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A review by wordsandnocturnes
The Thief on the Winged Horse by Kate Mascarenhas
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The Thief on the Winged Horse introduces characters like Persephone Kendricks, Hedwig Mayhew, and Larkin, that all have motivations of their own. It would have been much better if the backstory, which plays an important part in this, was clearer and not the mixed muddle it was. The mixed muddle debatably could show the elusiveness of certain characters and the confused feelings they have on certain subjects. However, as it is used for many of the characters in the story, it loses its mystery and becomes nothing more but a heap of confusion and makes for flatter characters.
On the other hand, I liked the idea of sorcery and spells existing in a modern world. I liked how magic was closely guarded as it was something not highly complex but overly simple. Magic was something anyone could wield. It was a different view on magic, especially given how most stories limit their magic to a few people or a certain community. Still, it would have been more interesting if the magic and superstition were more fleshed out for a more vibrant world.
I would say I liked the emphasis on the capability of women in this book, because I did. I liked a few of the characters, especially Persephone and Larkin, but this like didn’t deepen into anything more. The characters, as mentioned, were not given enough space or time to shine. They had their small moments, but these moments did not give enough to spark curiosity and interest.
The mystery as to who had committed the theft of the prized family heirloom was also something that provoked my interest to read on, but only barely. I was still very much able to put down this book and get on with other distractions. The problem with the mystery was that the threads and suspects were fleeting and fickle. I suspected the thief, but I didn’t quite expect it to be the person I had in mind. So yes, this book was able to keep the answer to its mystery, but it was vague in its attempts to keep readers guessing.
I would say that The Thief on the Winged Horse is a good enough book to like, but it is a quiet story that offers not much excitement or thrill. It is simple enough not to inspire thinking deeply but it has enough to keep you reading, though it does give you a muddle in the mind and heart.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus, and Kate Mascarenhas for the ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes
On the other hand, I liked the idea of sorcery and spells existing in a modern world. I liked how magic was closely guarded as it was something not highly complex but overly simple. Magic was something anyone could wield. It was a different view on magic, especially given how most stories limit their magic to a few people or a certain community. Still, it would have been more interesting if the magic and superstition were more fleshed out for a more vibrant world.
I would say I liked the emphasis on the capability of women in this book, because I did. I liked a few of the characters, especially Persephone and Larkin, but this like didn’t deepen into anything more. The characters, as mentioned, were not given enough space or time to shine. They had their small moments, but these moments did not give enough to spark curiosity and interest.
The mystery as to who had committed the theft of the prized family heirloom was also something that provoked my interest to read on, but only barely. I was still very much able to put down this book and get on with other distractions. The problem with the mystery was that the threads and suspects were fleeting and fickle. I suspected the thief, but I didn’t quite expect it to be the person I had in mind. So yes, this book was able to keep the answer to its mystery, but it was vague in its attempts to keep readers guessing.
I would say that The Thief on the Winged Horse is a good enough book to like, but it is a quiet story that offers not much excitement or thrill. It is simple enough not to inspire thinking deeply but it has enough to keep you reading, though it does give you a muddle in the mind and heart.
Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus, and Kate Mascarenhas for the ARC.
From Words & Nocturnes