Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella"

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon A Time)

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 5,080 ratings · 569 reviews

Etienne de Brabant is brokenhearted. His wife has died in childbirth, leaving him alone with an infant daughter he cannot bear to name. But before he abandons her for king and court, he brings a second child to be raised alongside her, a boy whose identity he does not reveal.

The girl, La Cendrillon, and the boy, Raoul, pass sixteen years in the servants' care until one day

...more

Paperback, 193 pages

Published March 6th 2007 by Simon Pulse

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Best Fairytales and Retellings

51st out of 920 books — 5,223 voters

The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey

Once Upon a Time Series

2nd out of 19 books — 185 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 16, 2009 Valerie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, fantasy

Maybe I should have read this book earlier; when I was 13 and a fresh book lover. I've read a few more Cinderella retellings since then so it's hard to give it any new twists or magic. Its got the basic framework of all the Cinderella retellings: mother dies (check), stepmother and sisters(check), and a happily-ever-after with the prince (check).

There is always something different about each retelling that I've read. In Ella Enchanted it was the curse, in Just Ella the prince isn't charming but...more

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 01, 2009 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fairy-tales

Extremely wary was I of this one. There have been tons of Cinderella retellings and begs you to ask the question what could this little book have to offer? A substaintial amount as it turns out.

Cendrillion is blamed for the death of her mother. Not by everyone mind you but by her father. He wishes to never to see her again until he can receive peace and when he comes to visit his dead wife's grave he brings another life with him. A little baby boy to be exact. His name would be Raoul and he and...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 19, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those in need of a nap

Shelves: 2009, reviewed, fantasy-sci-fi

There are 141 reviews of this book with 5 star ratings. 5 stars. I give 5 stars to books that change my world view; books that overwhelm me; books I could read a dozen times and still learn something new from them; and, admittedly, a couple of books that are old friends and make me feel better when I've had a bad day or when I am sick and grumpy (like today).

Isn't this how everyone rates? They don't just slap five stars on books that have nothing new in them, do they? There's a father who blames...more There are 141 reviews of this book with 5 star ratings. 5 stars. I give 5 stars to books that change my world view; books that overwhelm me; books I could read a dozen times and still learn something new from them; and, admittedly, a couple of books that are old friends and make me feel better when I've had a bad day or when I am sick and grumpy (like today).

Isn't this how everyone rates? They don't just slap five stars on books that have nothing new in them, do they? There's a father who blames his daughter for her mother's death (what an original idea there, but wait, there's more), a mysterious boy arrives to be cared for by the household but no one knows where he is from, and the wish of his heart is to know his own identity (I think I've read that one before). To the unoriginal ideas lifted from other stories, add the off-handed manner in which information is presented. I felt like the author was saying, "Oh, by the way, we're at war," and "did I forget to mention that she's in love with him?" It was jarring because you never knew where something came from, or whether or not it was going to be important. It made the entire story flat and deeply boring. I fell asleep a few times while reading it, and considering how short it is, that's either because of my cold, or the sheer mediocrity of the writing. I think the latter, but I'm willing to concede that the former may be a factor.

The real problem with this book is that everything works out, for everyone, all the time. There might be a moment or two when there's a question, but it doesn't last more than a page, and everyone is happy again. There's a war but it doesn't seem to touch anyone. Everyone gets their wishes fulfilled. Everyone loves each other in the end (or disappears and never bothers the happy people again). I know it's a fairy tale. I know it's aimed at young adults but that doesn't mean the audience is stupid or that the author can't come up with some decent writing and something new to say. It's been a long, long, long time since I read the Sweet Valley High books but I think even they were more interesting that this one. 5 stars, really?(less)

13 likes · like · see review

Oct 05, 2012 Brooke (Readers In Wonderland) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, reviewed, retellings

There a millions of Cinderella retellings out there, most of them following the traditional Evil step mother and step sister's story. Usually with the dad having died or away somewhere. This story was not like that.

Cendrillion's (as she's called in this retelling) mother died giving birth to her, her father was away when she was born, and came back a few days later. He was devistated by his wife's death and blamed Cendrillion for the death of her mother. He went to where she'd been buried and to...more There a millions of Cinderella retellings out there, most of them following the traditional Evil step mother and step sister's story. Usually with the dad having died or away somewhere. This story was not like that.

Cendrillion's (as she's called in this retelling) mother died giving birth to her, her father was away when she was born, and came back a few days later. He was devistated by his wife's death and blamed Cendrillion for the death of her mother. He went to where she'd been buried and to be blunt, threw a fit. He cried on her grave in the garden and (this is where it gets odd...) everything in the garden died off or acted weird (I'll expand on the weirdness later on.) He had with him another newborn, where he was from and who he was was a mystery. The father dropped of the boy and left, not returning for many years.

