Moving on and making a life for yourself is, in my opinion, one of the strongest things a person can do.

I don’t make a point in talking about my home life on this blog or in the podcast too much – I’ve got a Tumblr for that shit, so don’t worry about me starting now – but I’ve been vocal about my abusive home even if I don’t go into details. I sort of have to be. It’s a perspective that is unique to me and other people in my situation, and it colors any analysis that I do on any text.

It didn’t rear it’s ugly head in this week’s book, but it pinged on something that struck home for me – even if you love someone, and you think they love you, sometimes the best thing you can do is move forward and make a life for yourself.

We’re talking AN ILLUSION OF THIEVES by Cate Glass.


Romy used to be the Shadow Lord’s favorite courtesean, until she asks him to find a way to save her father accused of theivery. While he can’t save him, Sandro tells her in so many words that he won’t punish the rightful thief – her brother – in the way that the law demands – death, because of his magic.

Thrown out of his household, she has to make a life for herself and her brother (now under her care), and make sure that no one else finds out about his magic . . . or hers.

There’s all sorts of drama, there’s a magical reverse-heist, there’s some creepy-ass magic-detecting creaatures that will haunt my daymares for a good while – everything you want out of a good fantasy. I’ve got no qualms with it. (I say that like I’ve got qualms with anything in this book when I very much don’t.)

What gets me so hard in the heart is just . . . Romy herself. Here she is, eldest of like, 12 kids, gets SOLD OFF by her mother at age 10 to basically a training camp for high-end brothels, gets BOUGHT by the biggest politician/aristicrat in the city, and then years later gets kicked out after asking for leniancy for her father. And not even like, true leniancy?? She’s literally like, “He would never do this, please find a way to help him,” to which the guy’s like, “Yeah, see, I want to, but he legit confessed and I can’t work with that.”

And you know what she does?

She gets to work!! She gets work as a legal scribe! She basically sits on her brother to make sure he doesn’t go out stealing, drinking, or fighting! And when they hit their lowest low, she finds a way for him to work out some energy by way of sword-training!

Like, y’all. This is the kind of story I want to read. This is the kind of story I need to read. And doubtlessly, you need to read it too.

And don’t think this is all seriousness/sadness/boo-hooing! There’s also some crazy tension in this book! One character had me so spitting mad I had to put it down and go to bed! I got such an immense joy out of this book, I almost set up my mic at 12:30 at night so I could just scream my feelings into it. That’s what this book did to me.

So read it. Because it’ll probably do it to you, too.

(Check out the podcast episode BLOOD OF THE CONVENANT on iTunes, Spotify, and Awesound!)

Cover lust! I love everything about that illustration, the vibrant colors, the style, it’s all very eye-catching and definitely served its purpose as it instantly drew me in when I was browsing through NetGalley. The description helped quite a lot as well, as I can never resist a good heist story, especially if there’s a fantasy element involved! And while my hopes were not fully met, I still enjoyed this book quite a lot in the end.

For the most part, I very much enjoyed this story. Particularly, I enjoyed the detailed take on the political and economical environment in which the story took place. I’ve read a bunch of stories where magic being illegal is a central theme, but when combined with the other world-building elements twisted into the story, it still came off as a unique take. Pacing-wise, the story could read as a big slower with many of the little details getting more attention than some readers may prefer. Likewise, the main plot often takes a backseat to smaller, character-driven moments. I can enjoy both types of fantasy stories, but those looking for a grand epic might find themselves frustrated with the lower stakes of this story.

It was also an interesting read knowing that the author plans to write the series in an episodic manner. Most fantasy series typically follow a grand arc that takes place over several books, and while smaller offshoots exist here and there, the main conflict builds and resolves through all the books, linking them closely together. I can see the stage being set for a different type of read with this book, and I’m intrigued by what Glass has in mind with this type of tale.

As for the characters, I really enjoyed Romy. She was a fun narrator and it was exciting to see her so competently put her skills to work when she finds herself back on the streets, poverty-stricken and desperate. I was also surprised to find that the story is also largely Neri’s as well. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this character. His character type, that of the young, arrogant, swagger-ridden boy-o, has some natural flaws simply built in. But those same flaws are the points around which his characterization builds, so they have to be there to see any growth.

I was also surprised to find the story lacked a romantic plot line, instead focusing on the sibling relationship between Romy and Neri a its emotional crux. I confess that I typically prefer some romance in my stories, and second best is a sister-sister relationship, but I was also drawn in by the tense relationship between Romy and Neri as they learned to get along throughout the book.

