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A review by thewordsdevourer
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.0
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC
I am excited to say that The Stardust Thief is one of my top fantasy reads of the year so far, and I personally cannot wait to see this book acquire the wide readership it deserves once published.
This book is a well-plotted, adventurous tale filled with breathless action (though some action scenes could be tightened up more), surprising emotional heft, and complex and sometimes-frustrating-yet-loveable characters with great character development- with my particular favorite being the enigmatic Qadir and his relationship with Loulie.
There are also countless twists here especially towards the end, and while some of them are predictable, the rest can be surprising and definitely contribute to the story. I love the magic system as well - in particular the relics and their relations to jinn - and many of the magical items are endearingly imaginative.
I see this novel as Abdullah's love letter to her culture and its tales, stories, and oral tradition. The way the author deftly weaves many Arab tales together into an interconnected whole while adding her own flair to them is enjoyable. And of course the novel is effortlessly diverse; it is simply so refreshing to see an Arab fantasy written by an Arab author.
In sum, I have only myself to blame for having to wait perhaps quite a while for the next book, because if The Stardust Thief is any indication, it is going to be a good one.
I am excited to say that The Stardust Thief is one of my top fantasy reads of the year so far, and I personally cannot wait to see this book acquire the wide readership it deserves once published.
This book is a well-plotted, adventurous tale filled with breathless action (though some action scenes could be tightened up more), surprising emotional heft, and complex and sometimes-frustrating-yet-loveable characters with great character development- with my particular favorite being the enigmatic Qadir and his relationship with Loulie.
There are also countless twists here especially towards the end, and while some of them are predictable, the rest can be surprising and definitely contribute to the story. I love the magic system as well - in particular the relics and their relations to jinn - and many of the magical items are endearingly imaginative.
I see this novel as Abdullah's love letter to her culture and its tales, stories, and oral tradition. The way the author deftly weaves many Arab tales together into an interconnected whole while adding her own flair to them is enjoyable. And of course the novel is effortlessly diverse; it is simply so refreshing to see an Arab fantasy written by an Arab author.
In sum, I have only myself to blame for having to wait perhaps quite a while for the next book, because if The Stardust Thief is any indication, it is going to be a good one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent