Reviews

Little thieves. C'era una volta una ragazza cattiva by Margaret Owen

alaris's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I'm so glad I read this. I enjoyed the variation on the goose girl and the Russian references, plus the hefty doses of snark and humor and realistic reluctance teamwork turning into more... I loved this, I'm looking forward to having time for the next books and so glad there'll be a third.

Smart young main characters where it's actually shown they're smart and think things through (rather than "this teen is the smartest and best at everything and everyone can't help falling for her even when there's a wildly creepy age and experience gap of hundreds of years") has been rare in my admittedly limited experience of YA. This was refreshing. And I appreciated the low spice, throwing smut in wouldn't have fit the story/relationship development at all.

zoev3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

kashstephanie's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

starlightxs's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

emilyb_chicago's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this fast paced fantasy story. The world was intricate and vivid and the characters were multidimensional and flashed out. Their interactions were consistent and unique. I loved seeing their growth while running alongside them during this adventure. This is the kind of world you can get lost in.

This is fantasy adventure written for everyone. The main characters are 17-25 years old and there is no spice, happily there is also no teen angst. I would be comfortable giving this to any age, including my advanced reading middle schooler.

shaila_m's review against another edition

4.0

This book starts off with a banger! Really good and attention grabbing. So my hopes got so high that I found the ending a little dragging.
However a really good story!

ashleykta's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

romacharm's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

megs1328's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I enjoyed the fairytale retelling in Little Thieves and the Russian folklore mixed in. I think if I hadn’t read The Bear and the Nightingale prior I wouldn’t have understood the house and hearth creatures as they weren’t really explained, so it was helpful to have that background. 
Vanya had a lesson to learn and she seemed obtuse to the solution, not wanting to face the facts of her greed, but for a 16yo that seems pretty reasonable. It was funny how she was

tricked into the solution by the forest goddess who cursed her in the first place.

steamsuccubus's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0