So Since the father (who was some duke, a favorite of the ~~evil~~ queen) didn't come back, the servants raised Cendrillion and the boy, Raoul as their equals. They helped out around the house and picked the crops in the garden. After the father's fit in the garden the crops grew weird, they would plant one type, and a diffrent kind all together would grow. They planted apples, and oranges grew. They planted watermelons and gigantic pumpkins grew. You get the picture. They didn't expect the father to come back, they didn't expect anyone to come. So it came as a suprise when they got news that the father had remarried, and that the wife and her two daughters where coming out to the house to live.

When they got there, they saw Cendrillion in her plain clothing, and since the father had never mentioned her, they thought she was a servant. And she didn't tell them any diffrent. Over time one of the step sisters broke into the father's office, which had been locked; in the office was a giant portrait of Cendrillion's mother, who ~~as luck has it~~ happened to look exactly like her. The step sister showed it to everyone and they all realized who she was. She became accepted into the family and everyone was relatively nice to her.

No that's not where the story ends, but that's where it starts to get more exciting. ~~And I was a bit tired of typing....~~ Who was Raoul? Where did the father get him? What happens to Cendrillion? The father? The step sister and step mother? If you're wondering any of this, or if the story I discribed above appeals to you in any way, this is the book for you.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 21, 2009 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am an absolute sucker for retold fairy tales, and even though the Once Upon a Time series is targets teen readers, I look forward to see what new spin each installment brings to old familiar stories. Cameron Dokey is the most prolific and - in my opinion - best author contributing to the series. In order to craft her own version of the Cinderella story, Dokey went back to the Grimm and Perrault versions of the tale. In a nod to the Grimms, there is a tree planted on the grave of Cendrillon's m...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2008 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a pleasant surprise for any lover of retellings of fairy tales!

I feared this small book, one of the "Once Upon A Time" series, would be a poorly written disappointment. Instead, it was a well written twist on the Cindrella story. It achieved two ends: 1. The writing style captures the magic that fairy-tale readers long for; and 2. The intriguing analysis of the father, the first wife, and the step-mother adds the new dimension to the old tale.

I plan to read more of the series now!

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Bridget rated it 3 of 5 stars

Halfway through, I loved this book. Then "love is the answer to all" got a little old and by the end...well, it was rather forgettable. Dokey's books are so un-conflicted that when they're over I think, "What happened in this book? Oh right, Happily Ever After. The ease of the story detracts from the overall experience. Doesn't the author know she should treat her character miserably?! I had a few "Oh, this is gonna be good!" moments which came to, "Oh. That doesn't bother sweet little Cinderell...more Halfway through, I loved this book. Then "love is the answer to all" got a little old and by the end...well, it was rather forgettable. Dokey's books are so un-conflicted that when they're over I think, "What happened in this book? Oh right, Happily Ever After. The ease of the story detracts from the overall experience. Doesn't the author know she should treat her character miserably?! I had a few "Oh, this is gonna be good!" moments which came to, "Oh. That doesn't bother sweet little Cinderella? How silly of me to think so."
What I liked:

The first half of the book. It read smoothly and I escaped into scenes of sunshine, trees, and the ocean.

The new take. Sure I'm not one of the readers on here who's read every Cinderelly, but I love re-tellings and I liked the angle of the dad being alive and rather than loving, hating his own daughter. This could have been a deeper aspect of this book, but sigh, it wasn't.

I liked all of the characters--or perhaps their potential. Each time a character was introduced, I thought "How interesting! I can't wait to see how this plays out because of course characters like these must needs be developed, yes?" No. Which leads me to my dislikes...

What I didn't like:

Any inner demons a character had were removed in literally the space of a page. By true love of course. The characters even got preachy with said topic, the Stepmother pretty much saying, "All my life I've been through sorrow and I've kept it bottled up, but instead of confronting obstacles in some fascinating plot twist I'm just going to look at the portrait of your loving mother and everything will be solved through love. And everyone around me will feel the rays of love. Did I mention the love?" It seemed to me the author just wanted to get the story over with and decided, "Heck, love is all you need, and surely if each of the characters repeat that for the latter half of the book I can get away with wrapping this up quickly."

Cinderelly mentions the third most powerful wish...the fourth most powerful wish...and that's it. Did the author even know what the second most and first most powerful wishes were? Or does she just like to pretend there's a substantial wish-list (I just made a sorta pun!) when she only thought of three types of wishes in the first place?