Overall, this book was an entertaining read. I felt that the plot was a bit light for me and at times the author seemed to almost lose focus on her main story, caught up in the details of her world. But the interesting characters and the slowly built up trust and respect between Romy and Neri was a point in its favor. And, again, I’ll never say no to magical heist stories!

Rating 7: A fun, lighter read with a compelling brother/sister relationship at its heart.

This fantasy otherworld historical Italy is super fascinating to read about. I love Romy and her character's build up as well as the magic system that slowly develops in the latter half of the book. That being said, not a huge fan of the Shadow Lord situation, too many names for a single person for almost every character, and the plot itself felt simpler/too smooth. There are so many misinterpretations or issues that could've happened and it felt too neatly accepted by everyone but the Shadow Lord. I really am interested to see where this world goes and what the Chimera has up her sleeve next.

This book was certainly one that I wanted because of the cover, but even with that said, the summary was what clinched the deal for me. It's a very different book from most of what I read (as far as I know, there aren't a lot told from the POV of a mistress.

Overall, it's a pretty good book. My only complaint is that I wish there was more worldbuilding (I want to hear more about the gods and magic!)

Welp, this book turned out to be a lot different than I thought it was going to be. The writing style didn’t sit well with me, nor did the character relationships. An Illusion of Thieves held an interesting premise, but ultimately wasn’t for me.

In An Illusion of Thieves, an act of theft by her brother Neri, and Romy finds herself outcast from her role as the esteemed mistress of the Shadow Lord, and the rest of her family exiled from the city. The Shadow Lord puts Neri on probation and rules that for every misstep he makes, both he and Romy will suffer the consequences. After a long struggle and just when Romy and Neri finally seemed to have settled into their new existence, a person from Romy’s past turns up, threatening not only Romy, but the Shadow Lord’s reputation, and the welfare of their city. To save them all, Romy must gather her new allies and use the part of herself she’s always despised. Her magic.

Something that I really enjoyed about this book was the unique magical abilities the characters have. It wasn’t your typical elemental magic or whatnot, but characters could do things like paint doors to other locations, walk through walls, and rewrite memories. I also appreciated the seemingly extensive worldbuilding. It all honestly though, while it was admirable, I didn’t really pay attention to it. Maybe it would have been different if my eARC had included a map or index or something, but there were so much terminology and exposition thrust at the reader that I began to skim over anything about the world I didn’t understand. Which was often.

As I hinted at before, the two things that struck me right away was the writing style and Romy’s relationship with her brother Neri. The writing style is very formal and old-fashioned (I guess? I not quite sure how to describe it). This wasn’t a super big deal, but it did take me out the book on multiple occasions when I had to pause and reread the sentence to figure out what the author was trying to say.

And the sibling relationship. Argh. I don’t know if I can properly review this, so I’ll just try to express my thoughts as best as I can. For a long time at the beginning, Neri resents Romy and continually tries to rebel, not fully seeming to grasp their situation. This leads Romy to start physically restraining her brother with a wire rope every night and manipulating him to keep him in line…and this made me uncomfortable. I understand Romy’s desperation, but I just couldn’t believe that should be the solution.

Romy is an interesting character, but it took me awhile to stop disliking her. Between what I mentioned above, and the fact that it the opening scene, readers see her slap her servant, I was really bothered by her character. She at one time, becomes an alcoholic, which I was disappointed to see the book really brush over. I liked the idea of Romy’s character, but I’m not sure I actually liked her.

And then there was the pacing. The first few scenes felt rushed (I wanna see more characters in their “ordinary worlds” before circumstances change, GOOD GRIEF PEOPLE), and the rest of the beginning-middle was SO SLOW. And in the last third, when things picked up, things seemed too easy for the characters. Almost every went according to their plan. Where were the obstacles? And then there was the ending! It read like the often cheesy endings that kids’ movies entail.

Overall, An Illusion of Thieves really didn’t resonate with me. I do think other fantasy readers could potentially enjoy this book though. I wish I could say that I’ll consider picking up the sequel when it releases, but I simply can’t see that happening.

