The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani follows Rae who has a disability that affects her ability to move around. Due to that, Rae is typically overlooked by others. Her story begins when her friend’s sister is kidnapped and she knows she’ll be able to answer her questions if she can talk to someone within the palace. She eventually earns support from the princess and finds unexpected help from a street thief. This book tackles injustice and magic. It’s perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes Sabaa Tahir and Mirage by Somaiya Daud.
In this book, Rae is a girl from a horse farm. She lives at the palace as an attendant to the princess by day and works to unravel a crime by night. This book discusses human trafficking and deals with the fight against injustice. There is also a magical element that will draw readers in. I loved the mystery and the fact that this book wasn’t as dark as I initially thought it would be. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything and it goes into details of the crimes that occur at night. One major theme in this book is standing up for what’s right. This is demonstrated throughout Rae’s Journey. There wasn’t anything that I didn’t like in this book. I highly recommend it!
Final Thoughts: This is an incredible fantasy that has a bit of everything in it! Rae is a fantastic protagonist. It’s rare to see a character with a disability in YA and it would be nice to see more books like this! You can get your copy of The Theft of Sunlight here!.
To keep up with Intissar Khanani, follow her on Instagram. Don’t forget to check out her official website!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for this complimentary copy of The Theft of Sunlight!
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