When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty’s resentment and anger.
At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.
Mary E. Pearson’s Dance of Thieves is a new YA novel in the New York Times bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.
Title : Dance of Thieves
Author : Mary E. Pearson
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 521
Genre : YA fantasy
Publisher : Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Release Date : August 7, 2018
Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ .75
Hollis’ 3.75 star review
So, in hindsight, I should’ve read these much sooner after finishing The Remnant Chronicles. Especially the novella, Morrigan. Most of the mythology/worldbuilding did come back to me but it was slowish going and I’m sure some bits flew over my head because I’d forgotten some nuance. This does follow new characters, and mostly new conflict (with familiar faces all around, including a villain or two), but it’s still tied into the main series enough that I grumbled about my poor sieve of a memory.
That said, like with Pearson’s original series, I loved Kazi. How this author makes me fall in love with her female protagonists is just pure magic. Jace wasn’t bad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s the women who shine. Kazi is very different from Lia, with a background that is the literal opposite to the other, but she is just as clever, just as cunning, and likely even craftier. Not to mention skilled.
I like how once again this series is challenging the theory of an assumed-upon history of a world and how what is known maybe isn’t true. While that wasn’t the main issue of the plot it definitely plays a big part. I’m curious to see how it plays out in book two. Because for all that we definitely wrapped up some loose ends, you know there’s more to unravel in the coming book; particularly after that epilogue. And I have t h e o r i e s.
I’m diving right into book two and oh boy am I hoping this series has a stronger end than the last one.
A Take from Two Cities 