Trigger Warnings: child & sex slavery (repeatedly mentioned, not shown), maiming, a person being physically restrained, a brief sexual assault, slapping, alcohol addiction

I received this ARC from Netgalley, thanks also to the author and publisher.
Clever, clever girl.! Sold at the tender age of ten to a brothel, trained in how to pleasure male and female alike, how to be a polished, educated companion to the rich and influential of her world all because she inherited a magic reviled throughout the land. All children discovered with this talent were put to death, but her soft hearted father couldn't allow it, still not wanting this evil around they sold her. For nine years she was the mistress to the ruler of her nation. She loved in comfort, enjoying her position but never forgetting she could be discarded at any time. It finally happened, a member of her family committed a crime and as the law required, all members of the family were punished for it. She was declared dead and turned out. Now her own intelligence would shape the future, her choice to make. Along with her brother and a few friends made along the way a future spymaster is created.

Thank you so much to MacMillan - Tor/Forge, Tor Books for the e-ARC of An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass. Provided through NetGalley, all opinions are my own!

An Illusion of Thieves is a refreshing new young adult novel about a sister and brother who must first learn to coexist, and then foil an attempt by a rival group to start a civil war.

*description omitted here*

So I really enjoyed this book for a couple of reasons, first being that I am sick of romance in young adult novels. This book instead focuses on a first tentative, then beautiful slow burn hate-to-sibling-love relationship and character building between Romy and Neri. They form a real sister and brother bond and eventually while reading, it dawned on me that Neri is the true central character. I love how he goes from criminal angst to finding a purpose, then is able to function as a fairly reliable member of a group, thanks to Romy and the weaponsmaster.

The magic system is also pretty cool, where each person's magic seems to be more of a more innate talent. Romy can wipe and reorder minds, others can read steel, some can smith magically... I felt like they all had Skyrim-esque skill sets that were magic, except those people were considered dangerous as sorcery is illegal in the world.

The world is also fantasitcally built, in what felt like an old Roman style. The rings of the city were clearly described, as was the political situation. Also the cruelty described in the book felt SO real - the sniffers for example. There are a lot of messed up things going on against magic users. I felt like I was wading through the crappy morale of the lower city with the rest of the rabble. Now if you like a long, intricate description of political intrigue, this will be your book. I can fully appreciate what Glass did with the political structure, but the book slowed down SO much between say 45 and 70% that she lost me a little bit. Then at the end, the heist felt a tad bit anticlimactic and left me wondering if it couldn't have been a little more exciting, although the painter....the painter! I love his magic the most!

I definitely love the characters though and can not wait for book two. The crew will be involved in an even bigger scheme this time and I am so absorbed in the political aspects that I will be interested to see how the threads of the bigger world struggle all tie together.

100% Recommend for fans of fantasy, young adult fiction, heists, political intrigue, and a good group of characters! Thank you again to Tor for the opportunity to read the book early!

Blog link can be seen here:
https://onenursereader.wixsite.com/onereadingnurse-1/home/an-illusion-of-thieves-by-cate-glass

3.5 An interesting fantasy, but I felt like I was only getting glimpses into the best parts- the magic and the mysteries of the Unseeable gods and their downfall. Maybe this was more of a setup book, and the next will explore more of the ancient history, as well as the magic, but the ending was unsatisfying to me, though I did like how Romy and Neri found their tribe and their own powers. And heist books are my thing, but the mysteries rankled: I wanted to know more about who Placidio really is and what the Gran Duc wanted with the statue!

Posted to all links 5/17

An Illusion of Thieves (Chimera Book 1) by Cate Glass begins with the introduction of Romy, the confident and mistress of a high level political figure in 600 AD inspired Roman City-State. The first-half of the book explores world and character building, as well as the many facets of magic, including how magic is considered a devils plague through multiple devices. Not to mention how those that posses its power are forced to hide it less they be chased by sniffers and killed through horrific means or choose to become sniffers, themselves.

cover154452-medium980474728564529059.png

Thank you to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Romy, the main character, is attempted to be drown to death as a baby by her mom and then sold into prostitution when it is found she has magical abilities (considered a demon’s plague), Romy hides her ability feverishly to keep favor with il Padrone who keeps her in comfort and riches since buying her from the Moon House, in which she worked.

Her brother, Neri, however also possesses such gifts and is foolish with his use of them. After getting caught using them, his father takes the fall and is punished by having his hand cut off. Neri sends for Romy’s help. After admitting all this to il Padrone and begging for help. He sends her away, her family out of the city and makes her responsible for Neri, who is put on probation. Given a couple sacks of silver to survive until she and Neri get on her feet, Romy is sent off promptly without anything but what she came with and the clothes on her back.

