I was so excited to see that there was going to be a Les Mis reimagining from Eponine’s point of view, and this was only made better when I found out it would also take on a fantastical twist as well. Les Mis is one of the few classic historical fiction novels that has appealed to me, and yes, maybe it was primarily motivated by my love of the musical. Nevertheless, it was a huge deal for me when I received a copy of this to read and review.

Sad to say I was a bit disappointed overall. The premise and the world Grant creates out of 19th Century Paris is exciting, definitely more so than Victor Hugo and his tireless descriptions of the French sewer systems among other things. The idea of there being these guilds that ran the underworld of this indulgent city was very creative and utilized the characters we know from the original Hugo novel in a fun way (especially Montparnasse). Counteracting these guilds is the backdrop of the French Revolution’s very long fallout. The opulence and extravagance of the scenes set in the French palace were so well done that you understood why the guilds would be so angry with the way the country was being ruled.

Where the story fell flat for me was pretty much everything else. With such an incredible premise, I was hoping the actual plot would be executed differently. Time jumped around in odd ways from chapter to chapter, making it very hard to figure out how much time had passed. The plot got very convoluted at points and I couldn’t exactly follow what was happening until it had already happened. A lot of the relationships between characters that were set up didn’t feel fully fledged out. It was like waiting for the best part of a song to play in the club and then the DJ changes it only moments before it hits. I was just left feeling underwhelmed by most of the characters.

Speaking of which, I felt like some of the characters felt oddly out of character, based on the source material of this reimagining. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but some of the characters felt like they were only the same characters from the original Hugo novel in name with not much else all that similar. This perhaps could’ve worked more for me if the plot and pacing were a bit stronger, but without that, it just felt like new characters that just happened to have the same name.

Overall, not a bad book, just not what I was hoping for when I picked it up.

I received an e-ARC via Netgalley but all the views expressed below are my own.

I have heard a lot of good things about this book and when I saw that amazing cover....oh my I knew this was going to be good. The first half of the book was a little confusing at times. There were time line jumps that you weren't 100% sure of until halfway through the chapter you were told its 2 months or 2 years later. And the plot line was a bit all over the place bouncing from this story to that story (some of which was needed to set the background). BUT the second half of the book immensely made up for the beginning!! Wow oh wow when this book started to get interesting it got interesting FAST and made it nearly impossible to put down!! The twists and turns, betrayals and intrigues had me so thoroughly engrossed in this book!

One of my favorite parts of this book were the Courts of the Wretched! Normally, fantasy books are all about princesses and palaces or coming from nothing to woo a prince but this book was nothing like those and I LOVED it!! These courts were all about beggars, thieves, assassins and they were even more intriguing! The world building was so intricate I felt like I was a part of these courts and understood their rules and customs, of which there are MANY let me tell you! And the politics and scandal were taken to a whole new level within these courts. I'll let you read the book to find out more but wow I just loved it!

I was also thoroughly attached to the main character Nina. Reading this book was like growing up with her. We start the book with her as a young girl ripped apart from her sister (more like mother) by a Father who is an awful, awful human. And with the help of a friend she becomes part of a new family, the court of the wretched. I absolutely loved that we got to see part of her upbringing and how that influences her later in life. I also loved that while there were many men interested in her (ahem hello gorgeous) that she was all about sisterly love. She fought and bled for her sisters (one biological and one not) and that made me love her all the more. Nina was a take no crap, dish it out as hard as you give it, amazing thief that I would love to be best friends with.

All around I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was beautiful and creative and entranced me in this world. I could definitely see myself getting lost in an audiobook version. I would definitely recommend this book especially if you like a beautiful story about thieves and sisterly love with a bit of politics and revolution thrown into the mix. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This book was just okay for me. I actually ran into small issues with it right away. I don't know how old Nina is supposed to be during most of this book. I know how old the character she is loosely, very loosely, based on is supposed to be. But that doesn't mean she's that age. So a lot of the context of who the character has become is supposed to be. I am also not very familiar with the source material this is a retelling of, Les Misérables. I know the names of a handful of characters and that's about it. I had to look up how old Eponine was in that book/play, but I am unsure if she is that old in this book.

There was a lot of action at the start of the book, and I was really into it. There was a heist to "steal"/release a man from prison, Orso, The Dead Lord. He rules over the "dead", who seem to mostly be orphan children. A lot of things happened really fast. The pacing was just a little strange. Time and detail weren't given to things in a way that didn't really make sense until near the end of the book.

