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okay. so.
Extensive spoilers for Return of the Thief behind the cut. These are my initial impressions. As I think about it more, view fandom opinions, and (eventually) reread, my thoughts may change substantially.
Short version: I liked it, but I'm not sure I loved it.
We got a happy ending. That is important! Our six major characters all survived! I would have gone crazy if Costis or Kamet or Irene died, so I was super relieved that they survived. The three countries did unite and will survive at least for a time. As someone who has a huge kink for diverse people/groups banding together for survival against the seemingly overwhelming power of...a greater power, I really loved that. And the plotting of all of that felt right: many, many things went horribly wrong, but they wrung out a victory in the end that felt earned and reasonable. Good job, Megan. You still write some of the very best political machinations I've ever read.
This series has always played with perspective, which is a thing I love about it. Having each book be from a different pov is fascinating, and I was glad to see it continue here. I salute MWT's commitment to viewing her main characters from another character's perspective. That is one of my kinks as well, so there were so many amazing moments, as with King of Attolia, where we got to see Gen and Irene and Gen/Irene from an outsider's perspective and I just eat that up with a spoon.
However. I think that Pheris sometimes went into Forrest Gump territory? Where it was like, "Oh, of course he's here too, he's here for everything." MWT did a great job of creating a character and situation in which his constant presence makes more sense than it otherwise would, but I still think she took it a tad too far? I may revise my opinion on this with time. I do like Pheris as a character, I like that he got an arc, but I am not sure I 100% support MWT's choice to have him relating the entire story (other than that one "interregnum" which omg Megan, I love that you called it that). I think it might have been stronger if it was more like Conspiracy of Kings with alternating first-person narrative and third person. Or, even better, if it included, like, introductions to each chapter that were written in Pheris's voice and then the rest of the chapter be in third person. But I frequently disagree with pov decisions, so it's not a surprise that I feel that way.
I love that this book really plunged deeply into the Gen characterization, all his strengths and weaknesses. Gen is so gifted that it would be easy for him to be a Mary Sue, but he's so flawed that he doesn't quite fall into that category. Like, just apologize to the ambassador, you idiot! His pride, his vanity, his temper: these keep him grounded. Gen is one of my all-time favorite characters from anything ever, and I did feel like this book did him justice. His Thief skills being what really bought them a chance? So good. And his mercy towards Sejanus (which is consistent with his mercy throughout the series) being what brought him the knowledge he needed to make the final victory? So good. It was ultimately All About Gen, but then, we should have known because of the first book (and because of the title!) that it would be. I can see how some people might think that the Gen-praise went too far, and I respect that, but it worked for me. I think Gen as a character creation is an stunning achievement and I again salute MWT for her work. What a writer she is.
The book also gave me tons of The Gods and Gen's relationship with them, which is one of my favorite aspect of the entire series. I didn't expect it to go quite so interventionist with the gods, but I think I'm okay with it? It was a bold choice and one that's very different than most fantasy. Closing the book with the gods actually dancing with their united peoples? Wow, yeah. The echo of Gen in the temple in the first book where he realizes they're all really there? But now instead of them being awe-inspiring and threatening because of that, they're coming down to the people's level? I like that.
I do think that there should have been a bit more angst with the gods before we reached that wonderful ending, though. At least one person should have offended the gods! We should have seen at least one instance of their alien-ness. I'm a little disappointed that there wasn't more ambivalence there before we reached that excellent ending.
I think the reason I'm unsure of my own reaction to the book is that even though I liked it, I thought it was a good ending for the series, I got what I wanted re: characters' endings...I didn't feel deeply moved. This is a series that's a quarter of a century old! Children have grown to adulthood waiting for it to conclude! I kind of expected a more cathartic experience? I don't know--I feel like I should have been crying at at least one point (even if I wanted the ending to ultimately be happy), and I just wasn't. (I had hopes that it would replace King of Attolia as my favorite in the series, but it didn't.) It was a good book. But it wasn't as deeply emotionally engaging to me personally as I wish it had been.
Again, my feelings on that might change. I remember reading The Thief for the first time and thinking it was well-crafted and enjoyable but not all that special. But with each reread, it grows stronger and stronger to me, so it's entirely possible the same thing might happen with this book, and I love a book that only grows stronger with rereads.
Disjointed thoughts:
+ NOT ENOUGH COSTIS AND KAMET. NOT ENOUGH NOT ENOUGH NOT ENOUGH. Honestly my biggest complaint about the book. There was no reason they had to be so off-screen?
+ What we got of them was good, though. Forever in love with the Mede ambassador telling Gen that Kamet was dead, Gen freaking out, and then Irene basically hitting him upside the head and saying, "The dude didn't say anything about Costis. If he'd killed Costis, he would have bragged about that. Do you really think there's any universe in which Costis would let Kamet die and survive himself?" And Gen being all, "You know, that's a really good point." Because there is no universe in which Costis would let his husband be killed. OVER HIS DEAD BODY. (Which fortunately did not happen.)