The rest of the first half introduces us to what we think of minor side characters that also produce magical abilities, as we get to know Neri. Neri, who is a HOT MESS that drives Romy to her wits end, while Romy learns her fathers’ business before running out of the silver given to her, missing her old life, and running out of hope il Padrone will ever change his mind.

Here’s the thing though. While the first half reads like most first novels will read. World-building, character-building and an overall getting to know you period, it still entertains. It never loses its luster or makes you want to get to the point. I did at one point start to wonder where it was going in terms of the description– where was the heist that was promised. However, otherwise, I felt the slow build and quite enjoyed it.

Glass should be credited in her ability to accomplish this by doing a few things.

The side characters introduced held captured the readers attention either by being intriguing, witty or mysterious
Neri— can we talk about Neri, PLEASE. While during the first half of the book he drives Romy absolutely to distraction- you can’t help but feel sorry for the kid and root for him as you get to know him. Glass drops subtle hints that beneath the surface that there is wisdom there that maybe he might know more than Romy does about magic, about what is true and can teach her a few things.
The political intrigue starts from the first page and slow burns throughout the entire book, including the first half. You just have that gut feeling that something is amiss and it is going to come back to Romy one way or another. Whether it comes back to bite her in the ass or it comes back to her credit– it is coming full circle.
The suspense of Neri’s probation, the sniffers and feeling like Romy and Neri’s life is hanging in the balance day-to-day makes the first half work.
Lastly, all of the above brings us to one of the themes of the books. Glass’s exploration of this theme is well played. It isn’t rushed, it isn’t quickly answered. Romy ruminates and struggles against herself, and Neri throughout the book: Is it magic that is bad? Who wields it? Or their reason in which they are wiedling it? The reasoning in which this theme comes into play is multi-fold and would spoil some important plot points, but needless to say it is well played out. Without this, the second-half wouldn’t have the punch it does.
The second half is where the book pays off with what it promises, while also setting up the second book. And it does so with a kick and twist. Staying general, as to not give away the best parts, that political intrigue most definitely comes back to Romy.

Those side characters introduced become Romy’s squad. And those squad goals? Oh, there is your twist. This isn’t just any squad. This is a magical squad. And it is terrible amounts of fun!

While one would blackmail Romy into doing their bidding for this heist, and there are others (due to Romy’s time with il Padrone) that she knows would benefit from it, as well. Romy decides to do it for different reasons- the right and moral reasons. And she will use her magical squad to attempt to pull the heist off.

Whether the squad pulls it off? You will have to read to find out. It is a great ending with a cliffhanger that sets up book two, as well. If you like heist books and squad goals, this is a refreshing take on both!

Let me begin this review by saying that "An Illusion of Thieves" is NOT what I expected it to be. At first, you believe the story will follow a more familiar plot, then it doesn't! Later on, when you believe that the story will continue along another familiar plot, it changes direction yet again. Finally, without giving too much away, the ending has an interesting twist as well, and it falls into with the entire story of this novel! Author Cate Glass and Tor found a way to surprise their readers with "An Illusion of Thieves"!

Romy has been living under another identity for the past 9 years, as the mistress of the Shadow Lord. That is until her father is accused of theft and she has to return to the life she's left behind. Back living in poverty with her younger brother, Neri, who is now under probation, Romy has to call upon her skills (and her forbidden magic) to survive her new life. At the same time, she has to make sure Neri doesn't use his magic because magic users are descended from demons and are to be killed or imprisoned.

Then, Romy finds herself in the midst of a political scandal and she has no choice but to clear her name for a crime she didn't commit. Romy uses not only her wits and her magic, but also the skills she's obtained since returning back to where she grew up. Romy and her ragtag team use both their skills and their magic in order to prevent a civil war, and their deaths.

Fantasy readers will appreciate the setting and the characters within this novel. Yet, it's the combination of both "X-Men" and "Ocean's Eleven" that'll keep all readers invested in this story! I wanted a bit more world-building in "An Illusion of Thieves," but something tells me the author might be giving us a followup to this novel. And, if she is, then I can't wait to read it!

I really enjoyed this one. It was an impulse request because when I was looking for my next book to read, it just sounded like a better fit for what I was in the mood for than anything I had on hand. I started reading it immediately and am quite glad I did. Turns out there’s a great story here.

As with so many books I love, this features a strong female protagonist. Romy started life in Beggar’s Ring, the poorest and most downtrodden part of the city. However, her family sold her at a young age to what is essentially a training program for courtesans (yup, her family sold her as a child to become a high end prostitute). This is kind of a mixed thing. Of course it is bad, no one would choose to be sold for anything, much less for this purpose, but it also gave her an education and training that would never have been available to her otherwise.