Around the middle of the book, there is a scene that I think was meant to feel stressful, because of where Nina and Ettie were and who they were around. But the scene ended up having no consequences from those people. It happens later and to someone else. Not everything felt like a cause and effect situation. This is around when the book started to take a dip in pacing for me.

There's a 2-year time jump, which I usually hate in books. But it worked for this book. The latter half of this book was about as face-paced as the first quarter of the book. Again, a lot happening very quickly. There is a twist that I didn't expect, and that helped raise the book for me. At first, I was unsure how this could be more than one book, but with where things were left I am very interested in continuing the series. I hope certain characters are explored more and expanded on.

**I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Kester Grant's The Court of Miracles leads readers in a retelling of Les Miserables where Eponine, called Nina, is the star of the show. Nina is a Thief in a France where the criminal underground of the city is run by various guilds. Nina swears to protect her foster sister, Ettie (Cosette), from the Lord of Flesh.

I was generally pleased with this retelling. While I was not overly impressed with the characters themselves, I found the world and the various factions within it to be compelling. I actually felt the concept could have stood without the framework of the retelling to fall back upon. Eponine is probably one of my favorite characters of Les Mis anyway, and I was happy to see her in the spotlight with her cleverness being key to her success or failure. It was interesting how Grant wove each of the characters into the new story being told.

I was entertained all the way through the story and feel it could appeal to fans of Les Mis or those who are unfamiliar with the original work. I look forward to seeing what Grant comes out with in the future.

*My thanks to the Author and Publisher for gifting me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

The Miracle Court is lauded as Les Miserables meets Six of Crows and it certainly did not disappoint.

In mid-1800s France, Nina Thernadier was robbed of her home and her beloved sister all in the span of a single night. To escape the wrath of her father, she is whisked away to the Miracle Court where she is sworn into the Thieves Guild and bound to never go after the man responsible—The Tiger. Lord of the Guild of Flesh. But Nina cannot let her sister go, and as she grows and learns to cultivate the skills she has learned within her guild she will stop at absolutely nothing to save her, and the Miracle Court itself, from the Tiger's corruption.

I. Loved. This. Book.

The prose is absolutely beautiful. It drew me in immediately with it's dark, breathless pace and Nina was a wonderful character to follow. Flawed characters are so much more beautiful to me, so much more human, and she encompasses everything I love about this archetype. I have never been one for politics, but the political intrigue concerning the Guilds of the Miracle Court was absolutely fascinating. Les Miserables is a familiar storyline for me, but the interwoven world-building drew me in and did not let me go until the very end. I had not expected to be so enthralled. There were so many characters that surprised me with how much I adored them. Ettie: A character who's an archetype I usually do not enjoy. A fierce and beautiful little thing. Gavroche: My sweet angel. Montparnasse: The silent killer with a loyal and loving heart.

And it did not gloss over or remove the horrible, ugly, heart-wrenching areas that Les Miserables is so famous for. While Nina's own agenda took precedence, we were often thrust right into the heart of what fear and cruelty can and has done to those without the means to protect themselves. I was concerned that things would be lost, or left unresolved with so many things going on at once, but the author did a wonderful job of weaving them together again.

There were a few things that I did not enjoy as much: Nina being in the middle of a pool of two(three?) men was not something I generally care for, but the romance was most certainly not the focus here and in the end, I was able to overlook it. Also, there were parts where we would skip quite a bit ahead and I had to read in a way to realize how much time had passed, and I think it would have been helpful to have more dates for such large jumps.

As these were all minor, I did not feel the need to remove or half a star. This book genuinely surprised me in many ways and I am so pleased to know that it is the first of a series. I am so eager to delve back into the fascinating intrigue that is the Court of Miracles and the Guilds within it.

What a beautiful book! THE COURT OF MIRACLES held me captivated for the entire time I read it. In fact, I read the whole thing in one sitting. The language was magnificent and the story rich and poignant. When I started, I wasn't quite sure what to expect given this seemed to be a Les Miserables retelling. Marketed as a Les Miserables meets Six of Crows, I was excited to see how this would turn out. And boy were my expectations blown out of the water. While I knew the Les Mis story, this book kept me surprised as it twisted and turned in every direction. I was excited to see character names I recognized and to see how they made an impact on the story, as well as new faces that I came to love as their journey unfolded in the narrative..

