All of the main characters are female. I really loved this because, it’s hard to find stories that don’t have parts that have been told before in a different way. This one was clever and unique. I recommend to anyone, no matter what kinds of books you like.

This is Charlie Jane’s second novel, and it is much different than her first. While “All the Birds in the Sky” was set on Earth, “The City in the Middle of the Night” is set on a alien world, tidally locked to its sun. This planet has a very narrow habitable zone, set between eternal burning day and eternal frozen night. While this exotic location would be interesting in itself, Charlie sets up two cities of refugees from Earth. Both are very different, and have their own unique cultures. Both are very deeply visualized. Not only this, but there are various groups who travel between these cities, and other locations on the twilight band of the world. All this is a feat of world building, but then we meet the aliens! Our story focuses on Sophie, who is a poor girl who is thrown out into the night to die. She fails to do so, and makes a habit of continuing to live through harrowing situations during her travels to the worlds two great human cities, and then makes a journey to the titular City in the Middle of the Night. This visit will change her, and offer humanity on her world a new chance at a very different future.

Was really disappointed by this after her debut effort.