Turner claims that "nothing in this book is historically accurate," but she does admit incorporating information from Greek history into The Thief. It is therefore not surprising that readers find many similarities to ancient Greece as Gen travels through the countries of Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia. The country of Sounis, like the citystate of Sparta, focuses on military might while the country of Eddis, like Athens, has become powerful through trade. In the city of Sounis, where the tale begins, the prison and the home of the king of Sounis are located on a hill high above the commercial quarter of the city. Turner describes a city not unlike the fortified acropolis or "high city" found in ancient Greece.

The action of the novel takes place in settings reminiscent of ancient Greece, but the atmosphere surrounding the characters feels like medieval Europe. There are references throughout the story...