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La Voleuse sans ombre
Imagine a world where the ordinary and the extraordinary co-exist, where tall fire-breathing salamanders live alongside men and magic runs in certain bloodlines.
Melke is a wraith, able to walk unseen. Feared by all, hunted and hated, she has lost everything–except her younger brother. Now she is forced to do the unthinkable: in exchange for her brother’s freedom, she must use her magical gift to steal.
But Melke’s thieving has devastating consequence–and undoing her crime may cost her life.
Nominated for two RITA Awards: Best First Book and Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements.
"Dark and compelling. Emily Gee is a storyteller to watch."
~ Nalini Singh, New York Times best-selling author
This is a strong character-based fantasy, full of romantic tension and gritty storylines.
Melke is a wraith, able to walk unseen. Feared by all, hunted and hated, she has lost everything–except her younger brother. Now she is forced to do the unthinkable: in exchange for her brother’s freedom, she must use her magical gift to steal.
But Melke’s thieving has devastating consequence–and undoing her crime may cost her life.
Nominated for two RITA Awards: Best First Book and Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements.
"Dark and compelling. Emily Gee is a storyteller to watch."
~ Nalini Singh, New York Times best-selling author
This is a strong character-based fantasy, full of romantic tension and gritty storylines.
416 pages, Paperback
First published April 24, 2007
71 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
Emily Gee
5 books167 followersEmily also writes historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
Emily grew up in a house full of words and books – her mother was a librarian and her father a novelist – so perhaps it’s not surprising she became a writer.
She loves to travel and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe, and journeyed overland in the Middle East, China, North Africa, and North America. She enjoys climbing hills, yoga workouts, and watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
Emily grew up in a house full of words and books – her mother was a librarian and her father a novelist – so perhaps it’s not surprising she became a writer.
She loves to travel and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe, and journeyed overland in the Middle East, China, North Africa, and North America. She enjoys climbing hills, yoga workouts, and watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
March 1, 2014
There was salamander rape in this. And mythical creature butt rape. There was so much weird sexual imagery that my left over impression is...grossy.
Also, the plot was non existent, the characters were over the top with their emotions (three of the four leads had so much self loathing I ended up hating them), and then of course there was the weird sex stuff.
Would not recommend.
Also, the plot was non existent, the characters were over the top with their emotions (three of the four leads had so much self loathing I ended up hating them), and then of course there was the weird sex stuff.
Would not recommend.
May 15, 2014
This one was better than the The Sentinel Mage--Emily Gee writes loathing and prejudice very well. The characters were potentially interesting, but their development was stunted until the final chapters of the book. Because of this, I found the story's conclusion to be very much deus ex machina.
Something I'm always looking out for is the presence of well-written female characters. The two women of Thief With No Shadow were excellently different from each other, and each was believable and complex. I was hoping for a continuation of female empowerment in the story, but those hopes were dashed completely in the final sentence of the story, when the primary male character (who's behaviour the reader is meant to excuse due to his tragic past) refers to her as "his wraith," which pissed me off a bit.
The one thing I was continually pleased with was the dog. There was an excellent dog. Emily Gee knows how to write dogs very well (though she doesn't write sheep very well). In fact, I liked All the dogs in this story.
My feminist angst aside, Thief With No Shadow was a fast-paced, enthralling story, which was fun to read until I got mad at it.
Something I'm always looking out for is the presence of well-written female characters. The two women of Thief With No Shadow were excellently different from each other, and each was believable and complex. I was hoping for a continuation of female empowerment in the story, but those hopes were dashed completely in the final sentence of the story, when the primary male character (who's behaviour the reader is meant to excuse due to his tragic past) refers to her as "his wraith," which pissed me off a bit.
The one thing I was continually pleased with was the dog. There was an excellent dog. Emily Gee knows how to write dogs very well (though she doesn't write sheep very well). In fact, I liked All the dogs in this story.
My feminist angst aside, Thief With No Shadow was a fast-paced, enthralling story, which was fun to read until I got mad at it.
February 16, 2008
As the synopsis indicated, it's a book about fire-breathing salamanders, magic, and wraiths who have the ability to go unseen. There wasn't much on goodreads or other web sites to really give me an idea whether or not to trust my instincts and pass this one by so I decided to take one for the team and buy it. You owe me one!
The good news, at least for me, is that it was a quick read, even at 450 pages. The reason why it was a quick read is because nothing really happens. The intensity increased somewhat starting around page 300, but by then, I had grown mentally numb and the few remaining scenes of interest just don't have the effect they normally would. I hate to bad mouth any book, but there is not a lot of creativity or story here(the back cover pretty much tells you everything you need to know). The only reason I finished it was for the review.
This could be a situation similar to the movie Practical Magic, which I'm told is more meaningful to those without a Y chromosone and explains why I didn't like it. I'll be curious to see what other people have to say about this book should they dare to read it. Meanwhile, my recommendation still stands: treat this book as unseen should you come upon it.
P.S. Besides the one glowing review I found before I read the book(there's always one, isn't there?), a second posting was finally added and they found the book as lame as I did.
The good news, at least for me, is that it was a quick read, even at 450 pages. The reason why it was a quick read is because nothing really happens. The intensity increased somewhat starting around page 300, but by then, I had grown mentally numb and the few remaining scenes of interest just don't have the effect they normally would. I hate to bad mouth any book, but there is not a lot of creativity or story here(the back cover pretty much tells you everything you need to know). The only reason I finished it was for the review.
This could be a situation similar to the movie Practical Magic, which I'm told is more meaningful to those without a Y chromosone and explains why I didn't like it. I'll be curious to see what other people have to say about this book should they dare to read it. Meanwhile, my recommendation still stands: treat this book as unseen should you come upon it.
P.S. Besides the one glowing review I found before I read the book(there's always one, isn't there?), a second posting was finally added and they found the book as lame as I did.
December 20, 2013
This is probably the worst book I have ever read. People getting shit on, raped, fire salamander sex and burnt dicks.
Seriously for people who rated this above 1 star what the actual fuck.
Seriously for people who rated this above 1 star what the actual fuck.
Read
October 4, 2018http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.com/2...
Pendant quasiment toute ma lecture je me suis dit que j'adorais et puis la fin est arrivée ..
La jeune Melke et son frère Hantje sont des "spectres". Ils peuvent se rendre invisible ce qui pourrait faire d'eux des voleurs accomplis mais ils ont choisi de rejeter ce don et de vivre normalement.
Cependant un jour, sans prévenir sa soeur, Hantje a tenté d'aller voler le trésor d'un nid de Salamandre qu'ils avaient découvert. Celles ci l'ont surprit en plein acte et le retiennent prisonnier tout en le torturant.
Pour récupérer son frère avant qu'il ne finisse par mourir, Melke est chargée par les Salamandres d'aller voler un collier dans une ferme des environ.
Ce qu'elle ne sait pas c'est que ce collier n'était pas un simple collier, il est l'objet d'une terrible malédiction qui retombe sur la famille qui l'a perdu. Melke se retrouve au coeur d'une tragédie qui va mener plus d'une personne au désastre ...
Commençons par les choses qui fâchent pour s'en débarrasser. En fait ici nous sommes clairement sur une tragédie, le ton est lourd et sombre avec certains passages vraiment durs. Mais ce que je n'ai pas aimé c'était le fait que l'autrice transforme ça en romance dans les 20 dernières pages avec un happy end digne de Disney au milieu du Trône de Fer.
Je veux bien qu'on cherche a se relever après tant de détresse mais le contraste était vraiment trop important pour moi, comme des montagnes russes émotionnelles qui finissent par dérailler. En fait j'aurais préféré ne pas lire cette fin et finir avec juste l'espoir d'un happy end, je trouve que ça aurait été un peu plus cohérent dans l'ensemble.
