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emma_lynn_95's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
hellavaral's review
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Violence
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Trafficking, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jkoncurat's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jessiriegs's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
spinebenderbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This both gives us a look at Kamet's POV, previously a minor character featured in the second book. This book deals heavily with Kamet's position and identity as a slave and unravels what that means to and for him over the course of the story.
In Kamet, the book presents a complicated portrayal of slavery from a slave's point of view. At the beginning of the book, his mindset is like that of a person in an abusive relationship - he explains away the abuse he faces from his master and views his position as a slave as a form of security for him in terms of power, wealth, and knowing what is expected of him. He leaves behind his life as a slave not due to breaking away from this way of thinking, but due to his belief that doing so is the only way he can secure the life - or at least the easy death - of his close friend and avoid his own death.
Over the course of the story, his ideas are challenged. Even still, he retains many of the beliefs that he was taught by the colonialist culture he lived under. He views other countries and their citizens as inferior to the power and intellect of the Mede Empire because he was brought up in that belief and has seen it enacted upon himself. He assumes that all countries the Medes seek to conquer will fall to them eventually because his own experience has taught him that that is the outcome. He sees resistance to this as pointless and does not understand what it is to choose freely and to fight to preserve your own culture, because he was raised as a slave whose culture was taken from him at a young age. His many stumbles caused by these beliefs start to slowly wear away at his surety in their veracity. Even while at the end of the book he chooses his freedom over returning to the Medes, he is still unpacking many of the beliefs into which he was indoctrinated. I appreciated that it is a struggle for him to break free from his former life and relearn how to live on his own terms. It feels realistic to me.
The relationship between Costis and Kamet is a fascinating one. It is as though Kamet has never met someone who wears his heart on his sleeve before. He is constantly seeing machinations where there are none and misinterpreting Costis' words due to the prejudices he was taught about other cultures and peoples. It is through Costis that Kamet starts to realise what is can feel like to be valued by another person and to put them before yourself.
Costis and Kamet's relationship is mirrored by that of the mythology featured in this book, that of Ennikar and Immakuk. As Costis is told these stories by Kamet, we see them becoming closer themselves, leading to Kamet's most significant decision in the story - to return to save Costis. I really liked the ways language and grammar were played with in the telling of these mythologies; it felt very lyrical and like I really was reading a translation of a mythology from another culture.
Over the course of the story, his ideas are challenged. Even still, he retains many of the beliefs that he was taught by the colonialist culture he lived under. He views other countries and their citizens as inferior to the power and intellect of the Mede Empire because he was brought up in that belief and has seen it enacted upon himself. He assumes that all countries the Medes seek to conquer will fall to them eventually because his own experience has taught him that that is the outcome. He sees resistance to this as pointless and does not understand what it is to choose freely and to fight to preserve your own culture, because he was raised as a slave whose culture was taken from him at a young age. His many stumbles caused by these beliefs start to slowly wear away at his surety in their veracity. Even while at the end of the book he chooses his freedom over returning to the Medes, he is still unpacking many of the beliefs into which he was indoctrinated. I appreciated that it is a struggle for him to break free from his former life and relearn how to live on his own terms. It feels realistic to me.
The relationship between Costis and Kamet is a fascinating one. It is as though Kamet has never met someone who wears his heart on his sleeve before. He is constantly seeing machinations where there are none and misinterpreting Costis' words due to the prejudices he was taught about other cultures and peoples. It is through Costis that Kamet starts to realise what is can feel like to be valued by another person and to put them before yourself.
Costis and Kamet's relationship is mirrored by that of the mythology featured in this book, that of Ennikar and Immakuk. As Costis is told these stories by Kamet, we see them becoming closer themselves, leading to Kamet's most significant decision in the story - to return to save Costis. I really liked the ways language and grammar were played with in the telling of these mythologies; it felt very lyrical and like I really was reading a translation of a mythology from another culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Miscarriage, Torture, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
peytonm's review
4.0
Yes yes yes! I love MWT's writing and this long anticipated novel was no exception. I loved that she turned the series' perspective over to someone from Mede, the enemy empire. It really rounded out the narrative, particularly about Gen. Kamet was a delight, and Costis continues to be a great foil to other wily characters. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I highly, highly recommend this series.
mommy_mabel's review
3.0
Interesting read but I couldn't connect with the main character Kamet which made the book less enjoyable than the others in the series.
autumn_sunfire's review
5.0
So here's the thing.
