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City of the Uncommon Thief
The story of a quarantined city gripped by fear and of the war that can free it.
"Guilders work. Foundlings scrub the bogs. Needles bind. Swords tear. And men leave. There is nothing uncommon in this city. I hope Errol Thebes is dead. We both know he is safer that way."
In a walled city of a mile-high iron guild towers, many things are common knowledge: No book in any of the city's libraries reveals its place on a calendar or a map. No living beasts can be found within the city's walls. And no good comes to the guilder or foundling who trespasses too far from their labors.
Even on the tower rooftops, where Errol Thebes and the rest of the city's teenagers pass a few short years under an open sky, no one truly believe anything uncommon is possible within the city walls.
But one guildmaster has broken tradition to protect her child, and as a result the whole city faces an uncommon threat: a pair of black iron spikes that have the power of both sword and needle on the ribcages of men have gone missing, but the mayhem they cause rises everywhere. If the spikes not found and contained, no wall will be high enough to protect the city--or the world beyond it.
And Errol Thebes? He's not dead and he's certainly not safe.
"Guilders work. Foundlings scrub the bogs. Needles bind. Swords tear. And men leave. There is nothing uncommon in this city. I hope Errol Thebes is dead. We both know he is safer that way."
In a walled city of a mile-high iron guild towers, many things are common knowledge: No book in any of the city's libraries reveals its place on a calendar or a map. No living beasts can be found within the city's walls. And no good comes to the guilder or foundling who trespasses too far from their labors.
Even on the tower rooftops, where Errol Thebes and the rest of the city's teenagers pass a few short years under an open sky, no one truly believe anything uncommon is possible within the city walls.
But one guildmaster has broken tradition to protect her child, and as a result the whole city faces an uncommon threat: a pair of black iron spikes that have the power of both sword and needle on the ribcages of men have gone missing, but the mayhem they cause rises everywhere. If the spikes not found and contained, no wall will be high enough to protect the city--or the world beyond it.
And Errol Thebes? He's not dead and he's certainly not safe.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 2021
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4725 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
March 1, 2021
**Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin/Dutton Books for Young Readers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my rating for this title**
I consider myself a fairly well-read person in terms of High Fantasy books. I've read the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy AND The Silmarillion. I've read ACOTAR multiple times. I've read Game of Thrones. I do not give up easily when the world building is complex. This is a new level of nightmarish "world building" and for that reason, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. It was taking me an hour to read about 20 pages (that is very slow for me).
From what I've gathered, our hero, Odd Thebes, accidentally stumbles upon a weird weapon with his cousin, Errol, that makes Errol a fugitive and puts them in danger from a rival guild. I made it about 100 pages in and there have been so many characters and so many guilds that Odd does not belong to that it's difficult to keep the plot straight.
Bertrand front loads ALL of her world building onto the reader in the first 4 pages. There is a map of 50 guilds (which was drawn beautifully, but difficult to understand). In looking at a finished copy, they've included the rival guild that was not on the map in my ARC, so I had no idea why this VERY important guild was missing from the map of 50 other guilds. I had to redraw the map myself to understand how all the rooftops are connected. I also combined the page listing all the exports of the guilds onto the map so I didn't have to keep flipping between those pages to get all the information. Additionally, there is another page with slang terms used in the book. For example, there are different words for all 24 hours of the day (i.e. 7 AM has a different word than 7 PM), the days of the weeks, and the months. There are also slang terms that are not included in this semi-glossary, leaving the reader to intuit what they mean on their own. This made it INCREDIBLY difficult to stay in the story instead of feeling like I was studying for a college lecture. I'm okay with front loading the world building and explaining the rules outright at the beginning, but being given essentially an info dump in the form of four pages of notes and being expected to remember that information to proceed with the book is inexcusable.
I honestly just felt barraged with information and it was written in such a way that you are almost constantly out of the action and puts all of the work on the reader. I feel like it's the author's job to explain the world and make me invested in it, not the reader's job to essentially force themselves into the world. I don't usually give a rating to books I DNF'd because I feel it's unfair, but because I'm DNF-ing SOLELY based on the insane world building issues which are keeping me from getting into the book at all, I feel okay rating this book a 1. There are so many problems with the way this is written that it will be a very persistent reader who refuses to DNF that will read this. Others will most likely be scared off by it.
I consider myself a fairly well-read person in terms of High Fantasy books. I've read the entire Lord of the Rings Trilogy AND The Silmarillion. I've read ACOTAR multiple times. I've read Game of Thrones. I do not give up easily when the world building is complex. This is a new level of nightmarish "world building" and for that reason, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. It was taking me an hour to read about 20 pages (that is very slow for me).
From what I've gathered, our hero, Odd Thebes, accidentally stumbles upon a weird weapon with his cousin, Errol, that makes Errol a fugitive and puts them in danger from a rival guild. I made it about 100 pages in and there have been so many characters and so many guilds that Odd does not belong to that it's difficult to keep the plot straight.
Bertrand front loads ALL of her world building onto the reader in the first 4 pages. There is a map of 50 guilds (which was drawn beautifully, but difficult to understand). In looking at a finished copy, they've included the rival guild that was not on the map in my ARC, so I had no idea why this VERY important guild was missing from the map of 50 other guilds. I had to redraw the map myself to understand how all the rooftops are connected. I also combined the page listing all the exports of the guilds onto the map so I didn't have to keep flipping between those pages to get all the information. Additionally, there is another page with slang terms used in the book. For example, there are different words for all 24 hours of the day (i.e. 7 AM has a different word than 7 PM), the days of the weeks, and the months. There are also slang terms that are not included in this semi-glossary, leaving the reader to intuit what they mean on their own. This made it INCREDIBLY difficult to stay in the story instead of feeling like I was studying for a college lecture. I'm okay with front loading the world building and explaining the rules outright at the beginning, but being given essentially an info dump in the form of four pages of notes and being expected to remember that information to proceed with the book is inexcusable.