Ceci dit, si on retire ce problème la, j'avoue que j'ai vraiment été prise dans le reste. Contrairement à certaines personnes je n'ai pas du tout trouvé le temps long, j'ai littéralement dévoré l'histoire pour savoir la suite.
Alors c'est vrai qu'en fait en dehors du début et de la fin il ne se passe concrètement pas grand chose, vu que tout le milieu n'est que l'attente d'un événement qui met du temps à arriver. Mais ce temps est passé surtout à faire évoluer les relations entre les personnages et à explorer leur passé. Au final j'ai trouvé ça très intéressant.
On est limite sur un huis clos vu que 90% du livre se passe dans une ferme à coté d'un village du coup c'est vrai que le monde n'est pas vraiment exploré, surtout que ce coin de pays est vraiment ce qu'il y a de plus classique en fantasy, une bourgade de type médiéval dont on ne connais pas le type de gouvernement. C'est vraiment générique, un peu comme pour dire que cette histoire aurait pu se passer n'importe ou.
De toute façon le monde n'a pas vraiment d'importance dans ce récit, vu que le sujet principal est la magie. La magie de ce monde se manifeste sous deux formes. La première par les dons que possèdent certaines personnes. Ces dons sont considérés plus comme des malédictions en fait car ils n'apportent que des ennuis. Dans l'histoire nous en rencontrons trois : les spectres, les soigneurs et le don de communiquer avec les animaux.
Les quatre personnages principaux ici ont tous un don et en cela ils sont rejetés, d'où le fait de ne pas vraiment s'intégrer à la population du coin. C'est encore plus vrai pour les spectres qui sont carrément recherchés et exécutés de façon horrible dans la plupart des pays.
La seconde forme que peut prendre la magie est sous la forme de créatures magiques élémentaires. Celles ci, cruelles et sans empathie sont vraiment un peu le croque mitaine pour la population. Ils cohabitent mais ils en ont vraiment très peur et ce n'est pas du tout sans raison. Elles sont aussi très sexualisées. Par exemple les Salamandres, créature de feu, adorent le sexe et aiment se faire payer de cette façon par les humains, même si la relation en question n'a rien d'agréable pour l'humain en question (brulure, violence ...).
C'est la que je fais un petit trigger warning pour les personnes sensibles, il y a des viols dans ce livre (oui au pluriel), on parle aussi de suicide et de toutes sortes de détresses liées à ces éléments.
Pour résumé, je suis mitigée sur cette lecture. J'ai adoré la quasi totalité, qui a même faillit me faire pleurer à certains moments, mais la fin m'a tellement déçue que je ressent limite de la colère qu'on ai pu réussir à gâcher quelque chose que j'appréciais tellement avant.
Pendant quasiment toute ma lecture je me suis dit que j'adorais et puis la fin est arrivée ..
La jeune Melke et son frère Hantje sont des "spectres". Ils peuvent se rendre invisible ce qui pourrait faire d'eux des voleurs accomplis mais ils ont choisi de rejeter ce don et de vivre normalement.
Cependant un jour, sans prévenir sa soeur, Hantje a tenté d'aller voler le trésor d'un nid de Salamandre qu'ils avaient découvert. Celles ci l'ont surprit en plein acte et le retiennent prisonnier tout en le torturant.
Pour récupérer son frère avant qu'il ne finisse par mourir, Melke est chargée par les Salamandres d'aller voler un collier dans une ferme des environ.
Ce qu'elle ne sait pas c'est que ce collier n'était pas un simple collier, il est l'objet d'une terrible malédiction qui retombe sur la famille qui l'a perdu. Melke se retrouve au coeur d'une tragédie qui va mener plus d'une personne au désastre ...
Commençons par les choses qui fâchent pour s'en débarrasser. En fait ici nous sommes clairement sur une tragédie, le ton est lourd et sombre avec certains passages vraiment durs. Mais ce que je n'ai pas aimé c'était le fait que l'autrice transforme ça en romance dans les 20 dernières pages avec un happy end digne de Disney au milieu du Trône de Fer.
Je veux bien qu'on cherche a se relever après tant de détresse mais le contraste était vraiment trop important pour moi, comme des montagnes russes émotionnelles qui finissent par dérailler. En fait j'aurais préféré ne pas lire cette fin et finir avec juste l'espoir d'un happy end, je trouve que ça aurait été un peu plus cohérent dans l'ensemble.
Ceci dit, si on retire ce problème la, j'avoue que j'ai vraiment été prise dans le reste. Contrairement à certaines personnes je n'ai pas du tout trouvé le temps long, j'ai littéralement dévoré l'histoire pour savoir la suite.
Alors c'est vrai qu'en fait en dehors du début et de la fin il ne se passe concrètement pas grand chose, vu que tout le milieu n'est que l'attente d'un événement qui met du temps à arriver. Mais ce temps est passé surtout à faire évoluer les relations entre les personnages et à explorer leur passé. Au final j'ai trouvé ça très intéressant.
On est limite sur un huis clos vu que 90% du livre se passe dans une ferme à coté d'un village du coup c'est vrai que le monde n'est pas vraiment exploré, surtout que ce coin de pays est vraiment ce qu'il y a de plus classique en fantasy, une bourgade de type médiéval dont on ne connais pas le type de gouvernement. C'est vraiment générique, un peu comme pour dire que cette histoire aurait pu se passer n'importe ou.
De toute façon le monde n'a pas vraiment d'importance dans ce récit, vu que le sujet principal est la magie. La magie de ce monde se manifeste sous deux formes. La première par les dons que possèdent certaines personnes. Ces dons sont considérés plus comme des malédictions en fait car ils n'apportent que des ennuis. Dans l'histoire nous en rencontrons trois : les spectres, les soigneurs et le don de communiquer avec les animaux.
Les quatre personnages principaux ici ont tous un don et en cela ils sont rejetés, d'où le fait de ne pas vraiment s'intégrer à la population du coin. C'est encore plus vrai pour les spectres qui sont carrément recherchés et exécutés de façon horrible dans la plupart des pays.
La seconde forme que peut prendre la magie est sous la forme de créatures magiques élémentaires. Celles ci, cruelles et sans empathie sont vraiment un peu le croque mitaine pour la population. Ils cohabitent mais ils en ont vraiment très peur et ce n'est pas du tout sans raison. Elles sont aussi très sexualisées. Par exemple les Salamandres, créature de feu, adorent le sexe et aiment se faire payer de cette façon par les humains, même si la relation en question n'a rien d'agréable pour l'humain en question (brulure, violence ...).
C'est la que je fais un petit trigger warning pour les personnes sensibles, il y a des viols dans ce livre (oui au pluriel), on parle aussi de suicide et de toutes sortes de détresses liées à ces éléments.
Pour résumé, je suis mitigée sur cette lecture. J'ai adoré la quasi totalité, qui a même faillit me faire pleurer à certains moments, mais la fin m'a tellement déçue que je ressent limite de la colère qu'on ai pu réussir à gâcher quelque chose que j'appréciais tellement avant.
August 29, 2008
This is a fantasy novel, with romantic elements. L.M. Bujold, in her speech, talked about how fantasy and SF are about politics, and the bigger, more earth-shattering the arena, the better. This story has a Small, personal arena. The heroine has stolen a necklace which she is giving to salamanders (two-legged beings connected to the fire element) to retrieve her brother from them. He was caught when he tried to steal from them. But when she gets him back, he's badly injured and dying.
The necklace is the one thing that will break a curse on the hero and his family. He MUST have it back, and he hates the heroine for stealing it from them, for dire things will happen to him--or more likely his sister--if he doesn't get it back. Hero and heroine make a deal. If his sister's healing can save her brother, the heroine will go back into the salamanders' den and steal the necklace back.
