First the few criticisms I have, because once I get started on the good I won’t be able to stop. While this follows on from a stand alone book it really behoves you to do prior reading. Not just Thorn, which is to be expected, but also the short story The Bone Knife. The main character, Rae, and her family are introduced in this, along with her disability. While the exact way in which she is disabled isn’t exactly of the upmost importance and is explained in the book, she begins a relationship with another character in it as well and it’s referred back to several times. There’s also a reference to her and her sisters meeting a dragon, though I don’t know where that’s from. In short, do the reading and seek out Thorn and The Bone Knife before you start this. Thankfully the Kindle edition of Thorn bundles both of these together.

That aside, I loved this book.

There was a lot of good things to say about Thorn but it was a story very centred around the protagonist, Thorn. It had a rich world with several interesting things going on it in but Thorn mostly dipped her toe into them and left me with a lot of questions. This is the book where those questions are addressed, if not answered.

Spurred by the kidnapping of one of her friend’s sisters, Rae accept an invitation to court with the aim of doing something about the Snatchers, who disappear kids and enslave them. She quickly finds herself engulfed by the shadowy politics of court and the grimy underlife of the city. Having equal experience with both, none, she has to find her balance and investigate where she can, despite the risk to herself.

Thorn was a very dark and depressing book, with a lot of terrible things happening to and around the protagonist. The Theft of Sunlight also has that but it’s not as personally aimed at Rae, which makes a nice difference. And maybe what I like most is the life going on in the background. Alyrra and Kestrin getting married is a lovely occasion, which takes up most of the novel. The different ceremonies and events lends a lighter tone to the more serious plot of slavery. I particularly like the part where Kestrin turns up with gifts and is ritually chased out only to return with more.

The whole story is a rich tapestry of light and dark, rich and poor, kindness and cruelty. Like all good fairy tales. It’s enchanting.