Reading the sequel to Book of Night was a refreshing reminder that Holly Black does indeed still have _it_.
While reading Book of Night felt monotonous and flat, Thief of Night was sexy, eerie, and intoxicating. The characters finally felt real in the sequel, and the magic system came alive in the way I was expecting from this beloved fantasy author. I was a bit hesitant knowing this was an urban fantasy (I’ve been burned before…looking at you Crescent City) but this delivered on the genre’s grungy real-world promise.
Many people regard The Cruel Prince trilogy as one of the best “romantasies” in recent years, but I personally found the romance to always fall secondary to Black’s clever plots, rich worldbuilding and beloved characters—much as I did with this adult duology. Holly Black’s real talent lies in creating super interesting magical worlds that you can’t stop thinking about obsessing over.
In the Thief of Night, the main characters, Charlie and Red (a blight who isn’t quite human, not quite shadow) don’t just have insane chemistry, but their emotional depth really shines. While in the first installment they felt hollow and unfinished, in this sequel we really get to grow attached to them and feel deep empathy for their shared (and individual) traumas.
While the plot and pacing did drag on in a few various points in the middle of the book, it was saved by lots of small moments between two people who were so obviously drawn to each other like magnets, holding on to each other for dear life. Intimate moments in dingy bars, awkward conversations in the front seat, and painful realizations aired out in the open all really made this story between the two feel heartbreakingly romantic. If you like a little bit of angst and pain with your romance (like I do) then you won’t be disappointed by this one.
The mystery and culmination of the fantasy elements of this also really drew me in, and I’m just consistently amazed by the way Holly Black’s mind works. The idea that shadows are a part of us, but don’t always “belong to us” was so goddamn cool and interesting that I found this to be a real page-turner.
If you’re looking for something to read on a dark, cold November night…you won’t be disappointed with this adult urban fantasy!
““I’m afraid to lose what little self I have. I am afraid that everything you like in me isn’t me at all.”
If you’re interested in seeing a digital book journal spread for The Thief of Night, I shared it on my YouTube.