And Costis has the opportunity to fight for his country and his king and his queen...or save his husband. And he chooses to save his husband. OH COSTIS. I love him maybe the most. (I love everyone the most.)
But I am bitter about the lack of my boys in this one.
+ Nobody writes on the scene level better than MWT. So many great scenes!!!
+ Who would have believed that the true romance of this whole thing is Relius/Teleus? I mean REALLY. Incredible.
+ MWT is awesome at creating good arcs and satisfying moments for minor characters. The real standout in this one was Sejanus. What a complicated guy! I love that he's allowed to be one of the only people who is very, explicitly kind to Pheris.
+ Speaking of Pheris, the constant ableism of the characters, especially at the beginning, was uncomfortable. Totally realistic, of course, but still--I can only imagine how people who have similar disabilities might feel reading that stuff. The narrative undermines what the characters are saying, presents them as wrong, but still. I'm really interested in what disabled readers have to say about this topic.
+ The parallel between Gen and Pheris re: killing man at a young age and it haunting them was nicely done. I really like that we never actually found out what Pheris's cousin did to him--we don't really need to know, because we can easily imagine.
+ Always glad to see more of Gen and Helen's hundred thousand cousins. I wish MWT had killed off the soldier brother instead of the watchmaker brother, though! I have always had a soft spot for the watchmaker brother we know nothing about!
+ Irene and Helen running the war and everyone knowing that Gen (and presumably Sophos) aren't all that useful on that level is wonderful.
+ And Irene, Helen, and Sophos creating basically a new constitution for the united countries with no input from Gen is great. I'd love to have heard more about that, though there really wasn't space for it in the book.
+ I like that, in addition to the threat of outside forces, there was still internal political strife. Like with the Eddisians resisting Gen as Annux--yes, of course. (Gen is such a masochist. Funding the rebellion against him!) And Erondites. Another character with a good min-arc was Ion Nomenus.
+ BABY THIEF! Eugenia is going to be her brother's thief! I want all the novels about obnoxious sister Eugenia being the greatest thief of all time and her much more responsible brother Hector loving her more than anything but also being eternally exasperated with her. Also twins are always my favorite.
+ Also want to read some good fic about Gen's parents meeting and falling in love.
+ EARRINGS.
+ Gen got his elephant. I am happy.
I may come back and add more thoughts as I have them! Feel free to tell me what I am right or wrong about!
Short version: I liked it, but I'm not sure I loved it.
We got a happy ending. That is important! Our six major characters all survived! I would have gone crazy if Costis or Kamet or Irene died, so I was super relieved that they survived. The three countries did unite and will survive at least for a time. As someone who has a huge kink for diverse people/groups banding together for survival against the seemingly overwhelming power of...a greater power, I really loved that. And the plotting of all of that felt right: many, many things went horribly wrong, but they wrung out a victory in the end that felt earned and reasonable. Good job, Megan. You still write some of the very best political machinations I've ever read.
This series has always played with perspective, which is a thing I love about it. Having each book be from a different pov is fascinating, and I was glad to see it continue here. I salute MWT's commitment to viewing her main characters from another character's perspective. That is one of my kinks as well, so there were so many amazing moments, as with King of Attolia, where we got to see Gen and Irene and Gen/Irene from an outsider's perspective and I just eat that up with a spoon.
However. I think that Pheris sometimes went into Forrest Gump territory? Where it was like, "Oh, of course he's here too, he's here for everything." MWT did a great job of creating a character and situation in which his constant presence makes more sense than it otherwise would, but I still think she took it a tad too far? I may revise my opinion on this with time. I do like Pheris as a character, I like that he got an arc, but I am not sure I 100% support MWT's choice to have him relating the entire story (other than that one "interregnum" which omg Megan, I love that you called it that). I think it might have been stronger if it was more like Conspiracy of Kings with alternating first-person narrative and third person. Or, even better, if it included, like, introductions to each chapter that were written in Pheris's voice and then the rest of the chapter be in third person. But I frequently disagree with pov decisions, so it's not a surprise that I feel that way.
I love that this book really plunged deeply into the Gen characterization, all his strengths and weaknesses. Gen is so gifted that it would be easy for him to be a Mary Sue, but he's so flawed that he doesn't quite fall into that category. Like, just apologize to the ambassador, you idiot! His pride, his vanity, his temper: these keep him grounded. Gen is one of my all-time favorite characters from anything ever, and I did feel like this book did him justice. His Thief skills being what really bought them a chance? So good. And his mercy towards Sejanus (which is consistent with his mercy throughout the series) being what brought him the knowledge he needed to make the final victory? So good. It was ultimately All About Gen, but then, we should have known because of the first book (and because of the title!) that it would be. I can see how some people might think that the Gen-praise went too far, and I respect that, but it worked for me. I think Gen as a character creation is an stunning achievement and I again salute MWT for her work. What a writer she is.
