I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lately, I’ve had a few “misses,” reading in the young adult space, and I was starting to wonder if I should take a break– could I somehow be “outgrowing,” young adult whilst mantaining my affection for children’s fiction? Thieves categorically proved that I wasn’t, and that YA could still blow me away.

Everything about this graphic novel is outstanding. The art style is unique and super charming. I love the character's expressiveness- not just in expression, but in every ounce of their body language- and the intricate environments that feel so truly lived-in, the cute and memorable character designs, the clever use of limited colour palettes to create atmosphere. Even Bryon’s panelling is creative and serves to support the story. I adored her use of water to symbolise panic and the warped line quality to signify a character’s drunkenness– it was all so beautifully done, and made for a very visceral, emotional read.

Not to be undone, Bryon’s writing is also fantastic. Thieves has natural dialogue that flows smoothly, and is by turns touching or funny: I’m not sure if she translated herself, but whoever did the translation did an absolutely stellar job. Thieves has wonderful pacing– this was a short story, and Bryon still manages to depict characters that are not only likeable, but also that feel nuanced and believable. I was seized by a brief worry early on in the narrative that Madeline, Ella’s love interest, might end up being a total cipher, but this worry was so laughably unsubstantiated I look back on it with some measure of guilt for not putting more trust in the author. The story is certainly more slice-of-life than high-stakes or soap-opera, but it still has some surprising turns and I was definitley never bored- indeed, I stayed up much later than intended, because for the first time in a long while, I was unwilling to put my book down to go to sleep.

Bryon explores themes of blossoming relationships, social pressure, and coming-of-age with empathy and kindness, and a much-needed dose of levity. Thieves is a beautiful encapsulation of teenage woes with an inherent queer sensibility, despite not being mired in or focused on homophobia, coming out, etc. I think it will be well-loved widely both by current teens and ex-teens, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy after its publication- I definitely want this on my shelf. I’d especially highly recommend it to fans of Alice Oseman and Tillie Walden.