The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell is a beautifully written novel about a girl named Vita. Vita travels by boat with her mom to her grandpa’s apartment in New York to try to persuade him to return to Europe with them. However, as Vita is there, she realizes that her grandpa’s castle on the Hudson River is in danger of being taken from him by a vicious man named Sorrotore. Vita assembles a team of three other people to try to win Hudson Castle back.

The first person Vita tries to recruit is a pickpocket named Silk. Vita first meets Silk at one of Sorrotore’s famous parties and asks if she would join her team. Sadly, Silk firmly refuses and Vita sets off to look for someone else. The first person she successfully recruits is named Arkady. Arkady met Vita while taking his horse for exercise down the street. He enthusiastically agrees to be the animal tamer on the team. The third person she tries to recruit is Samuel. Samuel and Arkady are best friends and Vita recruits him for his climbing skills. Once the team is set, they all go and find Silk and she reluctantly joins as well.

Vita specifically chose each of the children for their spectacular talents and shows them the plan on how to steal back Hudson Castle. Vita tells them that they have to retrieve an emerald hidden in the garden and sell it so they would be able to hire a lawyer and take back Hudson Castle. However, everyone’s skills would be tested to their limits. Samuel must climb a brick wall, Arkady must tame vicious dogs while trying not to be eaten, Silk must pick the un-pickable locks of the castle, and Vita, Vita is the just in case.

Rundell is an absolutely wonderful writer capturing your attention with every word, and never letting go. Rundell also writes the most amazing, unexpected plot twists I’ve ever read. As well as that, Rundell also weaves heartfelt and action as magnificently as a butterfly first taking flight. Rundell is an excellent writer and I love the plot twists included in her stories.