I read the psychology of time travel last year and absolutely loved it, so jumped at the chance to read this novel before its release.

I was not disappointed.

All of the characters felt like real people. Every one of the main characters was given time and detail into why they behaved the way they did and even though it is brief, the reader is given proper insight into their history.

I loved the juxtaposition of fairytale and real life. The novel is largely set on the “eyot” but there are references to Oxford and London. The main premise is magical dolls, and hexes. Hexes that are photographed with a phone, skills that have been learned at university. It’s so well written, that the reader is given the true feel of how cut off the characters are from everything else, that something like a mobile phone seems out of place. I felt like I was so engrossed in the world the writer laid out for us that I kept forgetting this was not actually a fantasy novel set in a different world.

There were a few unanswered questions at the end of the novel and I felt like I needed more of this book.

However, I ultimately loved the direction the writer took to concluding the novel. I thought that Seph would end up with Larkin and have their happy ending. And at first it was actually upsetting that he was such a dick in the end. I thought there would be some kind of reconciliation. But giving Seph something else - a better relationship with her father and realising that she had people around her who loved her was a brilliant way to conclude it. I felt some of my subconscious learned misogyny rising to the surface wanting Seph and Larkin to get back together, since he was such a bad person and she definitely deserved better: this novel really challenged how I perceive happy endings.

Genuinely, from reading her other novel, I believe Kate Mascarenhas to be such a master with suspense. I had absolutely no idea who had stolen the doll. It was almost written as though everyone or no one was guilty.

I loved it.

I found the book absolutely fascinating. The whole set up is amazing and I loved how the author created this magical world but made it fascinatingly mundane by going into business details, just as it would be if magic was part of everyday life. The characters were great and I was just fascinated by their behavior and how they developed through the book.

The Thief on the Winged Horse is magical!
Any story that can take you to such an incredible imaginative world is a sure winner! Strong characters and a plot you will not forgot.

5/5

The Thief on the Winged Horse was an interesting and engaging read overall. I enjoyed the premise, and there was sufficient world building for me to get a sense of the place and situation without unnecessary info. The characters, too, mostly came across well. We got a decent understanding of the main players and their motivations, and they all felt like unique, developed figures. However, there was something that didn't quite click for me and I am having trouble deciding what it was. As I said, world building and characters were well done and there was an intriguing plot, but somehow it didn't completely come together, and when I closed the final page, I was wishing for something more, yet I couldn't tell you what that "more" was. Maybe over time the answer will come to me, but for now I will just say this was a good book, with plenty of well-written content to please fans of fantasy/magical realism. I liked it, but there was just something missing that would have made me leap from liking it to loving it. This was a 3.5-star read for me, which I will round up to a four, rather than down to a three. I'm glad I read it once, but it's not something I feel the need to reread in the future.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Persephone's family, the Kendricks, is know for their famous doll-making business. Their dolls are special, peculiar, because they are magical. Each one of them are able to make feel the beholder some emotions, like bliss, or anger, or paranoia, or love and so on. Only family members can work and create the dolls. Persephone wants to learn the craft, but she's a woman and that would mean break the family's traditions. One day a stranger claims to be a member of the family and to be able to craft the magical dolls. When the most important doll vanished, Persephone finds herself involved into an mystery.

The thief on the winged horse is a tale of magic, mystery and family. The story is interesting, full of twists and mysteries and with captivating characters, above all Persephone who is struggling to follow her dreams and her desires. The plot is complex, a mix between a fairy tale and a mystery investigation, realism and magic, love and loss. The writing style is captivating, even though a bit slow in some parts, but above all enjoyable.