A title that is definitely worthy of BookTok’s hype is Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson; a young adult, fantasy romance with a brilliant love interest and a badass FMC. The dual POV highlights the true enemies-to-lovers trope, and the chemistry between Kazi and Jase is as dangerous as it is fated. The world-building reminds us of Celaena Sardothien’s adventures in the Red Desert and Adarlan, or Paedyn Grey’s days in the slums, a setting that introduces us to an imaginary world of anarchy, clans, and politics.
In this synopsis of Dance of Thieves, we will explore themes of betrayal, freedom, high-stakes lov,e and of course… dancing! Don’t miss our favorite quotes from Dance of Thieves, Powerless, and ToG. We assure you that banter is bantering!
Beware of spoilers, fellow thieves!
Kazimyrah of Brightmist is a seventeen-year-old member of Rahtan, the most trusted and lethal group of the Venda Queen’s personal guard. Born in one of the poorest parts of Venda, Kazi and her mother struggle to get by. Her mother is a bright figure, always encouraging Kazi to make wishes and believe in magic. Since the gods have abandoned the earth, there is no magic left in the land, but Kazi’s mother thinks magic is found everywhere; in the sounds of nature, the wind, light, words… At the young age of six, though, Kazi is left all alone to fend for herself after her mother gets kidnapped by the Previsi—aka human traffickers.
Kazi became the infamous thief Ten, because under the Komizar’s tyranny, every thief caught in the act was punished by cutting off a fingertip, but Kazi has all ten of them! She sees Death walking alongside her all the time, calling to her but she stubbornly refuses him. And like every legendary thief, she also has an extraordinary adventure to narrate. Once she stole a tiger! Yup, she just couldn’t handle the slavery and confinement of a poor soul. Too relatable.
After the Queen took over and Kazi had an eventful hearing, she trained with two fellow orphans and became one of the strongest Rahtan. Kazi’s loyalty to the Queen is admirable, and she is willing to lead the most treacherous mission in her career so far. She is sent to Hell’s Mouth to search for a fugitive, a traitor who doomed the Queen’s family with his betrayal. Many people lost their lives when the Watch Captain turned against the royal family and stood by the Komizar. Now Queen Lia wants justice for her kingdom and slaughtered family, and Kazi will make sure she gets it.
However, in order to get in Hell’s Mouth, she needs to get through the Patrei. She expects to meet an older, hard man, a patriarch, a usurper. Instead, she comes head-to-head with Jase Ballenger, who has just been appointed as the new Patrei.
Jase is a nineteen-year-old who became the leader of Hell’s Mouth after he unexpectedly lost his father. Head of the family and committed to his people, Jase needs to take over, make sure the trading business runs smoothly, and get rid of the wolves that want a bite of his power—aka his cousin, Paxton.
His first impression of Kazi is not that special… Until she holds a knife to his pretty neck. On his first day as Patrei, getting knocked out by a younger soldier in front of an audience is not ideal. Jase needs to get her alone and deal with the Rahtans swiftly. However, labor hunters capture both of them, chaining them together! Forced proximity in all its glory!
Kazi manages to get them free with her cunning skills as a thief, but fails to obtain the most essential thing at the moment; the key for the chains. With their legs bound to each other they start their long trip back to a Vendan settlement—or so Jase claims.
They do not trust each other, they lie and deceive as well as they breathe. The funny thing is, they are attracted to each other, and as the days grow more difficult, guess who they will turn to—each other. Kazi has a hard time falling asleep in open spaces, and Jase stays awake, telling her stories of the world. Kazi grows fond of his kindness and warmth. Also, she figures that his family has a great history, and comes to question the fact that the Ballengers are not officially appointed as Hell’s Mouth leaders.
The first betrayal comes when they reach their destination, which is none other than a tunnel leading to Tor’s Watch—the Ballengers’ home. Of course, Kazi is hurt by his lies, but actually getting free access to the Patrei’s home while looking for the Captain serves her purpose perfectly. She only needs to weave her lies carefully, and in the meantime, send a letter to the Queen, supposedly inviting her over to meet the Ballengers herself. Kazi’s greatest advantage is the family’s wish to become recognized by the Queen.
The more Kazi gets to know the Ballenger family, the more conflicted she feels. Slowly but surely, Jase wins her back, making her mission impossible. In the meantime, Kazi’s team, Wren and Synove, make their appearance, and under the false pretense of investigating the new Venda settlements in town, they become the Ballengers’ guests.