I thought this was a clever, dark, unique take on the Les Mis story. While it was hard at times to navigate through the broad cast of characters, the plot kept me moving along and excited to find out how the Black Cat of the Thieves Guild would make it out of this revolution alive.

Kester Grant did an exceptional job at bringing this story to life while navigating the harsh waters of retelling a well-beloved story.

5/5 stars

The Court of Miracles is a stunning tale of thievery and one girls treacherous journey to save the ones she loves. In the after math of a French Revolution vastly different from the one we all know, Nina lives her life in darkness, trying to protect those she loves and still abide by the Law that has protected her.

This book was such a wild ride that I couldn’t put it down. It’s face paced (albeit too fast at times), horrifically graphic and will betray you over and over again. I loved every second of it and only wish that at times there was more to the Tory instead of jumping time so much.

4.5!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Children's for the e-arc to review!
So I didn't know much about this book going in, besides that it was supposed to be Six of Crows meets Les Mis. And well that premise was very appealing! And I think it lived up to that!

The Court of Miracles is set in an alternate 1828 Paris, where the French revolution has failed. The city is divided between the cruel royalty and nine criminal guilds. The nine guilds make up The Court of Miracles, where the city's underbelly thrive and live by their own set of laws. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a member of the Guild of Thieves, stealing to survive. She's also trying to protect her naive adopted sister Cosette (Ettie), from the Tiger, the ruthless leader of The Guild of Flesh. Nina's mission to keep Ettie safe leads her into sticky situations. Nina must ultimately decide if keeping Ettie safe is worth starting a war between the guilds.

So the beginning of this book is a bit slow, but it helps set up the guilds, Nina's story, and the world. It will quickly hook you though! I was trying to do a buddy read with some friends but I couldn't put the book down and finished it in one night! I loved the characters and all of the Guilds! It was so interesting and set up well! There's a ton of action, and layers to the story. The overarching plot is centered on Nina saving Ettie, but there's so much more involved in it than just that.
I wanted more of all of the guilds though! We get to see a lot of the Thieve's Guild, and a few others. But I hope further books in the series elaborate on the other Guilds more. I also cannot wait for more from some of the side characters! There's so many we get to see and I really liked that.
There's a bit of romance in the book, but it's definitely not the central focus. There's the barest hint of a love triangle but I didn't mind it, because it wasn't a big focus at all. Also I loved that Nina got to have a group of male friends that were just genuinely friends and not potential love interests. That's missing in a lot of YA.

I wasn't always loving the use of the same names as Les Mis. We got Cosette, Eponine, Javert (with a fun twist though!), and Jean Valjean. I feel like there could have been a bit more creativity there. But the characters were given enough of a twist that you didn't feel like you're reading a Les Mis retelling.

Overall, I love this book!! I think it's going to be crazy hyped, and talked about endlessly, and for good reason!! If you like fantasy, are in any way intrigued by a Les Mis on its head premise, and like action packed stories, jump on this book!!!

Ultimately, I enjoyed this novel and will continue with the series and I'm very grateful for NetGalley to allow me to read this early.

I have never read a retelling of Les Misérables and it's extremely refreshing to have more variety in the retellings. I have not finished Les Misérables, I'll admit, but I have wanted to read it and I know the basis of the story. This story didn't grab me throughout. My favorite aspects were the different guilds and Madame Cordray. One aspect that bothered me throughout and is why I gave it three stars, Ettie should have been taught more to defend herself. Instead of just having Nina run around like a chicken with her head cut off. I understand that's probably more on the part of Les Misérables and that is my weakness there as an audience with this novel. There were a lot of things as readers we were kept in the dark about, as well as most of the characters. I really enjoyed the characters.

This book was absolutely incredible. I couldn’t read it fast enough. I was amazed that this was the authors debut novel. The characters are so diverse and interesting. They were fleshed out really well and I loved learning more about each of them. The entire book is packed with action and if full to the brim of heart. It was truly a pleasure to watch Nina grow from a frightened girl into a bold, fearless woman with a heart of gold. The characters in this story are so relatable and wonderfully flawed. The story flows seamlessly and the world building is phenomenal. It was so easy to get lost in this book and be able to vividly picture the events that were being described. The originality of the story is what piqued my interest initially and I was not disappointed. I loved learning about the guilds and am highly anticipating what will happen in the following books. I don’t have a single criticism about this book, it was captivating from beginning to end. I would rate this book higher than 5* if it were possible.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"I wear this city like skin wrapped around my bones. I know each street by the feel of the stone beneath my feet. It speaks to me; it shows me the way."

