{"id":38509,"date":"2020-10-12T22:19:28","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T02:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38509"},"modified":"2020-10-12T22:22:36","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T02:22:36","slug":"review-of-return-of-the-thief-by-megan-whalen-turner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38509","title":{"rendered":"Review of Return of the Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Return of the Thief<\/em><\/p>\n

by Megan Whalen Turner<\/p>\n

Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins), 2020. 464 pages.
\nReviewed October 12, 2020, from my own copy, preordered via amazon.com
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

She did it. Megan Whalen Turner brought her Queen\u2019s Thief<\/a><\/em> series to an amazing conclusion. And I\u2019m sad it\u2019s come to an end, but happy about what an amazing series this is.<\/p>\n

The publisher persists in talking about these as stand-alone books. There\u2019s a sense in which they are \u2013 since this new book introduces a new character as narrator and shows his perspective on some of the events that happened in earlier books. But if you\u2019re tempted to jump into the series in the middle, don\u2019t do it! Start at the beginning and you\u2019ll understand the multiple threads coming together in this amazing conclusion. (I suspect the publisher does this because it took the author twenty years to write the six books. Look at it this way: If you\u2019re only starting the series now, you can read them ALL and don\u2019t have to wait years for the next installment.)<\/p>\n

I never want to say a lot about the plot of these books, so as to not give away things that went before. I will say that the long-anticipated invasion of the Medes happens in this book. So the countries of the peninsula need to unite \u2013 and they still have some trouble with that.<\/p>\n

I love the narrator in this book. He\u2019s a new character, Pheris, the mute and deformed grandson and heir of the powerful and treacherous Baron Erondites of Attolia. Pheris has been forced to come to the court of Attolia, and he sees and understands more than most people realize. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s cryptic intervention from the gods, as usual. And plots and intrigue and questions of trust. The plot isn\u2019t quite as twisty as the other books in the series \u2013 but in war with the Median empire, there\u2019s so much at stake that every decision requires wisdom and has weighty consequences.<\/p>\n

And she\u2019s such a good writer! The whole world and the political relationships feel authentic and nuanced. The characters are realistically imperfect \u2013 especially Eugenides, who never really wanted to be a king at all, let alone a high king.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have to write a review at all really. For those who have read any of the other books, all I have to do is say: The conclusion to The Queen\u2019s Thief<\/em> series is out!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m currently a panelist for the Cybils Awards Round One, so I\u2019m going to have to wait until January to sit down and reread the entire series. I\u2019m looking forward to it!<\/p>\n

meganwhalenturner.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Teens\/return_of_the_thief.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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