Her life as a well and diversely educated courtesan gives her a unique background. But one of the most unique qualities is that she is able to do magic. Magic is forbidden, only people from Costa Droga are ever born demon-tainted (aka have the ability to perform magic) but no one really knows why. Romy has worked hard to hide her abilities because if she were discovered, it would mean death. No matter how well she might seem to blend in, she is never really herself of fully open as she is always shielding this part of herself from everyone.

She’s a character that in some ways doesn’t seem to be belong to any of the different social groups, but can navigate her way through any of them. Romy has been enjoying the life she has been given as much as she can. She has become the favored courtesan of the Shadow Lord, who appears to care for her. She enjoys having intelligent conversations with him and others at court. She might not have chosen this life, but she finds things to appreciate. At least until she receives a message that tears her back to her original life, living with a brother that she loves but doesn’t always like that much. But Romy is a survivor and a fighter, and what she does and the characters she encounters along the way make for a very intriguing story (I debated how much detail to give, but decided to leave it vague…. but it does involve a heist of sorts, scheming and magic with some swords and action thrown in… definitely a very fun read).

My only slight criticism is that the end felt a bit rushed, and there was some pretty blatant set up for the books to come. I don’t mind set up, but something about it felt a bit unnatural or forced. BUT … the good news is I actually love how the book ended and the potential it left for the upcoming books. Like really love the concept and I think there’s great potential there for the series.

So overall, I definitely recommend this one and am really looking forward to the next one! I had originally thought this was an amazingly strong debut, but then saw that it is a pen name for Carol Berg, who I have heard highly recommended. Now I need to go see about reading some of her other books.

A courtesan, thief, and duelist walk into a bar...

An Illusion of Thieves is more than a heist tale – it's a wonderfully written, captivating story with hints of political intrigue, a dash of magic, a complicated sibling relationship that evolves throughout the story, and plenty of booze! As expected from a pen name of Carol Berg, Cate Glass weaves world-building naturally as the book progresses, ensuring the reader has the information available to understand the twists, turns, and dangers that arise in the story for protagonist Romy and her brother Neri.

Enthralling from the start – you won't be able to put it down until you see whether the heist is successful...and then Glass still keeps the twists coming. Fantastic read!

*Digital ARC from NetGalley provided for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Brief Summary
After her brother uses forbidden magic to commit a crime, prestigious courtesan Romy loses her favored position with il Patrone and must eke out a living with just her wits and her own clandestine magic. To add to her difficulty, she is tasked with curbing her brother's criminal tendencies on threat of sharing whatever punishment he might earn, should he break the law again.

Full Review
Reading the first chapter of this book, I was fairly certain I was going to be disappointed. The pseudo-Italian city state setting combined with the overpowered-seeming, rather unpleasant protagonist made me wary. The idea of a courtesan trained in ALL THE SKILLS is hardly an original one, and pseudo-Italian languages with nonsensical accent marks get on my nerves. But! I kept reading and I'm incredibly glad that I did, because Cate Glass was apparently starting her book off with all these predictable tropes so that she could startle the heck out of jaded readers such as myself. I will admit that a visit to the author's Goodreads page, where I learned that Cate Glass is a pen name for Carol Berg, whose other books I have enjoyed, helped to ease my leeriness.

The development of Romy's relationships after she's cast out of her former patron's establishment and deprived of his protection and resources, and the depiction of her hustle to make ends meet read both sympathetic and real. Minimal time was spent dwelling on irrelevant details, and there were blessedly few training montages. At the same time, readers are kept abreast of the passage of time and so there is no sense of things happening without warning, or skills being acquired all of a sudden. Instead, there is opportunity for events to play out and actions to have consequences. It made for enjoyable reading and allowed readers to connect with the main characters.

Then Berg/Glass turned things sideways again by introducing the real plot, and all at once there is a heist to plan and many secondary characters to wrangle into cooperation. These plans and developments include tantalizing hints about the larger world (which still reads a great deal like knock-off Italian city states, but it's understandable - they're a convenient setting for having folks of varied background without spanning too large a geographic area) and the magic Romy and her brother (and how many other people?) have. I could have stood to learn a lot more about how magic worked, honestly, but that information will likely come in subsequent volumes.

