Before Midnight: A Retelling of Cinderella

When his beloved wife dies in childbirth, Etienne de Brabant never again wants to see the baby he blames for killing his wife. He abandons the girl, Constanze (nicknamed Cendrillon) in his remote mansion to be raised by her godmother Old Mathilde. He also drops off a baby boy, Raoul, who is to never leave the de Brabant estate. As Cendrillon and Raoul grow up together, they both make the same wishes on their birthdays year after year: Cendrillon wishes something would grow on her mother's grave and Raoul wishes that he will learn who he really is. One year, however, Cendrillon makes a new, impulsive birthday wish: she wishes for a mother to love her and two sisters, so at least one of them will like her. Since wishes have power in the world of this story, Cendrillon's wish is granted in an unexpected way, when Cendrillon's father marries a beautiful noble lady, Chantal de Saint-Andre. Since Etienne de Brabant seems to care as little for his new wife as he does his own child, he sends her and her two daughters to his isolated estate while he remains at court. Etienne has not even told his wife that he has a daughter of his own and when Chantal and her daughters, Anastasia and Amelie, arrive they, in their ignorance, take Cendrillon to be a servant girl. Cendrillon doesn't know how to correct this assumption and so plays along in the role. Cameron Dokey is my favourite author in the Once Upon a Time series and although BEFORE MIDNIGHT doesn't quite rank up there with what I consider her best (Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (Once Upon a Time) and Golden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time)), it is still quite good. In this book Dokey, as per usual, does a fine job of writing a sweet, charming fairy tale with some interesting twists on the original. In this story, the stepmother and stepsisters are given more depth than usual and aren't like their evil counterparts in most versions of the Cinderella tale: only selfish, bratty Anastasia really fits the "evil stepsister" role, but even she is lashing out more from hurt than from being a genuinely bad person. Furthermore, Dokey gives the reader a Cinderella that is not a doormat, some fun twists on the usual Cinderella motifs of pumpkins and fairy godmothers, and a dash of political intrigue. I would have liked a bit more interaction between Cendrillon and her prince, as their time together was much too short, as well as a better display of Anastasia when she is not being a brat, as proof that she is worthy of the guy who falls in love with her. However, overall this is a great addition to the pretty well-covered Cinderella tale (Ella Enchanted, Ever After - A Cinderella Story, etc) and another fantastic Once Upon a Time book by Cameron Dokey.

Before Midnight Before Midnight is a wonderful retelling of Cinderella. Constanze or Cendrillon was born at midnight and her mother, Constanze died. Her father was away and when he found that his wife was dead. He was very sad.When he got to the big stone house he had a baby boy with him the same age as Cendrillon. He was so sad he didn't come back for a long time. I found this a very good book! The ending you would never expect but if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise. READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!

i am currently almost finished with this book and love every page! this is kind of a new twist on "Cinderella". the stepmother and stepsisters, upon realizing who she really is, welcome her with open arms. Cendrillon (main chacter) is as gorgous as her mother was. her mother died in childbirth and her father cannot bear to look at her, let alone name her. her real name is Constaze, after her mother, but she was named Cindrillon "child of cinders" by Mathilde, the woman who delievered her. this book was awsome and i couldn't put it down, which is pretty much the way with all of cameron dokey's other books, although i have to go back and re-read some due to the fact that i could not even get 1/3 of the way through them due to school and work. i am looking forward to her next release.

This tale has always been one of my favorite fairy tales and I have loved some of the different renditions of it like "Ever After" and "Diary of an Ugly Stepsister". "Before Midnight" is another great addition to the retellings of Cinderella. In this revision, Constanze de Brabant, or Cendrillion has been abandoned by her father Etienne because of the death of her mother. She is raised in obscurity with a mysterious boy Raoul by Old Mathilde until a noblewoman, Chantal de Saint-Andre, with her two daughters Amelie and Anastasia arrive. Chantal has married Etienne and she is now Cendrillion's stepmother, but Chantal is never told until secrets are discovered. I love the scene where they open Cendrillion's mother's room and see her portrait. Here Chantal exclaims it is so wicked of Etienne to throw away the most precious gift of all, Love. It is also in this scene that Cendrillion gets her wish of having a family at last. I will not add too many spoilers and explain who Raoul really is and what happens at the "ball" but this tale which emphasizes the importance of embracing love and all the other feelings that come with it; is so lovingly rendered that both young and old romantics will love it.

Fifteen-year-old Constanze d'Este (La Cendrillon to her friends and family) has never known her father. For on the day of her birth, as opposed to coming into the world without a care, Cendrillon was left with the burden of knowing that her mother lost her life, and never had the chance to know the daughter whom she loved for each and every moment that she spent living. Cendrillon's father, Etienne de Brabant, is utterly heartbroken over the death of his magnificent wife. Dying in childbirth, at a time when he was not present, he never had the opportunity to say goodbye to his dearly beloved, and blames his infant daughter, who he cannot bring himself to name. Given her mother's name by Old Mathilde, Cendrillon never sees her father again. But, of course, Etienne did not part for the king and his court without leaving a little something - a child. Old Mathilde agrees to take care of Cendrillon, and the boy of her age who was brought to the stone cottage, whom she quickly names Raoul. The two are raised beside one another, Cendrillon with the memories of her shattered family, Raoul with no memories to speak of, and no family to dream of. The two live in the care of the servants around them for almost sixteen years, until a beautiful woman with porcelain skin named Chantal de Saint-Andre, accompanied by her two, equally beautiful daughters, Amelie and Anastasia. Cendrillon is shocked to learn that this is her new stepmother and stepsisters. While her father does not accompany his new wife, he sends his new family to the stone cottage, away from the kingdom, where they cannot get in his way. However, upon their arrival, Chantal de Saint-Andre and her daughters have no idea who Cendrillon truly is, and believe that she is nothing more than a servant girl. Even so, Cendrillon is not mistreated, and, as time passes, and her new family learns the truth, they embrace her as if they were one of her own, providing Cendrillon with the family she has craved for all of these years. When an invitation arrives at the stone cottage, ordering that each and every eligible noblewoman in the kingdom attend the great ball so the Prince can choose a wife, Cendrillon is surprised to find herself included in the festivities. She has never worn a gown of fine silk, or slippers that are lovely, yet pinch your toes; but Chantal de Saint-Andre demands that Cendrillon attend the ball as well, stating that she is just as much a noblewoman as her very own daughters. When a letter arrives from her father, however, demanding that it is not appropriate for his new wife and her daughters to attend the ball, Chantal de Saint-Andre makes a decision that could change the course of everyone's lives - including Raoul's. Yet, at the same time, lead both Cendrillon and Raoul to the destiny's that have been awaiting them for so many years. And give them the chance to make a choice that will challenge everything they have ever known - from family to courage, and loyalty to believing in one