Review - "The Thief"

The Thief, The Queen's Thief #1
by Megan Whalen Turner
rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
published: 31st October 1996
spoilers? maybe

Goodreads

And the Earth had no name. The gods know themselves and have no need of names. It is man who names all things, even gods.

I can't believe I didn't get to this book before now. I knew the series was partly inspiration for Melina Marchetta's Lumatere Chronicles, but I just never really got the urge to read it. But I saw it in the library the other day, and I figured it was time to make a dent on my to-read shelf, so borrowed it. And, boy, am I glad that I did.

This book is amazing. I know that general consensus is that the later books are better, but if they're better than this HOLY SHIT I AM STOKED. The plot was maybe slow to begin with, and normally, I'm awful with that, but in this one, I loved the characters (actually, one character) from basically the first page so it didn't matter.

Quite honestly, this book is probably going straight onto my best books read this year list, it is that good. The whole plot is thought out so carefully and there is absolutely no way that you can see the plot twist coming (because Gen's telling the story, because he's purposefully an unreliable narrator!!! I love everything about this!!!). And even if you didn't like certain characters at the beginning (I know I didn't), they grow on you (will I ever stop crying over Pol?) and then Megan Whalen Turner rips your heart out and stomps on it in glee. I'm tearing up just thinking about it!!

Basically, everyone needs to read this book. EVERYONE.