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A review by allapaz
Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
3.5
Thieves' Gambit, at its heart, is a YA thriller that explores ideas of trust, independence, and relationships. The plot itself was fast-paced and interesting, and I absolutely can tell why it was picked up for film rights as many many scenes read like film sequences. Ross as a main character is interesting, because she's almost likeable to a fault, and although her family motto is 'trust no one', it seems she's always out here trusting the wrong people.
When I say I was hooked on this thrill ride, I was hooked. The plot and pacing and drama and twists were expertly crafted, and the book truly hit all the beats of a badass spy movie. My only beef is that, at times, the characters felt a bit surface level. I understand there are different layers to what characters get more 'screen time', and who gets a deeper backstory, but there are so many supporting characters here that some honestly became forgettable and motivations get muddled and lost.
There were times when this read a little young for YA, and then the violence ramped up and it placed it back solidly in that YA age range. This is more of accessible thriller for readers of different language proficiencies, as the pace of the plot and the simplicity of some of the dialogue make it relatively easy to follow.
All in all, I'd call this a solid thriller that was enjoyable, fast-paced, and twisty-turn-y in all the ways you want. Looking forward to seeing where this series goes!
**Thank you to the publisher for an ARC; all opinions are my own!
When I say I was hooked on this thrill ride, I was hooked. The plot and pacing and drama and twists were expertly crafted, and the book truly hit all the beats of a badass spy movie. My only beef is that, at times, the characters felt a bit surface level. I understand there are different layers to what characters get more 'screen time', and who gets a deeper backstory, but there are so many supporting characters here that some honestly became forgettable and motivations get muddled and lost.
There were times when this read a little young for YA, and then the violence ramped up and it placed it back solidly in that YA age range. This is more of accessible thriller for readers of different language proficiencies, as the pace of the plot and the simplicity of some of the dialogue make it relatively easy to follow.
All in all, I'd call this a solid thriller that was enjoyable, fast-paced, and twisty-turn-y in all the ways you want. Looking forward to seeing where this series goes!
**Thank you to the publisher for an ARC; all opinions are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Gun violence