Review of ‘Thief of Night‘ ‘ (The Charlatan Duology #2) by Holly Black . Discover the spellbinding conclusion to The Charlatan Duology, where shadows hold secrets, loyalty is tested, and love might be the most dangerous thing of all. In this dark urban fantasy sequel, Holly Black once again proves why she is a master of morally grey characters and twisty magic systems. If you love clever heroines, shadow magic, and relationships that feel messy and real, this one might just steal your heart.
Thief of Night by Holly Black is a shadow soaked fantasy full of twists and heart
Synopsis
There’d always been something wrong with Charlie Hall. Crooked from the day she was born. Never met a bad decision she wasn’t willing to double down on. She may be good enough to steal a shadow from a tower, but will she be good enough to steal back a heart?
Review
There has always been something wrong with Charlie Hall. Crooked from the day she was born. She has never met a bad decision she was not willing to double down on. She can steal a shadow from a tower if she has to, slip into places she does not belong, and survive by her wits alone. But this time the stakes feel different. It is not just about pulling off a job. It is about whether she can steal back something far more fragile. A heart. Maybe even her own.
I have to start by saying that I liked this one more than the first book. And that honestly surprised me because I liked the first one but wasn’t that crazy about it if I remembered correctly (it has been a while since I read the first one haha). ButI feel like sometimes sequels struggle under the weight of expectations, but Thief of Night felt sharper, more focused, and emotionally stronger. It did take me a little while to fully settle back into this universe. The shadow magic, the underworld politics, the morally complicated alliances… It is not the kind of world you just breeze into. But I really appreciated how well Holly Black recapped what happened in the first book. It never felt like an info dump, just gentle reminders woven into the story that helped everything click into place. I found myself remembering details more quickly thanks to this!
Charlie continues to be interesting protagonist. She is messy, self sabotaging, fiercely loyal, and somehow still incredibly easy to root for. I didn’t have a lot of ‘wtf Charlie’ moments in this book. There is this constant tension in her between wanting to be better and believing she is fundamentally broken. That push and pull made her journey in this book even more compelling. Watching her navigate trust, love, and the consequences of her past decisions felt raw and very real. Especially in relations to Vince/Red.
I did want even more Charlie and Red though!!! Their dynamic is one of my favourite parts of this series. There is so much history there (partly forgotten due to Red losing his memories) and so much unspoken emotion layered into every interaction. I expected just a little more focus on them, a few more moments to really sit in their connection. The same goes for Charlie and Posey. I had hoped for a deeper exploration of their sisterly bond. There are glimpses of it, and what we get is meaningful, but I found myself wanting more. More vulnerability. More shared scenes. More of that complicated family love that feels both frustrating and unbreakable. And more ‘good’ moments! I would like a little novella about just them.
The twists were genuinely interesting. There were turns I did not fully see coming, and others that made me pause and think, oh that is clever. Holly Black has always had a talent for weaving intrigue into her stories, and that skill shines here. The pacing tightens as the story progresses, and once it truly gets going, it is hard to put down. I finshed this story pretty quickly because I was just so into it.
Final thoughts? Overall, Thief of Night is a strong and satisfying end to The Charlatan Duology. It deepens Charlie’s character, delivers solid twists, and closes the story in a way that feels right. If you enjoy morally grey heroines, shadow magic, and urban fantasy with bite, this duology is absolutely worth your time. And if you were unsure after book one, I would say give this sequel a chance. For me, it was the stronger installment.
Rating
8,5/10
Details
- Trigger warnings: Violence including blood and gore, torture, murder and mass murder, gaslighting, abuse, amnesia, drugging, alcohol use, detailed injury, death, and mentions of sexual assault
- Representation: Plus sized female protagonist, trauma, addiction, morally grey heroine, emotional vulnerability, subtle LGBTQ+ representation
- Pages: 288
- Publication date: September 23, 2025
- Publisher: Tor Books
- About the author:
Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.
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