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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Book of the Year
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti was read by my book club a few months ago and has been selected as this blogs Book of the Year 2008. The story begins with a young boy, Ren, who was abandoned by his parents and raised at Saint Anthony’s orphanage for boys. A young man named Benjamin Nab unexpectedly appears, claiming to be Ren’s long- lost brother. The mysterious tale of the missing hand and who Ren’s parents really are begins to unfold. The themes of friendship, loneliness and love ruminate throughout this masterpiece. This is a book that can be read aloud by a fire place on a cold, stormy night. It is scary, Gothic, adventurous and exciting. You'll find yourself routing for the most unlikeable characters and at times wishing the story would never end. Although this is a contemporary novel, according to the critics, her style is reminiscent of Dickens and Stevenson. You could assume that Tinti must have grown up exposed to these great authors and they live through her words. If you are a lover of classic literature, look no further.
