She Thief

by Daniel Finn

The girl, Baz, and the boy, Demi, are master pickpockets. They weave through rich neighborhoods to slip bags off shoulders and wallets out of pockets before disappearing into the crowd. Their loot goes to Fay, who runs a gang of child thieves from her den in the Barrio. This sweltering slum—in a city that is imagined, but all too real—is what passes for home to the kids, and Fay is what passes for family. That all changes the day Demi steals a magnificent blue ring. Soon, the police chief and the Barrio’s crime boss close in on Fay, and she begins to break under their pressure. Baz has never doubted Fay before. She’s never been apart from Demi, either. But soon, Baz is left alone to find her way through a world more corrupt than she’s ever realized. Here, the lives of children are thrown away without a moment’s hesitation. Here, the rich and powerful are just thieves on a larger scale. And somewhere in this wreck of a city, Baz must find the scraps of hope, the small acts of kindness, and the steely strength that will take her back to Demi and wash them both out of the Barrio for good.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Mystery, Crime

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2010

Reviews

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book took me a little while to get through, and while it was pretty slow to get started, it had its moments that left me not wanting to put it down. There were moments where the fate of the kids was literally hanging in the balance and I wanted to find out what happened to them. There were also times where I wanted to say 'get the hell on with it.'

I think one of the reasons I found it so hard to really connect with any of the characters and the plot was the dialect the story is written in. I can handle dialect in short stories but an entire novel? It made for a slow read because my brain had a hard time getting around the choppy, clunky arrangement of words. The narration also flipped back and forth between "normal" and dialect and it kind of threw me off. It made it hard to determine whose head I was in, if anyone's. It was like the author couldn't decide whether to keep the point of view omniscient or limited and settled on the little bit of both.

The way those kids lived and were treated was terrible. And no matter what Fay's situation ended up being, she deserved everything she got. She never gave a damn about Demi or Baz beyond what they could provide for her. I guess she felt she deserved the position she was in. She worked her way for a while and then she got to settle and get others to do it for her. But the way she handed over kids basically to their deaths was atrocious. There were moments where I could half understand her situation and why she existed the way she did but most of the time I just didn't care. I couldn't stand her.

Baz and Demi had great ying and yang personalities. They complimented each other nicely and they really looked out for each other. The lengths they went to to protect and help each other was truly touching. Especially as the chapters wound down, I found myself rooting for them and plowing through the chapters faster than before because I wanted to see just what happened to them.

While the plot was very slow moving (the moment with the ring doesn't come until quite a few chapters in) and hard to get involved with because of the dialect barrier, Finn had an excellent way of projecting the dirt of the Barrio onto the reader. The grime and mange was both subtle and prominent in the story. It was every day lives for Baz and Demi and really had no effect on them. Washing in water that'll give you the shits? Not a problem so long as they didn't drink it. Traipsing around in mud and sewage? Whatever. They could wash it off. The image of the Barrio was so clear in my mind. The smells and the feel of the ward was right there and it was unnerving. That was probably the best part of the novel; just how engulfing the Barrio was, like you're actually standing in the middle of it.

Overall the story was a little slow but really compelling towards the end, Baz and Demi are pretty irresistible and Fay's a bitch. By the end of it you'll want to shower to get the Barrio grime off of your skin and you'll thank the gods you don't live in one.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly a coming-of-age story -- and one of betrayal. Not highly recommended -- by the time I was half-way through I was saying to myself, "Hurry up! Lets get this over with!" Also, this book is a re-issue of "Two Thieves" by the same author. The new title, "She Thief," is misleading: Baz is a lookout, not a thief. She's really more of an accessory to the crime. There's no "heat" where it should be. I kept expecting some romance between Baz and her partner, but it was never realized.

