What can I say about Midnight Thief that hasn't already been said in pretty much every review I've already read for this book?
Not much. For once, my opinion seems to align with the norm. Hooray! It's nice to be able to join the popular crowd's table once in a while.
I just wish that didn't mean I ended up disliking the book. Because, oh boy, I did NOT like this book.
So, echoing practically everyone, I loved the set up—assassins, thieves, magic, hate-turned-love—basically all the ingredients of a perfect book. And, after reading the prequel novella and loving it, I figured it was a pretty safe bet I'd love Midnight Thief to pieces.
Wrong, wrong, oh so wrong. Sure the ingredients are great, but you can't make a great cake with expired and low-grade ingredients.
(Though, I was just recently fed a sweet potato casserole that was made, unbeknownst to me until AFTER I had consumed a far-too-large portion, with milk that had expired a month ago and miraculously was not spoiled. It was actually the best sweet potato casserole I've had, so I dodged food poisoning and came out ahead, which is completely undermining my analogy here. But, anyway.)
Or, in the case of a book, you can't make a good story with mediocre world building, hollow cliches, weak writing, and (the gravest sin of all) bland, stupid characters.
The final straw for me was when orphan-helping thief (yet righteously pure, can you tell she irritated me?) Kyra joins the assassins' guild because she'll get paid a lot but then rants and gripes about how killing is wrong and all the members of the assassins' guild are evil meanies. Please, I'm picking up a book about thieves and assassins because I want them to be badass thieves and assassins. I don't want Sister Superior (irrationally and hypocritically) raining on my parade for 368 pages.
(So, no, unlike old milk, apparently, there is no hope for books with rotten ingredients.)
There's apparently a twist at around the 3/4 mark that redeems things (to a point, so I hear), but I couldn't bring myself to push through to that point. I DNF-ed a third of the way in and although I keep getting lured in by the siren song of that premise, I'm quickly reminded of all the reasons why I DNF-ed in the first place and the urge to pick it up again is squelched. WANTING this book to be something more than it is just doesn't make it so.
Bottom line
If I were (a lot) younger and hadn't had my expectations bar set super high by the awesome novella, I might have actually liked Midnight Thief. Maybe. At least, more than I did. I probably would have at least finished it.
As it is, nope. Go back to the drawing board, clean up the writing issues, flesh out the world, and develop those characters! Midnight Thief could have been so much more.
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Oh no! I haven't read the novella but when I saw this on NG I jumped on it when I remembered how much you loved the prequel novella. I guess I'll just lower it in my reading pile. I hope your next read is better, Smalls!
ReplyDeleteIf you do read it I hope you enjoy it more than I did. I do still highly recommend the novella and it can easily be read as a standalone.
DeleteWell, you've solidified my decision. I'll wait to see whether the sequel gets better before I read the first one. Some people really liked this, but I feel like most, especially those I trust (like you), ended up feeling exactly as you did. Many people say the end redeems it, but I'll wait to see how book 2 is before I waste time on this one. Also, I read the prequel (loved!) so I'm VERY nervous. Oh well :/
ReplyDeleteAll the best ♥︎
Mackenzie @ Oh, For the Love of Books!
Definitely seems like a safe bet to wait for the sequel reviews to come out. I'm going to be keeping an eye out for them myself because I still can't get over how this could be so bad when the novella was so good.
DeleteThat's a totally new take for you "rotten ingredients" I really like that analogy. It rings true. I'm truly bummed this book wasn't better. I guess I should learn not to hype myself up, since recently its only lead to disappointment. The twist is unique, I"m positive its not enough to redeem the book in your eyes. I think the execution was poor. If the author had tied in the twist throughout the book, which was totally possible, I think the entire story would have had plenty more draw. Instead, she only hinted at it.
ReplyDelete:) Glad you liked the analogy.
DeleteI can't help but hype myself up, especially with blurbs like this one has!
Yeah, I've seen quite a few reviews of this one along similar lines as yours. What a letdown, considering how awesome the book description sounds! I have the e-book prequel but haven't read it yet...would you say that it's worth reading for its own merits, even if I don't plan to continue on with the series?
ReplyDeleteHaha, loved your random aside about the sweet potato casserole XD
Yes, absolutely read the novella! It was fantastic and I think you'd enjoy it. It also ends as a standalone, so you can read it and enjoy it and not need to read the main series.
DeleteIt's SO unfortunate that this book has been getting meh reviews! I've been wanting to read it, but I think I'll pass.
ReplyDeleteGreat DNF reasoning.
I'm so disappointed too :( I almost requested a hard copy ARC I was so convinced I would love it.
DeleteI didn't DNF this one but have to agree with your review. I wanted badass thieves and assassins and instead got Kyra and Tristam. I'm sure the story would have been more interesting if it had been from James' perspective.
ReplyDeleteI actually didn't like that twist but I may be in the minority on that.
I would have loved reading this from James's perspective! He was a much more interesting character and I really enjoyed his relationships with the other assassins.
DeleteOh? I'm so curious about this twist!
Oh no! That's such a shame - though I'm glad I didn't follow through with my request. A book that could be, should be better than it actually is is sometimes more disappointing that a bad book. So sorry you couldn't make it through this one!
ReplyDeleteYou know, you really nailed it. If I didn't have such high expectations this wouldn't be such a sad experience. As it is, it almost feels like a betrayal, funny as it is to say that.
DeleteYup, pretty much! I mean, I did actually like this one more than you just because it was easy breezy - and I did like the twist - but I think the biggest killer for me was that compared to other books in this genre - and how can you NOT compare? - this one just fell short big time. Kyra was NO Ismae or Celaena. Not even close. I do think I would have liked it more as well if I had read it when I were younger and hadn't yet been exposed to kick-ass heroines in similar situations.
ReplyDeletePS. Thank goodness you didn't get food poisoning from that, yikes!
Yup, how can you not compare? It just falls so short.
DeleteI know! I don't know what that cook was thinking :P