The story moves slowly--but it doesn't feel like it. (And you may know how I dislike slow-paced stories.) The brother slowly heals. The hero and heroine learn how to see each other as real persons. There's hate, and guilt, and sacrifice, and desperation, and revelations, and in the end, there's absolution and forgiveness and love. This is truly a lovely story. No wonder it was a RITA finalist. Didn't win, but it was lovely.
The necklace is the one thing that will break a curse on the hero and his family. He MUST have it back, and he hates the heroine for stealing it from them, for dire things will happen to him--or more likely his sister--if he doesn't get it back. Hero and heroine make a deal. If his sister's healing can save her brother, the heroine will go back into the salamanders' den and steal the necklace back.
The story moves slowly--but it doesn't feel like it. (And you may know how I dislike slow-paced stories.) The brother slowly heals. The hero and heroine learn how to see each other as real persons. There's hate, and guilt, and sacrifice, and desperation, and revelations, and in the end, there's absolution and forgiveness and love. This is truly a lovely story. No wonder it was a RITA finalist. Didn't win, but it was lovely.
July 3, 2011
This wasn't at all the book that I was expecting it to be. That isn't to say it isn't good; it is. However, I picked it up after having my heart broken by The Girl at the Lion D'Or, expecting some light relief and, I'll admit, a little fantasy frivolity.
The plot was fairly simple but it worked. There weren't any huge surprises so, for me, this was all about the characters and how they interact.
I loved all of the different species in this novel - there was something almost mythical about it and it was fairly unique in that regard. One of the predominant themes of the book, in fact, was inter-species harmony and how the different creatures interact; in particular, the wraiths are spurned by society because they have the ability to become invisible. In typical fashion, the people of Theirry are frightened of the unknown and assume that wraiths will only use their abilities to steal, assassinate and generally do bad things. The ironic part of it all was that Melke was desperate to prove to the Sal Vere family that she was worth more that she's more than a 'thieving wraith', all while trying to make up for having stolen from them...Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy if you will...
The concept of family is a particularly strong one in this book which was good and well used to incorporate some moral questions along the 'what would you do to save a family member?' lines. Romantic love is less well used and almost seems a bit contrived towards the end (perhaps I'm becoming unromantic in old age...). Bravery and what it means to have courage and pride were major features too so thematically, this book is very strong.
While I always love the study of characters and the societies in which they live, it was a shame that more wasn't made of the fantasy aspects of this book. The mentions of the fantastical creatures were there but partially glossed over and really only used as an object of fear (inflicting some fairly horrific 'punishments' along the way...).
As a minor health warning, there are absolutely some "adult themes" in this book and I certainly wouldn't be giving it to even a young teen...I'm 24 and found some of it a tad disturbing! (Ok, so I'm a wimp when it comes to horror but I'm not squeamish as a rule...)
Overall: I find myself unsure of this book - I think I would recommend it to fans of the genre because it is unique. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to someone new to fantasy fiction because it uses some of the more usual elements in some unusual ways that might be off-putting.
The plot was fairly simple but it worked. There weren't any huge surprises so, for me, this was all about the characters and how they interact.
I loved all of the different species in this novel - there was something almost mythical about it and it was fairly unique in that regard. One of the predominant themes of the book, in fact, was inter-species harmony and how the different creatures interact; in particular, the wraiths are spurned by society because they have the ability to become invisible. In typical fashion, the people of Theirry are frightened of the unknown and assume that wraiths will only use their abilities to steal, assassinate and generally do bad things. The ironic part of it all was that Melke was desperate to prove to the Sal Vere family that she was worth more that she's more than a 'thieving wraith', all while trying to make up for having stolen from them...Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy if you will...
The concept of family is a particularly strong one in this book which was good and well used to incorporate some moral questions along the 'what would you do to save a family member?' lines. Romantic love is less well used and almost seems a bit contrived towards the end (perhaps I'm becoming unromantic in old age...). Bravery and what it means to have courage and pride were major features too so thematically, this book is very strong.
While I always love the study of characters and the societies in which they live, it was a shame that more wasn't made of the fantasy aspects of this book. The mentions of the fantastical creatures were there but partially glossed over and really only used as an object of fear (inflicting some fairly horrific 'punishments' along the way...).
As a minor health warning, there are absolutely some "adult themes" in this book and I certainly wouldn't be giving it to even a young teen...I'm 24 and found some of it a tad disturbing! (Ok, so I'm a wimp when it comes to horror but I'm not squeamish as a rule...)
Overall: I find myself unsure of this book - I think I would recommend it to fans of the genre because it is unique. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to someone new to fantasy fiction because it uses some of the more usual elements in some unusual ways that might be off-putting.
August 18, 2016
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Melke is a wraith, which means she’s got the magical ability to become invisible. Wraiths are feared by non-magical folk, because their power allows them to be expert thieves. Melke’s not really a thief, but when the fire salamanders ask her to steal a necklace in exchange for her brother’s life, Melke does what she has to do to save him. She steals a necklace from a man named Bastian, thinking it an ordinary trinket. But it turns out that the necklace is the key to breaking a curse on Bastian’s family, and so he hunts down Melke in an attempt to get it back.
Thief With No Shadow is a both a fantasy novel and a romance, and alternates between light-hearted predictability and more serious thematic content about what it means to sacrifice for others. I read it while camping with Mike and my family, and brought it along on a whim mostly so that I had a convenient excuse to make “but everything changed when the fire nation attacked” references. It’s a pretty light read and I stayed up late to finish it, but had mixed feelings about the plot. While the fantasy aspects of Thief With No Shadow worked for me, the romance did not.
The book’s biggest flaw, in my opinion, was that Bastian is a racist dick. He doesn’t see Melke as human for most of the book, and he treats her horribly. Yes, we see Bastian’s soft side when he’s around his sister, and he eventually has a redemption arc, but I don’t think that he can just be like, “Oh, by the way, everything I’ve said to you for the past few weeks? Let’s pretend that never happened. I am madly in love with you!” and not only be forgiven but find those feelings reciprocated. Melke is such a strong protagonist that seeing her with end up with Bastian was a bit of a let down. Usually when I read fantasy romance, I can at least root for the characters to end up together, but in Thief With No Shadow, that didn’t happen.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Melke is a wraith, which means she’s got the magical ability to become invisible. Wraiths are feared by non-magical folk, because their power allows them to be expert thieves. Melke’s not really a thief, but when the fire salamanders ask her to steal a necklace in exchange for her brother’s life, Melke does what she has to do to save him. She steals a necklace from a man named Bastian, thinking it an ordinary trinket. But it turns out that the necklace is the key to breaking a curse on Bastian’s family, and so he hunts down Melke in an attempt to get it back.
Thief With No Shadow is a both a fantasy novel and a romance, and alternates between light-hearted predictability and more serious thematic content about what it means to sacrifice for others. I read it while camping with Mike and my family, and brought it along on a whim mostly so that I had a convenient excuse to make “but everything changed when the fire nation attacked” references. It’s a pretty light read and I stayed up late to finish it, but had mixed feelings about the plot. While the fantasy aspects of Thief With No Shadow worked for me, the romance did not.
The book’s biggest flaw, in my opinion, was that Bastian is a racist dick. He doesn’t see Melke as human for most of the book, and he treats her horribly. Yes, we see Bastian’s soft side when he’s around his sister, and he eventually has a redemption arc, but I don’t think that he can just be like, “Oh, by the way, everything I’ve said to you for the past few weeks? Let’s pretend that never happened. I am madly in love with you!” and not only be forgiven but find those feelings reciprocated. Melke is such a strong protagonist that seeing her with end up with Bastian was a bit of a let down. Usually when I read fantasy romance, I can at least root for the characters to end up together, but in Thief With No Shadow, that didn’t happen.
