Cinderella is a well-known fairy tale character whose story revolves around a midnight clock curse. The curse is a pivotal plot point in the story, symbolizing the time limit Cinderella has to fulfill her dreams. ***At the stroke of midnight, the magic that has transformed Cinderella's ragged clothes into a beautiful gown and her pumpkin into a luxurious carriage will fade away, reverting her back to her original state.*** This curse adds an element of urgency and suspense to the story, as Cinderella must navigate her way through the royal ball, trying to make a lasting impression on the prince while also being aware of the looming midnight deadline. The curse of the midnight clock can be seen as a metaphor for the societal pressures Cinderella faces. Just as the clock imposes a time limit on her magical transformation, society imposes deadlines and expectations on individuals, particularly women, to conform to certain standards.
Just as the clock imposes a time limit on her magical transformation, society imposes deadlines and expectations on individuals, particularly women, to conform to certain standards. Cinderella's midnight curfew echoes the constraints placed on women, as she must leave the ball before she can truly express herself and reveal her true identity ***since her stepmother and stepsisters do not want her to be seen as an equal.*** This curse highlights the unfairness of these constraints and the limitations they place on individuals' dreams and ambitions.
[Blog Post] Dragon by Midnight by Karen Kincy, A Cinderella Retelling With A Twist
I am a huge fan of both dragons and fairy tales, and this retelling wins because Cinderella herself is turned into a dragon. I enjoyed this twist immensely 😂👌🏻 Plus the story retells both Cinderella x Aladdin, in a neat combination. Dragon by Midnight is also out now, so it’s the perfect time to add it to your 2022 tbr piles.
From beauty to beast in less than a minute.
The story starts off with Cinderella cautiously entering Prince Charming’s ball. Prince Benedict is handsome, rich, and royal — everything the girls of the kingdom could want, but Cinderella has an agenda. She wants to buy her family home back and turn it into a bed and breakfast (I seriously respect this) and spite her evil step-mother. I loved how straight away there were fun differences to the original tale, so you get the comfort of familiarity PLUS a totally new plot to keep you turning pages. After the curse kicks in and Cinderella flees the ball in scales and wings, we launch into a plot that includes travelling, hiding out in the woods, running for your life, library trips, and an array of interesting characters to meet.
Cinderella is a total cinnamon roll with a heart of gold, and she’s too soft to be a dragon. She’s horrified at the idea of her own claws, let alone devouring animals. She just wants to drink tea and start a bed and breakfast okay 😭 It’s always nice reading about girls who are sweethearts, so I enjoyed that. But with Cinderella pretty useless on her own as a dragon, she’s going to need help to break this curse.
Meet Sikandar! He is a sorcerer from a far land, come to find a magicked stone that will solve all his problems. The kingdom agrees to give it to him if he breaks Cinderella’s curse. He just has to do that before the prince slays the dragon.
“Cinderella.” He lifted both hands. “I’m not a threat to you. But Prince Charming is looking for you.”
“To save me?”
“To kill you.”
“God.” She sobbed. “I thought he might marry me.”
“Prince Charming is less than charming.”
Sikandar and Cinderella are super lovely together, and they have a lot of time to bond — her a dragon, him a banished sorcerer. Their romance is sweet and didn’t feel rushed even though the book is quite short. Tautly paced, it kept everything moving along nicely — plus throw in some big displays of magic and running for your life and mysterious backstories unrevealed, and you have a unique retelling that’s hard to put down.
Dragon by Midnight is a truly fractured fairy tale that’s both magical and endearing, with the perfect twist on the old Cinderella tale!
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway on my instagram and also see my Tiktok below! Thanks to MTMC Tours for having me.
Title: Dragon By Midnight
Author: Karen Kincy
Publication Date: September, 2021
Genres: YA Fantasy Romance
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Blackwell’s
Add on Goodreads
When the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella turns into a dragon.
Her dream twisted into a nightmare, she flees from the ball into the wilderness. Cinderella’s only hope? Sikandar, a sorcerer banished from a faraway land, who promises to break the dragon curse. Even at her most beastly, he finds beauty within her. But he’s hiding his own dark past, and saving Cinderella might be his last chance of redemption.
Together, Cinderella and Sikandar must untangle dangerous secrets and deadly magic before happily ever after is forever out of reach.
Dragon by Midnight features sweet romance, twists on fairytales, an obsession with breakfast, and a cinnamon roll hero who’s too good to be bad.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Kincy writes books when she isn’t writing code. She has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College, and an MS in Computational Linguistics from the University of Washington.
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In the second episode, when the Big Bad Wolf blows his trumpet on stage during the Big Bad Wolf Daddy musical number, various fragile objects break, from the chambers of the Enchanted Rose to the glass slippers.
Furthermore, the curse of the midnight clock serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of happiness and fulfillment. Cinderella experiences a brief moment of joy and freedom at the royal ball, which is abruptly cut short by the striking of midnight. This mirrors the transient nature of happiness in real life, where moments of joy can be fleeting and easily taken away. The curse emphasizes the importance of cherishing and making the most of the moments of happiness that one has, ***as well as the importance of not allowing external constraints to dictate one's sense of fulfillment.*** In conclusion, the curse of the midnight clock in Cinderella is a central element of the fairy tale, symbolizing the time limit on Cinderella's magical transformation and her struggle against societal constraints. ***This curse reflects the societal pressures faced by individuals, particularly women, and the fleeting nature of happiness and fulfillment.*** Despite these challenges, Cinderella's story ultimately carries the message that one should strive to fulfill their dreams and find their own happiness, even in the face of limiting circumstances..
Reviews for "The Midnight Clock Curse and its Implications on Love and Identity in Cinderella"
1. Jane Smith - 1 out of 5 stars - I was highly disappointed in "Curse of the Midnight Clock on Cinderella." The storyline was convoluted and confusing, making it difficult to follow along. The characters lacked depth and development, leaving no emotional connection with the audience. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, and it felt like nothing significant was happening for the majority of the book. Overall, I found this book to be a letdown and would not recommend it to others.
2. Michael Johnson - 2 out of 5 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of the Midnight Clock on Cinderella," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While the concept of putting a curse on Cinderella seemed promising, the execution was lacking. The writing style was bland, and the dialogue often felt forced and unrealistic. Moreover, the plot twists were predictable, making the story predictable and unexciting. I was hoping for a fresh and engaging take on the classic fairytale, but this book failed to deliver.
3. Sarah Thompson - 2.5 out of 5 stars - "Curse of the Midnight Clock on Cinderella" had potential, but it missed the mark for me. The characters were one-dimensional, and their motivations were unclear. It felt like the author rushed through their development, leaving them feeling shallow and unrelatable. Additionally, the romance between Cinderella and the prince felt forced and lacked chemistry. While the idea of a curse added an interesting twist, the execution left much to be desired. Overall, I found this book to be mediocre at best and would not recommend it to readers seeking a captivating retelling of Cinderella.