[Audriana ' Ronnie]

thiss lookss scaryy! omqqq ! ma frienddd Sabrina wants too read it shess CRAZYY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Jim Rugg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Baz is a likable, capable protagonist. I found her attitude and approach to obstacles refreshing. She spent no time complaining about her hard life and most of her time moving forward to try to solve whatever problems arose in front of her. The Barrio setting where most of the novel takes place was well developed in both a physical sense and in terms of the characters that populated it. The relationship dynamics between the main characters made sense and seemed honest - which is important because it drives several key actions. Baz's love for for Demi (another thief) formed the heart of the story. Their love was unusual because it was not romantically expressed but seemed more familial despite the YA genre. The story itself was tense and that tension escalated consistently towards the climax for a compelling, exciting reading experience. I recommend it for fans of YA and crime fiction.

[DC · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found She Thief in the bargain bin for ninety-nine cents at the book store, and I should have left it there. The dialect is incredibly difficult to read, the characters have no soul and are bland, and the plot drags on forever. It took years to read because it was just painful. Terrible dialog, very little character development, character motivations that made no sense... if I hadn't been so stubborn, I would have given up eons ago. I don't want to discourage the author from trying again, but perhaps taking time to learn more about writing wouldn't be a bad idea. This will forever be the novel I use as a baseline for "if this one sold at full price, anything is possible." I don't recommend reading this book.

[Mari - loves to read · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's She Thief about?
In this novel we get to know two young thieves, Baz and Demi, they're living in a bad neighborhood in a South American city. Both of the children are orphans and they have been raised by a women named Fay. Fay has teached them how to be the best pickpockets in the city in order to survive. Everything Baz and Demi steal goes to Fay, in return she gives them shelter, food and money for clothing. The three of them have been together for what feels like forever, they're almost like family. But just almost, if anyone breaks Fay's rules they're gone!


My thoughts:
When I opened this book I didn't really know what to expect, and really that for me is a good thing. I tend to have so high expectations when it comes to books everyone seems to fall in love with. I often end up disappointed. She Thief started out a bit slow for me, I felt there were so many long sentences and the English slang/dialect being used kind of annoyed me. After 30 pages everything that bothered me was forgotten and I was sucked into the world of the two friendly thieves, Baz and Demi, their friends and a whole bunch of other more dangerous criminals.

Daniel Finn managed to keep me on the edge of my seat, almost throughout the entire book. I was never sure where he was taking his characters. never felt sure if all the people I came to love would have a happy ending, would end up dead in a ditch somewhere or locked up in the Castle forever(or worse working in the Mountain). I cried and cried when I read the last few pages last night and today the characters have been in the back of my mind all day.

I loved the dialog between Demi and Baz, they're friendly banter is guaranteed to make you smile. She Thief for me was a story about never letting go of your friends and family, sometimes bad things happen but you don't just close your eyes and move on with your own life like nothing ever happened. Even in the worst thinkable places there can be good people, you cannot live your life without trusting a single soul. That's no way to lead your life.

Daniel Finn writes about a corrupted system that sadly still exists in many countries. It really is a horrible thing to reflect about, how many people have been wronged by this kind of way to governing? We also get to see a way of life that's the only option for survival for many, many young children living in poor countries, stealing. The most heart wrenching for me was reading about the children and the families working on the Mountain(a recycling compound/dumpster), getting sick by all the filth and garbage they live and breathe every single day. Sadly this is also the way of life for many poor people in real life.

The story is a bit like a modern Oliver Twist, I haven't read the book myself but I know how the story goes.

She Thief is a great young adult thriller. I really loved reading it and it made me even more grateful for everything I got.

The cover:
I just noticed that some has made complaints about the cover since the two main characters is described as having dark skin. I can understand the complaints but for me it's highly unlikely that the girl on the cover is supposed to be 13-14 year old Baz. In the book she is described as a girl looking just like a boy, very unlikely that she wears any makeup. For me the girl on the cover is Fay, their leader, she's described as a girl with fair skin and red hair in her late twenties/early thirties.

[Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure just what to say about this book. The idea and characters sounded interesting, however after reading the first few pages I knew it wasn't for me. I just didn't connect with the characters and often I found myself wondering when something was going to happen.