(view spoiler)

I was really liking this, and I was simply disappointed because it could have been so much more. Instead, it was rushed along, and everything worked out perfectly because love solves all problems on the spot.

All in all, it's a good read if you want to read a book in a day, or to pass the time on the plane or waiting in an office. Read Ella Enchanted for the 287th time instead.
(less)

like · see review

Oct 19, 2012 Lucy Cai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Imagine living a life with no parent love . Cendrillon, a child of cinders, bear an absolute rejection from her only family, her father. Since birth she was not allowed to leave her father’s estate grounds. It was all due her mother’s death that caused her father to loathe her because in his eyes he lost his wife due to Cendrillon’s birth. However, things began to turn around when her father remarried and send his new wife to live with Cendrillon. Cendrillon has some secrets to keep from her new...more Imagine living a life with no parent love . Cendrillon, a child of cinders, bear an absolute rejection from her only family, her father. Since birth she was not allowed to leave her father’s estate grounds. It was all due her mother’s death that caused her father to loathe her because in his eyes he lost his wife due to Cendrillon’s birth. However, things began to turn around when her father remarried and send his new wife to live with Cendrillon. Cendrillon has some secrets to keep from her new stepmother, but when a decision lies in her hands, she has to make a choice. It could be a change in fate; disastrous or a total positive life changer.
Even though she did not have any parent love, she still experience other kinds of love. Old Mathilde and Raoul are the closest thing to family. Old Mathilde, a healer that help Cendrillon’s mother give birth to her, has taken care of her since birth. As for Raoul, a mysterious boy who Cendrillon’s father brought home two weeks after her birth, is like a brother to her. At first I thought that Cendrillon’s stepmother and sisters would be mean to her like in the real Cinderella. However they were quite the opposite, but they still saw her as a servant girl and she just went along with it.
I actually like the book and thought it was excellent. I am a huge fan of fairytale and I am also interested in retellings of the book. When I started reading this book, I was only planning to read for an hour, but I guess the book trapped me. I end up finishing the book in a couple of hours, which for me is really something that is rare. Usually, I would take more than three days to read a book. When the book got to the climax, I felt that the hair on my harm was sticking up. I think I felt excited for what will happen next and I feel that my brain is going crazy.
This book was super fascinating and it has some humor. Although this book is a retelling of the original book, it has its own very original ideas. I would recommend this book to those who loves retellings of fairytale.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Josephina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: better-than-expected, fairy-tales, fantasy, light-read, re-tellings, romance, would-reread, unresolved-issues

I'll be honest straight off the bat: There is absolutely no conceivable reason why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It's a (or, as you might put it, ANOTHER) retelling of "Cinderella" - a story that has hardly been ignored in the pantheon of retold fairy tales. I don't think it adds much to the story that's been told time and time again. I truly loved some characters but absolutely detested at least one. And yet, when I put the book down, I was smiling and that counts for something, in my b...more I'll be honest straight off the bat: There is absolutely no conceivable reason why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It's a (or, as you might put it, ANOTHER) retelling of "Cinderella" - a story that has hardly been ignored in the pantheon of retold fairy tales. I don't think it adds much to the story that's been told time and time again. I truly loved some characters but absolutely detested at least one. And yet, when I put the book down, I was smiling and that counts for something, in my book.

Cendrillon (yes, I get where the name came from but that doesn't mean that I didn't cringe a bit when I first read it) is the heroine of the story, blamed by her father of killing her mother in childbirth. There's a cast of supporting characters, including Raoul, a boy with a mysterious past who was brought to the family's estate by Cendrillon's dad. I absolutely adored Raoul. If I could have gotten a story entirely about him and his story, I would be thrilled. Except that would mean more of another supporting character, and I'm not sure I'd be willing to make that sacrifice. More on that later.

Cendrillon as a character wasn't perfect for me. She keeps a secret from her new family for 1) far too long and, 2) stupid reasons. I don't even understand why she DOES keep it a secret, other than, "Well, I guess at this point, it would just be awkward to confess." Which makes sense after months and months have passed, but there's not really a logical reason why she didn't just speak up to begin with. That rather annoyed me. I get annoyed when characters do stupid things for illogical reasons that can only be explained away as "the author needed dramatic tension/to set up a later scene." It's the sort of plot device that normally irritates me to no end, but I was somehow able to get over it, here.