March 16, 2015
3.5 stars
Thief With No Shadow has sat on my TBR shelf for quite awhile. I think I first heard of it when I read a local magazine... but that's a little hazy because it was way back! When I considered picking it up off the shelf I read some of the reviews on Goodreads that put me off! Always a mistake to read reviews by readers I have no idea about. However I decided now was the time and I have to say I actually enjoyed the book on the whole. Yes the reviewers were right about a few nasty details, but they pretty much happened "off the page" and while a little bizarre I let it go.
Melke and her brother Hantje are wraiths - they can change and make themselves unseen, although they don't do it often. Wraiths have a bad name as they frequently use this ability to steal and murder. Melke steals a necklace from Bastian sal Vere to give to the salamanders in exchange for them freeing her brother Hantje. Bastian pursues her with his hound Ender. He catches up with her and when the salamanders dump Hantje back at their entrance to their habitat, Bastian says he will exchange Hantje's healing for Melke stealing back the necklace. Hantje is near death.
On return to the sal Vere home Liana, Bastian's sister sets about healing Hantje - she has the magical gift of healing, although it's not easy. Bastian too has a magical gift - he can talk with dogs and he and his hound Ender have a strong bond.
The sal Vere property is going to ruin, it has been cursed by a creature of the sea, because the necklace originally was stolen from it. It returns at a certain time each year for the necklace and if its not returned it exacts a life. So the pressure is on!
I liked the characters, and the changes that happened within them as the story moved on. I especially developed a fondness for Ender the hound! The writing was excellent, and while this was all fantasy I enjoyed the tale despite some darkness and in the end goodness and light win out.
Thief With No Shadow has sat on my TBR shelf for quite awhile. I think I first heard of it when I read a local magazine... but that's a little hazy because it was way back! When I considered picking it up off the shelf I read some of the reviews on Goodreads that put me off! Always a mistake to read reviews by readers I have no idea about. However I decided now was the time and I have to say I actually enjoyed the book on the whole. Yes the reviewers were right about a few nasty details, but they pretty much happened "off the page" and while a little bizarre I let it go.
Melke and her brother Hantje are wraiths - they can change and make themselves unseen, although they don't do it often. Wraiths have a bad name as they frequently use this ability to steal and murder. Melke steals a necklace from Bastian sal Vere to give to the salamanders in exchange for them freeing her brother Hantje. Bastian pursues her with his hound Ender. He catches up with her and when the salamanders dump Hantje back at their entrance to their habitat, Bastian says he will exchange Hantje's healing for Melke stealing back the necklace. Hantje is near death.
On return to the sal Vere home Liana, Bastian's sister sets about healing Hantje - she has the magical gift of healing, although it's not easy. Bastian too has a magical gift - he can talk with dogs and he and his hound Ender have a strong bond.
The sal Vere property is going to ruin, it has been cursed by a creature of the sea, because the necklace originally was stolen from it. It returns at a certain time each year for the necklace and if its not returned it exacts a life. So the pressure is on!
I liked the characters, and the changes that happened within them as the story moved on. I especially developed a fondness for Ender the hound! The writing was excellent, and while this was all fantasy I enjoyed the tale despite some darkness and in the end goodness and light win out.
May 15, 2017
The main male lead is abusive. Nothing more, nothing less. If you've ever spent time in a household where you have to walk on eggshells because you may set off someone's temper then you'll know what I'm talking about. There isn't a redeeming quality about him because through the whole book he's angry, controlling and pretty much a shit human being.
Granted this may be a reasonable reaction to the issues he's faced in his life but it doesn't mean that it's okay OR that people should stay and put up with him. That the author makes him the main love interest or that suddenly all that can be excused because he does one or two good things in 460 pages doesn't mean that it's "all okay now".
The other three characters were fine, a bit of Florence Nightingale effect going on, especially when compared to the male lead but that doesn't make up for the above problem or the other issues others have mentioned in previous reviews.
Granted this may be a reasonable reaction to the issues he's faced in his life but it doesn't mean that it's okay OR that people should stay and put up with him. That the author makes him the main love interest or that suddenly all that can be excused because he does one or two good things in 460 pages doesn't mean that it's "all okay now".
The other three characters were fine, a bit of Florence Nightingale effect going on, especially when compared to the male lead but that doesn't make up for the above problem or the other issues others have mentioned in previous reviews.
October 13, 2014
4.5 stars
I read this book a long time ago when I was out west on my (first of many) career course.
I very much in joyed this book. I often think about it and, why there was never a sequel or a novelle made. I really wanted there to be something more.
There's a lot I don't remember about the novel as it was about 7 years ago I read it. But I remember liking it and recommending it to others.
I will probably read this book again and add to my review.
Give this book a chance, you may be surprised.
Until next time. >.<
Keep dreaming
Emily
I read this book a long time ago when I was out west on my (first of many) career course.
I very much in joyed this book. I often think about it and, why there was never a sequel or a novelle made. I really wanted there to be something more.
There's a lot I don't remember about the novel as it was about 7 years ago I read it. But I remember liking it and recommending it to others.
I will probably read this book again and add to my review.
Give this book a chance, you may be surprised.
Until next time. >.<
Keep dreaming
Emily
July 9, 2019
Okay, I'm far from being convinced with this book. But it was an easy and quick read and I didn't plan on burning the book every page (although probably mostly because I wasn't very invested in it), so that makes it okay-3stars.
Initially, I thought I was in for some adventure, but actually nothing much happens. Well, I mean, stuffs do happen but each hard event is like one page diluted in the middle of 50 of everyone hating everyone including themselves.
Also, one of the protagonists, Bastian, is so annoying, having to read his thoughts for half of the book (it being written from his POV) wasn't helping in getting myself invested in the story and book.
There were interesting elements in the whole thing, but they weren't used as to make a compelling story.
Plus. Let's not talk about the stupid cheesy happy ending. Book should have ended about 70-80 pages from the actual end.
Initially, I thought I was in for some adventure, but actually nothing much happens. Well, I mean, stuffs do happen but each hard event is like one page diluted in the middle of 50 of everyone hating everyone including themselves.
Also, one of the protagonists, Bastian, is so annoying, having to read his thoughts for half of the book (it being written from his POV) wasn't helping in getting myself invested in the story and book.
There were interesting elements in the whole thing, but they weren't used as to make a compelling story.
Plus. Let's not talk about the stupid cheesy happy ending. Book should have ended about 70-80 pages from the actual end.
March 8, 2021
TW: Rape
So. I like the base concept with fantasy characters existing such as Wraiths, Gryphon's etc. Not entirely sold on the fire salamanders but guess that's my personal preference...
The storyline is 90% enjoyable. But then there are the rape scenes with the creatures and I feel these were unnecessary and could have been written out with a more clever story instead. It's just a bit...much? And it all felt a bit weird. I'm not adverse to erotica at all but mythical creatures raping humans with the aftermath described in detail, I'll take a pass.
I know where Emily Gee was coming from with her ideas but some parts of this story fell flat, too. Melke's history with her parents in brutal and horrific but it's described on one page in the entire book, that's it. And I was still left unsure about a Wraiths true nature...
Take away the rape and I'd push it up to 4 stars!
So. I like the base concept with fantasy characters existing such as Wraiths, Gryphon's etc. Not entirely sold on the fire salamanders but guess that's my personal preference...
The storyline is 90% enjoyable. But then there are the rape scenes with the creatures and I feel these were unnecessary and could have been written out with a more clever story instead. It's just a bit...much? And it all felt a bit weird. I'm not adverse to erotica at all but mythical creatures raping humans with the aftermath described in detail, I'll take a pass.
