brims's review
1.5
A strange book, and not at all what I expected. It’s all very slow and abstract, and riddled with some truly bizarre analogies. Here’s an example:
He smoked leisurely, the water pipe bubbling like the lungs of a dying child. The sound was soothing, and Tet’s insides relaxed. He hadn’t realized how much he missed that sound.
I’m sorry, what? 😦
Something compelled me to finish, but it was a very awkward, jarring reading experience and there just wasn’t much about it that I actually enjoyed.
justgeekingby's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thief Mage Beggar Mage tells the story of Tet, a former priest-mage who through no fault of his own ends up cursed by the gods following the events of a relic being stolen from his temple. Over the course of the novel his story unwinds, and we learn that there is more to Tet than even he knows. What is clear is that he has angered the gods, and they have taken it out on his flesh. They have carved it into his body, leaving him with terrible chronic pain.
Other disabled readers may be thinking that this is beginning to sound awfully familiar right about now and to begin with that was my concern as well. But Hellisen has not used disability has a plot device. Instead, she has written a diverse fantasy novel with an LGBTQIA+ disabled protagonist and secondary character. At every stage Tet’s pain is recognised and described accurately, including how someone with chronic pain and problems with their knees would move and navigate the world around them.
Tet is the beggar mage mentioned in the title, and Dohza, a wonderful character I dare you not to fall in love with, is the thief mage and a below-the-elbow amputee. While Tet’s chronic pain has limitations for him, neither character lets their disability stop them from doing things. This is especially true for Dohza who is the greatest thief in the kingdom, and it was brilliant to see this in a fantasy novel where usually disabled characters are relegated to the realms of topes, that’s if they exist at all!
The world building of Thief Mage Beggar Mage is very clever and intricate, and I enjoyed following the story as it unwove. I am not familiar with The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen, so many aspects of the story were a surprise to me. While I did overall enjoy this novel I found that the pacing and the feel of Thief Mage Beggar Mage was not quite to my liking. It is more akin to epic fantasy and that can be a hit or a miss for me. This is a personal preference and not a criticism of the book or the author.
Other disabled readers may be thinking that this is beginning to sound awfully familiar right about now and to begin with that was my concern as well. But Hellisen has not used disability has a plot device. Instead, she has written a diverse fantasy novel with an LGBTQIA+ disabled protagonist and secondary character. At every stage Tet’s pain is recognised and described accurately, including how someone with chronic pain and problems with their knees would move and navigate the world around them.
Tet is the beggar mage mentioned in the title, and Dohza, a wonderful character I dare you not to fall in love with, is the thief mage and a below-the-elbow amputee. While Tet’s chronic pain has limitations for him, neither character lets their disability stop them from doing things. This is especially true for Dohza who is the greatest thief in the kingdom, and it was brilliant to see this in a fantasy novel where usually disabled characters are relegated to the realms of topes, that’s if they exist at all!
The world building of Thief Mage Beggar Mage is very clever and intricate, and I enjoyed following the story as it unwove. I am not familiar with The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen, so many aspects of the story were a surprise to me. While I did overall enjoy this novel I found that the pacing and the feel of Thief Mage Beggar Mage was not quite to my liking. It is more akin to epic fantasy and that can be a hit or a miss for me. This is a personal preference and not a criticism of the book or the author.
Content Warnings
Spoiler
This book contains scenes of violence, blood, death and gore. There are scenes of captivity and torture. The torture scenes include multiple torture techniques including targeting a disabled character’s most painful areas. There are also scenes of abuse (verbal and physical), war, drugs, destruction, fire and ableism.jamielikestoread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Death
lordjim13's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Beautifully told, wonderfully inventive; a gem.
casseyt's review
5.0
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
All the happy gleeful squees. I don't have the right words for just how much I enjoyed this read. First off, we know I love Cat's words - they are some of the very best words everywhere. This read, just dang Cat has knocked it out of the atmosphere.
Tet is just... Tet could very easily have been this annoying pitifully character - especially when we meet him. Tet is feeling most sorry for himself, and admittedly things are quite shitty for him. But the magic that is Cat's words has you not getting annoyed with him or feeling pity...Tet has just lived an interesting life. The becoming and unbecoming and becoming of Tet has just been a wonderful thing to read. And let's not forget Dohza, just *all the heart eyes* If you don't love Dohza, we're going to have words.
Ps. I think is is the least angst filled happy ending for the couple I've read from Cat.
*I'm a veery lucky fish and received an ARC of this awesome*
All the happy gleeful squees. I don't have the right words for just how much I enjoyed this read. First off, we know I love Cat's words - they are some of the very best words everywhere. This read, just dang Cat has knocked it out of the atmosphere.
Tet is just... Tet could very easily have been this annoying pitifully character - especially when we meet him. Tet is feeling most sorry for himself, and admittedly things are quite shitty for him. But the magic that is Cat's words has you not getting annoyed with him or feeling pity...Tet has just lived an interesting life. The becoming and unbecoming and becoming of Tet has just been a wonderful thing to read. And let's not forget Dohza, just *all the heart eyes* If you don't love Dohza, we're going to have words.
Ps. I think is is the least angst filled happy ending for the couple I've read from Cat.
*I'm a veery lucky fish and received an ARC of this awesome*
acatwithabook's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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