The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska (review)

In this folkloric fantasy, two girls vying for the literal heart of a prince (as in, they each want to be the first to rip it out and present it to their respective mentors) discover that they could be much more powerful and happy if they were friends and even lovers rather than enemies. Karnawał is in full swing, and Zosia and Marynka are both pretending to want to be part of the festivities, faking giggles and trying to get near the prince along with other eligible girls—though of course Zosia and Marynka are a bit different in their ablity to magically transform and enact violence in an instant. The alternating narration allows for nuanced characterization, as Marynka, driven to please the cruel and demanding Red Jaga who imbued her with her powers, focuses all of her actions on avoiding punishment, while the much more ambitious Zosia recklessly and forcefully moves through life ready to grab anything she can take for herself. Where they converge, and the true strength of this novel, is love. Each sees something in the other that is both healing and challenging to their own damage and world views, and their romance is steamy and believable. Inspired by eighteenth-century Poland, the setting makes an intriguing backdrop to the story of two girls who discover that true power rests in alliances, whether witchy or romantic.