Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

103 reviews

quill88's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny tense fast-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

4.75

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gwynnfox's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

4.75

Vaya is an amazing main character. You understand her pain and plight, know why she made the choices she did, while also knowing that you can't justify her actions. The romance is subtle but not understated. All around, it's a very cute story.
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jasperdotpdf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-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

5.0

"I cannot tell you how many principles of knife safety you are violating right now.""Where's your sense of adventure?"
"When it comes to stab wounds? On indefinite sabbatical."

I don't know what it is about the year of our lord 2023 but I keep reading books that completely rip my heart out with how seen they make me feel.

Little Thieves was so incredibly good and it had me hooked from the very first page. This book truly delivered on everything I could wish for. It had a compelling, slightly unhinged main character acompannied by a delightful cast (I would like it to be known that I would die for Ragne), an incredible romance, so many absolutely hilarious lines as well as moments that absolutely broke my heart.

“For all my schemes and façades and artifice, I am not prepared in the slightest for the simple, devastating intimacy of being believed.”


This book has one of the best depictions of trauma I have ever read about, and I cried real tears at multiple times throughout reading this because it struck such a chord in me. Vanja is such an amazing protagonist, she's witty and competent, and it's just so fun to read about her. But she's also traumatized, and it is just as organically woven into her characterization as any other part of her. The way hear fears bubbled up, the way her internal monologue is so clearly influenced by her trauma and not what she actually wants to be thinking, the fact that she can't help but listen sometimes and self-sabotages, the way people keep showing up for her regardles... No one talk to me I'm not okay.

"There's something bitter about parting with someone who had a hand in who you are now; it's even bitterer when that hand left scars."

I also thought her relationship with Giselle was incredibly compelling. Their relationship is so complicated in so many ways. They grew up together, they were friends, they were also servant and lady and they failed and betrayed each other. Seeing these two characters whose wounds are so intrinsically tied to each other learn how to get close again, to try and forgive each other was so interesting. Yes, they both hurt each other so much, but that's not the end of their story. It was just really nice to see characters who are linked through trauma and pain attempt to heal a part of that together, because it is rarely that simple.


“I want him to stay like this. Close to me, touching my face feather-light, like I am something precious, I am worth taking care. Like I deserve to live without wounds, not despite them. I want this moment trapped in amber, so I can hold it tight when I need it most.“

Onto more cheery matters, I'm absolutely obsessed with Emeric and his dynamic with Vanja. He is such a nerd and they are so stupid for each other and I adore them. I love how their relationship develops from Vanja severely underestimating Emeric, to them becoming adversaries, to them being in love. Vanja's love language being pickpocketing Emeric is probably one of my favourite parts of the novel, as well as her very endearing descriptions of him.


"All in all, he gives the impression of a collection of billiard cues that unionized to solve crimes."

In conclusion, this has quickly become one of my new favourite books. I fell in love with the characters, the humour, the magic and the heartbreak in Little Thieves, and the time it'll take for me to get over how good this was should probably be measured on a geological scale. 
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librarybookfamily's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

3.5

Retelling of a classic tale from a new character’s perspective. Dark. Full of abuse and revenge. 
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r_a_bell's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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odeocowboys's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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marleywrites's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-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

5.0

Margaret Owen, I love you forever for writing this book. I’m writing this review after reading this book for the second time in preparation for Painted Devils. 

Vanja is incredible. I adore Emeric. I could not create a more perfect duo. Add Gisele and Ragne to the mix and you’ve got the perfect conniving crew. 

This story had action, adventure, sleuthing, chaos, and beautiful romance(s). It features a queer normative world. It has magic and gods and politics. It has thieving and scheming. 

This story made me cry both times I read it. Vanja is such a strong character, I love her and I see so much of myself in her story and her fears and her hopes. She is an excellent example of how to write PTSD in characters, without glorifying or romanticizing their traumas. 

Emeric is possibly one of my favorite book boyfriends ever. I’ll leave it at that! 💛

I cannot wait for Painted Devils! I’m posting this review 8 days from the release date!!
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stiino19's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

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cassie_roberts's review against another edition

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funny medium-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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book, it took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions the whole way through it.  The book is a wonderful re-imagining of the Goose Girl that is beautifully written, well-paced, and extremely well-thought-out. Despite its length and complexity Little Thieves never lagged for a second. 

This story was happy, sad, bitter, sweet, frustrating, and wholesome in a way that was thrilling and impossible to put down. The humor, wit, and banter are well-written and perfectly executed to have you laughing out loud at the most unexpected moments. 

The characters are diverse, witty, charming, morally grey, righteously independent, and full of growth. The story follows Vanya, the goddaughter of Death and Fortune. Vanya is the horrible girl at the heart of the story. She is morally grey, she steals lives and she exposes thorny truth. She is positioned as someone who will do anything to survive but she may surprise you yet or not if you love her character  like I did. 

Each relationship whether it was romantic or otherwise in the story was developed in such a way that it felt real. You got to follow along as characters developed their thoughts and feelings towards one another and it all made sense. 

The world itself was incredible. It was atmospheric, dark and mysterious. The story is told like a fairy tale and it had me hooked. The book setting has heavy Germanic influences from the setting, to the food and the language used throughout the book. The books magic system has gods, grimlings, kobolds and general creatures of nightmares. As well as Perfects who are humans connected to the Godly Court who can use witch ash or witch oil to perform magic to protect against the grimlings or to help heal injuries but it comes with a price as most magic does. Overall the magic system is intensely intricate and intriguing and I completely loved the high fantasy nature of it. 

I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book - Painted Devils 😍😍
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thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition

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5.0

I love Vanja. I love Emeric. I love Giselle (even though I didn't expect to). I love Ragne. I just loved this book, okay? Vanja is terrible and I love her. Emeric is awkward and cunning and I love him. The end.
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