The Magic Thief
Author: Kendall Kulper
Publication Date: November 10th 2015
Publisher: Orchard Books
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
Even witches fall in love...
Mal has an idylic childhood on Prince Island with Essie, the next witch of Salt and Storm. But all that changes when Essie, in a fit of anger, tells everyone what he really is.
With no choice but to leave his home, Mal becomes the magic thief, stealing magical items for the higest bidder. And when he steals the shar, a knife with the ability to cut the magic out of those it touches, he finally finds a way to get his revenge on the girl he once loved...
I loved The
Witch of Salt and Storm last year, it was something different, the writing was
gorgeous, the characters were strong, the plot so damn clever and an ending
that was true to the story and its main character.
That being
said, The Magic Thief is on a whole other level. Although it is centred and
tied to Prince Island, we get to explore with Mal outside of the island and see
the effect magic has and the way it's used in other parts of the world. We also
get sneaky fun with Boone and Mal as hunters, their (and almost every other
hunter out there) next job trying to find the Tsar and by doing so,
establishing themselves and start a confederation, but to Mal, there's only one
thing in sight: revenge.
I went from serious
highs and lows during reading The Magic Thief, and by that I mean, I really
connected to Mal, he had a lot of highs and lows himself, mostly lows. Being a
blank, Mal's immune to magic, but by being a blank means a monster, living on
Prince Island surrounded by magic and charms, Mal had never felt more at home
with Essie Roe at his side, but having to leave Prince Island with hate in his
heart for everything Roe, it brings out his darker side. Working witch Boone
gave him something back. When you rely on somebody as your home, it can be
taken away, and when you rely on people as your home, you only see what they
want you to see.
Once again,
The Magic Thief is complicated and although not as twisty as its predecessor,
it's not predictable and it has its own twists that play into The Witch of Salt
and Storm.
The Magic
Thief is darker than The Witch of Salt and Storm, broadens the world building
and shows you a different side of it with a complicated character that you
can't help but like, even when he's hard to like, and it tells the story of
Essie (Avery's mother) and Mal, and both books tie into one another perfectly, and I love how it all comes full circle.
Rating: 4.5/5
