'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Sunday 6 May 2018

Review: The Smoke Thieves

Five stories intertwine set against the backdrop of castles, royalty, impending war and a mysterious and illegal substance called demon smoke.

If you like fantasy YA, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Smoke Thieves. It’s addictive, thrilling, different and masterfully delivered.

The story starts with Tash, a young thief who spends her time hunting demons and stealing their smoky life force to sell on the black market.

Jump to Princess Catherine, her imminent arranged marriage and the accusation that she has feelings for her personal guard, Ambrose.

Across the lands, Edyon discovers a secret that will change his life forever and March, a prince’s servant, plots revenge for his people.

Each chapter jumps to a different character and their story, and as the stories unfold, they start connecting, as characters meet and discover their destinies are bound together.

I was worried I would find the POV change for each chapter complicated to follow, but this was not the case at all. Each chapter left me begging for more and each character journey was so intriguing, I found myself wishing I could read faster so I could find out what would happen next and what one journey might reveal about another. 

It’s a hard thing to do — dealing with five different protagonists, each so vastly different. But Sally Green is a master of words and she succeeds with aplomb. 

The Smoke Thieves is a wild ride filled with mystery, love stories and super-fast, heart-thumping action. And my interpretation of the ending is that this is only book one in what is sure to be a very cool series. 

Title: The Smoke Thieves
Author: Sally Green
Publisher: Penguin, $17.99
Publication Date: 30 April 2018
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780141375397
For ages: 14+
Type: Young Adult Fiction