I love retellings that shine a new light on a familiar character. (I adored what "Ever After" did for the character of the stepmother for that reason, as it subtly gave her character a bit more depth.) In this book, I liked that the stepmother wasn't the wicked villain she is in other stories. It was actually rather nice. The stepsisters are...well, one is okay, but she's entirely overshadowed by the other. I HATED Anastasia. Absolutely loathed her. She was fine at the end of the book, but there wasn't really believable character progression to get there. In this, I felt the author really dropped the ball. She was detestable and spoiled and selfish and just plain mean, and then, all of a sudden, she's...okay, well, she's not NICE but she's just...okay with Cendrillon all of a sudden. We are supposed to like her at the end of the book because we're just told we should, rather than being shown why.

The Prince was fine. I do appreciate that the author tried to give you an impression of why you should like him, even before you could meet him. It's the main flaw with stories like this, that the hero doesn't come in until near the end so there simply isn't the time to get to know (and love) the hero as one should. All too often, I'm left recognizing that I should be happy Cinderella gets the prince, but I don't really get WHY I should be happy about it, other than...well...he's a prince. Does one really need more of a reason to be happy for her at the end? (Yes.) I did like the Prince, but there just wasn't time for me to love him like I wanted to. This was somewhat hard of a pill to swallow, as I really loved Raoul's character at that point, and I was almost disappointed in the ending working out the way it did.

At the end, everything is wrapped up a little too neatly. There's a war that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Some political intrigue that, I confess, I couldn't have cared two flying rats' carcasses about, and a big "They lived happily ever after" sticker slapped on the whole shebang.

Yes, there are issues with character, plots that don't seem to go anywhere, and the like. So why did I like it so much? Absolutely no idea, but I do know that, if I ever decide to re-read this series in future, this one will be the first on my list and I will likely enjoy every minute of the read, then, too.(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 16, 2012 May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales

Constanze d'Este, daughter of Etienne de Brabant and Constanze d'Este, is a young noblegirl growing up in a stone house on a cliff by the sea, without any parents. What an interesting way to start the Cinderella story!

Constanze, the older, dies giving birth to her daughter, who is nicknamed Cendrillon. Cendrillon's father is so overcome by grief, he denies her existence and refuses to ever see her again--but not before dropping off a baby boy he mysteriously shows up with. Abandoned by her fathe...more Constanze d'Este, daughter of Etienne de Brabant and Constanze d'Este, is a young noblegirl growing up in a stone house on a cliff by the sea, without any parents. What an interesting way to start the Cinderella story!

Constanze, the older, dies giving birth to her daughter, who is nicknamed Cendrillon. Cendrillon's father is so overcome by grief, he denies her existence and refuses to ever see her again--but not before dropping off a baby boy he mysteriously shows up with. Abandoned by her father, Cendrillon grows up pretty well, all things considered. The mysterious baby boy, named Raoul, is her best friend. Then, one day, her father has remarried and packed his new wife and her two daughters off to live with Cendrillon in the stone house by the sea. One catch--he's so absorbed into denying Cendrillon, that he doesn't tell his new wife he has a daughter. So Cendrillon, so upset and not sure how to tell her new stepmother and stepsisters anyway, plays the part of a servant until it all comes out when one stepsister tried to have her dismissed.

It was a neat twist, though, because the stepmother and stepsisters aren't evil. Well, one's pretty mean for awhile, but the stepmother and the other sister are truly kind. When the truth of Cendrillon's position is known, they treat her just like a sister/daughter. And then they get to have a fun adventure when they are summoned to a ball to choose the prince's bride and the truth of Raoul's birth comes out. But all that sort of seems like a secondary plot. (view spoiler)

Despite the fact that what most people consider the 'meat' of the Cinderella story--her escaping her wicked step-family to run to the ball, meet and fall in love with the prince, and the prince starting a frantic search to locate the new love of his life--is barely there, it's still a pretty good story. It focuses a lot on Cendrillon's wishes and thoughts and feelings as she grows, something you don't get a look at in other versions. And the book gives real depth to the other characters. And Cendrillon's fairy godmother? Is her real godmother, who's not so much a fairy as an amazing, mysterious wisewoman.

I liked the change of the father being the bad guy in the story. I always did wonder what the heck he was doing while his new wife abused his daughter. This was makes much more sense. And this way, Cendrillon is shown to have real strength, not just a wishy-washy, I'll-do-whatever-you-ask personality.

And it ends just as a fairytale should--with everyone getting their "happily-ever-after"!(less)

like · see review

May 14, 2012 Abby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own-it

As with Sisters Red (though this is definitely nothing like it), this was not my favorite retelling, but still a charming and solid read.

