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“Neither here nor there, but long ago…” The Stardust Thief wraps you up in a fantastical story about jinn and magical relics, thieves and storytelling, princes that want freedom, and princes that want revenge. It layers secrets and half-remembered histories upon vivid descriptions of a desert kingdom that was built upon the deaths of those deemed unworthy. It takes familiar tales like Aladdin and One Thousand and One Nights and spins them as threads into a new epic tale.

Loulie is the Midnight Merchant, a criminal of sorts that finds and sells magical relics. She does this with the help of a magical compass and her steadfast companion, Qadir. In the course of selling her wares and seeking information, she ends up ensnared in the life of Prince Mazen, the third son of the Sultan. Her saving his life ends up sending her on a quest to find a magic lamp.

During this quest, we follow Loulie, Mazen, and Aisha. Aisha is one of Prince Omar’s forty thieves. None of the traveling parties truly trust one another, and it seems that Loulie manages to find heartbreak and betrayal of a sort at every turn. She has to find strength not only in herself but in her willingness to ask for help. She has to learn to trust, even if it hurts.

If ever a book could vividly paint a picture of the atmosphere, this is it. The details of the story were captivating, and the telling of stories within the story to help pull out relevant information was perfection. Your heart aches for Loulie and Mazen as they find that nothing is what they first thought. And although this is the first in a series and definitely ends on a cliffhanger, I look forward to continuing the story, wherever it may lead. This is one of those times where I am glad that a pretty cover swayed me into purchasing a random book at the bookstore. I don’t regret it one little bit. This is very much a 5-star book for me, and one of the best I have read so far this year.