There is a certain lack of exploration of secondary characters' personalities and motivations, forcing the reader to focus the majority of their interest on Romy, her brother, and the Shadow Lord. Throughout the book, and I may be in the minority in this, I kept waiting for some sort of reconciliation between Romy and the Shadow Lord. When they finally met again after her dismissal, I was left deeply unsatisfied, and so I will absolutely have to read more books in this series to find out what happens next. It is my hope that those characters will see more page time in the sequels, and that their plots will develop further, as it seems that there are more adventures to be had by this group.

This is a quick and enjoyable read with an engrossing setting and engaging characters. Absolutely recommended for fans of Scott Lynch's Locke Lamora books and Jon Skovron's Empire of Storms series.

This review will be posted on my blog on 5/13/19.

Cateline has spent the last decade as courtesan to Sandro di Gallanos, the ruler of the city-state of Cantagna, living a relatively pampered life of mistresses and advisor, despite being a slave. But when word reaches Cateline that her brother used magic (punishable by death) to steal, and her father is taking the fall to cover up his abilities, Cateline uses all of her political capital with her master in an attempt to spare her family punishment. Unable to exonerate her father without revealing a sorcerer is on the looose, di Gallanos makes the following decree: Cateline's family, with the exception of her brother, is banned from the city; Cateline herself is exiled from the court and tasked with maintaining her brother's parole.

Returning to a life she hasn't seen since she was a child, Cateline takes up her old name of Remy and sets about trying to break her brother of his addiction to using his magic - a habit she understands since she, herself, is secretly a sorcerer as well.  The two live a fractious, but relatively quiet life until a year later, when the wife of her former master summons Remy to a secret meeting.  There, she charges Remy to use her magic and her diplomatic knowledge to untangle a problem that would be disastrous for di Gallanos and the reforms he's been enacting in the city.  Remy has to pull from several resources she's built up in the slums to solve the dilemma, both out of feelings she still harbors for the man, and to prevent a corrupt ruling class from gaining the upper hand.

There are parts of this book I liked that get muddled by some glaring weaknesses.  The writing is solid, and I appreciated Remy's ingenuity, watching her build a life and a business from nothing, and her understanding of the politics of the city.   Remy  is determined and resourceful, but stuck with a brother who is absolutely THE WORST until he finally learns to channel his frustrations into learning to sword-fight.  It's a believable arc for her brother, but one that we dwell on for much too long.  Likewise, the book takes a long time to introduce the other members of Remy's eventual crew, and it isn't until at least halfway through the story that we are finally given the ultimate goal of preventing a diplomatic incident.  Characters trickle in and are introduced, but I had no real sense of their purpose until very late in the plot.

The major weakness of AN ILLUSION OF THIEVES is that the entire book is essentially a prologue, an introduction to this young woman and the crew she forms.  There are a lot of threads introduced but not paid off, including the origins of the magic that the world believes to be demonic.  But calling it a prologue also feels wrong, because it also failed to make me feel the emotional attachment she has for the ruler of the city, Sandro di Gallanos.  We are more told than shown that the two have mutual respect for each other, and that, even though she was originally a gift to Sandro, she has never had to do anything in the bedroom she didn't want to.  Picking a starting point for your novel is never easy, but this time I wish that the plot had either started earlier or later in Remy's life.  The bridge it tries to do at the moment, showing her old life and how she came to be a political "fixer" of sorts, just leaves way too much day-to-day dreariness on the page, frequently leaving me wondering when we would get to preventing that civil war that was promised on the book jacket.

AND YET. When the book came to a close, and it became clear that Remy has ambitions of turning her one-time service into a career, that she wants to secretly pull off some Mission Impossible-style jobs with an aim of preventing war from breaking out, I couldn't help but feel a little excited.  While the cons were not the action-packed adventures of SIX OF CROWS, there was a charm to the more demure manipulations of court.  If this book had been a novella (and thereby shorter) I suspect I would have been much more amenable to the story.   This is one of those circumstances where I think there is a chance that book two will be an improvement on book one, now that much of the exposition is out of the way.  In short, the CHIMERA series still has plenty to prove, but there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