I know where Emily Gee was coming from with her ideas but some parts of this story fell flat, too. Melke's history with her parents in brutal and horrific but it's described on one page in the entire book, that's it. And I was still left unsure about a Wraiths true nature...
Take away the rape and I'd push it up to 4 stars!
March 18, 2013
Great story! I bought this because I'd read another of Emily Gee's works, and I figured I couldn't go wrong.
And I didn't. The MC wasn't what I'd expected from the summary, but I liked her more for the fact that she was human and relatable. She had fears, but she did the right thing even when going against those freaky salamander people/things. The plot was creative and interesting, and though I've read enough fantasy to qualify as a geek over the years, this was fresh. I can't recommend it enough.
And I didn't. The MC wasn't what I'd expected from the summary, but I liked her more for the fact that she was human and relatable. She had fears, but she did the right thing even when going against those freaky salamander people/things. The plot was creative and interesting, and though I've read enough fantasy to qualify as a geek over the years, this was fresh. I can't recommend it enough.
June 2, 2008
Fantasy fiction and mainstream literary fiction continue to merge. This is a dark, but ultimately redemptive, tale of four people, two brother-sister pairs, caught in a series of bad situations. These are caused mostly by their own bad choices, though also through the foolishness or greed of others. Some of them hate each other, some of them hate themselves. Through courage and devotion more than through magic, they change their situation.
September 16, 2017
Devoured this one fast, ultimately probably a 3.5. It's strange, I've read one by Emily Gee before, and it was a similar experience: mentally taking note of the weaknesses in story & character, but still deeply compelled by the story. Something about the way this woman writes just works for me.
So first, the not so good: oh my, is this an emotional story. It kicks right off with Bastian's overwhelming rage and Melke's despair. With Bastian's especially, he's SUCH an angry jerk, it's a bit off-putting. Slowly we learn what's at stake with Melke's theft of the necklace and why he's so mad, but even knowing that it's hard to identify with or excuse the level of hate.
And Melke seems trapped - by her own need not to show fear, and then by her sense of honor that ultimately requires her to try and steal the necklace back. It's funny the way the supernatural elements in this story work, the psaaron (fish person) and salamanders - they are mostly elements of horror and dread around which the emotional narrative of the story is wrapped. If you're looking for deep world building, this isn't your book.
It's primarily about the four main characters (including Bastian's sister Liana and Melke's brother Hantje) getting over their pains & fears. It's not an easy process, and Bastian & Hantje in particular suffer through some really dark stuff. I would have liked it see that play out longer before getting to the end. But eh - the story certainly ends where the heart wants it to, even if it's a bit unearned. (Oh and I loved Endal, the dog character! He's a breath of fresh, uncomplicated air -what a gift in this rather heavy tale.)
Despite all this, I definitely was carried away by this book. I liked it in spite of its flaws, and I can see how, as a debut novel, it showed Emily Gee's promise as a writer. I'll continue to read her stuff.
So first, the not so good: oh my, is this an emotional story. It kicks right off with Bastian's overwhelming rage and Melke's despair. With Bastian's especially, he's SUCH an angry jerk, it's a bit off-putting. Slowly we learn what's at stake with Melke's theft of the necklace and why he's so mad, but even knowing that it's hard to identify with or excuse the level of hate.
And Melke seems trapped - by her own need not to show fear, and then by her sense of honor that ultimately requires her to try and steal the necklace back. It's funny the way the supernatural elements in this story work, the psaaron (fish person) and salamanders - they are mostly elements of horror and dread around which the emotional narrative of the story is wrapped. If you're looking for deep world building, this isn't your book.
It's primarily about the four main characters (including Bastian's sister Liana and Melke's brother Hantje) getting over their pains & fears. It's not an easy process, and Bastian & Hantje in particular suffer through some really dark stuff. I would have liked it see that play out longer before getting to the end. But eh - the story certainly ends where the heart wants it to, even if it's a bit unearned. (Oh and I loved Endal, the dog character! He's a breath of fresh, uncomplicated air -what a gift in this rather heavy tale.)
Despite all this, I definitely was carried away by this book. I liked it in spite of its flaws, and I can see how, as a debut novel, it showed Emily Gee's promise as a writer. I'll continue to read her stuff.
August 18, 2020
"No", "don't", "go".
I think that was the three most commonly used words in the dialogue. Everybody hated each other until the last ~50 pages, where they suddenly turned the table, because of... Shared trauma I guesS? Not much stealing was going on, so the title disappointed me a lot, and the real action first started at aroung page 250, where one of the characters stopped being unconcious.
I should have listened to the reviews and just skipped the book - I read the first 200 pages, then skimmed through the rest, because the plot simply didn't advance at all.
All the tying up knots at the end was done, but the payoff came so late, and one of the plotpoints, I had entirely forgotten. Oh, and then there was ~3 read-alouds of books in the book, and though it gave some worldbuilding information, it really didn't fit the plot. When the real action finally began, it was over very quickly and too hollowly described.
I think this book would be good, if you cut a plot thread and around half the pages. It really needs a streamlined plot that actually facilitates the change, the chcaracters needs to go through and characters with more interesting conversations.
And maybe cut the sex too. It only seemed weird, because it didn't really tie into anything or have any real consequences for the characters.
I think that was the three most commonly used words in the dialogue. Everybody hated each other until the last ~50 pages, where they suddenly turned the table, because of... Shared trauma I guesS? Not much stealing was going on, so the title disappointed me a lot, and the real action first started at aroung page 250, where one of the characters stopped being unconcious.
I should have listened to the reviews and just skipped the book - I read the first 200 pages, then skimmed through the rest, because the plot simply didn't advance at all.
All the tying up knots at the end was done, but the payoff came so late, and one of the plotpoints, I had entirely forgotten. Oh, and then there was ~3 read-alouds of books in the book, and though it gave some worldbuilding information, it really didn't fit the plot. When the real action finally began, it was over very quickly and too hollowly described.
I think this book would be good, if you cut a plot thread and around half the pages. It really needs a streamlined plot that actually facilitates the change, the chcaracters needs to go through and characters with more interesting conversations.
And maybe cut the sex too. It only seemed weird, because it didn't really tie into anything or have any real consequences for the characters.
March 16, 2025
Un soufflé au fromage bien raté. 😥
La quatrième de couverture nous pose une intrigue interessante et le récit commence en pleine action. Ça gonfle bien !
Puis, vint la ferme des Sal Vere. Et ça retombe. 🫠
Il ne se passe pas grand chose. Ce n’est pas un problème MAIS quand ça s’étire sur des pages et des pages et des PAGES … j’ai fini par m’ennuyer ferme 😑
Et… l’intrigue super interessante du début ? Soufflé au fromage bien raté, encore une fois. Ça tourne en rond !
Les points positifs :
- L’autrice écrit bien le sentiment de terreur ! cette atmosphère pesante et effrayante pèse sur le roman, c’était intéressant.
- Le chien Endal est mon personnage préféré.
Dommage, mon second personnage préféré passe tout le livre ou presque dans le coma……..
Bilan : les 50 premières pages sont géniales. Sur 400………🫢
(La dernière phrase m’a fait lever les yeux au ciel 🙄 mauvais choix de l’autrice.)
Déçue.
La quatrième de couverture nous pose une intrigue interessante et le récit commence en pleine action. Ça gonfle bien !
Puis, vint la ferme des Sal Vere. Et ça retombe. 🫠
Il ne se passe pas grand chose. Ce n’est pas un problème MAIS quand ça s’étire sur des pages et des pages et des PAGES … j’ai fini par m’ennuyer ferme 😑
Et… l’intrigue super interessante du début ? Soufflé au fromage bien raté, encore une fois. Ça tourne en rond !
