonderful, full of all of the drama, romance, and intrigue one could hope for from a fantasy novel. I honestly loved it. There is so much in the novel about respect in relationships, true freedom versus being temporarily freed, female friendship, and the sacrifices women are expected to make.
The characters are all fully developed, and every scene felt so alive I felt transported to Beatrice’s world. There were so many good themes and moments that I felt myself wanting to thrust the book in the face of every young woman I know and say “read this!” I honestly think reading this book as a young woman would have shaped my life.
Something else that was important to me was that Ianthe and Ysbeta are Black, traveling to a largely White society, and are presented as royal, regal, intelligent, and important, defying all the horrible ways BIPOC have historically been portrayed in fantasy novels. Ysbeta is whip smart and highly desired by suitors, and Ianthe is the most handsome and kindhearted suitor available. The Lavans are unquestionably the most important family in Bendleton. I think reading this as a youth would have helped counter some of the racism one unintentionally internalizes while going through life.
All that being said, the ending fell flat to me. It felt rushed and as if every challenge the characters faced in the novel was for nothing. All this drama and emotion was so heightened, only for everyone to suddenly get a happily ever after. It’s an ending I mind as an adult reader that I don’t think I would have minded one bit as a teenager. So, while that knocks off a star for me, I do still intend to recommend this book to just about everyone.
I loved The Midnight Bargain and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fantasy novel starring fierce women. I can’t wait to see what C. L. Polk writes next.