The setting is Cantagna, a bustling city ruled over by Il Padrone, sometimes called the Shadow Lord. Cataline has been his courtesan for the last nine years after being sold into high-class prostitution as a child and trained well. He confides in her so she is well-versed in court intrigue and the politics of the day. She is tainted by magic which is outlawed. Punishment for crimes rests not only on the guilty, but their families, too. When Il Padrone is forced to pass harsh judgement on Cataline's father for thievery (a crime he didn't commit, but he's covering for his wayward – magical - son, Neri) Cataline world falls apart. She is banished from court, dead to Il Padrone from that day onwards. She reverts to her childhood name, Romy and sets up a low paid business as a scribe in the bad part of town, while trying to force some sense into bother Neri with the help of a drunken sword master. Things go pear-shaped when Il Padrone's foolish young wife drops trouble in Romy's lap. Unless she can put right the wife's terrible mistake, Il Padrone's position and his vision for Cantagna will be in jeopardy, and Romy and Neri will be in terrible danger. Together with the swordsman, an artisan metal-worker and the aforementioned Neri, Romi has to come up with a plan. Expect forbidden magic, forgery, and daring escapades. This is obviously the first in a series.

Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of "An Illusion of Thieves" for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Before I sing my praises for this fantastic work of art, I’d like to preface by saying this would have been a 5-star review had it not been for the way the book was advertised vs. what the book was actually about. From the description, I was expecting a fast-paced, action-packed heist, when in reality it was more about developing the world and cultivating Romy’s and Neri’s relationship as siblings. There was a heist, but it was less the focus of the book and more a thing that happens somewhere in the middle-to-end. Honestly? I was disappointed. This wasn’t the story I had set out to read. Then again, maybe that’s on me.

The story I did read was simply breathtaking! Political intrigue, Romy’s constant exasperation with her younger brother’s recklessness, the unlikely allies she finds along the way, the character development, the intricate details of the world they live in… I could go on. Slowly but surely, I came to fall in love with this story and even the most minor of characters. If I hadn’t been so confused by the expectation-versus-reality of it all throughout the first 46% of the book, I would have loved it all the more.

Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I be reading the next installment? Yes!

First of all, as always, let me thank Netgalley and Tor Books for the ebook of this amazing story: An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass. As always, my thoughts are my own! I give this book 4.5 stars!



Synopsis:
A ragtag crew with forbidden magic must pull off an elaborate heist and stop a civil war in An Illusion of Thieves, a fantasy adventure from Cate Glass.

In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence.

Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy’s aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life—and the price is her banishment.

Now back in Beggar’s Ring, she has just her wits and her own long-hidden sorcery to help her and Neri survive. But when a plot to overthrow the Shadow Lord and incite civil war is uncovered, only Romy knows how to stop it. To do so, she’ll have to rely on newfound allies—a swordmaster, a silversmith, and her own thieving brother. And they’ll need the very thing that could condemn them all: magic.



This book has it all!
After three books receiving three stars or less, I was beginning to feel like I was in a book funk. I was dissatisfied with everything I was reading… until An Illusion of Thieves. Honestly, the plot proved to be well-balanced, the stakes were real, the characters were likable (or not), relatable, and real. The worldbuilding and magic system were spot-on, and cool besides. Cate Glass wove the threads of threat, magic, defeat, and success brilliantly. I loved this book.

Check it out using these links and then prebuy it! Take my word on this, you’ll love it.

This story follows the exploits of Romy, who is the eldest daughter of a law scribe in the poorest part of the city of Cantagna. Magic is anathema in this world. It is evil, and forbidden, and so Romy has to hide her magical abilities for fear of her life. She was sold by her mother to a brothel when she was ten, and since then has risen in the ranks of the courtesans of the city to the point where she has become the mistress of the Shadow Lord, the feared leader of the city.

When her also-magical brother Neri is caught stealing, she intervenes by asking the Shadow Lord to help, and he banishes her from his sight when he learns the details of the theft. And so Romy and Neri have to go back to the gutter and try and survive by themselves. Romy uses her skill at writing to become a scribe like her father. They hire a drunken swordmaster named Placidio to teach Neri how to defend himself, and he soon turns out to be more than meets the eye. Then they run into a metalsmith named Dumond who is running from sorcerer hunters.

When Romy uncovers a devious plot to incite civil war, it’s up to her, Neri, Placidio, and Dumond to come up with and execute a plan just as devious in order to stop it. Maaaagical shananigans abound!

Romy is an easy protagonist for me to cheer for. Her life has been tough, for the most part. She was enjoying an easy life being the mistress of the most powerful man in the city, but has to give it all up very suddenly, and despite that, she never really complains, she just soldiers on. Despite the fact that Sandro, is a powerful man who doesn’t take a lot of crap, I nonetheless kind of wanted Romy to end up going back to him, because the stories she told of her time with him were often sweet, and you could tell that they legitimately cared for each other.

