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Margaret Owen

Painted Devils (Little Thieves, 2) Hardcover – May 16, 2023

by Margaret Owen (Author)

4.6 144 ratings

Book 2 of 2: Little Thieves

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An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
An Instant Indies Bestseller!

A scrappy former maid and jewel thief must outwit gods, injustice, and her own past in this sequel to the Indie Next Pick, Little Thieves by Margaret Owen.

Let's get one thing straight - Vanja Schmidt wasn't trying to start a cult.

After taking down a corrupt margrave, breaking a deadly curse, and finding romance with the vexingly scrupulous junior prefect Emeric Conrad, Vanja had one great mystery left: her long-lost birth family . . . and whether they would welcome a thief. But in her search for an honest trade, she hit trouble and invented a god, the Scarlet Maiden, to scam her way out. Now that lie is growing out of control―especially when Emeric arrives to investigate and the Scarlet Maiden manifests to claim him as a virgin sacrifice.

For his final test to become a prefect, Emeric must determine if Vanja is guilty of serious fraud or if the Scarlet Maiden―and her claim to him―is genuine. Meanwhile, Vanja is chasing an alternative sacrifice that
could be their way out. The hunt leads her not only into the lairs of monsters and the paths of gods, but also the ties of her past. And with what should be the simplest way to save Emeric hanging over their heads,
he and Vanja must face a more dangerous question: Is there a future for a thief and a prefect, and at what price?

From the indie bestselling author Margaret Owen comes the thrilling next installment in the Little Thieves trilogy with all new interior illustrations from the author.

Book 2 of 2

Little Thieves
Print length

512 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date

May 16, 2023
Grade level

10 - 12
Reading age

14 - 18 years
Dimensions

6.45 x 1.55 x 9.35 inches
ISBN-10

1250831164
ISBN-13

978-1250831163
Lexile measure

850L
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Starting the cult was almost entirely an accident. After leaving Reigenbach a reluctant hero, Vanja feels she needs to accomplish something notable to be a worthy romantic partner for Emeric and sets off on her own to find her purpose. It's more difficult than expected, and Vanja leans hard on old skills—lying and con artistry—to get out of trouble and accidentally ends up a Prophet of the Scarlet Maiden in a small village. Junior Prefect Emeric is sent to investigate whether Vanja is committing religious fraud as a part of his final test to become a fully-fledged prefect, but their reunion is complicated when it turns out the folk ballad Vanja used for inspiration has real roots, and the sleeping goddess wakes up ready to be worshiped according to the old ways. The story braids new and familiar characters into families lost and found, pushing them towards self-worth and acceptance, and all the types of love people find themselves tied to. The sly inclusion of memes adds an additional layer of humor to Vanja's sarcastic and self-aware narration without breaking readers out of the unique, German-flavored worldbuilding. Owen delivers another fresh, high-stakes adventure about the power of stories—particularly the ones we tell ourselves. The main cast cues white, and Vanja is demisexual. VERDICT Owen writes at the top of her game, with this installment even stronger than Little Thieves. This series is a must-have for library collections.—Emmy Neal

Review

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
An Instant Indies Bestseller!

THREE STARRED REVIEWS FOR PAINTED DEVILS!

"[M]asterful storytelling. . .Another winding tale of intrigue and adventures that leans heavily on the heart." ―Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Owen writes [Vanja's] story with the compassion and wit that will leave readers holding her close." ―Booklist, Starred Review

“Owen delivers another fresh, high-stakes adventure about the power of stories―particularly the ones we tell ourselves . . . Owen writes at the top of her game, with this installment even stronger than Little Thieves. This series is a must-have for library collections.” ―School Library Journal, Starred Review

Praise for Little Thieves:

"Gorgeous prose, delicious magic." - V.E. Schwab, bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

FIVE STARRED REVIEWS FOR LITTLE THIEVES!

"Part heist, part adventure, with a slow-burning romance at its heart...a story to savor."―Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review

"Packed with heists, gods, and monsters...readers will love rooting for Owen's clever antiheroine with ambition....Highly recommended and not to be missed."―School Library Journal, Starred Review

"A lush and lively adventure replete with romance, revenge, and robbery."―Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"A breathlessly inventive, never-a-dull-moment adventure of found family and second (or fourth or fifth) chances. If you're not careful, it'll steal your heart, too."―Booklist, Starred Review

"An endlessly entertaining fantasy tale about characters on their worst behavior learning to be their best selves." ―BookPage, Starred Review

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (May 16, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250831164
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250831163
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 850L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.46 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.45 x 1.55 x 9.35 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #53,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #130 in Teen & Young Adult Dark Fantasy
- #207 in Teen & Young Adult Fantasy Action & Adventure
- #231 in Teen & Young Adult Sword & Sorcery Fantasy

Customer Reviews:
4.6 144 ratings

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Margaret Owen

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Margaret Owen was born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail, and now lives and writes in Seattle while negotiating a long-term hostage situation with her two monstrous cats. In her free time, she enjoys exploring ill-advised travel destinations and raising money for social justice nonprofits through her illustrations.

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4.6 out of 5

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LA in Dallas

Who is Vanja?

