Review: The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani

The Theft of Sunlight is a great sequel to the fairy tale retelling Thorn. The series is set in a Middle Eastern inspired fantasy world, and the stories largely take place in the kingdom of Menaiya. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, however, I think The Theft of Sunlight is even better.

Our protagonist, Amraeya (Rae), is recruited as an attendant to the new princess. She quickly begins working to uncover the dark secrets haunting her kingdom and to reveal the mystery behind the “Snatchers”, who have been taking children for decades. She must work with different people, from those highest at court to thieves working on the streets. Rae has many challenges to overcome along the way, particularly the way others treat her due to her country upbringing and club foot. She’s a really interesting character to follow as she grapples with themes of justice and moral codes.

On top of Rae being a great main character, the secondary characters in this book were also enjoyable. Rae’s charming allies and rage-inducing villains make you root for Rae even more. Seeing the banter she has with her friends and family helps break up some of the darker elements of the story.

Overall, I think this book is definitely worth a read for anybody who is a fan of fantasy. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series when it’s released.

Rachel Stephens, 17