The Smoke Thieves

Title: The Smoke Thieves
Author: Sally Green
Series: The Smoke Thieves #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 03 May 2018
Source: Penguin Random House South Africa
Format: Paperback (UK)
Pages: 512
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reading Timeline: 15 August 2018 - 18 August 2018

Goodreads Synopsis:

A princess, a traitor, a hunter and a thief. Four teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Four nations destined for conflict.

In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a loveless political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father. In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people. In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town. And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell.

As alliances shift and shatter, and old certainties are overturned, our four heroes find their past lives transformed and their futures inextricably linked by the unpredictable tides of magic and war. Who will rise and who will fall? And who will claim the ultimate prize? 

Book Review:

Pre-reading Thoughts:

This book is one of my most anticipated books of the year mainly because it is absolutely gorgeous. I have yet to read anything from this author even though I do have her Half Bad Trilogy sitting on my shelves. I am so excited for this book!

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book to review. Just a small disclaimer for those reading this review. I have received this book for free. Please note that this does not affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own.

Writing Thoughts:

The writing was great. It had a really good pace to it which helped me to get through the book relatively quickly. I enjoyed the dialogue so much because it was witty sometimes and other times it just gave the perfect glimpses into the minds of the characters. I loved how this book was written from multiple perspectives. It aided the plot quite a bit in terms of progression. There was just enough detail to form a vivid image of the world in my mind but there was not too much that it made the book heavier to read.

Plot Thoughts:

This plot was perfect beyond belief. Each perspective had a unique storyline the just pulled you into the story even more. I found myself wanting to read more and more even when I did not have the time for it. I also did not have the need to skip over a certain character's point of view because they were all great. I loved that we got to different kinds of people. I loved that this book was a slow-burning fantasy and nothing seemed rushed. This book is perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Jay Kristoff because of its intricate plot lines.

Character Thoughts:

I really liked that we were presented with strong characters. Catherine was born in a society that looked down on women but she still worked on rising above it. Tash was another strong female character in this book that knew who she was and did not let anyone stop her. The boys in this book, Edyon, Ambrose and March, were all interesting and held a different piece of my heart. Ambrose's loyalty was unmatched. Edyon's sense of adventure and eager to trust was something that I admired. March's determination to do right by himself and by those who treated him fairly was definitely something that made him stand out.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this book was everything I expected it to be and more. It captured my attention for days and left me wanting more. I am so happy to see that this book is the first in a series and I cannot wait to read more about these characters who have captured my attention. The writing of this book was incredibly well done and I look forward to reading Green's other works of fiction. The plot is one that was intricate and contained a little something for everyone. Its in-depth nature is one that I would compare to Brandon Sanderson and Jay Kristoff. The characters were well developed and we got to see them develop even further in this novel. Thank you so much to Penguin Random House South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book!

Yours in Reading,

Melleny