Novels Now

He had no memory of a beginning – of a mother or father, sister or brother. His life was simply there, at Saint Anthony’s, and what he remembered began in the middle of things – the smell of boiled sheets and lye; the taste of watery oatmeal; the feel of dropping a brick onto a piece of stone, watching the red pieces split off, then using those broken shards to write on the wall of the monastery, and being slapped for this, and being forced to wash the dust away with a cold, wet rag. – from The Good Thief, page 4 -

Ren, missing a hand,  has lived for eleven years at an orphanage in New England – a place where children are whipped for infractions and schooled in Catholic doctrine. His friendships are few and his questions are many. Then one day a man named Benjamin Nab arrives at Saint Anthony’s claiming to be Ren’s brother. His wild stories convince the authorities at the orphanage to let Benjamin adopt Ren – and thus begins Ren’s second life filled with grave robbery, violence, and lies. Along the way, Ren makes friends with a paid assassin, a dwarf, a landlady who has a heart of gold, a nun, and a drunkard. He also begins to uncover the mystery surrounding his birth.

The Good Thief is a fast read and filled with unexpected events and excitement. Hannah Tinti’s story is a bit Dickensonian, but with more violence. Ren’s character is likable (he is the good thief, in case you were wondering)…he wants to do good, but is forced to lie and steal to survive. The writing in the novel is clean and vivid.

But, despite these strengths, I did not really enjoy this book. At times I felt the plot was too contrived, and the violence overdone and gratuitous. The number of evil characters in the novel turned me off a bit. I found myself wanting a better life for Ren and wondering if there were any loving adults in his world. Luckily, Mrs. Sand (the landlady) ends up being someone who provides the love Ren has never known. And although Tinti redeems some of her “bad” characters,  the novel overall was just too dark and depressing.

Many readers liked The Good Thief – in fact, it has won a host of awards including:

When I read through that list, I wonder if I was just not in the mood for this book at the time I read it. Reader’s who like fast-paced fiction and are not overly disturbed by graphic violence, might give this one a try.

The Author’s Website

This is the story of Ren. He is a 12-year-old boy living in the St. Anthony’s Orphanage somewhere in the woods of New England in the 19th Century. Ren is at that age where it’s unlikely he will be adopted by a family, even the ones that are looking for a little bit of cheap labor. You see Ren is different from the other boys because he only has one hand. And any boys that reach their 18th birthday at the orphanage are sent to join the army and an almost certain death. But every time someone comes to pick out a child, Ren doesn’t stop hoping.

Then one day, the unimaginable happens. A man comes to the orphanage seeking his long, lost brother. When the boys line up, the man walks right up to Ren, looks at his hand, and announces that he has found him!! And this is how Ren meets Benjamin Nab. The wild tale that Benjamin tells the priest isn’t even close to the truth, but Ren is excited to finally have someone that he can call family.

But Benjamin isn’t exactly who he says he is. With his friend and accomplice Tom, the drunken ex-school teacher, Benjamin shows Ren how they make a living. If it’s not a con-job, then it’s “fishing” in the local cemeteries (taking jewelry and items from the deceased). But when an opportunity emerges for the men to go to a town called North Umbrage, Benjamin is extremely reluctant. He has been in this town before and is afraid of the repercussions he will face if recognized. But the money they can earn stealing bodies from the cemetery for the local “Mad” Doctor is more than anyone can deny. So off the small rag-tag group goes….and then things really get wild!!

Tinti has shown in this debut novel that she really can tell a story!! Our one-handed little hero is smart, loyal and extremely courageous. He is the perfect protagonist for such an adventure. And an adventure it is! From conning farmers out of their horses to midnight grave-robbing expeditions, Ren is forced to take a good hard look at the men he is with and at the person he wants to be. There is also an extremely unique cast of characters that include a mysterious drawf that lives on the roof, a gentle giant who’s only talent is one of murder, an almost-deaf landlady this is kind and yet a little on the scary side herself, and the corrupt owner of a mousetrap factory and all his little minions.

But through all the escapades that Ren goes through, the real adventure comes from finding out who he really is. Throughout the story, bits and pieces of Ren’s history are revealed to the reader. When the explosive climax is finally reached, all the loose ends of the story are tied up nicely. Tinti has created a great adventure with this book. Although it isn’t marketed to the Young Adult set, I think it would be highly enjoyable to that age group…especially to boys. All in all, I was swept up in this child’s life and adventures and I would definitely recommend this book!

4/5