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An Illusion of Thieves

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An Illusion of Thieves

By: Cate Glass
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

A ragtag crew with forbidden magic must pull off an elaborate heist and stop a civil war in An Illusion of Thieves, a fantasy adventure from Cate Glass.

In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence.

Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy's aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life—and the price is her banishment.

Now back in Beggar’s Ring, she has just her wits and her own long-hidden sorcery to help her and Neri survive. But when a plot to overthrow the Shadow Lord and incite civil war is uncovered, only Romy knows how to stop it. To do so, she’ll have to rely on newfound allies—a swordmaster, a silversmith, and her own thieving brother. And they'll need the very thing that could condemn them all: magic.

©2019 Carol Berg (P)2019 Macmillan Audio Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Sorcery Adventure

Critic Reviews

"An Illusion of Thieves drew me in with its clever, resourceful heroine and delightful supporting cast, and kept me turning pages with forbidden magic, intrigue, and a smart and daring magical caper. I can’t wait for more!” —Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

"Political intrigue, deceit, and forbidden talents...with a Mission Impossible vibe." —Booklist

"Very tense and twisty [with] a world that feels broad and deep and believable... seriously compelling." —Locus
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I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The narrator was really great, and I enjoyed the story enough that I will probably pick up the second. The strength of this book was its multi-dimensional characters and the gritty realism of scraping just enough of a living to survive. My expectations about the brother were subverted (thankfully) and I was quite happy with the ending. The author made the romantic tension between two of the characters at the end so palpable and - again, thankfully - I was extremely pleased that this tension was not focussed upon too much nor eased in any way, which would have devolved this into some sort of romance story. It was just enough to add depth to both the characters. We also see the growth of character in Romy's brother, which was subtle and came across realistically as the way a young man might while he finds his place in the world. Romy, too, was textured. I liked that her motivation for learning to fight was not to kick ass so much as to occupy herself so that she didn't drink herself into the ground. She comes across as very capable, and I enjoyed the political intrigue. While the names and places of all the political stuff sometimes came in a sudden rush, the author didn't get too caught up in it and effectively swept me back up into the action. It was enough that Romy understood what was going on. I was just along for the ride.

I was apprehensive of this book seeing that some people had shelved it as YA on Goodreads, but after finishing it, I do not agree that it is YA. While it is not grimdark and the plot is fairly straight-forward, the characters are adults and act like adults. The main focus is not romance or a "chosen one" trope, but rather how Romy is going to survive and support herself after her world is turned upside-down, and while harbouring a secret that could easily get her killed. The cost of living day-to-day in this city provided a great way to flesh out the setting. I expect more worldbuilding in the next book as Romy and the group's adventures continue.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would!

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