Teen Title Talks: The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

 ★★★★

Eugenides is about as sneaky, tricky, and thieving of a boy as you could ever come across. Up until now he has been held in the prison of Sounis, one of the three kingdoms of the Peninsula. Despite being crowded close together, these three nations only hold a fragile peace, and political schemes run ramped. Unfortunately for Eugenides (or Gen, as he is often called) he is about to get roped into one of these schemes. The advisor of Sounis, also known as the magus, frees Gen from prison and takes him on a journey to steal a precious stone known as Hamiathe's Gift. Accompanying them are the two apprentices of the magus, Ambiades and Sophos, and a soldier named Pol. Hamiathe's Gift itself holds no real monetary value, rather it is of very ritual importance for Sounis' neighboring kingdom, Eddis. The king and magus of Sounis hope to rescue this stone from deep in an ancient temple where it has been held for years in order to have certain political advantages over Eddis. That's where Gen comes in- no one has yet been skilled enough to gain access into the temple and reach the stone, yet Gen's infamous thieving abilities may be the key. The magus believes his plan is foolproof, but there are other factors at play- the third country, Attolia, will surely capture them if they find the party trespassing on their land, and Gen himself has his own motives and goals that he keeps silent from the others...

This book, though relatively unheard of, is fantastically written. It is really everything one could hope for in a novel labeled "Fantasy". The character's quick wit and sarcasm keep you laughing, while hidden plots and deceit keep you turning page after page. While the plot of the story is intricate and captivating, it is really the characters themselves one becomes drawn to. Every one of them has more hidden under the surface than you would first think. One has to keep reading till the end, where Megan Turner pulls off a plot twist like nothing you've ever read. I recommend this book to any teen looking to dive into another reality with scenes, characters and action that will seem almost as real to you as your own.

Review by: Meagan H: Mechanicsville Library

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