Review: The Good Thief

Hannah Tinti's writing style in her first novel has been compared by many to Charles Dickens, but what really struck me was the cover. I was in the airport and I was completely taken by the cover. Even though was mid-book and had another with me in the airport, I couldn't resist and just bought it. And I started reading it as soon as I got home.

The premise of this book makes it seem like something that might be somewhat scary, and the style would fare well being read aloud. However, overall the book left me underwhelmed. I liked the story, but the characters were not particularly likable. Some of the episodes were enjoyable, but did not lead to me feeling connected or interested in the characters in the novel.

As the book ended, I wasn't sad or disappointed that I would be leaving Ren and the rest of the characters; I wasn't happy about it, either, but I could have taken or left the story.  Tinti's writing, however, was really good and I really enjoyed her writing style. I think she just fell into some first-novel hiccups, and I look forward to her next effort.

To sum up, I would not recommend this book to a friend who was looking for an excellent book, but I would probably recommend it for a teen reader or someone who wants an easy read.