Reviews with content warning for War - Return of the Thief

What a magnificent ending! 1. I am so glad I did not have to wait 20 years to read this conclusion. 2. For those of you who did I hope it was well worth the wait.

This final book brings us back to the Peninsula for what is a trademark Megan Whalen Turner surprise filled ending. I won't go into too much detail but the conclusion is not only satisfying but also reveals just how much our beloved Gen has grown up and become the leader he was meant to become.

But this story is not Eugenides story alone and in her deft storytelling Turner manages to bring satisfactory endings for almost all of the other main (some of which are deeply personal and heartbreaking) and side characters she has introduced us to along the way, while also building out a remarkable conclusion not only to the fight between the Mede Empire and our three nations, but also between the prophesized danger from the Gods.

I just really love this series and am so glad that I picked it up (after hearing Preeti Chibber on Desi Geek Girls rhapsodize at length about it in one of the podcasts a few years ago).

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nadia32's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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quasinaut's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I should have reviewed this book immediately after finishing (instead of 3 weeks later...) because I've already forgotten so much of what happened. This book artfully wraps up the stories of these three countries, their rulers, and the other characters that have come to surface throughout the series, while still introducing new adventures, characters (Pheris!), and settings.

Megan Whalen Turner does a lovely job weaving together adventure and intrigue with interpersonal growth without making things too obvious nor too obscure. Honestly, my main complaint is how little we see of the female characters and their points if view. I know I'll be rereading these books again one day.

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caitlin_bookchats's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

5.0

I found this to be a fitting ending to Whalen Turner's Thief series. We are introduced to a largely new narrator who is privy to much of the action that takes place so we are held apart from but able to see much more of Eugenidies & Co than in books 3-5. We see the aftermath of much of the planning and threat from the rest of the series, and I found the resolution largely satisfying, if getting there was emotionally fraught.

One thing of note: the narrator here suffers from some form of visible disability that limits his movement and does not allow him to speak aloud. The disability runs in his family but previous members with it have been hidden from society or not allowed to live to adulthood. I don't know if we get enough description of the disability to know what the modern name for it would be and I am unsure if the portrayal is "accurate" but there is a lot of ableism aimed at the character from various figures throughout the book and it's important to know that going in.

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