Les points positifs :
- L’autrice écrit bien le sentiment de terreur ! cette atmosphère pesante et effrayante pèse sur le roman, c’était intéressant.
- Le chien Endal est mon personnage préféré.
Dommage, mon second personnage préféré passe tout le livre ou presque dans le coma……..
Bilan : les 50 premières pages sont géniales. Sur 400………🫢
(La dernière phrase m’a fait lever les yeux au ciel 🙄 mauvais choix de l’autrice.)
Déçue.
Read
June 16, 2017DNF.... I don't even want to rate it since I did not finish it. I was 50% in and NOTHING was really happening.... a lot of inner thoughts and bickering. That was it! :-/
May 30, 2012
This appears in the webiste http://www.solarisbooks.com/ about the book. Let me say first and foremost I've been intrigued to read Solaris books. I've bought already three books, this one and Summoner and Helix. I have read Black Library books, I've got them all. And I've got a dozen books of Black Flame. They didn't disappoint me. I receive the book at 17/06 and start reading since I was anxious.... I began reading and start alright and then... I told myself... What a hell?
By the middle of the book I was totally demoralized and only ended it because I've never let one book go unfinished. Not surprising in any way (I saw all the 'twists' in the narrative coming). Dark Romance Fantasy these are the keywords. For me this was a Soap. It has ridicoulous characters. I will make a small synopsis.
Girl (Melke) robs Necklace from the family (Bastian and his sister Liana)
Not surprising in any way (I saw all the 'twists' in the narrative coming). Dark Romance Fantasy these are the keywords. For me this was a Soap Opera. It has ridiculous characters. I will make a small synopsis.
Girl (Melke) robs Necklace from the family (Bastian and his sister Liana). Gives Necklace to the Salamanders who have capture her dying brother (Hantje). Bastian encounters Melke and says my sister can heal him but you’ve got to steal the necklace back. Liana heals Hantje and Melke steals the necklace back. Hantje sacrifices himself for Liana. Bastian delivers the necklaces back to the rightful owner and the curse is broken. Bastian saves Melke from salamanders sacrificing himself. Liana heals Hantje after the sacrifice and Melke and Liana fells in love with Hantje. Hantje loves her and they marry. Bastian marries Melke.
Well this was a summary. Now I will elaborate.
The parts I did like… The dog Endal.
The parts I didn’t like… the plot and the four main characters.
Don’t get me wrong. If you like soap operas than by all means get this book. I tried to read the book and I was disappointment with the development of the story. In the beginning, Bastian hates totally the brothers Melke and Hantje (who are wraiths, persons who can become invisible). The author makes understand that because every phrase got some word of hate in it. Then Melke hates totally Bastian, again we are able to see it in the same way has Bastian.
Hantje for the first 200 pages don’t appear since he is hurt. Afterwards he feels anguished of what he did and as his sister he hates himself for being wraiths and for thiefing. As the book begins you can see… they all are good characters, good in the all term of evil versus good. There are no evil characters in the book. Well apart from the Salamanders and Psaarons but they aren’t characters. They are only there to make the story go. But the evil they do are only because the main characters permitted.
The story goes like these. Someone in family of the Ver’s (Liana and Bastian family) stole a necklace. That necklace was the Necklace of Psaaron’s Tears. Each tear has the memory of the dying Psaaron. So when the Ver’s stole the Psaarons wanted it back. When they didn’t return it the Psaaron’s cursed the family. Since that day no water would fall in the fields and the water became a true enemy of the family killing several characters.
Now the background of the families… (In tragedy this remembers the Dostoevsky in a good way) Both there parents were killed. Bastian and Liana parents both suicide. And Melke and Hantje killed by the authorities because they were wraiths. Let’s weep for them. (It comes to my mind the film Dr Zhivago. I just wanted to kill myself) Now that we felt sorry the main characters let us continue… They are all arrogant with the exception of Liana and the Dog. The same characteristics/qualities are bound to all characters, again with the exception of Liana and the Dog. Mainly this was the ongoing feelings… First Anger and Hate, then Guilt, Sacrifice and Redemption and finally Happiness. Liana is a goddess; Mother Theresa of Calcuta.
In the beginning of the story I already knew the end.
I will not waste any more words saying anything about the book and I will only say this. In my humble opinion the book it’s fast-paced but has a weak plot and weak characters. But if you like soap opera, then by all means: read the book.
By the middle of the book I was totally demoralized and only ended it because I've never let one book go unfinished. Not surprising in any way (I saw all the 'twists' in the narrative coming). Dark Romance Fantasy these are the keywords. For me this was a Soap. It has ridicoulous characters. I will make a small synopsis.
Girl (Melke) robs Necklace from the family (Bastian and his sister Liana)
Not surprising in any way (I saw all the 'twists' in the narrative coming). Dark Romance Fantasy these are the keywords. For me this was a Soap Opera. It has ridiculous characters. I will make a small synopsis.
Girl (Melke) robs Necklace from the family (Bastian and his sister Liana). Gives Necklace to the Salamanders who have capture her dying brother (Hantje). Bastian encounters Melke and says my sister can heal him but you’ve got to steal the necklace back. Liana heals Hantje and Melke steals the necklace back. Hantje sacrifices himself for Liana. Bastian delivers the necklaces back to the rightful owner and the curse is broken. Bastian saves Melke from salamanders sacrificing himself. Liana heals Hantje after the sacrifice and Melke and Liana fells in love with Hantje. Hantje loves her and they marry. Bastian marries Melke.
Well this was a summary. Now I will elaborate.
The parts I did like… The dog Endal.
The parts I didn’t like… the plot and the four main characters.
Don’t get me wrong. If you like soap operas than by all means get this book. I tried to read the book and I was disappointment with the development of the story. In the beginning, Bastian hates totally the brothers Melke and Hantje (who are wraiths, persons who can become invisible). The author makes understand that because every phrase got some word of hate in it. Then Melke hates totally Bastian, again we are able to see it in the same way has Bastian.
Hantje for the first 200 pages don’t appear since he is hurt. Afterwards he feels anguished of what he did and as his sister he hates himself for being wraiths and for thiefing. As the book begins you can see… they all are good characters, good in the all term of evil versus good. There are no evil characters in the book. Well apart from the Salamanders and Psaarons but they aren’t characters. They are only there to make the story go. But the evil they do are only because the main characters permitted.
The story goes like these. Someone in family of the Ver’s (Liana and Bastian family) stole a necklace. That necklace was the Necklace of Psaaron’s Tears. Each tear has the memory of the dying Psaaron. So when the Ver’s stole the Psaarons wanted it back. When they didn’t return it the Psaaron’s cursed the family. Since that day no water would fall in the fields and the water became a true enemy of the family killing several characters.
Now the background of the families… (In tragedy this remembers the Dostoevsky in a good way) Both there parents were killed. Bastian and Liana parents both suicide. And Melke and Hantje killed by the authorities because they were wraiths. Let’s weep for them. (It comes to my mind the film Dr Zhivago. I just wanted to kill myself) Now that we felt sorry the main characters let us continue… They are all arrogant with the exception of Liana and the Dog. The same characteristics/qualities are bound to all characters, again with the exception of Liana and the Dog. Mainly this was the ongoing feelings… First Anger and Hate, then Guilt, Sacrifice and Redemption and finally Happiness. Liana is a goddess; Mother Theresa of Calcuta.
In the beginning of the story I already knew the end.
I will not waste any more words saying anything about the book and I will only say this. In my humble opinion the book it’s fast-paced but has a weak plot and weak characters. But if you like soap opera, then by all means: read the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2015
I picked this book up years ago from a waterstones because it was on sale and it looked like it could be interesting.