I honestly just felt barraged with information and it was written in such a way that you are almost constantly out of the action and puts all of the work on the reader. I feel like it's the author's job to explain the world and make me invested in it, not the reader's job to essentially force themselves into the world. I don't usually give a rating to books I DNF'd because I feel it's unfair, but because I'm DNF-ing SOLELY based on the insane world building issues which are keeping me from getting into the book at all, I feel okay rating this book a 1. There are so many problems with the way this is written that it will be a very persistent reader who refuses to DNF that will read this. Others will most likely be scared off by it.
June 9, 2021
The time is an alternate reality or a dystopian future. The place is a walled-off city of 1,000 mile-high towers — fascinating! And also, quarantine?! Each tower belongs to a guild, and the guilds run the city — some extracting more influence than others. At ground level live the guild-less, who are exceedingly poor, creating a harsh divide in society. On the rooftops live teenage runners who (precariously) race the tightrope-like structures between buildings. Our hero (Errol Thebes) is one of these runners, and it’s his (illicit and quite accidental) acquisition of what looks to be a pair of standard iron needles from another guild tower that kicks lose a series of events that forever alter the course of history.
The world-building is impossibly intricate, making City of the Uncommon Thief a book you need to be willing to settle into. If that’s what you do, then this story will open up before you, slowly yes, but beautifully so. The characters are exquisitely crafted. As is the relationship between Errol and societal outcast Jamila Foundling. I’ve seen this book get low ratings, but can only say that in a world where we want everything to be instantly and readily available, some things are worth the time and discovery. This is one of them. A rare gem.
The world-building is impossibly intricate, making City of the Uncommon Thief a book you need to be willing to settle into. If that’s what you do, then this story will open up before you, slowly yes, but beautifully so. The characters are exquisitely crafted. As is the relationship between Errol and societal outcast Jamila Foundling. I’ve seen this book get low ratings, but can only say that in a world where we want everything to be instantly and readily available, some things are worth the time and discovery. This is one of them. A rare gem.
June 15, 2022
"What is it in us that makes us hope for uncommon things?"
Okay, first off, the constant references to Virgil, Homer, Robin Hood, King Arthur and so many others was FANTASTIC 😍🥰 tbh might've been my favourite part!!! It was just *chef's kiss* 🤌😌
The shorter chapters made this book feel faster, but tbh, looking back, it kicked off with good action, slowed down quite a bit, and finished in a whirlwind. The world building was AMAZING (tho very confusing at first) and this is certainly not a world quickly forgotten. Also the tale is told like a bard from the ancient stories so it's a bit hard to get into, but after I got used to it I really liked it.
My favourite characters were prolly Errol Thebes and Jamilia Foundling (I mean come one she taught herself and others how to read and swordfight!!! Talk about cool). They were just so awesome and depthful and true heroes. The person telling the story, and the main character, Odd Thebes was likeable enough. I really liked him at the beginning but toward the middle he got kinda annoying with all his jealousy about Errol and wantings for what he couldn't have. Right at the end tho he got redeemed and I'm glad his selfish pages have run out, now he's ready to be the man he needs to be ❤️
Overall I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book (hovering between 3 and 4 stars) I loved the world building & characters, but some of the words and language confused me. The author used references to many other languages and I had to look up multiple words and re-read several parts which made it a bit hard.
Basically I would recommend this but know that it can be confusing and you have to push through but the unique storyline and characters make it worth it💕
"You tell the truth because you believe in it."
**
OVERVIEW
"The story of a quarantined city gripped by fear and of the war that can free it.
"Guilders work. Foundlings scrub the bogs. Needles bind. Swords tear. And men leave. There is nothing uncommon in this city. I hope Errol Thebes is dead. We both know he is safer that way."
In a walled city of a mile-high iron guild towers, many things are common knowledge: No book in any of the city's libraries reveals its place on a calendar or a map. No living beasts can be found within the city's walls. And no good comes to the guilder or foundling who trespasses too far from their labors.
Even on the tower rooftops, where Errol Thebes and the rest of the city's teenagers pass a few short years under an open sky, no one truly believe anything uncommon is possible within the city walls.
But one guildmaster has broken tradition to protect her child, and as a result the whole city faces an uncommon threat: a pair of black iron spikes that have the power of both sword and needle on the ribcages of men have gone missing, but the mayhem they cause rises everywhere. If the spikes not found and contained, no wall will be high enough to protect the city--or the world beyond it.
And Errol Thebes? He's not dead and he's certainly not safe."
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Errol Thebes has a saviour complex and tries to save people. He also has a high idea of being noble and heroic. He and Odd are best friends.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Magic spikes that cause the person's animal to come out of them. Kinda confusing but it's a bit like becoming an animagus in Harry Potter only you don't become the animal it just stays with you.
VIOLENCE
Mentions of death and blood. Talk of swords and fighting. Talk of people being dropped off the towers (one man is dropped). People are stabbed. Pain, blood, vomit, fighting, punches, and near-death experiences described.
SEXUAL CONTENT
A few kisses (no to semi-detailed). Talk of wanting someone and wanting to fall in love. One sex scene (not super descriptive but you definitely know what's happening and there is some detail; the people are then married bc of the law that if found in each other's tent at sunrise they are bound). Talk of past relationships and cheating on a husband.
LANGUAGE
"H--l" used as a curse and a place (said as hel). "D--n" and some crude language used.
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Mentions of drinking, getting drunk and drunks. Odd's father was a drunk.
OTHER NOTES
A good story if a little confusing at the begining. Recommend ages 14+ for violence, some language and sexual content
**
~Happy Reading~
Okay, first off, the constant references to Virgil, Homer, Robin Hood, King Arthur and so many others was FANTASTIC 😍🥰 tbh might've been my favourite part!!! It was just *chef's kiss* 🤌😌
The shorter chapters made this book feel faster, but tbh, looking back, it kicked off with good action, slowed down quite a bit, and finished in a whirlwind. The world building was AMAZING (tho very confusing at first) and this is certainly not a world quickly forgotten. Also the tale is told like a bard from the ancient stories so it's a bit hard to get into, but after I got used to it I really liked it.
