⭒November 2023 BotM - The Thief [Questions]⭒

[Sharon, ⭒botm leader⭒]

What did you think? Remember to put spoilers behind a spoiler tag!😉 (Let us know if you need help with using spoiler tags.)

1. Who was your favorite character?

2. Who was your least favorite character?

3. If you could change one part of the book, what would it be? (Spoiler?)

4. What did you think of the ending? (spoiler tags, please!)

5. What was your overall opinion?

6. This particular book is set in a polytheistic society and has a derisive main character. These characteristics in a story do not usually lead to feeling that your faith has been encouraged by your reading. Do you feel as though your Christian faith was challenged (negatively) by this story, or do you feel as though your faith was encouraged? In what way or how?

[Sharon, ⭒botm leader⭒]

Android users--BEWARE of major SPOILERS below. A friend with an android told me the spoilers are completely showing on her app! I will insert 🚨🚨🚨🚨 emojis where spoilers start and one 🟢 where they end.

1. Who was your favorite character? ⇒Sophos🥰

2. Who was your least favorite character? ⇒Ambiades🤨

3. If you could change one part of the book, what would it be? (Spoiler?)

⇒(**Behind the spoiler tag is a HUGE SPOILER for the next book, not this one. Please do not click on it if you plan to continue with the series, or honestly, ALL is lost.**)

🚨🚨🚨🚨

(view spoiler)[I would have had the magus raise both eyebrows and the queen of Attolia raise one. (hide spoiler)]

🟢

But if you haven't read the next book, I know that makes no sense to you.😂

4. What did you think of the ending? (spoiler tags, please!)

🚨🚨🚨🚨

⇒(view spoiler)[I was shocked at the big reveal! This was my first read with an unreliable narrator, so I had no idea authors were even allowed to do that.😅 When I finished the first time, I immediately reread it to see what I had missed, and there was SO much I had missed, beyond what Gen reveals at the end as he reminisces. I just laughed at myself the whole way through my second read.

Beyond the big reveal, I love how the author helped me understand why I kept reading this book. (Honestly, on my first read, I kept asking myself why I continued to read--I didn't like Gen, and I found it a little tedious.) MWT cleared everything up for me and gave me a newfound respect for that abrasive MC. And not only did I respect him, she showed a deepening respect and admiration amongst the characters.

I also love the introduction of the queen of Eddis and her relationship with Gen, AKA Eugenides.💜 (hide spoiler)]

🟢

This book was the perfect set up for the rest of the series. We've met most of the major players and gotten to know them quite well. We've been introduced thoroughly to the polytheistic world in which they live and the political climate of the Little Peninsula. We have also been exposed to the global threat that could affect them all. It is the perfect prequel to the story to come, and I am always amazed that MWT did not expect this to turn into a series when it was being published.

5. What was your overall opinion? ⇒I loved it! See above.😉

6. This particular book is set in a polytheistic society and has a derisive main character. These characteristics in a story do not usually lead to feeling that your faith has been encouraged by your reading. Do you feel as though your Christian faith was challenged (negatively) by this story, or do you feel as though your faith was encouraged? In what way or how?

⇒I surprisingly find these books to be an encouragement to my faith in the One True and Living God.

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(view spoiler)[I find Gen's response to the gods' interest in him to be not universally dissimilar to the response of some people when they find that the God of the universe loves them and calls them to Himself. True, he did not welcome it necessarily, but it certainly put him in proper awe. There are more interactions with the gods later in the series, and those interactions sometimes reveal a similarity in a Christian's response to our awesome God.

However, I am also quite often relating with the uncertainty of the real pagans of ancient times referred to in Scripture as they dealt with their fear of the capriciousness of the gods. This series put that concept into more concrete terms for me. It made me even more thankful for our One True and Living God's unchanging character! (hide spoiler)]🟢

[Kacie]

1. Who was your favorite character?

Gen :D

2. Who was your least favorite character?

Also Ambiades. Sometimes I just want to STRANGLE him

3. If you could change one part of the book, what would it be? (Spoiler?)

Ummmmm....nothing?? There's nothing I would change about it, seriously.

4. What did you think of the ending? (spoiler tags, please!)

Android users beware!!!! SPOILERS AHEAD !!!

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

(view spoiler)[ So the first time I read this was probably five or six years ago so I can't really remember my exact reaction but I was SHOOK! Like, I did not expect anything that happened to have happened. First of all, the fact that Gen is literally the Queen's Thief.... the cousin of the QUEEN! and he was sent to steal the gift to protect Helen's throne. Absolutely bonkers. Um, I also was not expecting Sophos to be the King's heir. Makes you wonder why he was on this dangerous journey in the first place? I'm guessing his uncle probably wanted him to die so he could choose a more suitable heir. Poor sophos. All that to say that I loved the ending. I feel a little chagrined that I didn't catch any of the clues that are right in front of our noses...MWT must think us all a bit dull haha. But that's okay. It was a wild ride for sure. (hide spoiler)]

💚 END SPOILERS!!! 💚

5. What was your overall opinion?

My overall opinion is that this is one of the most perfect books in the universe and I love it to death.

6. This particular book is set in a polytheistic society and has a derisive main character. These characteristics in a story do not usually lead to feeling that your faith has been encouraged by your reading. Do you feel as though your Christian faith was challenged (negatively) by this story, or do you feel as though your faith was encouraged? In what way or how?

My Christian faith was definitely not challenged negatively! It's similar to reading something like Percy Jackson...I definitely don't believe in the Greek gods but it's fun to read about them. However, I do think that the gods in The Thief are meant to be a little more "sacred" than the Greek gods considering that they sacrifice and pray to their gods but to me, it's just another story. I did love all the stories of creation and the adventures of the gods. It just reminds me how amazing it is that our God in heaven created a beautiful world for us to live in and he created each one of us too!
There's also a line in the second book that I love.... (paraphrased) "if I am the pawn of the gods, it is because they know me so well, not because they make up my mind for me." Obviously the word "pawn" is a little strong, but I love that because it reminds me that God knows me so well and that he can use me as his instrument for the good of others!

[✨ tazannah - not accepting friend requests ✨, ⭒spiritual leader⭒]

1. Who was your favorite character?
Gen

2. Who was your least favorite character?
Ambiades loll

3. If you could change one part of the book, what would it be?
(view spoiler)[That Pol didnt die TwT (hide spoiler)]

4. What did you think of the ending? (view spoiler)[hugeeeeeee plot twist but i def loved it. still can't imagine gen being extremely clean and so elegant and loving to read XX (hide spoiler)]

5. What was your overall opinion?
def one of the best books ive ever read. i can see why kacie and sharon love it sm haha. highly recommend it! this book gives you the feeeeeellllllsssssss

6. not at all. i knew it was fake and therefore ofc didn't believe in it. its like learning about greek mythology; it's fun to learn about but sometimes the stories can be a bit ludicrous and veryy exagerated, but very good lol

[Sharon, ⭒botm leader⭒]

✨ Tazannah *Taz* Gresheld ✨ wrote: "1. Who was your favorite character?
Gen

2. Who was your least favorite character?
Ambiades loll

3. If you could change one part of the book, what would it be?
[spoilers removed]

4. What did you..."

Totally agree with your #3, Taz. 😢

[Kacie]

me too!