The age of magic is over, and the hunt for the Unnaturals is on. Two young people with the Curse grow up amid the chaos of a world where the Tainted are outlawed and blamed for illness, crime, and poverty throughout the Duitiscish Kingdoms. Young Catherine learns to survive on theft and manipulation. When she steals from the wrong man, she has to learn several lessons the hard way, but the tables … the hard way, but the tables turn when she finds three books of magic in an old castle ruin that seems to come alive whenever she steps through the gates.
On the other side of the forest, a secret Cine community known as The Fair takes in a refugee boy from the Sudlands. Lorcan’s magical Abilities surpass all others, but the lad’s father brings tragedy upon the safe haven.
Murder and betrayal shape the lives of both Catherine and Lorcan as they become adults.
Can they survive the hardships and persecution or will their own people’s duplicities lead them into disaster?
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A beautifully written fantasy that draws you into the magical world the author has created. The incredible world-building is so well done that you feel like you’re reading a piece of real history, rather than a fictional novel.
I love how the various characters’ stories gradually interweave throughout the book, each thread slowly being gathered in until they come together. Lighthearted moments give way to more tragic scenes, as some secrets are revealed and others hinted at.
There are some themes of abuse throughout the story, that enrich the story line and make you feel all the emotions. But despite this, or perhaps because of it, the main characters are strong and resourceful, making the best of every situation while searching for a better future.
I’m intrigued to see where the story is going, and can’t wait to read the next two books in the series! Highly recommend.
Stealing the Light by Lisa Hofmann is filled with eloquent writing which leaves the reader wanting more. This is a fantastic story line for medieval fantasy lovers, being both complex and paced perfectly, though a bit longer than I normally prefer. I found the characterization and development superb – some characters to love and some to most definitely hate. I’m looking forward to continuing with the next book. Well done.
Despite being a book of significant size, I have surprisingly little to say about Stealing the Light. It’s strongest features is probably its characters, who are varied and generally nuanced with distinct personalities. The fantasy elements are fairly light, similar in tone to the Night Circus in that the story doesn’t have spell-slinging, sorcery and whatnot, and is instead understated, which makes sense for plot reasons. (This isn’t a criticism, just a comment.) I particularly enjoyed Catherine(our female MC) with her half-wild character traits and instinct, but her story, and the narrative as a whole, dragged slightly as it reached the middle part where the second MC gained more attention and her story fell into a something of a holding pattern.
My main complaint with the book is that the synopsis basically tells you everything that happens, which left me feeling a little dissatisfied.
If you’re interested in a more in-depth review, here is our video review:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGEKp…
Podcast links https://writingdeconstructed.com/adventuresome-reviews-for-indie-books/
Absorbing novel with excellent writing that gets us inside the heads and motivations of multiple, interesting characters. I especially enjoyed the realistic portrayal of the poverty and brutality of medieval peasant life juxtaposed on the fictional history of lost and suppressed magical races. The meandering plot is grim yet offers faint glimmers of hope. Well done by a very talented author.
I’m not normally a medieval fantasy reader, although Mists of Avalon and a few other books by Marion Zimmer Bradley rank high on my list of repeat reads. That said, I began reading Stealing the Light while home sick with a cold. I was entranced and unable to put it down, well except when exhaustion overtook me. I just finished the final words with a smile on my face.
The author has provided a magical read, with beautiful descriptions that were just right – not overly wordy as some fantasy can tend to be. Instead the words flowed by like melted butter, pulling me more deeply into this world that felt so real I almost wondered if I might visit. Since then I’ve read book 2, and am eagerly awaiting book 3 which will be out soon.