The book also gave me tons of The Gods and Gen's relationship with them, which is one of my favorite aspect of the entire series. I didn't expect it to go quite so interventionist with the gods, but I think I'm okay with it? It was a bold choice and one that's very different than most fantasy. Closing the book with the gods actually dancing with their united peoples? Wow, yeah. The echo of Gen in the temple in the first book where he realizes they're all really there? But now instead of them being awe-inspiring and threatening because of that, they're coming down to the people's level? I like that.
I do think that there should have been a bit more angst with the gods before we reached that wonderful ending, though. At least one person should have offended the gods! We should have seen at least one instance of their alien-ness. I'm a little disappointed that there wasn't more ambivalence there before we reached that excellent ending.
I think the reason I'm unsure of my own reaction to the book is that even though I liked it, I thought it was a good ending for the series, I got what I wanted re: characters' endings...I didn't feel deeply moved. This is a series that's a quarter of a century old! Children have grown to adulthood waiting for it to conclude! I kind of expected a more cathartic experience? I don't know--I feel like I should have been crying at at least one point (even if I wanted the ending to ultimately be happy), and I just wasn't. (I had hopes that it would replace King of Attolia as my favorite in the series, but it didn't.) It was a good book. But it wasn't as deeply emotionally engaging to me personally as I wish it had been.
Again, my feelings on that might change. I remember reading The Thief for the first time and thinking it was well-crafted and enjoyable but not all that special. But with each reread, it grows stronger and stronger to me, so it's entirely possible the same thing might happen with this book, and I love a book that only grows stronger with rereads.
Disjointed thoughts:
+ NOT ENOUGH COSTIS AND KAMET. NOT ENOUGH NOT ENOUGH NOT ENOUGH. Honestly my biggest complaint about the book. There was no reason they had to be so off-screen?
+ What we got of them was good, though. Forever in love with the Mede ambassador telling Gen that Kamet was dead, Gen freaking out, and then Irene basically hitting him upside the head and saying, "The dude didn't say anything about Costis. If he'd killed Costis, he would have bragged about that. Do you really think there's any universe in which Costis would let Kamet die and survive himself?" And Gen being all, "You know, that's a really good point." Because there is no universe in which Costis would let his husband be killed. OVER HIS DEAD BODY. (Which fortunately did not happen.)
And Costis has the opportunity to fight for his country and his king and his queen...or save his husband. And he chooses to save his husband. OH COSTIS. I love him maybe the most. (I love everyone the most.)
But I am bitter about the lack of my boys in this one.
+ Nobody writes on the scene level better than MWT. So many great scenes!!!
+ Who would have believed that the true romance of this whole thing is Relius/Teleus? I mean REALLY. Incredible.
+ MWT is awesome at creating good arcs and satisfying moments for minor characters. The real standout in this one was Sejanus. What a complicated guy! I love that he's allowed to be one of the only people who is very, explicitly kind to Pheris.
+ Speaking of Pheris, the constant ableism of the characters, especially at the beginning, was uncomfortable. Totally realistic, of course, but still--I can only imagine how people who have similar disabilities might feel reading that stuff. The narrative undermines what the characters are saying, presents them as wrong, but still. I'm really interested in what disabled readers have to say about this topic.
+ The parallel between Gen and Pheris re: killing man at a young age and it haunting them was nicely done. I really like that we never actually found out what Pheris's cousin did to him--we don't really need to know, because we can easily imagine.
+ Always glad to see more of Gen and Helen's hundred thousand cousins. I wish MWT had killed off the soldier brother instead of the watchmaker brother, though! I have always had a soft spot for the watchmaker brother we know nothing about!
+ Irene and Helen running the war and everyone knowing that Gen (and presumably Sophos) aren't all that useful on that level is wonderful.
+ And Irene, Helen, and Sophos creating basically a new constitution for the united countries with no input from Gen is great. I'd love to have heard more about that, though there really wasn't space for it in the book.
+ I like that, in addition to the threat of outside forces, there was still internal political strife. Like with the Eddisians resisting Gen as Annux--yes, of course. (Gen is such a masochist. Funding the rebellion against him!) And Erondites. Another character with a good min-arc was Ion Nomenus.
+ BABY THIEF! Eugenia is going to be her brother's thief! I want all the novels about obnoxious sister Eugenia being the greatest thief of all time and her much more responsible brother Hector loving her more than anything but also being eternally exasperated with her. Also twins are always my favorite.
+ Also want to read some good fic about Gen's parents meeting and falling in love.
+ EARRINGS.
+ Gen got his elephant. I am happy.
I may come back and add more thoughts as I have them! Feel free to tell me what I am right or wrong about!