The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

The Good Thief takes place in New England, 19th century-ish (I think - I could go back and look this up, but right now I'd just like to get this review cranked out). Ren, a 12-year-old orphan with a missing hand (and no memory of the incident that caused the loss), is adopted by Benjamin Nab, who claims to be his long lost brother, though even if the reader had not read the back cover of the book it would become apparent that Benjamin is not who he says he is. The story is a little bit about Ren's adventures with Benjamin and Benjamin's partner in petty crime, Tom, and a little bit about Ren discovering who he really is in the literal sense, and a little about Ren discovering who he is in the literary coming-of-age sense.

There's really nothing not to like about The Good Thief. The characters manage to be characters while still feeling real. The plot is well-paced and engaging (I use that word a lot, engaging). The story is well-constructed, with particular elements coming together while never really feeling forced. The author's prose is strong in that she has an ability to construct surprising detail out of apparent simplicity - as I read, the plot flowed by quickly, but when I forced myself to slow down I was often delighted by word or a sentence. I genuinely liked the book.

But at the same time I was not particularly blown away by it - not by the writing, or the story, or the characters. When I turned the last page it was not with a sense of sadness or finality, just happy completion, and then I went onto whatever my next task was without really looking back. Clearly I didn't feel immediately compelled to write my review, since it's been several weeks. It was a nice book, and I wouldn't not recommend it. If you happen to read the back cover or my synopsis and it sounds interesting to you, you will probably have no trouble finishing it, and you will probably enjoy it. I did. It was a good read. It just didn't grab me and shake me the way some books do, and I don't know that it will take up permanent residence on my bookshelf.