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A scrappy maid must outsmart both palace nobles and Low Gods in a new YA fantasy by Margaret Owen, author of the Merciful Crow series.
Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl…
Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.
The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.
Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.
(P) 2021 Macmillan Audio
Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl…
Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.
The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.
Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.
(P) 2021 Macmillan Audio
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Reviews
With Six of Crows and The Cruel Prince as readalikes, this will find an audience anywhere there are fantasy fans. Highly recommended and not to be missed
A lush and lively adventure replete with romance, revenge, and robbery
Owen flips the tale of the Goose Girl on its head for a breathlessly inventive, never-a-dull-moment adventure of found family and second (or fourth or fifth) chances. If you're not careful, it'll steal your heart, too
Masterpiece of storytelling... This is YA fantasy at its very best
Little Thieves really does have all the elements for a truly memorable fantasy fable. It's a book for anyone who loves classic fairytale retellings with hear-stealing characters and a thrilling cat-and-mouse adventure at its heart
Margaret Owen has written my favourite fantasy novel of 2021. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairy tales, murder mysteries, heists and clever twists
Fantasy fans will love this YA reimagining of Brothers Grimm classic Goose Girl
This book spools out a plot you think you've seen before but then delights in gleefully wrong-footing you. A perfectly delightful Picasso ... will leave you chock-full of joy
A great read for this time of year with curses and a range of terrifying creatures to keep you spooked to the end
A sparky and irreverent reimagining of Goose Girl, the German fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, Little Thieves is rich with detail and zippy dialogue... I wasn't prepared for quite how much I loved this book
A wild, adventurous romp that will leave you breathless at every turn. Expect sharp edges balanced with delightful humor and good fun - but I'll warn you: Vanja will steal your heart
Margaret Owen has done it again, yanking me between surety and nail-biting anticipation the whole way
Margaret Owen has clearly thrown all her ideas at the wall to see what sticks and, amazingly, not only have they stuck but they've formed a Picasso
Thrilling and laced with frightening magic and irreverent humour
Gorgeous prose, delicious magic
