I have decided that the only way I can write this review clearly is to include explicit spoilers, which I haven't actually done yet, or at least I don't think I have! *ponders*I have found this rather fabulous summary that Sarah Rees Brennan (Of The Demon's Lexicon Series) posted earlier this year, before I had read the books it confused me, after reading them I find it hysterical. : )
“GEN: There goes the Queen of Attolia, that hateful hellbeast. Hi Attolia, I'm in your kingdom stealing your miracle stone.
ATTOLIA: I poisoned my fiance you know. Why do you think it is a good idea to cross me?
GEN: I broke into your bedroom just to leave earrings by your bed. Mocking earrings.
ATTOLIA: I have hatched a cunning plan to catch you. And now I'm going to cut off your hand.
GEN: No, you're not, I am the hero of the story, and a master thief. There's no way - ow. OW.
ATTOLIA: Told you.
GEN: I am off to plot my revenge. It will involve kidnapping you and taking you away in a boat and threatening your life.
ATTOLIA: Well, crap.
GEN: Or... we could get married.
ATTOLIA: Wut?
GEN: I love you! DID YOU LIKE MY EARRINGS. PLEASE SAY YES.
ATTOLIA: I cut off your hand.
VILLAIN: I have rescued you, Attolia. Are you not GRATEFUL?
ATTOLIA: So grateful! He is short and younger than me and missing a hand and crazy. By the way, do you like my new earrings?
VILLAIN: Very fetching!
ATTOLIA: They're a sign I'm going to doublecross you and marry Gen.
GEN: I'm so happy, my brilliantly deceitful love. As a wedding present to ourselves, shall I defeat all the troublesome nobles in your country by means of trickery, fashion, and brilliant swordplay?
ATTOLIA: Assuredly you may, my husband. Come visit me through our secret passageways and we'll do pillowplotting.
EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD: But... she cut off your hand.
GEN AND ATTOLIA: Every relationship has problems. Don't be a hater.”
Full Sarah Post Here People should read it as it's fabulous, as is everything she writes.
So, so. Urm. Eh? These were pretty much my first opinions when I put down the book. I adored it, first thing I did was text people to explain the insane wonderment I was feeling in response to the love story that is revealed near the end of the book.
Firstly, The Thief teases the queen by leaving her gifts at her bedside, to prove that there is nowhere he can't break into and nothing he can't take. Of course this plan all falls apart into a big fire ball of doom when he is caught. *insert evil laugh here* Once again our poor hero Gen finds himself incarcerated, mistreated and underfed. *pats his head* What we then find out is, this is not the worst situation our wonderful hero can find himself in. When he is dragged to what is essentially a torture chamber, we still believe in his ability to escape any danger and charm himself out of any situation. Then his hand is cut off. O_o To him this is a fate worse than death, he wishes he'd have been killed. His hands are an essential part of his craft, and his grief over losing his hand is incredibly well written and it is very interesting to read about how he learns to cope and adapts his life to suit his new limitation.
It is at this point that the queen begins to regret what she's done. Possibly my favourite metaphor ever written was mentioned here, where she thinks back to a tantrum she had as a child and broke one of her favourite belongings. This was just perfect and I felt I could understand how the Queen's feelings may begin to change. Especially since Gen is well known to be a little easy on the eyes. Plus he's sarcastic and snarky and the ladies *coughmecough* always love this in fiction. : ) The queen begins to lose sleep and dwell on what she has done, and this is written very clearly and subtly throughout the novel. I was happy with it's development. The development of Gen's feelings for the Queen however were quite an extreme shock! As far as I was aware he hated her, wanted revenge, and wanted her to suffer at his hands. My opinion on the situation is pretty much the same as the Queen's was, 'Huh? What? How? What?!' I believed as she did that it must have just been an elaborate trick to make his revenge on her all the sweeter. Apparently he is sincere though, I guess I have trouble with sincerity, especially when it seems without appropriate motivation.
So I guess it just goes to show you, if you want somebody to fall in love with you all you have to do is incarcerate them, feed them very little, beat them up when they anger you and then tie them up and chop off their dominant hand. A couple of years obsessing over getting their revenge on you will result in a marriage proposal that you literally can't refuse. Well, can't refuse without being drowned anyway. : ) Their love may be sudden, but the angst, the verbal banter and the outright death threats make it a very interesting love to read about! I can't wait to read more of them, it's probably a little cruel that I hope they argue lots. Hehe.
Other than the love story the novel pretty much functions as it's predecessor did. It follows a sequence of events, in this case a war. The war strategies were very well thought out and I liked the way they all intertwined. Good attention was given to the individual parts of the four nations mentioned and what their roles were in various attacks. The background characters were as entertaining as before, but sadly shadowed by Gen and the Attolian Queen. They were so detailed and so passionate that they practically leapt off the page and began to bicker in front of your face. I will be picking up the next book to read as soon as I finish this review! … *reads*
Currently Reading: The King of Attolia By Megan Whalen Turner
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