The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani

An ARC was provided to me by Qamar Blog Tours and Hot Key as part of a promotional tour.

Book Information

Book Title: The Theft Of Sunlight

Author: Intisar Khanani

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publication Date: March 23rd, 2021

Publisher: HarperTeen (US/CA), Hot Key (UK)

Cover Artist: Jenny Zemanek (http://www.seedlingsonline.com)

Synopsis

I did not choose this fate. But I will not walk away from it.

Children have been disappearing from across Menaiya for longer than Amraeya ni Ansarim can remember. When her friend’s sister is snatched, Rae knows she can’t look away any longer – even if that means seeking answers from the royal court, where her country upbringing and clubfoot will only invite ridicule.

Yet the court holds its share of surprises. There she discovers an ally in the foreign princess, who recruits her as an attendant. Armed with the princess’s support, Rae seeks answers in the dark city streets, finding unexpected help in a rough-around-the-edges street thief with secrets of his own. But treachery runs deep, and the more Rae uncovers, the more she endangers the kingdom itself.

Review:

After finishing Thorn, one of my all time new favourites last year and hearing that there would be a companion novel following the protagonist in The Bone Knife, I was all over that. Seriously. I was granted an opportunity by Qamar Blog Tours in reviewing this book but also getting the opportunity to ask some of my anticipated questions to the author. This post will be different – it’s the first of its kind but I’ll keep my review short and sweet, while highlighting my favourite quotes. This is going to be my first 2-part blog post with the interview being on a separate post, since I don’t want to compromise on any aspect. 

In Theft, we follow Rae, the eldest of 3 sisters who reside in the countryside, where the snatched children are few and far between. However everything changes when Rae’s best friend’s little sister is snatched – with the issue of trafficking hitting close to home. Rae’s journey begins when she’s invited to court by her expectant cousin. We are then thrust into a race against time as Rae tries to find those behind the trafficking. We’re introduced to a cast of characters – some of whom are familiar.

I’ll try to stay away from spoilers, however while reading this book, I couldn’t help but notice some similarities between Rae and Alyrra. Something about their honesty, morals and just downright love for horses struck a cord. It was interesting seeing Rae navigate court life with a turned foot – that’s right, this book has disability rep. The themes of this book are similar to the ones in Thorn, though there are content warnings such as violence against women and ableism. Despite the heaviness of the themes explored, once again, Intisar’s writing style makes it seem as though you’re reading a timeless fairy tale while still shedding light on the dark crevices of society and the injustice experienced by women and children. The exploration of the ‘snatchers’ made Rae’s story parallel our own world. At the very start of the book, Rae’s small town has had a few children snatched but the book picks up from when a friend’s little sister is snatched, making it impossible for Rae to be desensitised to the issue. It also means that when she arrives in the city, she comes face to face with the high numbers of children being trafficked, further increasing her resolve to solve the mystery.

This book is character driven, however the plot and the mystery makes for a quick read. I had to pace myself otherwise I would’ve devoured the whole thing in 2 reads. Suffice to say, THEFT has burrowed itself into my mind. I’ve come to love the new cast of characters, especially Bren, who I can’t wait to learn more about. Rae has been through hardships as a result of her disability, with those around her mocking her or refusing to see her as someone of value. It gets to a point where it impacts the way she sees those who are ‘perfect’ in an unpleasant light, not bothering to learn about them before casting her own judgements. Despite this, she’s one of the most courageous and loving YA protagonists I’ve come across in recent years. Her love for her family and friends is admirable, not to mention her dynamic with the lovable thief, Bren.

I’d recommend this book to anyone after a YA fantasy book with politics, loveable heroines, a slow-burn romance, and discussions of justice.

I’ll take this moment to ask Hot Key Books to hook me up with an eARC of Theft 2 whenever it becomes available. Till then, I’ll be checking my emails aggressively for any updates I can get.

Favourite Quotes

Disclaimer: I cannot share one of my favourite quotes which happens at the end of the book BECAUSE SPOILER!!! But once you read it, feel free to comment or tweet me which you think it is (I’m trying to come up with interactive games here)

“You’re the one who always says as much as we ask for help, we have to help ourselves”

“How dare the snatchers destroy our youth even after they have escaped? How can our only answer be a blessing that steals our children’s memory – instead of a way to finally stop the snatchers themselves?”

“If I have to get a new outfit each time it rains, I might just need to drop a pitcher of juice on Alyrra and get myself dismissed”

“My girl? Oh no. I’m not his girl, or the princess’s lame mongrel, or a fool whose mind is as apparently as useless as her foot. I answer him, but not in the way he expects. I snap my knee up into his groin, wrenching my hand free at the same time. He yelps a curse, reaching for me even as he hunches over, but I slam both hands against his chest and shove.”

“Perhaps he’s as aware as I am that forgiveness does not mean everything”

“Who else have I thought less of, because of their beauty rather than their character? I don’t want to do the same to others, regardless of whether they are as beautiful as the Fae, or as plain and different as I.”

“Cripple. Turnfoot. Words that have haunted me my whole life – I thought I would cut them out of me, allow myself to live without the certainty that I was somehow less: less beautiful, less deserving.”

“Why Melly allowed her husband to buy such a mean-tempered creature, I can’t understand, but I am coming to think the ways of marriage are complex and generally unknowable.”

“We must all be true to our callings,” he says. “A thief must, on occasion, thieve, and a royal attendant must, on occasion, walk through the city streets in pain.”

“A wedding that only lasts a day is hardly a wedding at all”

“I will not accept the darkness and violence of the thieves and sailors, the slavers who surround me. I will learn every aspect of what they do, and then I will undo them, destroy them, whether the law aids me or not.”

Author’s Information: 

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. She has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. Intisar used to write grants and develop projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. 

You can find her at:

Website: http://booksbyintisar.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Intisar_Khanani

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booksbyintisar

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/booksbyintisar/

Purchase your own copy at:

Amazon  |B&N | Kobo  | Apple  | Google Play  | Indiebound

The next post will feature an interview with the author of THORN and THEFT so keep an eye out!