“Eugenides,” I nearly stuttered, “was the god of thieves. We are all named after him.”
The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
If you’d asked me a few years ago what my favorite series was, I’d have said Harry Potter without a second thought. But about five years ago I stumbled upon a story that has challenged HP’s spot as my number one pick. The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner is nothing at all like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, but those two series are tied for the top place in my heart and on my bookshelf.
I’ve been hesitant to write this post because I consistently fail to do these books justice when I pitch them to friends. The problem is that it’s hard to explain just what makes these books so genius while also being vague enough to not give away the plot. Suffice it to say that in the world of The Queen’s Thief, nothing is ever as it seems and everyone is lying.
This six-book series takes place on the Little Peninsula, a fictional Mediterraneanesque land whereon three small countries, Eddis, Sounis, and Attolia, jostle for prominence. The looming threat of invasion by the larger Mede Empire, and of a prophesied volcanic eruption, forces these countries to put aside their disparate goals and work together to preserve their independence. If you like political intrigue, this series is chock-full of it.
The fulcrum of the series is a thief named Eugenides, Gen for short. He’s the charmingly annoying, unreliable narrator of the first book in the series entitled simply The Thief. In The Thief, Gen is quite young, but we get to watch him grow throughout the series and come into his own. Of all of the characters in literature, Eugenides is one of my favorites. He’s a study in contradictions. He’s ruthless, but he can be surprisingly tender. He’s a genius who often plays the fool. He can be petulant, obnoxious, and sometimes plain ridiculous while simultaneously earning the respect of his countrymen. And his love story is one of the most unique that I have ever read.
The series boasts two powerhouse lead female characters—Irene and Helen. Irene, the cold, beautiful, pitiless queen of Attolia, is known for having poisoned her husband at their wedding feast. (He totally deserved it, though.) She’s maintained her power in the face of tremendous opposition from the Attolian barons and political maneuvering of foreign ambassadors. She’s the kind of woman who acts decisively and does what’s necessary.
Helen is also a queen, but her kingdom is the tiny mountain nation of Eddis. Where Irene maintains a white-knuckled grasp of her power, Helen keeps hers easily. Her people love her. She has the loyalty of the nobility, the commoners, and the army. She’s not an attractive woman. She’s more comfortable in armor than in a dress. She’s short and stocky, her nose is crooked, and yet she’s described as having a smile that most people would do anything to see.
Irene and Helen are examples of the “strong female character” done remarkably well. They’re depicted as human beings with rich inner lives, complicated relationships, and unique goals and desires. They’re queens, both literally and figuratively, and they wear their power much more comfortably than the men in the series.
Sophos is the last of the four main characters. He’s the disappointing heir to the kingdom of Sounis, a gentle young man who would rather study history than war. He’s the ultimate “cinnamon roll” character. You just sort of want to take him home, and it’s sometimes difficult to watch him come to terms with a world that’s often crueler than he’d like it to be.
The cast of supporting characters is just as loveable and interesting. Megan Whalen Turner has the knack for doing a lot with a little, and the short time we spend with some of the more minor characters (Costis, Kamet, Pheris, etc.) is enough to make us as invested in their stories as those of the lead characters.
Aside from the characterization, this series boasts an incredibly intricate plot. If you don’t read the books twice, you’ll probably miss half of what’s going on. The books are enjoyable on the first read, but the second (or third, or fourth) reads are so much fun because you find things in hindsight that you didn’t notice the first time around. This series relies a lot on misdirection and double entendre. On the first read, you experience the rush of seeing the plot unfold; on the second read, you get the thrill of being in on the secret.
Beyond that, the world-building is exquisite. Again, the author does a lot with a little. Without giving exhaustive descriptions or clunky info dumps, she introduces a whole pantheon of gods and goddesses, several political systems, and four distinct cultures. Truly, Megan Whalen Turner could give a masterclass on creating realistic, fleshed-out civilizations from thin air.
I hope I’ve made my case well enough that you want to read this series. The fact that it’s not more widely known is criminal. Read it. Read it in the correct order:
Resist the temptation to look at spoilers. I promise you that Megan Whalen Turner will take you on an incredible journey.
Happy Reading!