My favourite characters were prolly Errol Thebes and Jamilia Foundling (I mean come one she taught herself and others how to read and swordfight!!! Talk about cool). They were just so awesome and depthful and true heroes. The person telling the story, and the main character, Odd Thebes was likeable enough. I really liked him at the beginning but toward the middle he got kinda annoying with all his jealousy about Errol and wantings for what he couldn't have. Right at the end tho he got redeemed and I'm glad his selfish pages have run out, now he's ready to be the man he needs to be ❤️
Overall I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book (hovering between 3 and 4 stars) I loved the world building & characters, but some of the words and language confused me. The author used references to many other languages and I had to look up multiple words and re-read several parts which made it a bit hard.
Basically I would recommend this but know that it can be confusing and you have to push through but the unique storyline and characters make it worth it💕
"You tell the truth because you believe in it."
**
OVERVIEW
"The story of a quarantined city gripped by fear and of the war that can free it.
"Guilders work. Foundlings scrub the bogs. Needles bind. Swords tear. And men leave. There is nothing uncommon in this city. I hope Errol Thebes is dead. We both know he is safer that way."
In a walled city of a mile-high iron guild towers, many things are common knowledge: No book in any of the city's libraries reveals its place on a calendar or a map. No living beasts can be found within the city's walls. And no good comes to the guilder or foundling who trespasses too far from their labors.
Even on the tower rooftops, where Errol Thebes and the rest of the city's teenagers pass a few short years under an open sky, no one truly believe anything uncommon is possible within the city walls.
But one guildmaster has broken tradition to protect her child, and as a result the whole city faces an uncommon threat: a pair of black iron spikes that have the power of both sword and needle on the ribcages of men have gone missing, but the mayhem they cause rises everywhere. If the spikes not found and contained, no wall will be high enough to protect the city--or the world beyond it.
And Errol Thebes? He's not dead and he's certainly not safe."
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Errol Thebes has a saviour complex and tries to save people. He also has a high idea of being noble and heroic. He and Odd are best friends.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Magic spikes that cause the person's animal to come out of them. Kinda confusing but it's a bit like becoming an animagus in Harry Potter only you don't become the animal it just stays with you.
VIOLENCE
Mentions of death and blood. Talk of swords and fighting. Talk of people being dropped off the towers (one man is dropped). People are stabbed. Pain, blood, vomit, fighting, punches, and near-death experiences described.
SEXUAL CONTENT
A few kisses (no to semi-detailed). Talk of wanting someone and wanting to fall in love. One sex scene (not super descriptive but you definitely know what's happening and there is some detail; the people are then married bc of the law that if found in each other's tent at sunrise they are bound). Talk of past relationships and cheating on a husband.
LANGUAGE
"H--l" used as a curse and a place (said as hel). "D--n" and some crude language used.
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Mentions of drinking, getting drunk and drunks. Odd's father was a drunk.
OTHER NOTES
A good story if a little confusing at the begining. Recommend ages 14+ for violence, some language and sexual content
**
~Happy Reading~
February 14, 2021
As many other reviewers have noted, the language can be a bit challenging at first.
However, many things worth doing (or reading) are not easy. It's silly to assume one should be able to visit another country with a different language and customs and feel at home right away. Similarly, it is the strangeness of the world that can be overwhelming at first in COUT; it is also what makes it so special.
As I've been reading I've found that, with a bit of patience, the depth of the world brings great enjoyment and fascination. I feel totally transported and riveted by the amount of detail and the logic in the construction of this setting. The dialogue has also grown on me.
There's a wildness and a swagger in these characters that has been quite fun as well.
If you're willing to commit to a bit of a challenge this is very rewarding.
However, many things worth doing (or reading) are not easy. It's silly to assume one should be able to visit another country with a different language and customs and feel at home right away. Similarly, it is the strangeness of the world that can be overwhelming at first in COUT; it is also what makes it so special.
As I've been reading I've found that, with a bit of patience, the depth of the world brings great enjoyment and fascination. I feel totally transported and riveted by the amount of detail and the logic in the construction of this setting. The dialogue has also grown on me.
There's a wildness and a swagger in these characters that has been quite fun as well.
If you're willing to commit to a bit of a challenge this is very rewarding.
August 29, 2020
If this hadn't been quite as long (due to padding) it could have been a five star.
Something has happened in this world, something that created a walled off city of mile-high towers, each tower belongs to a guild that makes some product eventually shipped to the greater world once a year. Teens can become runners, living on the rooftops for three(ish) years before serving as an apprentice to one guild or another. Ok, so far, so familiar, right? These runner love to play pranks on each other and one day one of them steals what look like iron knitting needles... and our adventure begins. Why would these needles be so important that the administrator and his goons are prepared to do almost anything to get them back?
Of course there are deep, dark secrets about the city to be discovered, corrupt leaders and interesting side stories to be uncovered. Which we do, mostly. Sometimes things go a little too long (all the life on the roof could have been condensed), and there are things left unresolved, perhaps leading to a second book (it's unclear).
eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Something has happened in this world, something that created a walled off city of mile-high towers, each tower belongs to a guild that makes some product eventually shipped to the greater world once a year. Teens can become runners, living on the rooftops for three(ish) years before serving as an apprentice to one guild or another. Ok, so far, so familiar, right? These runner love to play pranks on each other and one day one of them steals what look like iron knitting needles... and our adventure begins. Why would these needles be so important that the administrator and his goons are prepared to do almost anything to get them back?
