Thief of the Night Guild is a tightly plotted novel that builds momentum from page one. There’s a fair amount of backstory since this is the second book in the Queen of Thieves series, but Andy Pelonquin elucidates all essential details as they become necessary. Ilanna is a clever, skilled, and confident character, but she’s also the stereotypical abuse-hardened woman one often encounters in fantasy novels. While I enjoy dark characters, I truly dislike it when a character’s inability to express so-called weak emotions is categorised as strength. This is a troublesome depiction of any character’s psychological response to trauma but I’ll credit Pelonquin for revealing the frailty behind this mental state. Despite this unfortunate character trope, Thief of the Night Guild is an entertaining, addictive read full of clever twists.
Reviewed for Reader's Favorite