Book Review of Painted Devils by Margaret Owen
You will like Painted Devils if you like:
Little Thieves
Heist stories
Voicey/snarky narration
First person present format
Rich, well-developed mythology
Healthy portrayal of romance
Diverse representation
YA fantasy series (unfinished)
I’m conflicted about reviewing Painted Devils. Since I read the Merciful Crow duology, Margaret Owen has become one of my favorite authors. Little Thieves only strengthened my opinion of her stories, so much that I preordered Painted Devils (and I never preorder books!). But PD didn’t wow me like I was hoping, although I still have mad respect for Owen’s author chops and will unquestionably buy her next book.
PD continues Vanja and Emeric’s story, began in Little Thieves. Still struggling with her self-worth, Vanja strikes out on her own with a pack full of rubies, and in a moment of desperation, ends up conning a village into serving a low god (The Scarlet Maiden) she conjured up from a song she heard in a pub. Problems galore follow when Vanja’s faux god ends up being not so made-up after all. Enter Emeric the “aspirant” prefect, with awful supervisor in tow, thwarting his every move and making Vanja’s predicament even worse. Throw in Vanja’s long-lost family, a ticking-clock quest, a few heists, a host of new characters, and a will-they-or-won’t-they love story, and we’re left with a hefty tome of a story. There’s so much it drags at times. I felt a little like I kept losing sight of the trail in the midst of a thicket. There was just so much.
At the conclusion of Little Thieves, I was left thirsty for resolution of Vanja and Emeric’s love story. And in PD, Vanja and Emeric shine. The progression of their relationship, especially the portrayal of Vanja’s vulnerable inner world, is my favorite part of the book. Owen tackles intimacy in a refreshingly candid way that had me applauding. The love story was a little belabored, and sadly (mild spoiler-alert!) will continue to be so, because publishers need $$$$$. (Is this really surprising though?)
PD has Owen’s sparkling wit and lively prose on every page, interwoven with powerful character development and modern themes. This was a winning combination in Little Thieves; in PD the voice is overdone to the extent that I found myself taken out of the story several times. In Little Thieves, the social issues tackled felt seamlessly integrated into the story. In PD, the application was a bit heavy-handed, as though the author wanted to stuff all of the important social issues of the day into the book, instead of sticking with the already powerful stuff Vanja was working through with her family and her relationship with Emeric. (Note: I agree with the author on her politics, so that wasn’t my issue) I suppose Owen is benefiting from her success, shielding her from more of the editor’s cruel knife. But, in my opinion, this book needed more cuts, OR needed to be the last in the series. I’m not surprised the publisher wants another book out of Vanja and Emeric, but I was borderline rolling my eyes at the end (what was it all for Vanja???? Seriously!) I realize publishers get what publishers want, and maybe Owen is walking that line, but I’m cringing as I’m writing this, but SIGH I did not like the ending. (sad, sad face).
Other positives: If you’ve read Margaret Owen’s books no surprises here, but the mythology and world-building is top notch. She is incredibly smart and clever and weaves a nice plot, although sometimes the details get a little fuzzy to me (wait, the Scarlet Maiden was….what? Never mind…I’m more interested in Vanja and Emeric). I think that aside is a pretty good summary of my reading experience.
Overall, four stars. If you liked Little Thieves, how could you not pick this one up?