Of course there are deep, dark secrets about the city to be discovered, corrupt leaders and interesting side stories to be uncovered. Which we do, mostly. Sometimes things go a little too long (all the life on the roof could have been condensed), and there are things left unresolved, perhaps leading to a second book (it's unclear).
eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
March 28, 2021
I LOVED this book. I don't really understand all of the reviews about not understanding the book...it is a little confusing, but that's the point. You have to read the book to understand the world that it takes place in, and I like that I wasn't just told everything off of the bat. The narrator of the book isn't super likable, which is an interesting story telling technique (and that isn't to say that there are no likable characters––there are many). There is a longer than usual resolution, but it was very satisfying and I feel like I would get more of it with a second read now. Highly recommended read!
dnf
November 21, 2020DNF at 37%
Thank you to Penguin Teen for allowing me to have an advanced digital copy of this book. Unfortunately, it was just not for me. I tried to push through but I was supremely bored while reading. At one point everyone almost starves to death and I was actually rooting for that to happen so this book could be done.
The concept seems really cool but just not enough substance was there to keep me invested in the story. I also found all the characters to be extremely dull and self-centred which made it hard to root for them or read about them.
Thank you to Penguin Teen for allowing me to have an advanced digital copy of this book. Unfortunately, it was just not for me. I tried to push through but I was supremely bored while reading. At one point everyone almost starves to death and I was actually rooting for that to happen so this book could be done.
The concept seems really cool but just not enough substance was there to keep me invested in the story. I also found all the characters to be extremely dull and self-centred which made it hard to root for them or read about them.
February 6, 2021
“We’re at the mercy of a fleet of strangers from a world which walls us in.”
This was a very hard read. The dialogue is a mixture of “languages” and “slang” that slow down the reading pace. It made connecting with the characters and understanding their persona difficult at best. There is an intricate thought process behind the world-building I found intriguing. A world of teen runners basically ziplining from errand to errand across vast abyss-like distances to meet quotas. I was drawn in by the idea of a quarantined city cut off from everything. I imagined this closed off world getting near the rationing stage of existence while raiders outside the massive walls caused chaos. But it wasn’t really that. I can’t exactly pinpoint what way the plot truly wanted to go. It veers in different directions pulling in ideas that didn’t always fit. I liked the tidbits pulled from old mythologies and the odd bits of humor splashed here and there throughout the read. There are some great quotable moments as well.
I appreciate the unique atmosphere the author was going for overall. This isn’t a novel I was able to connect with and enjoy a much as I would’ve liked to. I think a specific type of reader will be drawn to the story in these pages and embrace the dialogue and plot. I thank Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read this gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This was a very hard read. The dialogue is a mixture of “languages” and “slang” that slow down the reading pace. It made connecting with the characters and understanding their persona difficult at best. There is an intricate thought process behind the world-building I found intriguing. A world of teen runners basically ziplining from errand to errand across vast abyss-like distances to meet quotas. I was drawn in by the idea of a quarantined city cut off from everything. I imagined this closed off world getting near the rationing stage of existence while raiders outside the massive walls caused chaos. But it wasn’t really that. I can’t exactly pinpoint what way the plot truly wanted to go. It veers in different directions pulling in ideas that didn’t always fit. I liked the tidbits pulled from old mythologies and the odd bits of humor splashed here and there throughout the read. There are some great quotable moments as well.
I appreciate the unique atmosphere the author was going for overall. This isn’t a novel I was able to connect with and enjoy a much as I would’ve liked to. I think a specific type of reader will be drawn to the story in these pages and embrace the dialogue and plot. I thank Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read this gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
April 12, 2022
Full review on my blog: The Sea Writes
Ok. Ok ok ok. Where do I start?
First of all, I guess, a lot of the other reviews here say that they couldn't finish because of the writing, and I just...do not understand? I found it to be pretty straightforward, and downright clever in places, but never confusing or overdone.
Second, I love the worldbuilding. It was honestly something I'd never read before, which is rare. That's obviously the shining star of the book. I also loved how the characters flipped on you over the course of the story. The one you thought arrogant beyond saving turned out to just be confused and compassionate, the one you thought practical and clever was selfish and cruel, the one you thought silly and unimportant turned out to have worlds inside her. Just don't give up. Give it a few chapters and this one is absolutely worth it.
Edit 4/21 Ugh I just finished this one AGAIN and it's still PERFECT and WHY ISN'T THERE A SEQUEL PLEASE I NEED ONE
Ok. Ok ok ok. Where do I start?
First of all, I guess, a lot of the other reviews here say that they couldn't finish because of the writing, and I just...do not understand? I found it to be pretty straightforward, and downright clever in places, but never confusing or overdone.
Second, I love the worldbuilding. It was honestly something I'd never read before, which is rare. That's obviously the shining star of the book. I also loved how the characters flipped on you over the course of the story. The one you thought arrogant beyond saving turned out to just be confused and compassionate, the one you thought practical and clever was selfish and cruel, the one you thought silly and unimportant turned out to have worlds inside her. Just don't give up. Give it a few chapters and this one is absolutely worth it.
Edit 4/21 Ugh I just finished this one AGAIN and it's still PERFECT and WHY ISN'T THERE A SEQUEL PLEASE I NEED ONE
September 15, 2020
A new spell-binding fantasy inspired by Ancient Greece.
Though confusing at times, the world-building in this story was so rich! I really liked the tone and atmosphere of the story. The plot was intriguing, and the writing. So many good lines. I'm a big fan of poetic but direct prose. However, it was a little too direct at points. I didn't feel like I was really in the thick of it with the characters, if that makes sense? And I feel like I would have enjoyed it more, had it been shorter. It was also a little too thicc for the story it was trying to tell, in my opinion.
All in all, this was a really interesting fantasy. Mark your calendars for February 9, 2021!
A big thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC of this book!
Though confusing at times, the world-building in this story was so rich! I really liked the tone and atmosphere of the story. The plot was intriguing, and the writing. So many good lines. I'm a big fan of poetic but direct prose. However, it was a little too direct at points. I didn't feel like I was really in the thick of it with the characters, if that makes sense? And I feel like I would have enjoyed it more, had it been shorter. It was also a little too thicc for the story it was trying to tell, in my opinion.
All in all, this was a really interesting fantasy. Mark your calendars for February 9, 2021!
A big thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC of this book!
