Shadow Thieves

Any book that is as bold in its ambitions as this new series appears to be, is surely to be applauded. It not only presumes that, despite the national conversation being so focussed on the plummeting figures for reading for pleasure, teens and pre-teens will in fact continue to read, it goes further in presuming they will want to return to the same characters over a period of years as the series unfolds. It is in fact a treat to read something so optimistic in reach.

Equally of note is the refreshing return in this plot to an unapologetically ambitious narrative. Reminiscent of Rundell and Cooper in the use of wonderfully dense and immersive vocabulary, character and setting development, this title is across the ocean from the popular techniques searching for a quick laugh and as much teen talk as possible to ensure familiarity. No, this is a plot which plunges the reader into another world from the very outset and leaves you holding your breath until the last page.

Ironically, although set in a world we are supposed to feel is far from our own, at present it is perhaps not so unbelievable. There are three dominating kingdoms – yet within these kingdoms there is a sub-world which seems to simulate Victorian Britain. Here at street level survival is key, orphans survive hand to mouth – picking pockets where they can, or shining shoes. If caught they are sent to the infamous workhouse and it is at this point that we meet Tom, our protagonist. Tom is offered a choice, a way out, but accepting this seemingly hopeful alternative to the workhouse, Tom must submit to a strange new world – an international school for thieves. Tom quickly becomes torn between the world of the Shadow League and the draw of his friends back home who urgently need his help – and so begins the reader’s relationship with this unique new series.

Perfect for fans of Harry Potter that have grown beyond this series and are in search of a new hero, Shadow Thieves lies somewhere closer to James Bond, but with some of the familiar themes and concepts readers will have met in their earlier years – encouraging them to feel at home and at once affiliated with Tom’s plight. This is a superb start to an expansive new series which will hopefully help to regenerate regular reading habits in pre-teens that have lost their love of stories.