The Thief Lord |
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Cornelia Funke
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Pages: 348 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1903434777
Pub: Chicken House Ltd
Pub date: 2002-07-17
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 238122
Reader Reviews:
Good for all ages (0/0 people found this helpful)
I ordered this book last Wednesday, it arrived last Thursday, it was read by 2am last Saturday. A+ on delivery (I went through marketplace) and it's a testament to Funke how quickly I read this book, I practically devoured it. I read often but I rarely read with such a fervour as I read this with.
The storyline is quite simple, which makes it nice for younger readers, but there is always enough going on in the storyline for the older readers to keep up. The characters are dynamic and engaging, and you really care for them by half way. This makes the end quarter of the book even more dramatic. Alright, so there is a pretty much constant theme of theivery and running away from home - But even though it's somewhat glamourised, Funke has been careful to make sure that it's not *too* glamourised and there are often reminders that it's not the right thing to do.
The basic storyline is that two brothers run away to Venice, because their Aunt wants to adopt the younger one (Bo - Bonifas) and put Prosper into a boarding school. The two brothers arrive in the city and are soon picked up by Hornet, a girl who is part of a gang on kids who are in the employ of 'The Thief Lord'. They never steal (or are never asked to steal) themselves, but their leader brings them items that they then sell and they live off the profits. Everything seems simple; that is until the private eye that the boy's Aunt has sent to find them discovers their hideout and a secret about their leader that changes their view of him completly.
One thing that disappointed me about the English translation (it's originally a German book, from a German author if you didn't realise) is that the poem at the beginning is left out - It doesn't add anything to the story line, or take anything away, but it ties in nicely with the later plot and well, it's a sweet little poem!
I'm tempted to see the film - But I've been told that it changes the storyline, which would annoy me. The storyline doesn't need any changing!
Cornelia Funke's Mysterious Reality (3/3 people found this helpful)
Cornelia Funke has the ability to describe a world in which reality and fantasy melt together in a magical mist. The Venice in which runaway children are sought by a strict aunt and an eccentric detective is not the real Venice but a dream world of dark alleys, derelict cinemas, lost treasures, strange unknown islands and elusive clues. Reach out and you catch a handful of mist - until the next chapter.
Great (3/3 people found this helpful)
My son hates reading and I have struggled for years to find something he would really like. Finally this book has come up trumps, he hasn't put it down since the day he got it.
Venice Again... (10/11 people found this helpful)
A very strange thing seems to be happening with Cornelia Funke, Jamilla Gavan and Mary Hoffman all writing children's books for the same age group set in Venice - something in the air I suppose: a smell of drains and canals, perhaps? Still, you can see why it appeals as a setting as it is a most seductive city. The Thief Lord is a neat little book, with horrible blood relatives, caring strangers, sinister islands, one piece of 'real' magic and a great bit of revenge. My whole family have enjoyed this hugely and anticipate her next one eagerly. The characters are enduring - Ida the sassy grown up saver-of-the-day is a particularly fine character. The awful sneery uncle and aunt are gorgeously vile. The kids, while not EXACTLY believable are great. A thoroughly well-crafted and rewarding book written with zest and fluently translated from the German.
An inspiring book (2/6 people found this helpful)
I sunk my teeth in reading this book from cover to cover in three days. The character development is pretty sound. Our kids can undoubtedly manage the mysterious and adventure in the story.
The most disbutable pieces of the story are the unconventional stuff about thiefing, lying, running away from home and having fully grownup in a momemnt and etc. Those ideas, out of question, challenge the thought of kids (and us as parents). I strongly recommend parental guidance for kids to reading this book. But, anyway, it is a very good material for teaching and sharing with kids. We shouldn't portrait a perfect world like those in fairy tales to kids. Throughout our lifes, there are loads of tough decisions have to made in choosing what is right and what is easy. Neither a brat nor a simple-minded kid is expected to be brought up. We need them to know the lines of our world and guide them to find their way. I am dying for more books from Cornelia Funke to explore our imperfect world
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