1. Smart and Sweet Heroine: CHECK
Cendrillon was a great version of the classic Cinderella. She gave life to a character that I always found somewhat too perfect in other classic versions. She had emotion and heartbreak and doubts, but she always loved others and return was loved.

2. Brave and Loveable Hero: CHECK
While Pascal was likeable enough but I was sad we...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 05, 2012 Sonia Mcintosh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Continuing right along with my reading of all things fairytale is this retelling of the story of Cinderella.
When Cendrillon's mother dies just after giving birth to her, her father is devastated and leaves the estate and his daughter into the care of Old Mathilde. He also leaves a mysterious baby boy with instructions that this boy was to never leave the estate unless he was sent for. Thus Cendrillon and Raoul are bought up together in the care of Old Mathilde, who magically believes in wishes....more Continuing right along with my reading of all things fairytale is this retelling of the story of Cinderella.
When Cendrillon's mother dies just after giving birth to her, her father is devastated and leaves the estate and his daughter into the care of Old Mathilde. He also leaves a mysterious baby boy with instructions that this boy was to never leave the estate unless he was sent for. Thus Cendrillon and Raoul are bought up together in the care of Old Mathilde, who magically believes in wishes. Each year on their birthday Cendrillon and Raoul each make a wish. For Cendrillon it is that the ground around her mothers grave would grow something, for Raoul it is that he would know his origins. This continues until one birthday Cendrillon wishes for a mother and two sisters to love her. Wishes have a tendency to come try sooner or later, especially if they are spoken out of love, and soon a stepmother and two stepsisters arrive. Not knowing that Cendrillon is her husband's daughter, she is treated like a servant, but with kindness. But there is a sorrow in her stepmother's heart that Cendrillon longs to ease. Events take a turn when all the eligible girls of the kingdom are invited to a ball in the Princes' honour. Cendrillon is revealed to be a noble and all three girls prepare to go to the ball. However a message from Cendrillon's father tells them not to come. In ignoring this order the destinies of both Cendrillon and Raoul's are revealed.

I love the way that Dokey adds different dimensions to her tales. Instead of Cinderella's father dying and leaving her to her evil stepmother she adds the “what if” he was still alive and what effect would it have on the story. It is her father who is the man who has little regard for his daughter and would harm her if he could. In her stepmother Cendrillon finds the love that she craves.
Dokey sets the story in a familiar but magical landscape; where the garden grows mysterious and odd produce, where poor men can become princes, and where wishes are treasured and often come true. Perhaps the story is a little predictable, but it is to be expected as it basically follows a well known fairy tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 9/10(less)

like · see review

May 05, 2011 Dorothea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales, young-adult

So- I'm noticing a trend in these Cameron Dokey fairy tales. I LOVE the fresh ideas she brings to all of them. Just when you thought you couldn't find anything new in a retelling of Cinderella, Dokey manages to bring some fresh twists to the tale that I truly enjoyed.

Spoiler alert begins here:

I struggle with my ratings of some of her stories. The two main reasons in the last two I read (this one and the retelling of Mulan) is that I think the love interest is going to be one person and then it...more

like · see review

Dec 09, 2010 Lydia rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ages 13+

Shelves: fairytale-retellings

First of all let me say that I love Cinderella retellings. Whenever another movie with a cinderella plotline comes out I'm like "Oh boy, I can't wait to see it!" While certain people in my family simple groan "Not ANOTHER Cinderella story...". If you empathize with my family then you probably don't want to read this book however original I am about to say it is.

When I first started the book I didn't like the whole wishes and magic thing (which I usually try to avoid. However, as the book got go...more

like · see review

Jun 24, 2009 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a very quick read, and a cute book overall. It gave the Cinderella story a little more depth than I previously associated with it: a father overcome with despair, a daughter strong enough to deal with it, and a loving stepmother and stepsisters who helped the daughter realize who she is, who she could be. A large emphasis on the "power of love" and the ability of "love at first sight" (it runs in families, Old Mathilde says). I did find that corny and cliche, but what did I expect? It w...more

like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 Alex Criddle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: eng-356-13-25