February 13, 2021
“𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤. 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐛 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐠𝐬. 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐒𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐄𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝. 𝐖𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲.”—Lynne Bertrand
Unique. Different. Fun. I wasn’t quite prepared for how much this story grew on me. In fact, I ADORED it! I was intrigued, curious, and fully entertained. We all have tales to tell, especially Odd Thebes, and what a tale he weaves! The world building is fascinating, centered around the runners who fly from roof to roof, carrying messages, supplies, and bridging the connection between each building. These dare-devils use zip lines to get around. They pull pranks, have contests, parties, and the weirdest customs! The world building was a little confusing at first because there are no info dumps. I believe this is why it got so many low ratings. But if you stick with it, the answers do come! And they are so satisfying! I loved the way it ended.
Within every person lives a beast. Some are rats, birds, and cats. Others are stags, panthers, and even dragons. Only the people living on the streets have any idea of this. Those living in the guild skyscrapers have no idea whatsoever. They are too disconnected from the streets. When a pair of knotting spikes is stolen, it is discovered that these spikes split a person open, ripping out their soul-animal, which crawling out of their chests. Fascinating, right?
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫...𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬. 𝐎𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝.”
This story is told by the bard Odd Thebes, who also happens to be the jealous cousin to Errol Thebes, the city’s hero. His jealousy comes between them a few times. But I liked this. It showed severe flaws on his part. No one likes a perfect character. His storytelling is bunt and open. He is intelligent, speaks some twenty or more languages, is familiar with all the city slang. The perfect storyteller. I really liked his character and struggles.
There’s something dark happening in the city. What starts as a very tight scope, broadens. Everyone who lives in the city accepts things for the way they are. They have no idea of the darkness lurking beneath. They have no idea why they are quarantined for hundreds and even thousands of years. They know nothing of the world beyond. They live in mystery. But Errol Thebes rips everything apart when he finds himself on the streets below. He becomes the hero the city needs.
I cannot believe how much I liked this book! At fist, I thought perhaps it would be a two star. I read some reviews and got a bad feeling. But it had something that kept me interested. And by the 20% mark I was so intrigued! The story got better and better, told in snippets that wove together. I wanted to give this five stars but I think the little bit of confusion I experienced in the beginning doesn’t allow it. MY RATING: 4/5⭐️
Unique. Different. Fun. I wasn’t quite prepared for how much this story grew on me. In fact, I ADORED it! I was intrigued, curious, and fully entertained. We all have tales to tell, especially Odd Thebes, and what a tale he weaves! The world building is fascinating, centered around the runners who fly from roof to roof, carrying messages, supplies, and bridging the connection between each building. These dare-devils use zip lines to get around. They pull pranks, have contests, parties, and the weirdest customs! The world building was a little confusing at first because there are no info dumps. I believe this is why it got so many low ratings. But if you stick with it, the answers do come! And they are so satisfying! I loved the way it ended.
Within every person lives a beast. Some are rats, birds, and cats. Others are stags, panthers, and even dragons. Only the people living on the streets have any idea of this. Those living in the guild skyscrapers have no idea whatsoever. They are too disconnected from the streets. When a pair of knotting spikes is stolen, it is discovered that these spikes split a person open, ripping out their soul-animal, which crawling out of their chests. Fascinating, right?
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫...𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬. 𝐎𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝.”
This story is told by the bard Odd Thebes, who also happens to be the jealous cousin to Errol Thebes, the city’s hero. His jealousy comes between them a few times. But I liked this. It showed severe flaws on his part. No one likes a perfect character. His storytelling is bunt and open. He is intelligent, speaks some twenty or more languages, is familiar with all the city slang. The perfect storyteller. I really liked his character and struggles.
There’s something dark happening in the city. What starts as a very tight scope, broadens. Everyone who lives in the city accepts things for the way they are. They have no idea of the darkness lurking beneath. They have no idea why they are quarantined for hundreds and even thousands of years. They know nothing of the world beyond. They live in mystery. But Errol Thebes rips everything apart when he finds himself on the streets below. He becomes the hero the city needs.
I cannot believe how much I liked this book! At fist, I thought perhaps it would be a two star. I read some reviews and got a bad feeling. But it had something that kept me interested. And by the 20% mark I was so intrigued! The story got better and better, told in snippets that wove together. I wanted to give this five stars but I think the little bit of confusion I experienced in the beginning doesn’t allow it. MY RATING: 4/5⭐️
May 23, 2021
Stuffed with myth, love of language, and heroics. A mix of Chaucer, Homer, and Pullman.
Read
February 6, 2021thank you to penguinteen and netgallery for the arc!
DNF... yeah... this one isn’t going to work out. i’m suffocated by the info-dumping and wildly confused...
DNF... yeah... this one isn’t going to work out. i’m suffocated by the info-dumping and wildly confused...
February 1, 2021
Overall, this book came down to a confusing tale that felt, well, half-baked.
Spoiler-free Review: https://amberinoface.wordpress.com/20...
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
Spoiler-free Review: https://amberinoface.wordpress.com/20...
I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
February 5, 2021
City of Uncommon Thief is not my typical go-to-read or genre preference. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are several made up words that match the created world in this tale, which can make the reading challenging in the beginning. As you continue reading these words seem less and less important to directly translate to English.
In this book, readers meet Odd and Errol Thebes two cousins who are "runners" in an unnamed guild city. They seem content to race across the flies, tell stories, and play games that is until the iron spikes are discovered. Errol confesses to stealing the spikes which leads to secrets, love, courage, and fear being discovered.
Bertrand does an excellent job with character development and world creation. Although many things seem similar to ours in this world, they are also vastly different. This books has similar vibes to The Giver and Hunger Games, but it is also uniquely its own story. It may be a benefit to the reader to know some epic poems like Beowulf and Odyssey.
I would highly recommend this book and hope Lynne Bertrand will continue her tale of Odd, Errol, Jamila, and Leah.
In this book, readers meet Odd and Errol Thebes two cousins who are "runners" in an unnamed guild city. They seem content to race across the flies, tell stories, and play games that is until the iron spikes are discovered. Errol confesses to stealing the spikes which leads to secrets, love, courage, and fear being discovered.
