The Thief Who Sang Storms by Sophie Anderson (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Thief Who Sang Storms by Sophie Anderson April Spisak Anderson, Sophie The Thief Who Sang Storms. Scholastic, 2023 [336p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781338875430 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781338875454 $17.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 4-6 Humans and the alkonosts—bird people who are covered with feathers and able to sing magic—lived mostly peacefully on Morovia until a tragic accident devastated part of the island, and humans, or at least enough of the ones in charge, blamed the alkonosts. Linnet misses everything about her old alkonost life: her mother died in the accident, her dad is now a shadow of his former self, and the alkonosts, in acts of self-preservation, have hidden in different pockets of the swamp land where they were forced to relocate, afraid of gathering in numbers to attract more suspicion. When Linnet's father is captured by human guards, Linnet decides to stop pining for peace and instead risk everything to make it happen. The lush descriptions of the island, the joyful moments of secret magic, and the memorable array of creatures Linnet befriends are all highlights in this gentle, earnest novel. Linnet's gleaming innocence and unwavering pure intentions make her a bit hard to connect with, but she is surrounded by folks with layers of nuance, and the book contemplates how bad actions can come out of good intentions, fearful choices, and complex feelings about what forms unity might take. While Linnet may be the one to spark peace, it will take all of them to sustain it, and therein lies the suspense. An author's note references a Russian folk poem as a key influence. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois