Icarus by K. Ancrum

Those that know me will tell you that I am a complete sucker for a retelling of a Greek myth so I jumped at the chance to read Icarus by K. Ancrum.

Icarus Gallagher is a thief. He steals priceless art and replaces it with his father’s impeccable forgeries. For years, one man—the wealthy Mr. Black—has been their target in revenge for his role in the death of Icarus’s mother. To keep their secret, Icarus adheres to his own strict rules to keep people, and feelings, at bay: Don’t let anyone close. Don’t let anyone touch you. And, above all, don’t get caught.

All is going to plan until one day, the air in the house is different. Icarus feels like hes being watched. When Icarus goes to steal a painting in a wing of the mansion he has barely set foot in, his world and life is put into peril. Icarus is not alone in the house. From the shadows emerges Mr Black’s son, Helios and from that point on, nothing is the same.

Icarus is a story about breaking free from the prison of obligation set down by their parents. Icarus and Helios discover more about themselves and each other, ready to change their worlds in the name of freedom. Will Icarus shed the chains of his father’s crusade for vengeance and will Helios break free from the shackles of Mr Black?

Reading Icarus was like falling into a coming-of-age movie, the feeling of being enveloped in a cloud of dusky sunsets and starlit nights.  I felt euphoric reading how the relationship blossoms between Icarus and Helios, watching them grow and emerge as better versions of themselves.

A highlight of Icarus was how the story didn’t shy away from showing the harsh reality of the physical and emotional trauma the characters endure in the name of family honour.  Instead of the trauma being an add on to the characters, the trauma is part of the development of Icarus and Helios, providing the bridge they need to help themselves to grow past their scars.

I will definitively be on the look out for more of K. Ancrum’s work.