Okay, I really like this one.

Court of Miracles is set in an alternative post-revolutionary France, and told in three stages-- in 1823, 1829, and 1832. It is a heist-y Les Misrables retelling.... and a good one at that.

Eponine Thénardier, or Nina, loses a sister and gains a new life in the Thieves' Guild all in one night. But she can't forget about her beloved sister who was taken from her. She can't just move on as if nothing happened. When Ettie enters her life, a small girl who fills the spot her sister left empty, Nina swears not to let the same thing happen to her new sister. This proves harder than she ever imagined.

Nina is good at her job. She's got the cunning and skill of Kaz Brekker, and the stealth and compassion of Inej Ghafa. I don't necessarily agree with the comparisons to Six of Crows because, I mean, come on. We're all tired of that (though I will say that many SOC comparisons have certainly been far less accurate). But, though there are lots of thieving hijinks and mischief, I don't feel like The Court of Miracles is trying to be Six of Crows. It has its own world and style: the gritty, city-underbelly crime juxtaposed with the glamor of French Court.

Speaking of Court, I loved the worldbuilding of the Guilds. When Nina swears her life to the Thieves' Guild, she enters the Court of Miracles, a world of crime and all manner of strange and gifted people who bend the real world to their will-- all under the noses of Those-Who-Walk-By-Day. There are Assassins, Ghosts, Smugglers, Thieves, Dreamers and more-- all coexisting within the Court by a structured but wary alliance laid out carefully by the Laws of the Miracle Court.

Nina is pitted not only against the Lord of the Guild of the Flesh, who would take Ettie and break her as he turns her into his empty possession, but the rest of the Guild Lords as well, who are loathe to test their alliance and plunge the Court of Miracles into another devastating Guild war.

But Nina would do anything for both of her sisters.

"Sometimes we must pay a terrible price to protect the things we love."

I loved all the Les Mis-ish references and court life and thief life and I just wanted MORE. That's my only complaint*. I want to see the insides of every guild, explore more backstory, explore this world more. But there are two more books so I have my hopes high :)

This is my honest review of The Court of Miracles novel. I was able to be able to read an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher, Random House Childrens, via an ebook through NetGalley.

I saw quite a few IG accounts, from authors and various book instagramers, rave about this book. That being said I decided to request it via Netgalley and was excited when I got approved for it! I immediately started to read it and was sucked in. This book follows Nina, a Cat, of the Guild of Thieves and her endeavor for revenge against the Tiger.

I quite enjoyed the Court of Miracles Guild set up systems, although it did take me a minute to understand each guild has different branches and who the heads of those branches are. There are many characters through the book, and each play their own unique roles in progressing the story. I think Nina was a favorite of mine as well as Orso- the dead lord. I did apricates Etties development as the story progressed as well.
There is somewhat of a possible love triangle within this book between Nina, St. Jude, and Montparnasse. The romance isn’t to heavily touched on which can be good or bad depending on what you like- in this book I would say its sprinkled throughout but nothing heavy happens. I am interested to see where this goes in the future installments (spanning three novels as on Goodreads). I could thoroughly enjoy her pulling a Sarah J Maas and having Nina love Montparnasse only to have him die and her get with the prince. I don’t however, see her much falling for St. Jude long term- maybe Ettie though.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Novel and cant wait for the next two. I am curious to see what happens with the progression of the story and other situations that were not wrapped up and new situations which have arose. I would recommend this novel for anyone interested in fiction with a twist of revolution.

I just, I’m still reeling from that ending. I can’t even put into words how I feel about what I just read. It was so bloody good! I CAN NOT wait for the next installment of this series!

The plot is so freaking awesome. It was intriguing and so complex. Twists and turns throughout the whole book that left me staring off into space trying to figure out how I missed it.

The story is so exciting and written so well, although the jumps in the timeline could’ve been better explained. I was a little lost a certain points because of that.

