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A review by eiion
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
4.0
This was a really cute, really heartfelt book! It was almost parallel to a coming-of-age book, but definitely had some more YA themes and topics within it. It did a really great job at turning a fairytale into a book, at weaving stories through with words, and I'm glad I picked it up.
The characters were so in depth. Everyone had their own moment, their own growth, and I loved the way the book handled trauma, pain, fear, all of the negative emotions that impacted everyone involved. It was a really refreshing take to see such flawed characters, even our MC, who hurt people when she got overwhelmed, who wasn't an objectively good person. She learned, she grew, and she changed, all with the help of the people around her.
Unfortunately, the plot and pacing felt a little off. The first 60% of the book, I wasn't bored, but I didn't really feel like they were doing anything or getting anywhere. There was some action and plot progress, but it felt like the main focus was the characters. Which was fine, if the book didn't try to seem like the plot was super important (which it was). But all of the plot just wasn't well elaborated on, and left me, the reader, feeling kind of lost in the grand scheme of things because nothing was happening to resolve what they were finding.
Then, when it all kind of picked up, the last 20% of the book felt super chaotic and rushed. I didn't feel like we saw the same charm from the characters because they were trying to resolve 300 pages of "plot" and character growth in about 70 pages. Characters made some really questionable decisions that were totally out of character, and then changed their mind super easily in the name of growth. Plot lines weren't properly explained or presented to the reader. There just wasn't a consistent pacing, and it threw me off a bit.
That being said, I still really enjoyed reading it. It was an easy, funny, and super charming read, and I really loved the cast of characters and how it made me feel. I don't plan to continue with the sequel or the third book, but this book was a really solid standalone, and I'd definitely recommend it to those seeking a high-fantasy, fairytale-esque book with lots of lovable characters and some quick, easy action. If you focus on the emotions more than on the plot, it's definitely got some good lessons and some really memorable moments.
The characters were so in depth. Everyone had their own moment, their own growth, and I loved the way the book handled trauma, pain, fear, all of the negative emotions that impacted everyone involved. It was a really refreshing take to see such flawed characters, even our MC, who hurt people when she got overwhelmed, who wasn't an objectively good person. She learned, she grew, and she changed, all with the help of the people around her.
Unfortunately, the plot and pacing felt a little off. The first 60% of the book, I wasn't bored, but I didn't really feel like they were doing anything or getting anywhere. There was some action and plot progress, but it felt like the main focus was the characters. Which was fine, if the book didn't try to seem like the plot was super important (which it was). But all of the plot just wasn't well elaborated on, and left me, the reader, feeling kind of lost in the grand scheme of things because nothing was happening to resolve what they were finding.
Then, when it all kind of picked up, the last 20% of the book felt super chaotic and rushed. I didn't feel like we saw the same charm from the characters because they were trying to resolve 300 pages of "plot" and character growth in about 70 pages. Characters made some really questionable decisions that were totally out of character, and then changed their mind super easily in the name of growth. Plot lines weren't properly explained or presented to the reader. There just wasn't a consistent pacing, and it threw me off a bit.
That being said, I still really enjoyed reading it. It was an easy, funny, and super charming read, and I really loved the cast of characters and how it made me feel. I don't plan to continue with the sequel or the third book, but this book was a really solid standalone, and I'd definitely recommend it to those seeking a high-fantasy, fairytale-esque book with lots of lovable characters and some quick, easy action. If you focus on the emotions more than on the plot, it's definitely got some good lessons and some really memorable moments.