Thief of Corinth

Title: Thief of Corinth

Series: None

Year: 2018

Author: Tessa Afshar

Summary: First-century Corinth is a city teeming with commerce and charm. It’s also filled with danger and corruption—the perfect setting for Ariadne’s greatest adventure.

After years spent living with her mother and oppressive grandfather in Athens, Ariadne runs away to her father’s home in Corinth, only to discover the perilous secret that destroyed his marriage: though a Greek of high birth, Galenos is the infamous thief who has been robbing the city’s corrupt of their ill-gotten gains.

Desperate to keep him safe, Ariadne risks her good name, her freedom, and the love of the man she adores to become her father’s apprentice. As her unusual athletic ability leads her into dangerous exploits, Ariadne discovers that she secretly revels in playing with fire. But when the wrong person discovers their secret, Ariadne and her father find their future—and very lives—hanging in the balance.

When they befriend a Jewish rabbi named Paul, they realize that his radical message challenges everything they’ve fought to build, yet offers something neither dared hope for.

Review: You've got the rooftop adventure of the Prince of Persia, the cunning and generosity of Robin Hood, the exciting sport of Ben-Hur, and the elegance of Austen all wrapped up into one. This book actually surprised me; I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. When I initially read the summary, it pulled at me, but once I began reading -- well, halfway through, I really couldn't put it down.

Ariadne is a Corinthian at heart, but she's stuck in Athens with her harsh, unloving mother and grandfather. Her best friends are her two brothers, one by blood, and the other taken in from the streets as an infant the same night she was born. After her mother and grandfather insist on betrothing her to a pretty awful guy, she decides it's time to leave. So, she escapes back to Corinth with her adopted brother to return to their beloved father.

But not all is well at their father's home. After Ariadne discovers him sneaking in and out at night, he confesses the truth: he is the thief of Corinth. Although he wants to leave the thieving nights behind him, it may be a exciting life that Ariadne just can't say no to. Besides, when everything's on the tip of ruin, another run as a thief might be the only way to save her family.

This book was very well paced; it moves very quickly. And the author did a great job at weaving multiple subplots together. I loved seeing the interaction with Ariadne and her family. I'm really a big fan of stories with lots of sibling emphasis, and this one delivered all that I wanted. In addition, no minor character is added just because; each one has a purpose, which is fantastic.

I was a little disappointed in the ending, I will admit. It did boil down to a very nice conclusion, but I didn't care for the way that Ariadne had to steal again in order to put things right and help people. Yes, she has the talents, and it made a great climax, but morally, it didn't seem to sit well with the spiritual tone of the book. For me, you can't do wrong in order to do right. Stealing is stealing, no matter how you cut it.

Additionally, I think some of the historical and biblical aspects could have been done better. I talked about this book with a college history graduate, and he said that some of the elements included would probably never have happened. One, Ariadne's parents are divorced by the mother's request, and it would have been highly unlikely that the marriage would have been dissolved for a woman -- no matter what the reasons were. Also, Ariadne's race; even though Sparta was big on training the women with the men, women competing in events was next to nil. The adopted son, as well, was something big that the Corinthian world upheld, but a son normally would be adopted if the father had no healthy, beloved male heir (which in this book he did). Once adopted, the son wouldn't leave his father, not even to accompany his sister to a new home. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but some of these elements seemed a little stretched for the purpose of the book.

I won't get on a soapbox about the spiritual elements. This was the one part of the book that I was the most skeptical about, as biblical fiction normally hasn't left a good taste in my mouth. It's hard to get it right, I know. The overall message was good, and it didn't feel like the author was shoving it down your throat, but I was honestly disappointed in Paul's portrayal. After reading his epistles for so many years, he seemed more a contemporary, peace-loving, shallow type of guy. However, I did like how the author tied in the historical account of the Unknown God.

Advisory: A little bit of romance and a kiss, but not overdone. There are a few scenes in which Ariadne describes the scant dress of women, as well as some flirtatious/sensual type scenes. For example, a girl dances in front of a crowd of men, looking for their attention.

And just a bit of blood to be aware of. Another character has a severely broken leg. Some talk of domestic abuse and other minor injuries.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*Please note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*