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A review by kaela_readsnwrites
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Stardust Thief is paced well with both action and time for reflection. Each dangerous encounter is meaningful in that it reveals aspects of the characters’ natures and their stories. The storyline is as much about the past as it about their current quest to find the lamp and we gradually build a fuller picture of it as the plot progresses.
The story is told by three different points of view, Loulie, Mazen and Aisha and this works well as each character has their own individual stance when it comes to the quest and loyalties. I felt engaged with each character and the switches in points of view were easily marked by separate chapters and they flowed well from one perspective to another. Overall, the characters felt well-rounded for the most part, each having flaws and their own backstory to explain their behaviour and attitudes.
My only comment on characters would be that it might have been nice to have Qadir’s point of view included as well. As the only non-human in the group, he could have given some insight into the jinn but perhaps this was omitted to build the mystique around that particular character.
A nice addition to the book, were the inclusion of folklore tales which were tied to different points of the story. Much of the mythology appears to be inspired by stories from Arabian Nights, or at least this is where I recognised it from. Despite these aspects being familiar, they felt fresh and novel in their retelling.
Downfalls:
I only have two criticisms when it comes to the novel. Firstly, though the quest was for the lamp, we don’t get to the point of reaching the lamp until quite far on in the book. At one point, I realised I had only a few chapters left and yet we still hadn’t come across it. Compared to the richness of the other adventures in the book, the discovery of the lamp felt slightly lacking and rushed.
My second criticism, to me feels like bit of a plot-hole. The protagonist and her companions take several arduous days to reach the Sandsea, which included two rest stops for recuperation and to restock provisions. However, somehow the antagonist and their followers manage the same journey, in at most, a couple of days. Whilst I could wave my hands over this section and say ‘Magic!’, I feel like the reader deserves a proper explanation for the sudden translocation of not just couple but a multitude of people. I really hope this is something that is addressed in the sequel rather than just left open to the reader’s own conjecture (which to me would feel a tiny bit lazy).
The Ending:
Whilst the ending did leave on somewhat of a cliff-hanger, I didn’t feel in anyway disappointed that the story was not completely wrapped up in a fancy magical bow. Not all questions were answered but I felt enough was revealed to satisfy the reader. It is very much left open for a sequel and the fate of some of the characters will not be known until the next book.
In conclusion:
Overall, I found ‘The Stardust Thief’ an incredibly enjoyable read and was gripped by it from start to finish. In fact, I was so engrossed I finished the book in three days, which for me is pretty fast and I have to admit I was rather sad when I ran out of pages. The previous criticisms, though bugged me slightly, were not detrimental in any way to overall enjoyment of the book and I sincerely hope Chelsea Abdullah keeps writing and brings us more.
The story is told by three different points of view, Loulie, Mazen and Aisha and this works well as each character has their own individual stance when it comes to the quest and loyalties. I felt engaged with each character and the switches in points of view were easily marked by separate chapters and they flowed well from one perspective to another. Overall, the characters felt well-rounded for the most part, each having flaws and their own backstory to explain their behaviour and attitudes.
My only comment on characters would be that it might have been nice to have Qadir’s point of view included as well. As the only non-human in the group, he could have given some insight into the jinn but perhaps this was omitted to build the mystique around that particular character.
A nice addition to the book, were the inclusion of folklore tales which were tied to different points of the story. Much of the mythology appears to be inspired by stories from Arabian Nights, or at least this is where I recognised it from. Despite these aspects being familiar, they felt fresh and novel in their retelling.
Downfalls:
I only have two criticisms when it comes to the novel. Firstly, though the quest was for the lamp, we don’t get to the point of reaching the lamp until quite far on in the book. At one point, I realised I had only a few chapters left and yet we still hadn’t come across it. Compared to the richness of the other adventures in the book, the discovery of the lamp felt slightly lacking and rushed.
My second criticism, to me feels like bit of a plot-hole. The protagonist and her companions take several arduous days to reach the Sandsea, which included two rest stops for recuperation and to restock provisions. However, somehow the antagonist and their followers manage the same journey, in at most, a couple of days. Whilst I could wave my hands over this section and say ‘Magic!’, I feel like the reader deserves a proper explanation for the sudden translocation of not just couple but a multitude of people. I really hope this is something that is addressed in the sequel rather than just left open to the reader’s own conjecture (which to me would feel a tiny bit lazy).
The Ending:
Whilst the ending did leave on somewhat of a cliff-hanger, I didn’t feel in anyway disappointed that the story was not completely wrapped up in a fancy magical bow. Not all questions were answered but I felt enough was revealed to satisfy the reader. It is very much left open for a sequel and the fate of some of the characters will not be known until the next book.
In conclusion:
Overall, I found ‘The Stardust Thief’ an incredibly enjoyable read and was gripped by it from start to finish. In fact, I was so engrossed I finished the book in three days, which for me is pretty fast and I have to admit I was rather sad when I ran out of pages. The previous criticisms, though bugged me slightly, were not detrimental in any way to overall enjoyment of the book and I sincerely hope Chelsea Abdullah keeps writing and brings us more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Death