The characters were so fun and exciting. The grey boys are my absolute favorite. Nina is kind of a ‘Mary Sue’ in some aspects but that doesn’t really take away from how awesome she is.

The world building is lacking in the most frustrating of ways because I want to know every single detail about this amazing and complex world the author has built but we only get snippets here and there.

I’m not going to lie, at first I was not so thrilled about the writing. There is a lot of telling over showing and that is my biggest pet peeve. I want to be shown the details not told about them. But literally everything thing else completely made up for that.

With that said, I give The Court of Miracles 4 stars.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.*
Described as Les Misérables meets Six of Crows, this first installment in the A Court of Miracles series is sure to be a hit. I’ll admit at first it was a little slow going, but it soon took off like a rocket and didn’t let up until the end. I am in love with this book and I know I’ll be reading this one many times.
The Court of Miracles is a Les Mis retelling that follows Eponine (Nina) Thénardier who goes by the moniker Black Cat, and is a very skilled cat burglar for the Thieves Guild. The Thieves Guild is one of the nine guilds that make up The Court of Miracles. When Nina’s sister is taken by the Tiger, it sets off a series of events that will shock and amaze you.
One of the main laws of The Court of Miracles is to not attack members from other guilds. Nina will do whatever it takes to take down the Tiger and free her sister. Even if it means creating a war between the guilds.
This is truly an amazing book that is extremely well written. The ending of this one made me glad there is more to come. I cannot wait to see what happens to Nina next.
This book will be available for sale in June 2020.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Court of Miracles follows Nina, a young girl thrust into the underworld of France in search of protection after her sister is sold to an underboss. It takes place over the span of many years and incorporates many facets of the underworld and the guilds it includes as Nina attempts to free her sister. However, Nina finds a bigger foe than she could ever imagine in The Tiger, the Lord of the Guild of Flesh who purchased Nina's sister from their father. Will Nina with the help of many of the Guilds be able to free her sister from the Tiger's claws, or will she spark an all out Guild war and bring only more death and destruction to France?

Where to even begin with this book! It is by far one of my top reads of the year, if not the top read. Nina is such a great character who seems inspired by many literary heroes/heroines of the past. She is trained as a nimble thief, earning herself the name of the Black Cat(she even reminds me a bit of the Marvel villain in the way she is able to get in and out of places) . She is super witty in that she plays everything at least 3 steps ahead of any foe, predicting their reactions in a Sherlock manner. She is fiercely protective of those she sees as family and willing to put herself at risk to ensure their safety. Like a cat, she is also quick on her feet, even if a plan goes awry she is able to manipulate any situation to her own benefit, and while she does receive aid from many of the guilds, it is the guilds that receive the better end of the bargain. She is truly a great heroine that you can't help but fall in love with as she navigates the streets of France.

The guilds add such a great texture to this story. You really get a sense that they aren't just gangs set under a new guise but a whole new government with which the night is ruled. They are divided and ran by very competent and well thought out Lords and presented in such a way I found myself hungry for a "Which Court Guild would you belong to?" quiz. The villain is equally as well written, you find yourself hating him and fearing him but as the story progresses you find an understanding of him and what he has become. He never becomes someone I felt sorry for, but I feel like all his actions were justified and it was fresh to have someone who wasn't just doing everything to avenge a dead love.

The story is so fresh and well paced that I couldn't put it down and hunger for more in this world. I am eagerly awaiting the second installment and will be purchasing a physical copy when this is released. I highly recommend this to anyone, even fantasy readers regardless of no magic being present. The prose and characters weave enough magic of their own, they've completely put me under their spell. Brava, Kester Grant. I can't wait to see what happens in the future.

The Court of Miracles is described as Les Mis meets Six of Crows and it’s pretty accurate. I also picked up on quite a few Hunchback of Notre Dame references as well. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

This is very much a quasi-alternative universe take on Les Miserables. Unfortunately, if you read that story, there’s not a lot you’re not going to see coming. Your cast, is the familiar names of the classic story with some twists. Because of the tasks at hand and their overall dynamic you do get SOC gang vibes from them. There are some really entertaining characters that don’t take a lot of focus but add a nice effect with their presence.
The underlying story of the guilds and trials that Nina (our main heroine) deals with is such a fantastic element. It really sings in this and I wish this could have been explored without the use of such a well known story as its lead. It didn’t need to rely so heavily on the plot of Les Mis. There is so much opportunity for this to be a brilliant story all on its own. The last third does get a little muddy with so much going on. I’d have liked the focus to vie more towards the corruption of the Guild’s/Courts then with Ettie and other events but that might be just me. I loved the settings and how each guild has its own feel. Beautiful writing, fantastic pacing and there are some stellar quotes in this.
Overall I really enjoyed this title. My only complaint is that I do wish it was not so heavily reliant of other narratives when it has such a strong potential to stand on its own.