When Constanze is born just before midnight, her mother soon passes away and leaves her with her father and Old Mathilde. Etienne de Brabant discovers that his wife has died and abandons his daughter all together, after dropping another mysterious baby at his seaside home for Old Mathilde to raise. Constanze, better known as Cendrillon, grows up never knowing her father and wishing to be loved by a family. Raoul, the mysterious baby left to grow up with Cendrillon, wishes to know who he is and w...more When Constanze is born just before midnight, her mother soon passes away and leaves her with her father and Old Mathilde. Etienne de Brabant discovers that his wife has died and abandons his daughter all together, after dropping another mysterious baby at his seaside home for Old Mathilde to raise. Constanze, better known as Cendrillon, grows up never knowing her father and wishing to be loved by a family. Raoul, the mysterious baby left to grow up with Cendrillon, wishes to know who he is and where he came from. After their sixteenth birthdays, Cendrillon and Raoul will discover that wishing really can make dreams come true. Cendrillon’s father remarries and sends his new wife and two daughters to live in the seaside house. When the king sends a message that all of the young ladies of the kingdom are to come to a ball and be presented to his son, Prince Pascal, both Cendrillon and Raoul will make choices that will change their lives forever. A wonderful and original retelling of the Cinderella story, Before Midnight is an instant classic that will touch your heart and leave you wanting more.

I am so glad that I left this novel for last. It was so nice to end on a happy note and to be left believing in fairy tales. This retelling was very original and I found myself loving the characters and their varying personalities. I love that Dokey included elements from the original fairy tale that often get cut from other retellings. Cendrillon was a great heroine who did more than just sit around. She herself was a servant and very intelligent, though of course, intelligence does not protect us from the lure of love at first sight. I also really liked the new ideas Dokey intertwined within her story—a nice and loving stepmother and kind stepsisters, as well as a close friend for Cendrillon, who faces his own questions and challenges. I know that this is only one retelling in a series and after reading this novel, I definitely want to go find others and delve into their originality and fantasy. I would definitely recommend this novel for those who love fairy tales and retellings of the classics.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 07, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytales, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Jul 31, 2009 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ft-cinderella

My reaction to this book is the same as if I saw Disney's Cinderella decked out in black clothes and black mascara: "How cuuuuuuuuuute! She's trying to be serious! Whose a cute widdle Goth? Yes, you are! Yes you are!"

>cough< Sorry. A bit flippant, but I stick by my point that this book could have been a good fairy tale retelling, but it throws in some "serious" "political" themes ( I use those words loosely) trying to be a different class of book. Dokey (heh, her name is Dokey, that sounds...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2011 Kyle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book - there have been so many tellings of Cinderella that I had my doubts about this one. I was pleasantly surprised though; this telling is actually very different from all the other ones I have read. It's definitely a fairy tale but in a more realistic way, if that makes sense.

There is still magic in the book although one that feels as though it really could exist and of course, happily ever afters. However, there are also plot twists (in Ci...more

like · see review

Nov 01, 2009 Haley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: grade-8-ir-books-sam

Etienne de Brabant is brokenhearted. His beloved wife has died in childbirth, leaving him alone with an infant daughter he cannot bear to name. Before he abandons her for king and court, he brings a second child to be raised alongside her, a boy whose identity he does not reveal. The girl constance (her mother's name), better known as Cendrillon (child of cinders), and the boy, Raoul, pass sixteen years in the servants' care until one day a fine lady arrives with her two daughters. The women ha...more

like · see review

Dec 28, 2011 Brandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, teen, random-reads-column, lpl-blog

12-28-11

Cendrillon entered the world with no luck and little love. Her mother died during the birth and her father, Etienne, was away on royal business. The only affection she received was from her godmother, Old Mathilde, who named the girl after her mother but instead chose to call her Cendrillon due to the baby’s bed amongst the ashes. One day when Cendrillon was still an infant, her father returned with a baby boy. Broken with grief, Etienne left the both babies in the care of Mathilde with...more 12-28-11

Cendrillon entered the world with no luck and little love. Her mother died during the birth and her father, Etienne, was away on royal business. The only affection she received was from her godmother, Old Mathilde, who named the girl after her mother but instead chose to call her Cendrillon due to the baby’s bed amongst the ashes. One day when Cendrillon was still an infant, her father returned with a baby boy. Broken with grief, Etienne left the both babies in the care of Mathilde with the strict instructions that neither were allowed to leave the property and took off back to the royal court.

The two babies grew up together, celebrating their birthdays together each year by making a single wish. Cendrillon had taken over the cultivation of her mother’s treasured garden yet no living thing planted on her mother’s grave would thrive past her birthday. Every year Cendrillon wished that something she planted would survive and continue to grow after the day was through. The boy, Raoul, wished every year for some information about his family. He had no idea who he was or where he came from, only that he wasn’t allowed to travel. Cendrillon, Raoul, and Mathilde, along with the servant, Susanne, lived each day as they wished.