Bertrand does an excellent job with character development and world creation. Although many things seem similar to ours in this world, they are also vastly different. This books has similar vibes to The Giver and Hunger Games, but it is also uniquely its own story. It may be a benefit to the reader to know some epic poems like Beowulf and Odyssey.
I would highly recommend this book and hope Lynne Bertrand will continue her tale of Odd, Errol, Jamila, and Leah.
February 7, 2021
A brilliant, sophisticated tale told from the perspective of one Odd Thebes, bard of Thebes tower, one mile-high tower in a city of a thousand towers that stand, lofty, above a mysterious surface that carries secrets no one could guess until the tale runs to its end. Odd tells of his cousin, Errol Thebes, and many others who make up the guild city of towers locked in a search for a set of guild spikes that are uncommon. How uncommon they are is for readers to discover once they crack open the pages of the book.
What makes this book brilliant is there is no world-building info-dump that usually accompanies fantasy novels. It puts the reader into the narrative and requires what anyone would need to learn when in any new place with new people and new language, and that is to pick up the language quickly to adapt to the surroundings and move through life there. The plot is a puzzle, laid out for the reader to solve. By the end of the book, the puzzle can be flipped over and reworked, for the back end of it is just as fun to put together.
I can’t complain about the book at all. I absolutely loved it.
My thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC, for which I give my own opinion.
What makes this book brilliant is there is no world-building info-dump that usually accompanies fantasy novels. It puts the reader into the narrative and requires what anyone would need to learn when in any new place with new people and new language, and that is to pick up the language quickly to adapt to the surroundings and move through life there. The plot is a puzzle, laid out for the reader to solve. By the end of the book, the puzzle can be flipped over and reworked, for the back end of it is just as fun to put together.
I can’t complain about the book at all. I absolutely loved it.
My thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC, for which I give my own opinion.
January 26, 2021
This concept was such an interesting one that called to me but it didn't quite live up to my expectations.
Unfortunately, I found myself confused in several parts and had a little bit of a difficult time keeping up with what was happening. I thought the world-building was a bit complicated but overall pretty good. I could place myself in the world but, again, I think if I was in the world I would be completely lost as to what was going on and why I should care.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters that well either. I wanted to, as I always do when I read something, but it was just difficult.
Overall I think this had such a cool premise but the execution wasn't quite there. There are a lot of references to various greek myths, which I am very familiar with, so that helped a bit but someone not familiar might be even more confused.
E-arc was received by Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Penguin Teen!
Unfortunately, I found myself confused in several parts and had a little bit of a difficult time keeping up with what was happening. I thought the world-building was a bit complicated but overall pretty good. I could place myself in the world but, again, I think if I was in the world I would be completely lost as to what was going on and why I should care.
I didn't really connect with any of the characters that well either. I wanted to, as I always do when I read something, but it was just difficult.
Overall I think this had such a cool premise but the execution wasn't quite there. There are a lot of references to various greek myths, which I am very familiar with, so that helped a bit but someone not familiar might be even more confused.
E-arc was received by Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Penguin Teen!
April 11, 2021
An amazing and well crafted tale
I came to this book after a positive Kirkus review, and I’m so glad I read it. It’s a rare book where plotting, characterization, and world building come together to create a thrilling, gorgeous story. This book deserves more readers—don’t hesitate!
I came to this book after a positive Kirkus review, and I’m so glad I read it. It’s a rare book where plotting, characterization, and world building come together to create a thrilling, gorgeous story. This book deserves more readers—don’t hesitate!
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February 26, 2021I won't be rating this book as I did not finish it. The writing style, the language, everything just didn't work for me. Major info dump and just general confusion.
Based on other reviewers, I'm not the only one who thought this once starting this book.
Based on other reviewers, I'm not the only one who thought this once starting this book.
March 19, 2022
This book had so much potential! A thieves guild fighting for survival in a mysterious quarantined city…I was so excited for this one! Unfortunately the writing style and the worldbuilding really left me confused and wanting more explanations.
The characters were really interesting though, and they were what kept me interested in the book enough to want to finish it. Also, I listened to the audiobook for this one which made it a little bit easier to understand. I think if I’d been reading the book, I would’ve DNFed this one.
This is one of those books that was a great concept, but it just missed the mark for me, unfortunately.
The characters were really interesting though, and they were what kept me interested in the book enough to want to finish it. Also, I listened to the audiobook for this one which made it a little bit easier to understand. I think if I’d been reading the book, I would’ve DNFed this one.
This is one of those books that was a great concept, but it just missed the mark for me, unfortunately.
November 30, 2020
one of the richest YA worlds/world-building I’ve come across. unfortunately, it was just a bit too confusing for me. rtc!
a huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
a huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 12, 2021
I'm sorry...but this book is really why I don't favor traditionally published books. Penguin Teen picks this one up and claims to be a choosy publisher when there are thousands of well-written indies out there that wouldn't have been considered? Ugh. Enough with my rant on the publishing industry though.
I like the cover of this book. I really do. And some of the descriptions were nice. But this book traded in actual good writing/a developed plot for fluff and overly "big and fancy" words. There was so much info-dumping and I felt like the author was just trying way too hard to be a writer that people think of and say "wow. I have no idea what half those sentences mean, but that just must mean the author is much more intelligent and eloquent than I, a lowly reader!" Gah, I sound so harsh, but I'm just bummed because I always look forward to newly released reads and jump right on buying them when I get the chance. Especially ones that look really cool, like this one. But sadly, because of all the ridiculous elements (info dumping, overly big words, odd style), I DNF @ around 40%. I just couldn't get into it... I felt like the story was going nowhere.
I still to this day don't understand why some elitist readers will scoff at independent books when many traditionally published books fall way below the indies. But what do I know? I'm not a writer and I'm not a publisher, only a reviewer and reader who...very sadly...could not finish this one.
