Reviews with content warning for Violence - Queen of Thieves

I enjoyed this book! There were some really funny parts and some parts made me emotional. There were times in the book that weren’t believable or were cheesy but overall I liked it. It was a fun quick read.
I wasn’t expecting one main trigger warning scene so just a heads up.

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gkaltam's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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lorinafletcherhill's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

It was ok. The 40s cockney slang was confusing sometimes and the writing style seemed amateur, it was good enough to keep me reading till the end.

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bookin_w_tues's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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lauramcc7's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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ava_marie_sunflower's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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bookforthought's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

3.5

This was a bit of a different read for me, as I don't usually read gangland stories, but I love a good heist so I was fairly sure I'd enjoy this one. And I'm really glad I did! Queen of Thieves is a captivating read, as our protagonists play in the high-stakes game of post-WWII London gangland. Only one will emerge as the Queen of Thieves, and the future is far from rosy for the loser...

I had a lot of fun with this book, despite it touching on some tough topics and including some pretty explicit violent scenes. The characters were far from likeable, but they were certainly interesting, complex and resourceful and as morally grey as they come. I enjoyed the double narration from Nell's and Alice's POVs and getting to know both of them better. They were both extremely interesting as MCs, highly resilient and ready to do whatever it takes to not only survive, but thrive in a brutal, male-led environment. I love the recent trend that centres women's experiences in traditionally male stories, and Queen of Thieves does a great job of that.

The plot itself was interesting enough, although I had foreseen the main twists and reveals quite early on, so I wasn't particularly wowed by anything. It still flowed smoothly though and kept me interested to see who would crown herself the Queen of Thieves. The setting was also great, as post-war London and its seedy underbelly really came alive and played a key role in all the characters' actions.

What I really struggled with was the writing. The style just didn't work for me: I found it too simplistic and, often, confusing. There was also some major spelling, grammar and coherence issues, which I hope will have been fixed in the final version, but really dampened my enjoyment of this ARC. Now, this is entirely personal taste, and this writing and I didn't click but that doesn't mean it will be the same for you!

Overall, Queen of Thieves is an entertaining read, perfect if you're looking for a quick read to keep you engaged without an overly complex plot. Fans of heists, gangland and crime will particularly appreciate this work in centering female characters in what has been an overwhelmingly male trend.

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