By: Ally Carter
Format: Hardcover, 287 pages
Published: February 2010, Hyperion CH
Source: Purchased
Author Website | Author Twitter
Summary (from Goodreads): When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.
Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.
For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.
My Review:
Just like in the Gallagher Girls series, I was hooked by the original concept, and stuck around for the witty comments and great characters.
Kat has such a sweet heart that you almost forget that she is an art thief. When she goes to Colgan, it's to get away from "the life," and make something different for her life. She gets dragged back into it after a heist planned by her buddy Hale gets her expelled from school. She learns that her father has been framed for a heist that he didn't do, and it's up to her to clear his name, by stealing paintings.
I loved all the different locations that this book took place in, and the fun cast of characters that Ally Carter created. I've heard the book compared to a YA Ocean's Eleven, (confession: I've never seen the movie all the way through) so if you liked that story, you'll probably enjoy this one. Especially funny was the Bagshaw Brothers and their suggestions for different ways the heist could be executed. For instance:
"Princess Bride?" Hamish offered, but his brother turned to him.But under all the light-hearted dialogue and handsome characters, there was a much deeper message. The Author's Note at the end of the book notes that during WWII the Nazis took many family treasures and works of art, many of which have never been returned. Interspersed throughout the book are heart-wrenching stories of pieces of art that were taken from families during this time.
"Do you know where we can find a six-fingered man on such short notice?"
My only complaint with the book was that it didn't move very quickly. I put the book down several times and picked up others. Not because there was anything specifically wrong, but I just lost interest from time to time.
I can't wait for the next book, Uncommon Criminals. And, as a side note, I really enjoy reading Ally Carter's blog. She has a lot of advice for writers, and well as interesting tidbits about her books and the book world. You can also check out the interview I did with her a little while back. (link)
My Rating:
Profanity: None
Sexuality: None
Drugs and Alcohol: None
Violence: None