I like the cover of this book. I really do. And some of the descriptions were nice. But this book traded in actual good writing/a developed plot for fluff and overly "big and fancy" words. There was so much info-dumping and I felt like the author was just trying way too hard to be a writer that people think of and say "wow. I have no idea what half those sentences mean, but that just must mean the author is much more intelligent and eloquent than I, a lowly reader!" Gah, I sound so harsh, but I'm just bummed because I always look forward to newly released reads and jump right on buying them when I get the chance. Especially ones that look really cool, like this one. But sadly, because of all the ridiculous elements (info dumping, overly big words, odd style), I DNF @ around 40%. I just couldn't get into it... I felt like the story was going nowhere.
I still to this day don't understand why some elitist readers will scoff at independent books when many traditionally published books fall way below the indies. But what do I know? I'm not a writer and I'm not a publisher, only a reviewer and reader who...very sadly...could not finish this one.
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January 24, 2021 Thank you so much to the publisher, Penguin Teen, for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 15%
I am unable to connect with this book for a variety of reasons. The characters are difficult to understand and connect with, the world is so complicated and not explained at all and I am simply not enjoying this story. I always feel super bad DNFing an ARC that I was sent to review but I feel like it is the best option rather than continuing and ending up giving this book a poor rating in the end. I will leave this book unrated since I feel that I have not read enough to justify giving it a star rating. (Also the read dates for this book are in 2015 so it does not affect my reading challenge for 2021).
DNF @ 15%
I am unable to connect with this book for a variety of reasons. The characters are difficult to understand and connect with, the world is so complicated and not explained at all and I am simply not enjoying this story. I always feel super bad DNFing an ARC that I was sent to review but I feel like it is the best option rather than continuing and ending up giving this book a poor rating in the end. I will leave this book unrated since I feel that I have not read enough to justify giving it a star rating. (Also the read dates for this book are in 2015 so it does not affect my reading challenge for 2021).
August 2, 2020
Lynne Bertrand’s debut novel would best suit a targeted audience, namely readers familiar with Norse and Greek myths and epics, linguistics, as well as those who enjoy epic fantasy and pastoral literature with its parodies.
This is a difficult story to envision. Readers are immediately immersed into an alternate reality—whether it takes place in a future world or part of a medieval world is not really known. It’s simply “other.” It exists, however, with some relation to our world’s past, as the tales that have survived here are the epics and the myths, as well as our languages, both past and present: Latin, ancient Greek, French, Welsh and English to name a few. Readers will also find themselves trying make sense of these languages, with the use of common vocabularies in newly applied contexts that yield new meanings to these words and phrases. As well, the story is not necessarily told in a linear fashion—readers are introduced to a scene at the beginning, then find themselves in the past and back to the present. While these views of the past help readers gain a better understanding of how this world works as the story advances, some readers may find the progression a bit strange and at times frustrating.
Also, when readers are at a point where they think that they’ve come to an understanding of the setting and the basic plot, a fantasy element is introduced, further skewing this reality.
That said, the characters help redeem the story. The hero and his sidekick are unconventional and regularly find themselves in situations that offer a comedic turn. More than a few quirky vignettes play out. These scenes don’t necessarily contribute much to the main plot; but they offer a happy, and at times needed, diversion.
This is a difficult story to envision. Readers are immediately immersed into an alternate reality—whether it takes place in a future world or part of a medieval world is not really known. It’s simply “other.” It exists, however, with some relation to our world’s past, as the tales that have survived here are the epics and the myths, as well as our languages, both past and present: Latin, ancient Greek, French, Welsh and English to name a few. Readers will also find themselves trying make sense of these languages, with the use of common vocabularies in newly applied contexts that yield new meanings to these words and phrases. As well, the story is not necessarily told in a linear fashion—readers are introduced to a scene at the beginning, then find themselves in the past and back to the present. While these views of the past help readers gain a better understanding of how this world works as the story advances, some readers may find the progression a bit strange and at times frustrating.
Also, when readers are at a point where they think that they’ve come to an understanding of the setting and the basic plot, a fantasy element is introduced, further skewing this reality.
That said, the characters help redeem the story. The hero and his sidekick are unconventional and regularly find themselves in situations that offer a comedic turn. More than a few quirky vignettes play out. These scenes don’t necessarily contribute much to the main plot; but they offer a happy, and at times needed, diversion.
January 21, 2021
Take this review as you will considered I decided *NOT* to finish the book. But after getting to around the 40% mark, I realized I can't continue with a book when I have no idea what's going on, who's actually telling the story, or what even the main plot of the story is. I am generally as confused as all get out and do not want to continue to waste my time reading this.
I had generally hoped if I continued to stick with it I would at least comprehend the basic plot. So there's some "uncommon" (i.e. very special??) knotting spikes, but... Why? The world-building is actually really good, but it's also complex and thank God for that index in the beginning because... Wow. But I think it's this very complex world-building that makes this book difficult to comprehend and follow. In this book, the characters live together in "guilds" and on extremely tall towers--we're talking hundreds of floors, or "stratas" as the characters say. There are no animals whatsoever and the people survive by storing the food and supplies that arrive once a year on multiple massive ships. But... why? Why is it this way? We've got a dialect with words and terms that I continue to struggle to understand, making this an overall unpleasant read.
I had generally hoped if I continued to stick with it I would at least comprehend the basic plot. So there's some "uncommon" (i.e. very special??) knotting spikes, but... Why? The world-building is actually really good, but it's also complex and thank God for that index in the beginning because... Wow. But I think it's this very complex world-building that makes this book difficult to comprehend and follow. In this book, the characters live together in "guilds" and on extremely tall towers--we're talking hundreds of floors, or "stratas" as the characters say. There are no animals whatsoever and the people survive by storing the food and supplies that arrive once a year on multiple massive ships. But... why? Why is it this way? We've got a dialect with words and terms that I continue to struggle to understand, making this an overall unpleasant read.