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2023

Verified Purchase

Thirteen years ago a woman went into the forest to meet the Low Gods Death and Fortune. She brought with her her four-year-old daughter Vanja, her thirteenth child, and therefore, she believed, ill-fated. She asked Death and Fortune to take her daughter. Death promised her, "Only one of you will go home." Death and Fortune gave their god daughter Vanja a home. Vanja's mother never returned home from the forest. You know the rest: Vanja was eventually given by her god mothers into service in a noble family. After perpetrating fraud and thievery she saved the town of Minkja from an evil Margrave who plotted to take over the kingdom. There is a statue of her in Minkja, erected by a god. And she has a backpack full of rubies, and won the love of a boy whom she also loves, Emeric Conrad. So, for an ill-fated child, she has done pretty well for herself.

But this story (which is a brief and uneven summary of Little Thieves -- which you should certainly read) leaves out so much. Who was the mother who abandoned her four-year-old daughter? What of the family she left behind?

Making her way towards Emeric, Vanja trips on a bridge and spills her rubies into the stream below. To get them back she makes up a story about encountering a goddess, the Scarlet Maiden, and cons the people of the village of Hagendorn into searching the icy stream and recovering her rubies. As the cult of the Scarlet Maiden grows Vanja makes the unfortunate discovery that the Scarlet Maiden is not entirely imaginary. Not even close. The Scarlet Maiden demands sacrifices.

The bulk of the novel recounts a quest to gather the necessaries for one of those sacrifices. But the real story is Vanja's discovery of herself, where she came from, and what she is capable of. This core story is excellent, and it is told with Margaret Owen's characteristic verve and humor. You will find that, as in Little Thieves, there is much to laugh at.

You will also find, I am sorry to say, that much of the time the narrative doesn't quite seem to know where it's headed. It felt to me as if Margaret Owen spent a lot of her and my time distracted by shiny objects, rather than telling her story. And there is one other thing. Vanja and Emeric are virgins. This observation is not mere prurience -- how and when and whether Vanja and Emeric will end their virginity is a major plot point. While this is obviously a matter of considerable interest to Vanja and Emeric, it is less interesting to the reader. Early on Helga, one of the other characters, tells them

"I don’t do relationship drama, I don’t do teenage drama, and I especially don’t do teenage-relationship drama."

By the time you reach the end of Painted Devils, you will feel oceans of sympathy for Helga -- at least I did.

Overall, Painted Devils is not quite as good a novel as Little Thieves. It bears within it an excellent story, but the fundamentally simple story it wants to tell is diluted by a lot of extra stuff that doesn't improve it.

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Ani C

So perplexed. I enjoyed (?)

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

I gave this four stars, but imagine the fourth is flickering. I love the selection and retelling of an old fairy tale, and the complex yet recognized brand of trauma it represents. Book 2 helps close some gaps by literally dropping some characters into a void and rendering them deaf-mute, and it feels like it *should* be the end of the series. But it’s not s duology, and littered with contemporary pop-culture references that lead me to say “the author just did that, huh?” But…that’s the world Margaret Owen has built. You speak it, you believe it, and it simply is—and even if that’s a little confusing or upsetting at times, well hang on and it’ll work out to some degree. Do I want the third book? Yes! No? Maybe I’m not ready. Maybe I understand Vanja more and more. Was it worth the author writing? Yes. Absolutely. I just…need to hang on I guess.

Helpful

Utopia State of Mind

everything I wanted and more

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Painted Devils is everything I wanted and more. It has that signature charm of Owens, characters that scream personality, and heart wrenching emotions. For me, this one was even more emotional as Vanja struggles to negotiate family, her past of abandonment, and her fears of being unwanted. As an adoptee who has also thought about searching for my biological family, this hit me deep in the gut. It merely solidifies my love for Vanja and Margaret Owen's stories.

The ways Owen is able to make you laugh, put in cultural Easter eggs, but also make you cry. Vanja is strong, clever, resilient, and snarky. But she's also deeply struggling to see herself as being lovable, as beautiful, as warranting someone to stay with her. Her quick remarks and barbs hide her fragile heart. So her journey in Painted Devils feels very much like a Vanja thing to do.

2 people found this helpful

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samantha

If Margaret Owen has no fans, it's because I am dead.

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2023

Verified Purchase

I died for book one and i fully PERISHED for book two. Chock full of millennial humor (I mean how many people can fit Backstreet Boys lyrics in a fantasy novel?) and heartwrenching emotions, this book is glorious, unprecedented, and exactly what all of us who really need therapy but are convinced we're fine needs. Every book Owen puts out becomes my new number one, and this one is no exception. If you have a narcissistic parent, please pick up this series and know you're not alone. Prepping my grave for book three.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Incredible

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

Such a great sequel, can’t wait for the next one!

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer

Lovely story, great second book !

Reviewed in France on July 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

If you loved the first book, you will love this one just as much, if not more !

We learn more about Emeric ans Vanja, and it is an absolute delight to read how their relationship changes, how they find each other. Adorable, it made my heart ache.

Of course the humour is also there, deadpan as ever, and in the right amount to be funny and interesting without taking away from the story and characters. We get some very serious and heartbreaking moments as well.

And that ending...aaaaaaaah my poor heart can't take being whisked away on a emotional rollercoaster AND THEN having to deal with plot twists.

Margaret Owens, dear author, you did great and I hate you a little bit for that ending. Looking forward to the next book !!!

Stargazer

This book is so good

Reviewed in Canada on May 22, 2023

Verified Purchase

It made me laugh. It made me sob. This is just as good as the first book! I actually highlighted several of the funny lines and had to send screenshots of them to my friends.

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