To tell you the God's honest truth, I can't remember if I've read this before or not. If I did, it's been long enough ago that I'd forgotten all about it. The Thief of Always is one of the few books by Clive Barker that I haven't (or possibly have) read. Like Abarat, there's something about Clive's books for young people that hit a nerve - whether you're an adult or a child... or anywhere in between.
Filled with the pseudo-psychotic-fantastique imagery that one comes to expect from Barker, the story is about a ten-year old boy who is slowly being devoured by that awful beast known as February. He's seemingly rescued from his doldrums by a man who's smile might be just a bit too large, and taken to a magical house where all the seasons transpire in a single day. Of course, the house isn't what it first appears to be, and the boy must soon learn what's important, and what's illusion.
A fabulous fairy tale that only Barker could tell, The Thief of Always is a classic that I may or may not have read before.
Rated 4 out of 5
(Originally reviewed in "The Daily Cave" on February 18th, 2007)
