Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication date: October 2010
ISBN: 9780545136051
Source: Library
Digger is used to sneaking around and finding secrets of others. But, when she nearly gets caught on a job and has to run from the city, she expects to just be keeping her own secrets. Taken up by some aristocratic young people, she eventually finds herself as a ladies maid and becomes embroiled unwillingly in an intricate plot that becomes more complex the more she learns. Will she be able to extricate herself before she becomes too invested or becomes a target herself in the deadly game of Llyvraneth politics?
Things I Liked:
This was a twisty, complex riddle of a book, full of surprises and discoveries and innumerable secrets. I loved getting caught up in the web of lies and deceit with Digger. I really liked having a main character who is so obviously not perfect or even close. She's a thief and she revels in her deceit. But I also love how she begins to discover that lying and thieving aren't the only things in life. The plot was fantastic, leaving me guessing and wondering and trying to figure things out along with Digger. A fantastic book filled with unique fantasy details and interesting new characters. Favorite parts:
I love trapdoors. They mean secrets and hiding places and the thrill of discovering things you were never meant to see. p 169
I've never been that fond of secrets, myself. I think they're at the heart of a lot of what's wrong right now - the fear and suspicion, the secrecy. Neighbors turning on each other, parents hiding their children, people hiding their faith. That can't be what any of the gods intended. p 263Things I Didn't Like:
The first twenty to thirty pages were really confusing. I felt like I was tossed into a new world (which I was) with little to no explanation (which there wasn't) and I spent that whole time trying to catch up and figure out who was who and what was what. But, as you saw above, I did catch up and I loved it. But, those first pages might be a turn off for those not interested in trying to figure out a new fantasy world with many new characters and customs.
Read-alikes:
Crown and Court Duel by Sherwood Smith
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
some here and there, nothing very strong
mrg-factor: X
implied stuff, but nothing really happens on page
v-factor: none
Overall rating: ****
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