Turner was a random find for me. I think my dad skimmed the blurb and told my sister she could check it out at the library (our library visits were comprised of borrowing a broad selection of beloved classics over and over again, and begging our parents to find us new reading material). Or maybe we were past that stage already and she made the decision on her own. But our library is small, and finds are typically mediocre, and I was never expecting anything spectacular.
Obviously, I got the spectacular.
But as much as I talk about my amazement on an intellectual level, there's more to it than that. In the middle of Thick as Thieves, reading WAY past any decent bedtime, I started to acknowledge the patterns. Not the plot twist patterns. No. I'm not good at that.
The character patterns. The situational devices. The tropes.
Turner may be way smarter and a better plotter than I will EVER be, but when it comes to angsty character tropes, I know EXACTLY what she is doing. Almost every time. And I r e l i s h it. Because this is really weird, but this author I accidentally stumbled across four years ago and myself have exactly the same taste in tropes. And the same preferences for handling it (subtlety, purposeful under-writing, light on the details but heavy on the angst). It is no wonder I devour these books, guys. It's like reading my own stuff but with better twists.
I dunno, it feels a little sketchy to say this but it means a lot to me. I've never experienced quite such a sense of connection and fulfillment as I do reading the Queen's Thief books. Like, yes. Showcase the building friendship with that dialogue, but the protag is still in denial *chef's kiss* Main character sucks in certain areas and we are not afraid to admit it. Strong silent character with sense of duty talks when he gotta but really just wants to chill out in silence with the occasional banter (We. Love. You. Costis.) Misunderstandings. Forgiveness. Reconciliationnnnnn. And all with that remarkably delicate narrator tone, never too distant, never too close—
— ugh, come on. Words don't capture it. It's the fact that three books in, I wondered. But five books in I know. I know she's having fun. As much fun as I'd be having, if I were to write those words.
***
besides the above comments, my mind was blown by two things in this book. One, the main twist, and two... uh... Turner is a Rosemary Sutcliff fan? GREW UP READING ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF??? MY ETERNALLY FAVORITE HISTORICAL FIC WRITER? SUDDENLY EVERYTHING MAKES COMPLETE SENSE?
Turner was a random find for me. I think my dad skimmed the blurb and told my sister she could check it out at the library (our library visits were comprised of borrowing a broad selection of beloved classics over and over again, and begging our parents to find us new reading material). Or maybe we were past that stage already and she made the decision on her own. But our library is small, and finds are typically mediocre, and I was never expecting anything spectacular.
Obviously, I got the spectacular.
But as much as I talk about my amazement on an intellectual level, there's more to it than that. In the middle of Thick as Thieves, reading WAY past any decent bedtime, I started to acknowledge the patterns. Not the plot twist patterns. No. I'm not good at that.
The character patterns. The situational devices. The tropes.
Turner may be way smarter and a better plotter than I will EVER be, but when it comes to angsty character tropes, I know EXACTLY what she is doing. Almost every time. And I r e l i s h it. Because this is really weird, but this author I accidentally stumbled across four years ago and myself have exactly the same taste in tropes. And the same preferences for handling it (subtlety, purposeful under-writing, light on the details but heavy on the angst). It is no wonder I devour these books, guys. It's like reading my own stuff but with better twists.
I dunno, it feels a little sketchy to say this but it means a lot to me. I've never experienced quite such a sense of connection and fulfillment as I do reading the Queen's Thief books. Like, yes. Showcase the building friendship with that dialogue, but the protag is still in denial *chef's kiss* Main character sucks in certain areas and we are not afraid to admit it. Strong silent character with sense of duty talks when he gotta but really just wants to chill out in silence with the occasional banter (We. Love. You. Costis.) Misunderstandings. Forgiveness. Reconciliationnnnnn. And all with that remarkably delicate narrator tone, never too distant, never too close—
— ugh, come on. Words don't capture it. It's the fact that three books in, I wondered. But five books in I know. I know she's having fun. As much fun as I'd be having, if I were to write those words.
***
besides the above comments, my mind was blown by two things in this book. One, the main twist, and two... uh... Turner is a Rosemary Sutcliff fan? GREW UP READING ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF??? MY ETERNALLY FAVORITE HISTORICAL FIC WRITER? SUDDENLY EVERYTHING MAKES COMPLETE SENSE?
lookmairead's review
3.0
3.5/5
Okay, I’m formally in the Steve West (narrator) fan club now.
*fingers crossed* we get more Eugenides in the next book!
Okay, I’m formally in the Steve West (narrator) fan club now.
*fingers crossed* we get more Eugenides in the next book!