No matter how many times I read it, there are a few sections that can also still cause me to ugly cry. Can Harvey figure out the truth, find a way out, and save his friends? If you’ve never read The Thief of Always before, then you’ll need to grab a copy to find out!īetween Clive Barker’s brilliant voice, stunningly odd illustrations, and occasional bouts of laugh out loud humor, it’s hard not to get sucked back into the world he created again and again. But, as is always the way with these things, nothing is as it seems. Hood’s Holiday House, a seemingly magical land where bored children can take a break from their normal lives. This allows him to be tricked into becoming a willing visitor to Mr. Harvey suffers from the same issues that can plague any of us: dissatisfaction and boredom. There’s something so charming, devastating, and heartening about The Thief of Always that readers of all ages really need to experience it for themselves. But don’t let that deter you, adult readers. As with most Middle Grade tales, we see the story from the point of view of a young boy (Harvey).
I’ve been reading and re-reading the same paperback copy of this book since 1993. The Thief of Always by Clive Barker Book Review The Thief of Always has one of my absolute favorite opening lines: “The great gray beast February had eaten Harvey Swick alive.” From there, readers are transported into a magical tale that’s equal parts horror, fairy tale, and fantasy.