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A review by jadesarah
The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is one of those books where after reading it I feel lost on how to feel lol.
Just to note, there is A LOT of violence in this book. So much.
I'm not even going to try and summarise the plot but know it's rooted in a convolution of power, greed, revenge and survival. And reading it in 2024 brings on feelings of discomfort with what is happening right now.
Here's my word vomit of thoughts and feelings:
-There are some characters who I never really liked or never know how I should feel about them. Not Qadir though, I love him even with his millions of secrets. Also Hakim, my heart hurt for him from the beginning. I need to know more on that front.
- I really love Mazen and Loulie. Not together though. It seems like the author is setting them up romantically and I actively dislike that tbh. Firstly, I think the author took an easy out with Ahmed and it feels like it was used as a tool to just eventually bring Mazen and Loulie together. It just doesn't sit right with me at all. And if M & L are going to get together I feel like it would ruin the next book(s) for me tbh. Also despite all the mess with Aisha I actually thought she and Mazen would be interesting together! I'll have plenty of time to think about it anyway because I don't think the sequel is coming out for another year...*sobs* lol.
- This whole thing of Mazen being a coward feels so forced. It feels like the author is making a point with the whole coward/hero thing and ehh. I get it but ehhh. Why? He's a coward because he doesn't happily murder like many other characters??
- speaking of the murder. It made me extremely uncomfortable. How am I supposed to feel about it other than uncomfortable? How am I supposed to feel about the hypocrisy of it all with some characters? I'm not about to just consume it as "oh well it's just part of fiction!". Maybe that's the point. I've read plenty of violent books but I guess I'm trying be conscious of how I'm consuming it.
- also the whole thing with the sultan and killing his wives? And Mazen's mom being like "I will marry him so he stops!" Nooo lol.
- Anyways I have so many feelings but it's hard to get into them without spoiling but the author constantly had me second guessing my own feelings and didn't give me a second of peace with all her twists and turns and uno reverses then uno reversing those uno reverses and just all around stressing me out. Regardless, whenever I wasn't reading the book I was thinking about it. And on that note I think that's why I gave it 4 stars. Initially I was leaving it at 3.5 because some things happened that just feel like well what was the point in all that just for this to happen?! That along with the fact I'm not keen on a romance between Mazen and Loulie but I'm not sure that's what the author is definitely doing, though it seems highly likely.
Just to note, there is A LOT of violence in this book. So much.
I'm not even going to try and summarise the plot but know it's rooted in a convolution of power, greed, revenge and survival. And reading it in 2024 brings on feelings of discomfort with what is happening right now.
Here's my word vomit of thoughts and feelings:
-There are some characters who I never really liked or never know how I should feel about them. Not Qadir though, I love him even with his millions of secrets. Also Hakim, my heart hurt for him from the beginning. I need to know more on that front.
- I really love Mazen and Loulie. Not together though. It seems like the author is setting them up romantically and I actively dislike that tbh. Firstly, I think the author took an easy out with Ahmed and it feels like it was used as a tool to just eventually bring Mazen and Loulie together. It just doesn't sit right with me at all. And if M & L are going to get together I feel like it would ruin the next book(s) for me tbh. Also despite all the mess with Aisha I actually thought she and Mazen would be interesting together! I'll have plenty of time to think about it anyway because I don't think the sequel is coming out for another year...*sobs* lol.
- This whole thing of Mazen being a coward feels so forced. It feels like the author is making a point with the whole coward/hero thing and ehh. I get it but ehhh. Why? He's a coward because he doesn't happily murder like many other characters??
- speaking of the murder. It made me extremely uncomfortable. How am I supposed to feel about it other than uncomfortable? How am I supposed to feel about the hypocrisy of it all with some characters? I'm not about to just consume it as "oh well it's just part of fiction!". Maybe that's the point. I've read plenty of violent books but I guess I'm trying be conscious of how I'm consuming it.
- also the whole thing with the sultan and killing his wives? And Mazen's mom being like "I will marry him so he stops!" Nooo lol.
- Anyways I have so many feelings but it's hard to get into them without spoiling but the author constantly had me second guessing my own feelings and didn't give me a second of peace with all her twists and turns and uno reverses then uno reversing those uno reverses and just all around stressing me out. Regardless, whenever I wasn't reading the book I was thinking about it. And on that note I think that's why I gave it 4 stars. Initially I was leaving it at 3.5 because some things happened that just feel like well what was the point in all that just for this to happen?! That along with the fact I'm not keen on a romance between Mazen and Loulie but I'm not sure that's what the author is definitely doing, though it seems highly likely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder