Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by ballgownsandbooks
The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
The Theft of Sunlight is the first in a companion duology to Intisar Khanani’s Thorn, a continuation of her short story The Bone Knife, originally published in 2012. We follow Rae, a country horse farmer’s daughter who visits her cousin at court and gets embroiled in various plots and mysteries.
Though Thorn dealt with some important issues, the driving force of the story was really Alyrra’s internal growth, and the story overall really revolved around her. But while this is also first-person from Rae’s POV, and her emotional arc is a big part of the story, it’s somehow so much more expansive, with a much bigger and more fully-developed world. I wouldn’t call it political fantasy as such, but we do get to see so much more of the mechanics of power and control, which I loved, as well as themes of injustice, greed, inequality, and freedom.
It’s subtle, but if you know what you’re looking for, you can definitely see Khanani’s South Asian influences coming out in the worldbuilding details too, from the clothes to the wedding traditions! (And I have to say, it was very satisfying to see the European-inspired country be awed and intimidated by the much more powerful South Asian-inspired one!)
I absolutely loved Rae! She’s clever and determined and resourceful and so brave, and fiercely loyal and protective towards the people she cares about. At the same time, the near-constant ableism she faces due to her clubfoot has left her just full of anger, and automatically distrustful. A big part of her emotional arc is learning to be kind to herself and comfortable in her own body, and I loved that, though I can’t speak to the disability representation. Her resentment has made her particularly wary of conventionally beautiful people, and I also found the thread of her having to learn not to judge people based on their beauty, in the same way she wants them not to judge her for her disability, so interesting.
The side characters were also lovely, especially Rae’s family, who are so close and loving (with both parents alive!) – I was disappointed that we don’t see much of them once Rae comes to court, but certain plot threads make me certain that we’ll get more of them in the next book, and I can’t wait!
Alyrra and Kestrin are also prominent characters, and quite a lot of references are made to their backstory, so though this is technically a companion novel, it would definitely help to have read Thorn. Although this is Rae’s story, it’s also a satisfying continuation of theirs – I really liked seeing how their relationship has progressed and how Alyrra is settling into her place as princess.
I will say that this book absolutely does not stand alone: the cliffhanger at the end is BRUTAL, and there are a lot of plot threads, not all of which seem to be too connected at the moment – though I assume they will be tied together eventually, and I’m so excited to see how!
Though Thorn dealt with some important issues, the driving force of the story was really Alyrra’s internal growth, and the story overall really revolved around her. But while this is also first-person from Rae’s POV, and her emotional arc is a big part of the story, it’s somehow so much more expansive, with a much bigger and more fully-developed world. I wouldn’t call it political fantasy as such, but we do get to see so much more of the mechanics of power and control, which I loved, as well as themes of injustice, greed, inequality, and freedom.
It’s subtle, but if you know what you’re looking for, you can definitely see Khanani’s South Asian influences coming out in the worldbuilding details too, from the clothes to the wedding traditions! (And I have to say, it was very satisfying to see the European-inspired country be awed and intimidated by the much more powerful South Asian-inspired one!)
I absolutely loved Rae! She’s clever and determined and resourceful and so brave, and fiercely loyal and protective towards the people she cares about. At the same time, the near-constant ableism she faces due to her clubfoot has left her just full of anger, and automatically distrustful. A big part of her emotional arc is learning to be kind to herself and comfortable in her own body, and I loved that, though I can’t speak to the disability representation. Her resentment has made her particularly wary of conventionally beautiful people, and I also found the thread of her having to learn not to judge people based on their beauty, in the same way she wants them not to judge her for her disability, so interesting.
The side characters were also lovely, especially Rae’s family, who are so close and loving (with both parents alive!) – I was disappointed that we don’t see much of them once Rae comes to court, but certain plot threads make me certain that we’ll get more of them in the next book, and I can’t wait!
Alyrra and Kestrin are also prominent characters, and quite a lot of references are made to their backstory, so though this is technically a companion novel, it would definitely help to have read Thorn. Although this is Rae’s story, it’s also a satisfying continuation of theirs – I really liked seeing how their relationship has progressed and how Alyrra is settling into her place as princess.
I will say that this book absolutely does not stand alone: the cliffhanger at the end is BRUTAL, and there are a lot of plot threads, not all of which seem to be too connected at the moment – though I assume they will be tied together eventually, and I’m so excited to see how!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Slavery, and Violence