REVIEW : Midnight Magic by Nancy DI Fabbio

PUBLISHER:
IUNIVERSE

Midnight Magic is a very accessible read. The main character Mattie is fourteen years old and enamored with horses. When she has the opportunity to stay with her Grandmother, and begin some horse training she is ecstatic. What intrigues her most about her Grandmother's house besides the opportunity to ride, is the painting of a beautiful horse she finds in the attic. The painting seems to communicate with her deeply. The reader is privy to the thoughts of the painting, which is actually the essence of a man that has been trapped for centuries. The portrait needs the soul of the right soul to set him free and he is stirred to a frenzy by the appearance of Mattie.

Enraptured by the painting, Mattie watches it intently. She is only drawn away by the appearance of another mysterious house around her family's property. She begins to sneak out of her house to spend time with the horse that looks a lot like the painting. As Mattie becomes more enamored with both the painting and the horse from the woods, she edges closer to losing her life and her soul.

All the characters in this story were fully realised, but I couldn't fully connect with them emotionally. The narrative is very straight forward and easy to follow but there wasn't a huge emotional journey on behalf of the main character.

I was still intrigued enough to watch the plot develop as the story built towards its conclusion and the premise of the novel was enjoyable.