Recently Read Books: The Good Thief

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti  (fiction)

This book had great ratings but I must say I was a bit disappointed. Tinti is a good writer, and the story is definitely unusual. The main storyline follows a foundling child with a missing arm, and his adventures with the grave-robbing man who claims him from the Catholic orphanage. The boy is trying to discover his identity through the story, but he must undergo some rough times in order to get there. The finale of the book was not good enough for me to feel like all of the nastiness was worth it. There are few characters in this book who do not have something revolting about their appearance, occupation, or lifestyle. That is fine if the writing and the story are great, but this one fell short for me. (Contrary to this book, Daphne du Maurier's "Jamaica Inn" and its complicated, unsavory characters are well developed and the story is fantastic.)