A review by cakt1991
Stolen City by Elisa A. Bonnin

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and  am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Elisa A. Bonnin delivers another solid stand-alone fantasy within the span of a year with Stolen City. While it’s very different from her debut, Dauntless, I like that it allowed her to avoid being pigeonholed into one “type” of story. While I found this story slightly less captivating than its predecessor, it still has a lot to offer. 

I really liked the themes explored here, particularly about the impacts of colonization, and how fear can drive you to extreme measures. Despite it being fictional, you get the sense that the characters are fighting back against an imperialist threat not unlike those we’ve seen in our world, which makes it relatable. 

The characters are where I feel the narrative may have been spread a bit thin. Multi-perspective narratives were also a part of Bonnin’s prior book, but having four of them was a bit much, and I feel the development suffered a bit for it. The relationship between the twins, Arian and Liam, is strong, and Bonnin is great at drawing other relationships between characters. But it’s a bit harder to get a sense for who they are individually. 

The pacing also suffers a bit, with the middle lagging after a solid start, then picking up towards the end. But it does feel earned, as there’s meticulous planning to be done, and the payoff is ultimately there.

Despite any personal issues I had, I found this to be a pretty solid sophomore effort overall, and can’t wait to see what Elisa A. Bonnin releases next. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy heist stories, you’ll enjoy this one.