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jenny_librarian's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
It's an interesting heist story set in a fantasy world. I wouldn't put it on the same level as either Six of Crows or Ocean's Eleven (the comp titles mentioned in the blurb), but it wasn't too bad.
At times I wondered if the target audience really was MG (there are quite a few gory parts), but I can't really see it as a YA title either, so I guess it's upper MG (10-12 years old). Even the age of the main character isn't too clear, as Callan says he was six when the Old Man found him and he travelled with him for eight years before the Old Man left some time ago - which means Callan would be at least 14. But then he seems to think the characters who are 12 are closer to his age than the one who's 16, so maybe he's 13...?!
The worldbuilding lacks a little and I don't know if it's because it's MG or because the author didn't bother. I would have liked something more fleshed out that kept me less in the dark by the end of the book.
It ends on a cliffhanger, so I assume there'll be a sequel. I'm not inclined to read it, though, since the stakes didn't grip me enough to care about what happens next. I'm not really worried about the injured character either; pretty sure they'll make it out with a few scratches at most.
It's an interesting heist story set in a fantasy world. I wouldn't put it on the same level as either Six of Crows or Ocean's Eleven (the comp titles mentioned in the blurb), but it wasn't too bad.
At times I wondered if the target audience really was MG (there are quite a few gory parts), but I can't really see it as a YA title either, so I guess it's upper MG (10-12 years old). Even the age of the main character isn't too clear, as Callan says he was six when the Old Man found him and he travelled with him for eight years before the Old Man left some time ago - which means Callan would be at least 14. But then he seems to think the characters who are 12 are closer to his age than the one who's 16, so maybe he's 13...?!
The worldbuilding lacks a little and I don't know if it's because it's MG or because the author didn't bother. I would have liked something more fleshed out that kept me less in the dark by the end of the book.
It ends on a cliffhanger, so I assume there'll be a sequel. I'm not inclined to read it, though, since the stakes didn't grip me enough to care about what happens next. I'm not really worried about the injured character either; pretty sure they'll make it out with a few scratches at most.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Police brutality
Minor: Abandonment, Bullying, Death, and Death of parent
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