The Midnight Girls is a work of fantasy set in a kingdom heavily inspired by the Kingdom of Poland at the end of the eighteenth century—a tumultuous time in Polish history when the lands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were invaded and divided between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. For 123 years, Poland was erased from the maps of Europe and its people deprived of their identity, although its people never stopped fighting for freedom.
While I’ve included many Easter eggs and hinted at references to true events, people, and places, this story is not meant to be an accurate representation of history (though I like to think I captured a little of the spirit of the times). I took considerable creative liberties and of course, added in a whole lot of fairy-tale magic. If you would like to learn more about Polish history and culture, I recommend making use of your local library and librarians.