All changed one day when news arrived that Etienne had remarried. Cendrillon would soon have a new stepmother and two sisters. When Cendrillon saw how refined the three women were in comparison to her own dirty clothes and messy hair, she decided not to reveal her true identity. Rather, Cendrillon posed as a house servant, answering the obnoxious beck-and-call of Anastasia and showing the inner workings of the garden to Amelie. When secrets are revealed, a distant war transforms into a distinct possibility, and a prince requires a bride, Cendrillon’s story becomes the fairy tale it always should have been.

There have been many different retellings of “Cinderella” throughout history. Dokey creates a story in which more of Cendrillon’s background is necessary to the story. The well-known fairy tale doesn’t focus as much on where Cinderella came from, but only on what is to happen. Dokey transforms the evil stepmother and wicked stepsisters into misunderstood pawns in a game controlled by a maniacal man who is only interested in his place in court. This rendition of “Cinderella” is touching and romantic with a hint of magic.
(less)

like · see review

May 02, 2013 Jerome rated it 4 of 5 stars

Seemed a bit rushed and this isn't a particularly "good" book by anyone's standards, but then they're not pretending to be. It provides quick, light entertainment, and a new twist on one of your favorite old fairytale. Like candy floss at the fair, they're cheap and colorful, but don't have a particularly long lifespan. It goes without saying that these books do not contain mastery over plot, character and language.

At times the circumstances and language borders on Gothic melodrama: everyone tal...more

like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Angela (: rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, books-library-owns

Actual rating: 2.5 stars (at most)

CONTAINS SPOILERS. (Although they're sort of obvious.)

Cinderella has never been one of my favorite stories. This retelling doesn't make me like Cinderella any more. Like Dokey's other retellings, Before Midnight was creative.

In this version of Cinderella, her father doesn't die or fall to his second wife. This wasn't a problem; it could have turned out really well. But it didn't.

The pacing was off. With a story this short, you can't have almost half of the stor...more

like · see review

Apr 02, 2009 cecilia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: yellow-covers

Putting the father back in the mix entailed his great sorrow for the loss of his wife after she gave birth to Cendrillon. The depression was so great that he refused to love Cendrillon and abandoned her at the estate with his servants while he returned to court and stayed there. Hence, Cendrillon grew up with the understanding that her father blames her for her mother's death.

When the stepmother and stepsisters arrived, it seemed that they too might also be villains. However, they had been force...more

like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales

(a similar review was originally published at http://storybound.blogspot.com/2012/0...)

The opening paragraph grabbed me and from the first few lines, I was hooked. I was easily caught up in Cendrillon's story, a girl whose mother died at her birth and whose father couldn't stand to look at her or be around her, since it brought him nothing but grief, and that of Raoul's, the mysterious boy who arrived only two weeks after Cendrillon's birth and was raised alongside her.

This took the Cinderella...more (a similar review was originally published at http://storybound.blogspot.com/2012/0...)

The opening paragraph grabbed me and from the first few lines, I was hooked. I was easily caught up in Cendrillon's story, a girl whose mother died at her birth and whose father couldn't stand to look at her or be around her, since it brought him nothing but grief, and that of Raoul's, the mysterious boy who arrived only two weeks after Cendrillon's birth and was raised alongside her.

This took the Cinderella story I'm used to and turned it upside down. Her father isn't dead. In fact, he's very much alive, but he just cannot bear the sight of his daughter so he neglects her and she grows up under the care of servants with her friend Raoul. When her father remarries, her stepmother and stepsisters are not at all what I was expecting. The step-mother, Chantel, is not cruel, but she is cold. Her heart has been broken and now she has been forced into a loveless marriage and then shipped off to her husband's home, far away from everything she knows with only her two daughters. As for her daughters, Anastasia is at first what you would expect, cruel and snobby. She speaks with scorn, orders Cendrillon around constantly, rebukes Raoul, and is just generally rude and obnoxious. But, there's more to Anastasis then meets the eye and I really liked that. And then there's Amelie, the other stepsister. She's kind and eager to find a place in her new home. She likes exploring and even exchanges her fancy dresses for common clothes so she can garden and enjoy the outdoors. Because Cendrillon's father has never spoken to her and has no desire to see her, her new stepmother and stepsisters do not know that she is actually his daughter and therefore part of the family. Cendrillon's not quite sure how to break that news to them and when she finally does, the results are quite startling.

The glass slipper, pumpkin carriage, godmother, the ball, dancing with the prince, her beautiful gown all make their appearance in this book. But there's also some political intrigue, a kidnapping, a charming soldier who falls for one of the stepsisters, and lessons on the power of love and heartache and anger.