Looking around the estate for their man proves to be tricky. Kazi can hear death’s calls in every corner, and she nearly answers when some guard dogs bite her while she is sneaking around forbidden places. Jase loses his mind at the thought of losing her.
Finally, Kazi discovers that the Ballengers have been harboring more traitors than the Watch Captain, employed by the family to make weapons. Ouch! Some of them are responsible for Wren and Synove’s parents’ deaths. Things escalate too quickly, as Jase hears about Kazi’s true identity as Ten and that one of his men is the very one who kidnapped her mother… Twisted, right?
On their last night in Hell’s Mouth, Kazi drugs everyone to sleep in order to set her plan in action. The three girls, joined by two more Rahtan, Eben and Natiya, arrest the Captain and his company. However, another surprise awaits them outside their den… The Ballengers.
At the last minute, Kazi manages to get everyone out peacefully—by threatening the Patrei’s life. She takes Jase with her on the trip back to Venda. The bond between them shatters when Kazi realizes Jase knew the man who took her mother. Some things are impossible to forgive, even if her heart bleeds for Jase…
Jase is deeply hurt by Kazi’s betrayal. Not only was he forced to leave his home in turmoil, but he also heard from her that the Watch Captain’s real plan was to outfight the Ballengers with the weapons they were working on. The real reason Jase’s father hired those traitors was only because they also promised a cure for the fever. Many children lose their lives every winter—among them two of Jase’s siblings. See? The Ballengers are not cold-hearted tyrants.
Back at the Queen’s palace, Kazi asks her to give Jase a chance to present his case. He and his father always wanted their empire to be recognized as a kingdom. The Queen understands that there is something deeper going on between her and the Ballenger. In the end, she sends Kazi as an ambassador back to Hell’s Mouth to watch over the family while they prepare the documents for the agreement.
The first book in the duology in The Remnant Chronicles ends with a cliffhanger, giving us only hints of the chaos in Tor’s Watch after Jase’s departure. More details in Vows of Thieves!
A classic theme in YA fantasy is the conflict between love and loyalty. In Dance of Thieves, Kazi and Jase face conflicted feelings; the attraction to each other collides with the duty to their people. Kazi needs to fulfill her mission and arrest the traitor for her queen, while Jase is using her to get the queen’s recognition.
A true enemies-to-lovers theme comes with the gamble between trust and betrayal. Kazi and Jase are forced to trust each other with their lives, but they carefully dance away from the truth behind their motives. As their feelings get more intense, the stakes are higher. When they fall in love, betrayal becomes more bitter with an unpredictable outcome. The reader bounces between the two perspectives, wondering who to side with. In the end, Pearson shows that there is more than one truth.
The search for freedom and identity runs throughout the book. Kazi, once a street thief, must reconcile her past with her new role as a Rahtan soldier. Jase, as the new leader of the Ballenger empire, faces the challenge of stepping out of his family’s shadow. This theme resonates with readers who enjoy stories about self-discovery and choosing their own path.
A five-star romantasy with a high-stakes, slow-burn romance, ideal for young-adult readers, Dance of Thieves surely meets our expectations for an epic adventure. Once you enter Pearson’s world, you cannot help but follow all the Remnant Chronicles universe. Yes, it is an interconnected world, and some characters, like Queen Lia, have their own story explained. So make sure you add Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson to your Amazon library, Goodreads, or any other bookish app of your choice.
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Yes. Dance of Thieves is the first book in the Dance of Thieves duology, followed by Vow of Thieves. It is also set in the same world as The Remnant Chronicles, though it can be read independently.
No, you don’t have to read The Remnant Chronicles first. While there are Easter eggs and familiar locations, the Dance of Thieves series introduces new main characters and stands on its own.
No, Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson has no spice or explicit scenes in it. It is ideal for YA readers, as the romantic tension and action remain appropriate for teens and adults alike.
Nikki Sheryee insists that she’s “up to no good” whenever she’s in the company of books. Armed with a degree in English Language and Literature, she wields the power of words like a mischievous wizard. Her lifelong dream? To be the editor who sprinkles magic dust on manuscripts! To Nikki, a book is more alive than a caffeinated squirrel on roller skates. Readers nurture it, cuddle it, scold it, and occasionally challenge it to a duel! But in the end, a book does its own thing, pulling at our heartstrings and revealing our inner human-ness. Nikki’s favorite pastime? Well, it’s none other than the noble art of daydreaming! And she wears her daydreamer’s badge with pride, sharing this delightful delusion with the crème de la crème of her friends.
