Review: Midnight on Julia Street - Ciji Ware

TV reporter Corlis McCullough's investigation of a century-old mystery involving spectacular 19th-century buildings under the threat of the wrecker's ball brings her back into the orbit of her old college nemesis King Duvallon. But now they're mature and companionable, and King shows Corlis a fascinating, hidden side of New Orleans society. Then she begins to be pulled back into the past where corruption, violence, and greed mirror the events of the current day.

My thoughts:

This is a book with that extra something, it is not about reincarnation, but instead the main character, Corlis, smells things and sees things from the past. We do get an explanation to why this happen, why things that happened were so strong that they left a trace. It's New Awlins sugar, things are strange there.

Corlis is a non nonsense reporter. She loves to get a good story but that usually lands her in trouble because who would know that the person in the story was related to the guy owning the news station. So she changes job a lot. But I like her integrity. It's all about the story.

The book is about the past and the present. Corlis follows the news that is King Duvallon as he tries to save old buildings from getting torn down, and something fishy is going on behind the scenes. The guy who wants to build new things is not a good guy. And of course there are sparks between Corlis and King. 

The second part is about the things Corlis sees. Back in the early 1800th century her ancestor lived in New Orleans. A lot was going on there and a lot of the people she meets in this book, she also "meets" back then, their ancestors that is. It all has to do with a building that they now want to tear down. So we see old Corlis in her unhappy relationship. We learn that 45 % of black people were free people of color in New Orleans. How daughters of mixed unions were brought up to become high class courtesans. Everything connects. What is really helpful is the chart at the beginning of the book. How everyone now was related to the people back then.

The book changes now and then. Corlis chapters, and then old Corlis chapters.

Ok that sounds like there are a lot going on, but it's not a bad thing. You get into the story at once and there is no problem following it. I was really fascinated by the old story and I certainly did not know this about old New Orleans. It was a really interesting part of its history.

Ware knows how to mix her history and present and she does it so well.

Conclusion:

An interesting book about a truly fascinating city and a rich cast of characters.

Rating:

Interesting

Cover Thoughts:

Nice, but yes I like to see the people

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 512

Published: August 1st 2011 (1999)

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Source: From the publisher

PS: I was told that one person could not see the cover, the blurb hid it. But others I asked can see it, so if someone can't see it please tell