January 26, 2021
*Thank you to Penguins for the advanced copy for my honest review*
Well this was definitely an interesting read. A fantasy inspired by Ancient Greece steeped in myths and legends. My only complaint is that it’s extremely tedious. From the get-go I have no clue who’s talking. Then context was a bit muddled. I get it’s an advanced copy so there’s going to be imperfections, but some sentence ended in weird spots or with a letter and I was like wait what does it say. There’s also, what I’m assuming, Latin words and I have no clue what they mean. So in a while it was a hard book to grasp. The world building was nice and the adventure was there for the fantasy aspect, but honestly it felt rushed and randomly thrown together.
Well this was definitely an interesting read. A fantasy inspired by Ancient Greece steeped in myths and legends. My only complaint is that it’s extremely tedious. From the get-go I have no clue who’s talking. Then context was a bit muddled. I get it’s an advanced copy so there’s going to be imperfections, but some sentence ended in weird spots or with a letter and I was like wait what does it say. There’s also, what I’m assuming, Latin words and I have no clue what they mean. So in a while it was a hard book to grasp. The world building was nice and the adventure was there for the fantasy aspect, but honestly it felt rushed and randomly thrown together.
May 18, 2021
I loved this. I liked the writing, and the fact that everything wasn’t spelt out straight away. The narrator was gloriously selfish and unlikeable at times, which again, I perversely liked.
March 22, 2022
Read for work. Glad to be done.
May 21, 2022
Book: City of the Uncommon Thief
Author: Lynne Bertrand
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars
Wow…This just was not the book for me. This is one of those deals where the book sounds like it’s going to be a hit for me but ends up being the opposite. I mean, we have a group of thieves who live in this harsh world and a world that doesn’t exist anywhere. It’s like everything is invisible except to those who live in this city. This sounds, to me, like this, should have been a five-star book. However, it wasn’t.
First off, this is on the shorter side for adult fantasy. It’s around four hundred pages long. However, it is a very dense and complex read. I know, I know, this should not be a turn-off for me. I have read some pretty complex fantasy stories before and have greatly enjoyed them. However, there was something off about this one. I think that the thing I struggled with the most was we got all of the information about the world in the first couple of pages. I don’t like it whenever authors do this. You need to use those first pages to hook your reader. Now, you can build up your world, but, please, don’t use the info dump right at the start. You, again, have to pull the reader in. Also, by giving us your world in one go, it doesn’t allow us to experience the world and see the world through the characters’ eyes.
The world-building isn’t clear at all. We are given a bunch of guilds at one time. I am assuming that they are all connected by roofs, but it’s not clear. All of these guilds are supposed to have some kind of purpose. However, it’s not clear. We are just expected to go with whatever is thrown at us. Whenever I am reading, I want direction. I want to know what is going on with the world and why things are the way they are. It’s not clear here. I understand that the author may have been going for the mysterious element, but readers still need to have enough information to piece together what is happening. I know it's given to us in the first chapter, but it’s so dense and it feels like you are reading the author’s notes. There’s just no connection, no nothing. It’s almost like the author just expects us to go with it, without questioning it. Fantasy books need to have some kind of logic and support them.
The characters were also confusing. I went through this book without really knowing who the main character is. I found myself having a very difficult time forming any kind of bond with the character. I didn’t even know why I was supposed to care about the character. We also have a huge cast of characters and it’s impossible to keep everyone straight. This is a major problem. To me, this means that the characters are not thought out and not developed at all. Yes, books of this length can have a huge cast. However, you have to put some thought into them and have to give us things that make them stand out from one another. I had no idea who was who. I had no idea why I should care what the characters were doing.
One thing that is kind of upsetting to me is I see that this has been picked up by young adult publishers and is being marketed as a young adult. Um…No….This is an adult title. Don’t be fooled by the marketing.
Author: Lynne Bertrand
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars
Wow…This just was not the book for me. This is one of those deals where the book sounds like it’s going to be a hit for me but ends up being the opposite. I mean, we have a group of thieves who live in this harsh world and a world that doesn’t exist anywhere. It’s like everything is invisible except to those who live in this city. This sounds, to me, like this, should have been a five-star book. However, it wasn’t.
First off, this is on the shorter side for adult fantasy. It’s around four hundred pages long. However, it is a very dense and complex read. I know, I know, this should not be a turn-off for me. I have read some pretty complex fantasy stories before and have greatly enjoyed them. However, there was something off about this one. I think that the thing I struggled with the most was we got all of the information about the world in the first couple of pages. I don’t like it whenever authors do this. You need to use those first pages to hook your reader. Now, you can build up your world, but, please, don’t use the info dump right at the start. You, again, have to pull the reader in. Also, by giving us your world in one go, it doesn’t allow us to experience the world and see the world through the characters’ eyes.
The world-building isn’t clear at all. We are given a bunch of guilds at one time. I am assuming that they are all connected by roofs, but it’s not clear. All of these guilds are supposed to have some kind of purpose. However, it’s not clear. We are just expected to go with whatever is thrown at us. Whenever I am reading, I want direction. I want to know what is going on with the world and why things are the way they are. It’s not clear here. I understand that the author may have been going for the mysterious element, but readers still need to have enough information to piece together what is happening. I know it's given to us in the first chapter, but it’s so dense and it feels like you are reading the author’s notes. There’s just no connection, no nothing. It’s almost like the author just expects us to go with it, without questioning it. Fantasy books need to have some kind of logic and support them.
The characters were also confusing. I went through this book without really knowing who the main character is. I found myself having a very difficult time forming any kind of bond with the character. I didn’t even know why I was supposed to care about the character. We also have a huge cast of characters and it’s impossible to keep everyone straight. This is a major problem. To me, this means that the characters are not thought out and not developed at all. Yes, books of this length can have a huge cast. However, you have to put some thought into them and have to give us things that make them stand out from one another. I had no idea who was who. I had no idea why I should care what the characters were doing.
One thing that is kind of upsetting to me is I see that this has been picked up by young adult publishers and is being marketed as a young adult. Um…No….This is an adult title. Don’t be fooled by the marketing.
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