I truly enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I loved every second of it. I loved the characters and seeing the bond grow between Cendrillon and her new family. I liked finding out the mystery behind Raoul - who he is and why he's grown up in Cendrillon's home, banned from ever leaving the grounds. I appreciated the theme of the power of wishes and truly loved watching wishes come true. As always, I liked seeing my favorite fairy tale aspects come to life in new and surprising ways. And my favorite thing about this book was that there wasn't just one happily ever after. Nope. There were multiple and I really, really loved that!

Quotes: "I wonder if I might persuade you to try on this shoe, so that I can be certain it fits you and you alone. Please show me I haven't dreamed this whole thing from start to finish."

"'This is why they say love stories end happily ever after,' I whispered. For surely, if this was anything, it was the power of true love. The power to bring life and hope where none had been before."

"My story had been given the start of its happy ending at the very same time in which it had first begun: just before midnight."(less)

like · see review

Mar 05, 2011 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I LOVE twists on fairytales. One of my favorite thing about Cameron Dokey is her ability to take a fairytale we think we know so well, and make it so drastically different, while at the same time adding enough elements of the original to make it a fun parallel. She made her version a lot happier then other versions, which I loved. My only qualm was that she gave so very little of the story to the main point of this fairytale: Cinderella meeting her handsome prince! Cindrellon doesn't even meet h...more

like · see review

Aug 07, 2008 Katelyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love it when fairy tales are retold in a way that makes them make so much more sense. This is one of those books. Strangely enough, it also has a magical realism tint to things. For instance, tears cause plants to grow, anger causes a tree to die. The only faults I could find was that sometimes the magical realism was too heavy and that people seemed to fall in love too simply.

1 like · like · see review

Nov 18, 2009 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: once-upon-a-time

I thought this book was ok. I liked it. It just wasn't really a retelling of Cinderella. Sure the small details were like they're were pumpkins, she had a godmother (not a maigcal one) and she had a stepmother and stepsisters. Changes: Stepmother and stepsisters nice, two princes, father and the queens and the bad guys, no fairy godmothers, no changing into a regular person before midnight (even though it's the title)
Changes I liked: how before midnight her wishes come true, how she falls in lo...more

like · see review

Jan 27, 2013 Cara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: absolute-best-books-ever, great-love-interest, i-love-this-book, magic-fantasy, other-world, princes-princesses, read-2013, what-was-this-author-thinking, fairytale-retellings, reviewed, 5-star

My feelings toward this book are complicated. The story itself is wonderful. As a retelling of Cinderella, though, it sucked. Cameron Dokey likes to give backstories, extra information, etc. about the characters in the beginning before she really starts the whole plot, but in this book, it took her forever. The dress, the glass slippers, the prince, the shoe left behind, etc. all happen within what felt like ten pages. TEN PAGES, people! But, you're probably interested in the actual plot, so her...more

like · see review

Jun 14, 2010 Whitney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: eng-420

Etienne de Brabant is brokenhearted. His wife has died in childbirth, leaving him alone with an infant daughter he cannot bear to name. Before he abandons her for king and court, he brings a second child to be raised with her, a boy, whose identity he does not reveal. Sixteen years later a carriage arrives with de Brabant's new wife and her two daughters. When an invitation to a great ball reaches the family, the new Lady of the house will make a decision with far-reaching effects. An unconventi...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (6)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

233 users

Young Adult

197 users

Fantasy > Fairy Tales

179 users

Romance

93 users

Retellings

52 users

Fairy Tales > Fairy Tale Retellings

36 users

Young Adult > Teen

25 users

Fairy Tales > Cinderella

19 users

Fairy Tales > Princesses

11 users

Fantasy > Magic

11 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Cameron Dokey

Cameron Dokey is an American author living in Seattle, Washington. She has a collection of over 50 old sci-fi and horror films. Cameron was born in the Central Valley of California. Cameron grew up reading classical literature and mythology, perhaps due to her father, Richard, being a teacher of Philosophy, Creative Writing, and Western Literature.

Cameron has one husband and three cats, and is th...more

More about Cameron Dokey...

Books by Cameron Dokey

Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty"

Belle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast"

The Wild Orchid: A Retelling of "The Ballad of Mulan"

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Before Midnight: ...

2 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Before Midnight: A Ret...

“Remember that yours is not the only heart that may be wishing for love.” — 124 people liked it

“Love so joyfully and freely given can never be taken away. It is never truly gone.” — 67 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella"
avg rating	preview: Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" Goodreads rating: 3.83 (5080 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/367349.Before_Midnight?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361126273l/367349.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/367349.Before_Midnight?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" by Cameron Dokey[/url]

Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon A Time)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website