Shadow Thieves - Peter Burns

Tom and his friends have lived their lives fending for themselves whilst trying to dodge the workhouse; shining shoes to make ends meet as well as picking pockets when they needed to.  When Tom's friends find themselves locked in the workhouse and forced into a brutal regime, Tom is determined to rescue them if it's the last thing he does.  When his shoe shining leads him to meet the Corsair, his life changes completely.  Sceptical at first at the opportunity being presented to him, Tom succumbs and allows the Corsair to lead him to Beaufort's School For Deceptive Arts ... otherwise known as Thieves School.  Set in a remote area of the mountains, discretion is paramount which is why they majority of the students are legacy students, coming from families with a long history of studying at the school; however, there are a minority of others, preferably orphans with nobody to disclose the secret to.  As Tom tries to find his feet at the school, he quickly discovers that things may not be exactly what they seem and danger is lurking. The question is: will Tom live up to the Corsair's expectations and will he have what it takes to step up when the situation arises?

I have to say that Shadow Thieves has all the elements for a truly gripping read: adventure, an alternate world, a remote school and the promise of skulduggery.  I was thrilled to be offered an early copy and it skipped the reading pile as I was so keen to dive in; however, part of me wondered whether it could live up to my expectations.  Spoiler alert: not only did it live up to them, it went way beyond!

Initially set in a version of London where la Grande République de France rules and airships command the skies, we find Tom and his friends doing everything they can to stay out of the workhouse.  However, when they are caught, it is Maxine who breaks Tom out, which is when he first meets the Corsair.  His loyalty to his friends is evident to see throughout the book and is to be admired.  Having been forced to be independent, he is resilient and strong but not immune to doubt and worry.  He is a character that readers will quickly find themselves rooting for. I think, at times, he even surprises himself as his new life unfolds (I'm giving nothing away!).

I loved the concept of a school for thieves, spies, politicos and assassins, and was intrigued by the range of characters Tom meets along the way - the question is, who can he trust?

As I said earlier, when it arrived, Shadow Thieves jumped straight to the top of my reading pile and I began it before the end of term.  It immediately caused a stir at school, with children quick to ask what it was about and even if they could borrow it before I'd finished it!  My only regret is that I had to read the book in instalments when it quickly became apparent that hibernating with it and devouring it in one sitting was what I actually wanted to do!  The book is an immersive adventure full of twists, anticipation and deception that's guaranteed to have your pulse racing.  And oh my goodness, that ending!!  

Publishing 5th June, Shadow Thieves is the first in a new series that is destined to be a huge hit this summer.  I just have one question: when will I be able to get my hands on book 2?!