Scan barcode
A review by theespressoedition
Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I absolutely love a good heist story, that's for sure. I've watched Oceans 11 more times than I can count. I was practically raised on it. I've always found the intricacies behind a job like this to be utterly fascinating. So, you can understand how this book piqued my interest.
One of the first things I notice in heist books is that they're slow. Okay, that's a no-brainer, I get it. When you watch a movie with this plot, you have to follow all the subtleties before the main event happens. And somewhere in the midst of all those slow moments of learning how security works, watching an acrobat fit themselves into a box, or learning who to play to get what you want, you get the full story. It's thrilling! It's like a giant puzzle where everything gets put together very slowly and you're in on the secret of how it was accomplished.
I think when you read a book that revolves around a heist, it takes a little of the excitement out of it. Sure, it's interesting knowing how each person accomplishes their task, but it's not quite as cool as watching it happen. For some, it might be the opposite. They love reading about the emotions going on in a certain character's head or seeing how an element comes to pass because of an experience someone had as a kid. For me, it's harder to connect. I lose myself in trying to figure out what will happen next, rather than focusing on the details happening in the now.
ALL THAT BEING SAID: I did find Portrait of a Thief to be truly fascinating. While a bit slow, it was very smart. It had so many elements that didn't necessarily make sense separately, but once it all came together, it caused an "a-ha!" moment that was super satisfying.
I believe that anyone can relate to someone in this book. That's the beauty of multiple POVs! You can very quickly determine favorites and least favorites in a cast when you know what's happening in the minds of each and every one of them. I think that might've been my favorite part about this. It wasn't so much the heist itself that was interesting so much as the way the characters themselves played into it.
There was definitely a deeper conversation happening behind-the-scenes in this book. I can't particularly relate with or touch on this because it's not an OwnVoices review, but I did find it to be an interesting element and I really learned a lot from the experiences of the different characters.
I can see why this book quickly gained the attention it did. It absolutely deserves it! While I wouldn't say it's my favorite of all time and I'm not sure I'd be scrambling to read it again, I certainly appreciate the intelligent style of writing and unique story!
One of the first things I notice in heist books is that they're slow. Okay, that's a no-brainer, I get it. When you watch a movie with this plot, you have to follow all the subtleties before the main event happens. And somewhere in the midst of all those slow moments of learning how security works, watching an acrobat fit themselves into a box, or learning who to play to get what you want, you get the full story. It's thrilling! It's like a giant puzzle where everything gets put together very slowly and you're in on the secret of how it was accomplished.
I think when you read a book that revolves around a heist, it takes a little of the excitement out of it. Sure, it's interesting knowing how each person accomplishes their task, but it's not quite as cool as watching it happen. For some, it might be the opposite. They love reading about the emotions going on in a certain character's head or seeing how an element comes to pass because of an experience someone had as a kid. For me, it's harder to connect. I lose myself in trying to figure out what will happen next, rather than focusing on the details happening in the now.
ALL THAT BEING SAID: I did find Portrait of a Thief to be truly fascinating. While a bit slow, it was very smart. It had so many elements that didn't necessarily make sense separately, but once it all came together, it caused an "a-ha!" moment that was super satisfying.
I believe that anyone can relate to someone in this book. That's the beauty of multiple POVs! You can very quickly determine favorites and least favorites in a cast when you know what's happening in the minds of each and every one of them. I think that might've been my favorite part about this. It wasn't so much the heist itself that was interesting so much as the way the characters themselves played into it.
There was definitely a deeper conversation happening behind-the-scenes in this book. I can't particularly relate with or touch on this because it's not an OwnVoices review, but I did find it to be an interesting element and I really learned a lot from the experiences of the different characters.
I can see why this book quickly gained the attention it did. It absolutely deserves it! While I wouldn't say it's my favorite of all time and I'm not sure I'd be scrambling to read it again, I certainly appreciate the intelligent style of writing and unique story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Racism
Minor: Cursing and Death of parent