Midnight: A Gangster Romance - Book One of the Midnight Series

Terrell Lindsay: Every young black man should read this story, there are so many lessons to be learned in here that can sharpen you for the world and refine your heart for your future.

United Kingdom on Apr 06, 2023

Donna: I don’t think I can say I liked this book, but I definitely found it fascinating and for that reason very enjoyable, for reasons that might be taken a bit controversially. I’ve not found, in my quick search, any other reviews that have reached the same verdict as I have, which surprises me a little.

At first, like some other reviewers, I was frustrated and disappointed with what seemed like an overly arrogant persona, especially for a 14 year old character, and some rather two-dimensional, flat characters and narrative; everyone was either the best and perfect or the worst, much like a fairytale. The disconcerting bit in that was that it was a first-person narrative, rather than the usual fairytale distance of third person. It seemed a naive writing style. Plus, there seemed to be these small slips in the narrator’s speaking style that kinda jarred with the way the narrator seemed to want to speak, as though it hadn’t quite been edited properly.

And here comes the controversial bit but what made me enjoy it. About halfway through, I realised Midnight was actually controlling the narrative. Rather than being simplistic and naive, he wanted it presented that...

Australia on Sep 11, 2019

Miss Namano: Again, I am impressed with Sistah Souljah. This book is beautifully written and makes me question and study my own culture. To draw nearer to it and to never forget my upbringing, despite being brought up around western values. This book strips Midnight naked and we come to understand why he behaves and acts the way that he does, especially if you first met him in 'The coldest winter ever'. It does take a while to build up but that is like with any story but when you read the last page you see Midnight as a true African man. A provider and a protector who despite hardship and cultural differences, he always puts his family first. The relationship he has with Umma is one I would love with my future sons. You won't regret reading this.

United Kingdom on Feb 18, 2017

A King & Crown: I've been really captured by Sister Souljah's writing.
I came across this book on the recommendation of a friend and its been sat on my wish list for a about a year now, until a few Sundays back I was bored and in need of some new reading material and couldn't figure out what to buy. So I was going through the ever helpful amazon reviews and ended up purchasing this book by accident before 'Coldest Winter Ever' which I was intending to start with.

So far, the book has been nothing short of capturing.
Her style of writing is so fluent that you'll find yourself not wanting to put the book down at times. The pace and imagery of Brooklyn is so accurate that I began to see and feel the similarities with life out here in London.
I'm only about half way through at the moment, so I'm anticipating how the book ends.

My only predicament now is which book to read after?
Midnight and the meaning of love, or go back to read up on The coldest Winter ever.

United Kingdom on Mar 10, 2014

Morpheouseneo: I found that this book was a breathe of fresh air and loved looking at life through the eyes of the man-child Midnight. I am a British-Caribbean, female but this story really had me thinking about my own life, choices I have made and choices to be made, and also choices of others. Also,it made me see, even more so, what is important in life - loved ones and maintaining a sense of your true self, which I had figured out a few years back was just an absolute challenge, especially in the western world. It is true that a lot of us Black folks born in the Western world or have moved here from an early age,are lost and lack a sense of self, I see it in myself and I see it in many others and have always admired people coming from certain countries that are aware of who they are and where they are coming from.

I loved the fact that they called their small apartment in the heart of Brooklyn 'little Sudan', because whatever else was happening outside, inside was what really mattered. Inside was love, inside was family, inside was unbreakable faith. Even when Midnight had turned to the 'dark side' for a moment or two, I could not fault him, as he was protecting his family.

It...

United Kingdom on Aug 30, 2012

Regulargal: SUMMARY:
We meet the protagonist, Midnight, when he is seven years old. This is the same Midnight that we were introduced to in "The Coldest Winter Ever," before he met Ricky Santiago. He has just been forced to leave Sudan with his pregnant mother because his father was forced off his land for political reasons. It is not really clear if his father is dead, imprisoned, or missing, but it is clear he is no longer able to provide for the family and they cannot stay in the country. This is a huge and dramatic change for the family because Midnight's father is wealthy and an adviser to many important men in the Sudanese government and power elite. So, Midnight learns very early in life to share as little information as possible with people and to not let his guard down for very long.

Midnight and his mother, Sana, who the family calls, Umma, which means "nation of believers" in Arabic, move to the U.S. and are placed in a Brooklyn housing project by a realtor. Seven year-old Midnight learns very quickly that everything about him, from the clothes he wears to when he prays, is conspicuous. He is forced to fight and become acculturated so that he can pass through the...

United States on Jan 20, 2010

My2Prettyeyes4u: This book is no sequel. This book is no sequel. This book is no sequel. Now I have said that three times. No need to repeat. This book is more like a prequel to the character Midnight from Coldest Winter Ever. This book gives us insight on as to why he would never have been with Winter (or will be) she is an abomination to everything he believes in, and everything that he is. After reading this I went back and skimmed over the few passages that contained Midnight and was blown away, like now, his contempt, his aloofness, his strength made sense to me.

In Midnight (the book) we get a glimpse at a man named RS, I guess this man will be Ricky Santiaga, Winter's father, but for now there was not interaction between Midnight and RS. The closet Midnight has gotten to RS is playing basket ball for Vega a Capo in RS organization.

This was a well thought out, well written book. I must say I was a bit disappointed in that it made all Black Americans looked badly. Yeah we are mixed up, mix guided at times, but we are all not terrible people. This book also brings to mind what I have said for years, I am not an African-American, I am an American of African descent. Because there...

United States on Nov 10, 2008