REVIEW: Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

 

Pearson welcomes fans back to the lush world set in The Remnant Chronicles where there are new betrayals to unfold!

What will happen when a master thief and a young leader cross paths? Dance of Thieves is an exciting story full of plenty of cut-throat action, angst, and deception. In true Mary E. Pearson fashion, readers will see the truth behind these characters’ hearts and instantly fall in love with them and their story.

The blurb:

A new novel in the New York Times bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives – and their hearts.

When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty’s resentment and anger.

At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

Dance of Thieves is set after the events from The Remnant Chronicles. I’ve only read the first book in that series so I went in not as familiar with this world as others may be, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. A lot of moments that are mentioned I was able to grasp, and honestly the previous events don’t take up much of Dance of Thieves. This book feels very much like its own series.

It’s told in a dual POV, and our two main characters are Kazi and Jase. Kazi is a member of the queen of Venda’s Rhatan, which means never fail, but before becoming Rhatan she was a master thief. Then there’s Jase Ballenger who is the new Patrei over a land the Ballengers claim is the “first kingdom”. I absolutely loved both of them! They have completely different backgrounds but are so alike in many ways, too. They are fiercely loyal to the people they love and this trait drove the story forward.

Dance of Thieves is a long book, and there’s a lot of world building and history told. I’m definitely a fan of Mary E. Pearson’s writing. She knows how to write beautiful, detailed descriptions. But what I love most about her writing are her characters. There is so much heart behind each one and I completely fell in love with all of them!

I was skeptic about The Ballengers but they are such a precious family. They reminded me a lot of my own family and I think readers will feel the same when they dive into this story. Then there was Kazi’s relationship with her team, especially with Wren and Synove. They are fierce! These three are the strong female characters we desperately want in YA literature. Everyone is fantastic because they aren’t perfect. They are flawed and relatable making it easy to root for them until the end.

When Kazi and Jase’s paths cross there is a lot of drama, which is to be expected of course. It was fun to read about the relationships that formed between the characters, though. And the romance is great! This one is a hate-to-love one and I’m always up for those. Definitely expect some swoonworthy moments!

The climax of the story felt like everything was going to be wrapped up nicely, up until the final chapter. I can’t wait to read what comes next even if I am scared to find out! If you’re a fan of The Remnant Chronicles then I think you’ll enjoy Dance of Thieves. It’s a thrilling ride that expands a world fans already love. Also, if you’re new to these kingdoms and characters, I think you’ll still be able to enjoy this book if you’re looking for a fun, action-packed story!

Characters are everything here

4.4
Plot
Characters
Writing
Theme/Message

Since Dance of Thieves is such a long book, I did find it dragged at certain points but overall I found the plot intriguing thanks to the characters. I’m a huge fan of character driven stories and this one filled up my heart! I loved all of them and was able to relate to certain traits from each also. Mary E. Pearson’s writing is always fantastic. Her descriptions are beautiful and truly flesh out both the world and her characters. How can one be good in a cut-throat world?

"And she is the reader who browses the shelf and looks for new worlds but finds herself." - I'm a writer who enjoys telling you all about the things I love, which includes a lot of books!

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2 Comments
  • H. M. Coy • 6 years ago

    Okay I had never heard of this book before, but a pretty book will always pull me in. And you sold me on it, if I can find it anywhere. From all the books I’ve read, I’ve discovered that I don’t mind reading a book if its drags a little if its got bomb-ass characters. They’re what tend to stick to me most!

    • Kris Mauna • 6 years ago

      This cover is soooo gorgeous!! I hope you enjoy it if you get a chance to read it! The characters seriously are the best.. I’m all for character driven stories as well! <3