I quickly became so engrossed that I read it in practically one sitting.
The story whilst not having a complicated plot or twists that required a lot of thought from the reader, had enough depth to hold my interest and engage my worry for the characters as misconceptions and confusion abounded over motives and morals.
It also had a very detailed fantasy world where people who can speak to dogs and wraiths who can become unseen live along side humans and fire salamanders. It is set on a farm with a lot of rich detail about the state of the grounds and the buildings. Comparing the riches of the past to the grim state of the present.
The story was not picture perfect bad things frequently did happen to the characters, however it was what happened after, the simplicity of a good meal or at the end the hope that we are left with for the four main characters future.
Although we are not left with anything definitive as an ending and it is wrapped up rather quickly after the main event of the plot has passed it is more than enough to have you putting down the book and feeling that it was worth the read.
As a point to the negative there are two sex scenes towards the end of the book which involve the main male characters using their bodies to save the female characters. Whilst not overly descriptive and over very quickly if you are someone that is comfortable reading or digesting situations like the above as part of your light reading I wouldn't suggest this book for you.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the book and have reread it a few times over the years when stuck trying to find a new book to read (or trying to pick between a few that have caught my fancy) I would recommend it as an easy read with a detailed fantasy world to get lost in.
I quickly became so engrossed that I read it in practically one sitting.
The story whilst not having a complicated plot or twists that required a lot of thought from the reader, had enough depth to hold my interest and engage my worry for the characters as misconceptions and confusion abounded over motives and morals.
It also had a very detailed fantasy world where people who can speak to dogs and wraiths who can become unseen live along side humans and fire salamanders. It is set on a farm with a lot of rich detail about the state of the grounds and the buildings. Comparing the riches of the past to the grim state of the present.
The story was not picture perfect bad things frequently did happen to the characters, however it was what happened after, the simplicity of a good meal or at the end the hope that we are left with for the four main characters future.
Although we are not left with anything definitive as an ending and it is wrapped up rather quickly after the main event of the plot has passed it is more than enough to have you putting down the book and feeling that it was worth the read.
As a point to the negative there are two sex scenes towards the end of the book which involve the main male characters using their bodies to save the female characters. Whilst not overly descriptive and over very quickly if you are someone that is comfortable reading or digesting situations like the above as part of your light reading I wouldn't suggest this book for you.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the book and have reread it a few times over the years when stuck trying to find a new book to read (or trying to pick between a few that have caught my fancy) I would recommend it as an easy read with a detailed fantasy world to get lost in.
September 30, 2017
It took me forever to finish this book, mostly because I had to force myself to read it, and could only manage a bunch of chapters per session. The dynamic between Liana and Melke was so much more promising than anything that happened in this (not that much happened, mind you)! Same goes for the characters's powers that promised good moments and good lore, but of course it had to be a badly-written hetero-romance between a broody good-looking dude and a broken-but-still-strong good-looking lady, both thinking they're made to hate each other but OMG TWIST they just have to fall in love! I'm insisting on this because the french version of this story is NOT advertise as a romance, thus why I was very, very annoyed to find out there's not much more to this book than a badly-written "love story". I'm quite disappointed in the publishers, they're usually known for unusual fantasy stories and I thought I could blindly trust their choices. Seems they too need to eat from time to time!
August 3, 2020
I would never recommend this book to someone. I was fine with this book until about the end.
Basically a thief steals a necklace to save her brother’s life. The family she steals the necklace from agrees to heal her brother if she steals it back. They need it to lift a curse that has been killing their family over the years. Wraiths, talking dogs, magical healing, fire salamanders, evil fish monsters, etc etc
No problem with any of that.
Then you get to the end.
I’m order for the two main men characters to find “courage”. They each get raped by a different mythical monster. (Fire lizard and a razor sharp scaly fish monster) I mean seriously ? 🤮
Not at all what I was looking for in a book.
The writing isn’t bad it’s just that ending.
Basically a thief steals a necklace to save her brother’s life. The family she steals the necklace from agrees to heal her brother if she steals it back. They need it to lift a curse that has been killing their family over the years. Wraiths, talking dogs, magical healing, fire salamanders, evil fish monsters, etc etc
No problem with any of that.
Then you get to the end.
I’m order for the two main men characters to find “courage”. They each get raped by a different mythical monster. (Fire lizard and a razor sharp scaly fish monster) I mean seriously ? 🤮
Not at all what I was looking for in a book.
The writing isn’t bad it’s just that ending.
January 17, 2013
Le premier adjectif qui me vient à l'esprit pour décrire ce livre est "mou". Il ne s'y passe quasiment rien. L'histoire est creuse, et cousue de fil blanc, et j'ai trouvé la fin un peu ridicule.
90% de l'histoire se passe dans une ferme, on l'on a le loisir de voir les personnages évoluer, notamment leurs sentiments les uns vis à vis des autres. Au début c'est plutôt intéressant, mais au bout d'un moment, ça devient vraiment trop long... et connaissant la fin, je regrette vraiment d'avoir persisté dans cette lecture...
90% de l'histoire se passe dans une ferme, on l'on a le loisir de voir les personnages évoluer, notamment leurs sentiments les uns vis à vis des autres. Au début c'est plutôt intéressant, mais au bout d'un moment, ça devient vraiment trop long... et connaissant la fin, je regrette vraiment d'avoir persisté dans cette lecture...
July 27, 2009
If I had a minus-star, I'd give this book that. Not at all what I thought it would be like. I thoroughly disliked it and would not recommend it. Writing was paltry, the characterizations hackneyed, the plot was forced, there was much immorality (and in such a vulgar manner.) The background was scanty, details on her world were few and far between. Stay far away from it!
January 18, 2013
Original mais il reste des éléments à approfondir pour en faire vraiment un livre qu'on adore, c'est un peu dommage tout de même car il y a un gros potentiel.
Lecture sympathique tout de même
Lecture sympathique tout de même
June 13, 2024
I had a great time. A delighted 4-star read reduced to a 3.5 by just a couple of boggling choices near the end.
Melke and her brother are wraiths; they have the ability to turn completely invisible at will. When her brother is caught using his magic to steal from salamanders, creatures of fire magic, Melke must turn thief herself in order to save his life. Meanwhile, Bastian's once-wealthy family has been reduced to just him and his younger sister clinging to the brink of survival. Their only hope of breaking the family curse comes from returning their tormentor's treasure: the necklace Melke just stole.
This is a fairly simple, self-contained story, centered around just these two troubled families. There are too many tangled emotions for alliances and solutions to be formed simply, so it's a lot of character reflection and development. The worldbuilding wasn't any deeper than it needed to be. The sense of immediate surroundings and relevant magic was strong, and the sense of the world faded out but was present the further it got from relevance. I really liked how capricious the monster races were. It gave the classic fae or dragon feel: they were intelligent and powerful, with no morals, and they played only by their own rules. What happened to the protagonists and how just wasn't fair, and you could feel their fear and frustration in dealing with these beings.
I really enjoyed both of the mains. Melke is afraid but determined, with a deep sense of responsibility, and all of that is so often hidden behind stoicism. She's allergic to showing weakness. I think the alternating POVs made it rewarding to see how well her mask holds up versus how glad she would immediately be to get alone and feel her feelings. She's smart. She understands what drives people but that doesn't mean she bends to it. Meanwhile Bastian is absolute garbage--and I LOVE it. He is so, so angry about their situation, he's furious with Melke for ruining their shot at happiness, he's sick with himself for not being better than he is. (See how that's a vicious cycle, that being snappy makes him even angrier at himself?) Dude is BOILING OVER with rage at all times. I found it super compelling to read.