I also really liked the secondary characters as well. Placidio was a complex character whose story evolved really well as the story progressed. Dumond the metalsmith and his wife Vashti were also fantastic characters. Neri really grew over the course of the story, and I enjoyed it. I think though, that my favorite character is one that we don’t see as often in person, Alessandro di Gallanos, Il Padroné, the Shadow Lord. He’s mysterious, and a bit scary, as we have seen him in his element, so to speak, when he more-or-less throws his lover of nine years into the street. But he isn’t exactly the monster many people see him as, when you see him through the caring memories of Romy. There are reasons for the things that he does, and while they seem harsh, he tries to make them… less so. In his own way, anyway.

The plot itself moved at a good pace, and the twists and turns that the plot snaked through kept everything interesting, right up until the end. The heist that Romy, Neri and their companions set up in order to avoid a civil war was well thought out, intricate, and wonderfully entertaining to watch unfold. The uncertainty of what would happen, or if they’d be caught left me on the edge of my seat.

Romy especially has a bit of a… perhaps a magical quirk that allows her to slip into a role so completely that she seemingly becomes that person. There are a couple parts of this book in particular that use the narrative to full advantage to describe this act of ‘losing herself’ in her playacting. It was great.

So, all told, this was a well written and engaging romp through a wild and often magical heist. With great characters and a solid plot line with plenty of clever twists, it’s a hard book to put down! The ending wrapped up everything tidily, while leaving a nice open space for many more escapades in the world of the Chimera. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment. I can’t wait to see where this goes!

Thanks to the author as well as Tor via NetGalley for the review copy.

I've first learned about this book by the author's site or, more exactly, Carol Berg's site - Cate Glass being a new pseudonym of Carol Berg. I was immediately intrigued: I've read nearly all Carol Berg's books and loved them for most parts (the characters for a start,  so loveable!) but have also been sometimes ill at ease because of some graphic violence (never gratuitous or unwholesome, but still difficult to read for the over sensitive reader I am) and also lost by some stories' developments, a bit to esoteric for my taste. So, I was wondering what changes would have occur in the author's writing to push her to make the decision to adopt a pseudonym. After reading this book, I can tell is was all for the best !

"An illusion of thieves" was a very easy read, enthralling and enjoyable. If some violence exists in the world, and some happens or has happened to the characters, no longish descriptions are imposed on us; just a very brief one, that even hypersensitive readers will probably bear without difficulties.

After the first chapter, where the world is explained, no special efforts are required from the reader, the narration is straight forward, the characters rather few and quite easy to distinguish. Just note that the fantasy society is vaguely inspired by the Florentine Medici Dynasty and that names are Italian or at least Italianish (I wouldn't know the difference, alas...). As a French reader I'm used to Latin surnames, but I know that some readers find this choice difficult to follow in a book.

The second thing to know is that even if the main character, Romy, was brought up to be a courtisane (a high maintenance, highly educated prostitute) you'll find no sex in this story. Hurrah! No graphic violence and no boring sexe scene ! So, you're warned, if you're looking for some Game of Thrones fantasy you should try something else. But if you love, as I do, well written classic fantasy with likeable characters, fine psychology, a good rhythm and some mi prosaic mi breathtaking adventures, you're in for a treat!

Romy is a superb character to follow: courageous, clever and lucid, but also prone now and then to human frailties. The beginning of the book, where she struggles with her loss while attempting to protect and reform her dangerously carefree young brother, is very touching and credible.

All in all, even if the background is classically cruel and perilous, and if the heroine situation are dire since the beginning of the story, the main tonality is quite positive and heart-warming. "An illusion of thieves" is a spirited adventure with strong sentiments of love: family ties, friendship and bittersweet lost love.

I'm really looking forward reading the sequel which is clearly announced by the conclusion - but without any annoying cliffhanger, the story clearly marking a pause at the end of this first book of Chimera adventures.

A book I strongly recommend to every fantasy reader who likes a good story, linear and imaginative, with appealing characters whom have already lived a life of their own and present some welcome substance (no Young Adult vibe here, even is the narrative is devoid of graphic violence and sexe scenes, the characters' psychology is sound and mature).

This is a novel about a young woman who is determined to stop a Civil War. It also involves an elaborate heist. It has everything you could wish for in a story action, magic, and romance! The pacing of the story is very fast-paced. After reading this book, I’m excited to read the sequel! I recommend this for those that love The Girl from Everywhere! Full review to come!