Each of the books in this series, we’ve been told, will cover essentially the same period of time, and only be told from the perspective of different sets of characters. If the first book carved off these less important characters, then the next book should have more important characters that play roles more central to the important story that is being laid out within the city and thus be that much more interesting and engaging. I believe her pay off is worth the journey this book takes, but I actually think it could have used an extra 100-150 pages to really soak in the journey she experiences. Age of Ash is the first book in a fantasy trilogy set in the city of Kithomar with a plot setup centering around gangs of orphans who set about pickpocketing the populace, mysterious witches, and a knife of power. And in truth I find it hard to describe exactly why reading it was as wonderful as it was, aside from highlighting broader themes of Abraham’s work.

Although it didn’t read at a blistering pace, Age of Ash was still a pretty quick and riveting read. Alys, a poor girl from Longhill, gets herself involved in the midst of a pull that can shake the entire city. She never expresses her feelings to anyone, nor do we never see any other characters with same-sex attraction to compare it to or know how she would be received in the world at large.

A really enjoyable story, if a somewhat straightforward one as the characters journey doesn’t do a whole lot to expand the world. Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the advanced review copy and opportunity to provide an honest review. This feels refreshing - moral murkiness may be more realistic, but it also feels a bit overdone at this point - but also feels like it runs counter to the idea of Alys and Sammish being friends divided by a cause; when they realise which cause is good and which is bad, the central conflict effectively vanishes.

When a new prince rises to power, it marks the beginning of a year of tumultuous events in the city. Sammish was/is one of those characters who crept into the page and seemed destined always for the bit-roles. Consequently, Age of Ash has some fantastic themes about grief, loyalty, family, friendship and overcoming hardships.Each theft wins her little more than enough to keep a roof over her head and food in her belly, the spoils shared between disparate players, together only for the sake of the job. The story begins by weaving the subtle mystery surrounding the death of one of it’s rulers, and some of the history of this long-standing city, before focusing on one of its varied occupants. Now, all that being said, I’m still incredibly interested in what the next book in the series is going to bring to the table. This review is going to end up toeing the line of damning with faint praise, because Age of Ash is just solidly okay. Hair color is rarely mentioned and whereas we know people of Inslic or Hansch origin tend to have this or that characteristics, I needed more.