The Good Thieves Written by Katherine Rundell. Reviewed by Isabelle, Age 11

The first page of the book talks about Vita being on a ship. I found this very intriguing because it made me wonder where she is going to, where she is coming from and why she is coming from that place. It makes me want to read on and this happens throughout the book; there are lots of parts amidst the action, all the way to the end of the book, that really intrigued me and made me wish the book was longer.

In the book Vita and her friends are being good thieves, stealing back what has been stolen from Vita’s grandfather. The book is full of action and is very exciting; I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 8 who enjoys a thrilling read. It’s a really big story with such a different plot to other books I have read by the same author.

As well as this main plot of stealing back Hudson Castle, there are lots of side plots for the characters: Arkady wants to become an animal trainer, Samuel wants to become an acrobat, Vita’s family is trying to convince her grandad to move to England, and Silk is a pickpocket living on the streets. I like Samuel’s acrobatics and his determination to become an acrobat even though his uncle thinks that he shouldn’t.

Another thing I like about this book is the description of the setting (New York). I like it because you can really imagine being there with Vita, Silk, Arkady and Samuel and how they are feeling. Also the description of Hudson Castle, its grounds and the children’s journey to it sets the atmosphere really well; you can tell that the journey may end in injuries and disaster which creates suspense.

The varied character backgrounds make the story even better as each character has a different talent which are all quite niche, for example Vita’s incredible ability to throw knives. Everybody has a role to play in the plan, using their particular talents, which makes the Good Thieves a great team.

My favourite character is Vita because she is the hero and without her determination and bravery the book wouldn’t have such a good ending.