*E-Arc kindly provided by Knopf Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars
Wow! This is Kester Grant’s debut novel and I was tickled to have been approved for an advanced copy by Knopf Publishing, through NetGalley. I rarely give 5-star reviews, but she is so deserving of every single one. The sheer depth in her characters, the way she made Paris feel alive and breathing on the pages, and her story’s weaving of history and reality to an otherworldly court of wretched royalty put her as one of my top 5 authors to watch/read. I felt as though I was reading a fantastical history book that bends fantasy into truth. The entire story is so rich and well thought out, detailed and quick-moving, with time jumps that add intrigue and an undercurrent of danger and mystery. Nina is the obvious star of the book, but she is such a moving, beautiful work of art when it comes to plot and character development. I am amazed that Grant was able to keep everyone vivid and separate while interweaving the entire cast into a seamless story. I will be anxiously waiting for book 2!! Please say there will be a book 2!! I looked on KesterGrant.com and there will be 2 more books in the series as well as another series she is starting!!

I HIGHLY recommend this book to older YA and every other book lover on the planet!

Paris 1828 after the French Revolution the city is divided. The Court of Miracles is made up on 9 underworld criminal guilds. Nina Little cat is a talented cat burglar and hopes to one day save her sister from the Tiger who is the lord of Guild of flesh. She puts a plan in motion that is very ambitious that will set the guilds in war amongst themselves.

I enjoyed the descriptions and imaginary created in this book. Well written and a great Les Mis retelling. Nina is a strong character and in this story her love is her family Do yourself a favor and pick this book up you will enjoy it.

The Court of Miracles is about a young girl named Nina. After her greedy father sells her older sister to one of the leaders of the nine criminal guilds, Nina is forced to join one of those very guilds in order to survive and to save her sister. Within the nine guilds, there is turmoil and Nina seems to be the only one willing to do something to stop it. With the royals looking to rid France the burden of its poor and the Court of Miracles allowing great injustice, Nina struggles to find a way to save the ones she loves while simultaneously putting their lives and her own on the line.

I really liked this book. I wouldn't compare it to Six of Crows but it was still pretty good. I couldn't get into it at first, but the story picks up fairly quickly. It was also hard to keep track of how much time passed overall, just that the story happens over the span of several years. Nina is a cunning and brave character and is willing to do the unthinkable for her sisters. She understands the price of a sacrifice which makes her a bit of a bad a**. There are a lot of supporting characters that ended up playing a major role in the plot, but you never get to know them well enough to be emotionally moved by anything that happens to them. There was so much potential for several of them but not enough attention was paid to their development. I'm hopeful that if this turns into a series, we'll get to see more of them as well as tie off the loose ends.

Thank you Dear publisher for the chance to review this book in exchange for an honest review. I wish I had a better review to give you.
I should have known that this book would not be a happy book when I saw the Les Mis comparisons. Overall this book was kind of depressing for me. Maybe because of the stress our country is going through at the moment I just had a hard time read this book. Everyone really was miserable. Poor Nina, very few people have her back. Her father tried to sell her in the sex trade, her sister protects her by selling herself. Nina escapes to people who will protect her. Except they really don't. The remainder of the book focused on Nina as she hatches a plan to save her friend from the Tigar. Nina's skills are all about stealing...very little of which she actually uses to execute this plan. Overall I felt bad for Nina but I can't really say I liked her. She was just ok for me. Some of the people I did like we hardly get to know. Like the shadow assassin. I felt like I could like him but he also very rarely helped Nina or even talked to her for that matter.
This review was really hard for me to write and I probably would have given up on the book altogether but I felt compelled to give my honest review. This book was just not my cup of tea.
BTW the ending left me with SOOOO many questions. There is nothing worse for me than to struggle through a book only to end up with a crappy ending. #irrationalyangry LOL