There's also a VERY good pupper. Bastian's sister is the blond healer prototype, but I like her fire. Melke's brother is your average depressed baby brother who kind of has to get over himself.
The complaints section, yes? The monster races have a dragons-taking-virgins kind of thing where they really want to bone humans. This is a horror element rather than a sexy thing. Theoretically, I'm good with that. But the execution... huh? These are imminently skippable scenes that I will endeavor to forget about.
After that, things wrap up fairly quickly with hard-learned lessons and emotional talks. And I still walked away delighted and satisfied by my find.
Melke and her brother are wraiths; they have the ability to turn completely invisible at will. When her brother is caught using his magic to steal from salamanders, creatures of fire magic, Melke must turn thief herself in order to save his life. Meanwhile, Bastian's once-wealthy family has been reduced to just him and his younger sister clinging to the brink of survival. Their only hope of breaking the family curse comes from returning their tormentor's treasure: the necklace Melke just stole.
This is a fairly simple, self-contained story, centered around just these two troubled families. There are too many tangled emotions for alliances and solutions to be formed simply, so it's a lot of character reflection and development. The worldbuilding wasn't any deeper than it needed to be. The sense of immediate surroundings and relevant magic was strong, and the sense of the world faded out but was present the further it got from relevance. I really liked how capricious the monster races were. It gave the classic fae or dragon feel: they were intelligent and powerful, with no morals, and they played only by their own rules. What happened to the protagonists and how just wasn't fair, and you could feel their fear and frustration in dealing with these beings.
I really enjoyed both of the mains. Melke is afraid but determined, with a deep sense of responsibility, and all of that is so often hidden behind stoicism. She's allergic to showing weakness. I think the alternating POVs made it rewarding to see how well her mask holds up versus how glad she would immediately be to get alone and feel her feelings. She's smart. She understands what drives people but that doesn't mean she bends to it. Meanwhile Bastian is absolute garbage--and I LOVE it. He is so, so angry about their situation, he's furious with Melke for ruining their shot at happiness, he's sick with himself for not being better than he is. (See how that's a vicious cycle, that being snappy makes him even angrier at himself?) Dude is BOILING OVER with rage at all times. I found it super compelling to read.
There's also a VERY good pupper. Bastian's sister is the blond healer prototype, but I like her fire. Melke's brother is your average depressed baby brother who kind of has to get over himself.
The complaints section, yes? The monster races have a dragons-taking-virgins kind of thing where they really want to bone humans. This is a horror element rather than a sexy thing. Theoretically, I'm good with that. But the execution... huh? These are imminently skippable scenes that I will endeavor to forget about.
After that, things wrap up fairly quickly with hard-learned lessons and emotional talks. And I still walked away delighted and satisfied by my find.
August 18, 2022
I will be as short as possible. And I will be brutal, but the 'love' themes in this book are actively harmful to younger women.
1. The Female Lead has lived her life being told she is less than human. Worthless. She is highly vulnerable but trying to be strong for her brother.
2. The Male Lead is introduced to us chasing her and then physically assaulting her. He is also portrayed as enraged easily, quick to temper, and throughout the book purposefully physically intimates her at every chance he gets. Additionally, an entire chapter is dedicated to the Male Lead rejoicing in the female lead TERROR.
3. The male lead is an unstable, hate-filled, rage-filled man who purposefully loses his shit at the female lead any chance he gets, PLUS he's dipping his wick (if you know what I mean) with some chick in the village the entire TIME.
4. There is nothing romantic about a man in MID COITUS with another woman suddenly realizing the woman he has VERBALLY and PHYSICALLY ABUSED is the love of his life!
Conclusion: This book romanticizes verbal and physical abuse, the trope: "Love will fix him," he has his sister multiple times 'excuse' his abhorrent behavior as 'he's just passionate!' and I can't even begin to go into the fact there is r*pe in this book. It is handled as a NOBLE SACRIFICE, and the character r*ped has all his trauma MAGICALLY HEALED by TWUUU WUUVV.
By the end of the book, he asks this woman whom he has treated like dirt the entire book to marry him, and of course, she does because he's ~changed~ now, and she's no longer ~terrified~ of him now that he loves her.
I cannot believe that anyone would read this and think this was okay today. This is not OK. The message of this book's (huge sarcastic air quotes) "romance" is not OK.
Recommend?
Short version? No. Long version? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
1. The Female Lead has lived her life being told she is less than human. Worthless. She is highly vulnerable but trying to be strong for her brother.
2. The Male Lead is introduced to us chasing her and then physically assaulting her. He is also portrayed as enraged easily, quick to temper, and throughout the book purposefully physically intimates her at every chance he gets. Additionally, an entire chapter is dedicated to the Male Lead rejoicing in the female lead TERROR.
3. The male lead is an unstable, hate-filled, rage-filled man who purposefully loses his shit at the female lead any chance he gets, PLUS he's dipping his wick (if you know what I mean) with some chick in the village the entire TIME.
4. There is nothing romantic about a man in MID COITUS with another woman suddenly realizing the woman he has VERBALLY and PHYSICALLY ABUSED is the love of his life!
Conclusion: This book romanticizes verbal and physical abuse, the trope: "Love will fix him," he has his sister multiple times 'excuse' his abhorrent behavior as 'he's just passionate!' and I can't even begin to go into the fact there is r*pe in this book. It is handled as a NOBLE SACRIFICE, and the character r*ped has all his trauma MAGICALLY HEALED by TWUUU WUUVV.
By the end of the book, he asks this woman whom he has treated like dirt the entire book to marry him, and of course, she does because he's ~changed~ now, and she's no longer ~terrified~ of him now that he loves her.
I cannot believe that anyone would read this and think this was okay today. This is not OK. The message of this book's (huge sarcastic air quotes) "romance" is not OK.
Recommend?
Short version? No. Long version? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
May 4, 2019
Je suis perplexe sur le positionnement du roman. Pour moi, l'intrigue, le récit général seraient plus adaptés à un roman jeunesse mais quelques scènes le positionnent en roman jeune adulte si ce n'est adulte. J'avais sans cesse envie de retirer aux quatre personnages principaux au moins un tiers de leur âge.
L'écriture manque un peu en maturité, même si les thèmes abordés le sont de manière fine et réfléchie.
Par moment, j'ai un peu lu en diagonal car l'autrice laisse une crise en suspend pour se perdre en description des pensées de ses personnages. Malgré cela, je me suis bien attachée aux personnages qui sont très humains : ils font des erreurs, apprennent de leur erreurs, révisent leur jugement, (se) pardonnent, apprennent à ne pas (se) juger. Ce sont des thèmes qui me paraissent important de nos jours.
L'écriture manque un peu en maturité, même si les thèmes abordés le sont de manière fine et réfléchie.
Par moment, j'ai un peu lu en diagonal car l'autrice laisse une crise en suspend pour se perdre en description des pensées de ses personnages. Malgré cela, je me suis bien attachée aux personnages qui sont très humains : ils font des erreurs, apprennent de leur erreurs, révisent leur jugement, (se) pardonnent, apprennent à ne pas (se) juger. Ce sont des thèmes qui me paraissent important de nos jours.
June 29, 2017
If you do not enjoy books that contain rape be forewarned. I did like that the story showed how the characters making different choices would have caused a different outcome. The world building was very limited to the immediate vicinity of the story. There was a lot of self loathing. It also shared many similarities to the Cursed Kingdom series by the same author. Both main characters possessed magic. The man starts out hating, not disliking, but hating the woman, ironically because of her magic. He begins to think of her sexually before he decides to be done with the despising. Anyway, there is probably more and I probably would not have finished it, but was morbidly curious about how it would all turn out as things kept going wrong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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