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A review by savvyrosereads
Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4/5 stars
Five friends—Will, the leader; his sister Irene, the con artist; Daniel, the future doctor with the precise hands of a thief; Alex, the (sort-of) hacker; and Lily, the getaway driver—form a heist crew to attempt to steal back priceless Chinese art once stolen from the Old Summer Palace. What follows is part coming-of-age story of identity and belonging and part heist novel.
My main thought the entire time I was reading was “I hope they turn this into a Netflix series” and it turns out they ARE, so first let me say how excited I am for that—while this book was fantastic, I am so excited to see these lush art vibes, captivating family dynamics, and sizzling romantic moments play out on-screen.
That said, let me repeat: the book. is. fantastic. It was a bit slower than I anticipated, with a fair amount of introspection from all the characters, but the commentary on identity and belonging and figuring out who you are as a young adult and almost-college-graduate is sheer perfection. I’m not a first generation immigrant, but can only imagine the added layer of meaning this book would have for me if I were. As it was, I still felt seen and understood in a way that happens only on the rarest of occasions.
If you want a rollicking nonstop action heist story, be warned that this isn’t it. But if you want a brilliantly written and highly relatable story with smart and well-developed characters, reflecting about politics, power, and the importance of art? Go grab this one now.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: immigrant narratives; the intersection of politics and art; lush artsy settings.
CW: Racism/colonialism.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Five friends—Will, the leader; his sister Irene, the con artist; Daniel, the future doctor with the precise hands of a thief; Alex, the (sort-of) hacker; and Lily, the getaway driver—form a heist crew to attempt to steal back priceless Chinese art once stolen from the Old Summer Palace. What follows is part coming-of-age story of identity and belonging and part heist novel.
My main thought the entire time I was reading was “I hope they turn this into a Netflix series” and it turns out they ARE, so first let me say how excited I am for that—while this book was fantastic, I am so excited to see these lush art vibes, captivating family dynamics, and sizzling romantic moments play out on-screen.
That said, let me repeat: the book. is. fantastic. It was a bit slower than I anticipated, with a fair amount of introspection from all the characters, but the commentary on identity and belonging and figuring out who you are as a young adult and almost-college-graduate is sheer perfection. I’m not a first generation immigrant, but can only imagine the added layer of meaning this book would have for me if I were. As it was, I still felt seen and understood in a way that happens only on the rarest of occasions.
If you want a rollicking nonstop action heist story, be warned that this isn’t it. But if you want a brilliantly written and highly relatable story with smart and well-developed characters, reflecting about politics, power, and the importance of art? Go grab this one now.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: immigrant narratives; the intersection of politics and art; lush artsy settings.
CW: Racism/colonialism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation and Racism