Thieves’ Gambit: Opening ‘In Medias Res’ (KLC Podcast, S2 Ep. 3)
podcast highlights by Kristi Wright
This season, Erin Nuttall and Anne-Marie Strohman are diving deep into Kayvion Lewis’s YA novel Thieves’ Gambit, the thrilling story of Rosslyn Quest, who comes from a family of international super thieves.
In the third episode of the podcast, Nuttall and Strohman discuss the opening for Thieves’ Gambit which manages to do double duty by not only showing readers “the world as it is,” which is the context for what’s currently happening, but also by dropping readers straight “in medias res,” or in the middle of things.
In storytelling, “in medias res” typically means jumping directly into the action. It’s a fast-paced, high energy way to enter a story, and it's frequently used in action books, thrillers, and mystery stories.
With Thieves’ Gambit, on page one, we meet Ross twisted like a pretzel inside a cabinet while on a job. We don’t know yet what the job is, but we immediately start to piece together her world.
If I were a normal person, my legs would be in a coma right now. But I guess Mom’s intense flexibility training comes in handy for jobs like this.
I’d been crammed in here, on the secluded side of the mansion, for about three hours, scrolling through my dummy Insta. Over the last few months, stalking accounts about dorm life had become more addictive than K-dramas on Netflix. (p1)
By page two, her job starts, and there’s nothing slow about it. Built into the action of the opening pages are trappings of thievery that show how skilled Ross Quest is at what she does. That’s not all. Woven into the high stakes is interiority that reveals her deeply complex character.
On the plus side, starting “in medias res” generally sends your reader the message that they are in for a wild ride, which can be very attractive. However, there is the risk that since the reader may not immediately know the character or the stakes, they may not be invested in the outcome enough to continue reading. Thieves’ Gambit avoids this pitfall by weaving in compelling character interiority and interesting and specific details that build authenticity for the “world as it is,” both of which compel the reader to care about the opening action sequence and be intrigued about where the story will go next.
In Episode 3 of the KidLit Craft Podcast: Thieves’ Gambit, Erin and Anne-Marie go deeper into how Lewis masterfully jumps straight into action while still introducing her readers to the complex world of daring and dangerous heists and a teen who’s deeply conflicted about her mother’s expectations and whether she will follow in her mom’s thieving footsteps.
LISTEN TO EPISODE 3 ON APPLE PODCASTS, OR WHEREVER YOU LISTEN.
Watch for Episode 4
In Episode 4, Erin and Anne-Marie will explore the main character’s internal and external desire, with a spotlight on how Ross’s desire shifts as the story unfolds.
REMINDER: There is so much going on in this book that it’s impossible to stay away from spoilers. So, be warned!
Find out more about the KidLit Craft podcast HERE.
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