So many times you see reviews that describe a particular book as "delightful" or "fascinating" or "a joy to read" or my favorite a "page turner". But am I the only one who wonders if that's really true? Surely not every book could be deserving of the same kind of praise! But in the case of The Thief, it is deserving of that praise and so much more. This is the story of Gen, short for Eugenides, named after the patron God of Thieves. We first meet him when he's in prison for bragging just a bit too much about his skills as a thief. One day in prison he is visited by the Magus, chief advisor to the king, and is asked for help in a seemingly impossible task. They will travel to a far land and attempt to steal a mythical treasure that many believe exists but since no one has ever laid eyes on it, it is impossible to be sure. The Magus seeing Gen merely as a means to an end and has no problem treating him that way. But Gen sees this venture as a tool to achieve his own secret means.
All throughout I found the tale of this thief intriguing. The author leaves you with no choice but to absolutely fall for Gen. He is engaging, interesting, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor. You absolutely love this young man from the very first page. Some of the other characters were a bit thin in my opinion, Ambiades being one. He was a rather major character and yet I had only a surface idea of what his character was all about. The Magus is another example of a character that you only get a shallow understanding of despite being a main character. Other characters however are truly unique and a delight to read, like Gen. Pol and Sophos are as interesting as they are entertaining and I found myself wanted to know more about them both.
Certain areas of the story seemed to drag and I was dismayed by this fact. The rest of the narrative was so engaging and moved at such a good pace that I was disoriented and dizzy when it came to a halt for a handful of pages. One of the best parts was the retelling of the stories of the Gods. It was unique and interesting to read and yet you got the sense that these stories would be important later on, and they were.
Ultimately what clinched this book's four star rating for me was the last two chapters. I was completely stunned and my jaw quite literally dropped at several points. I consider myself a pretty good predictor of plot twists but this one got me hook, line, and sinker. A great tale of an enchanting thief! I cannot wait to find out what happens for Gen next.
All reviews also posted to my Goodreads profile.
All throughout I found the tale of this thief intriguing. The author leaves you with no choice but to absolutely fall for Gen. He is engaging, interesting, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor. You absolutely love this young man from the very first page. Some of the other characters were a bit thin in my opinion, Ambiades being one. He was a rather major character and yet I had only a surface idea of what his character was all about. The Magus is another example of a character that you only get a shallow understanding of despite being a main character. Other characters however are truly unique and a delight to read, like Gen. Pol and Sophos are as interesting as they are entertaining and I found myself wanted to know more about them both.
Certain areas of the story seemed to drag and I was dismayed by this fact. The rest of the narrative was so engaging and moved at such a good pace that I was disoriented and dizzy when it came to a halt for a handful of pages. One of the best parts was the retelling of the stories of the Gods. It was unique and interesting to read and yet you got the sense that these stories would be important later on, and they were.
Ultimately what clinched this book's four star rating for me was the last two chapters. I was completely stunned and my jaw quite literally dropped at several points. I consider myself a pretty good predictor of plot twists but this one got me hook, line, and sinker. A great tale of an enchanting thief! I cannot wait to find out what happens for Gen next.
All reviews also posted to my Goodreads profile.
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