I had to pick this one back up again a couple times and force myself to finish it. It just dragged out to much for me. The best part about the book was maybe the last 25-30 pages. I felt like things finally picked up a bit where I could enjoy what was going on. It felt like all the action was in those last few pages while the rest was just.... eh, there.

The characters - Baz and Demi where the center point of the story. The actual main character was Baz. She seemed to have a better understanding of things, listened to her gut feelings more and spoke less. Being that they really don't have any family except each other and the woman who takes them in and makes them steal for her - Fey... they are pretty much left on their own living in squalor on the wrong side of the edge of town.

Things go wrong, people get hurt and they have to find a way out of it all. It's Baz that finally comes through and somewhat shines in those last few pages. If there had been more of her in the beginning and middle like she was at the end - then I think I could have gotten into this book a little more then I did.

Another thing that was hard was the dialogue. I understand they are from an uneducated area and it was part of their way of life, but it was hard to read at times. Often sounded more broken then I think was intended, but maybe that was just me?

All in all, I believe that this book wasn't the right fit for me. Sometimes that happens, I'm sure I'm not alone when a book comes along that you just don't connect with.

One thing I'd like to say is... if you’re looking forward to reading this book, then please do. Don't base your reading it or not on my ONE review. I mean I am just ONE reviewer.

For more info and reviews please visit my Book Review Blog here - A Life Bound By Books

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was intense!!! Baz and her friend Demi have spent pretty much there entire lives growing up together, with being theft as their only option of survival. With no parents to care for them, they both wound very different when being under a care of a young, hardened woman named Fay. Fay has given Baz, Demi, and a few other child thieves with what passes for shelter, and food. Fay could be cruel, but these children had no one else and they called their so they called that place their home. Their lives in the Barrio changed tremendously when Demi and Baz decided to steal a precious blue ring from a woman who they discovered was the wife of the police chief. Then, all of a sudden, Fay and her gang of thieves had gotten unwanted attention of not only the police, but also the Barrio's crime lord and a rich young man who had a odd connection to Fay. I thought that the plot quickly draws in the readers of this book with intriguing new characters and events. Compassion and corruption are an important set of themes related to poverty and and they need to live by steeling. This book made my heart pound in excitement, and surely will make readers think about what it takes for children to survive in and escape from the disaster places they must live in. I would definatly recomend this book to anyone that likes a book about a harsh living life.

[Bailey Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I personally think that this book was very interesting. It drew me in when I read that this book was about a girl and a boy that is living a fast life of stealing for a harsh woman named Fay. At first in the book it is a little slow because the author takes up quite a few pages introducing the story and characters. Keep reading because you will not be able to put down the book once you realize that Baz is left alone to fend for herself because of Fay breaking under the pressure of the cops. In my mind the book was a lot of love hate relationships pointed towards Fay and the other characters; in this book you’re constantly picking a different side. Through the good and the bad Baz and Demi try to reunite although it is very hard because they both have their own problems towering over them. I promise that you will fall in love with book if you are one of those people who love action packed books that incorporate a very solid and detailed storyline. This entire book is one of those you could not put down for a moments distraction.

[Kait · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate writing negative reviews but I have to be honest and I honestly hated She Thief. There was nothing good about it and I can't say I recommend it to anyone.

My worst complaint about She Thief is the plot. I was bored out of my mind for pretty much the whole book. It picked up some at the end but I still had trouble getting through it. I hoped it would get better and it did but I still did not like the book.

Also, I was confused. I honestly could not tell if the book was set in the past, present, or future. The Barrio was a weird place and it wasn't like anything I have read about. I wanted to know the time period but I couldn't even guess it. It was odd and it just added to how much I didn't like the book.

Overall, She Thief was not a good book. Nothing about it was enjoyable and if you are interested in it at all definitely check it out at your library before spending any money on it.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dystopian novel with a fagin-like character running a band of young pickpockets in an unnamed city. It's spanish in feel at times, but also somewhat has elements of US culture popping up. They drink Coke constantly. It almost felt like a brand name plug for money.

Anyway, the story was decent enough, Baz is the only female thief in the crew and is one of the best. She's quiet. The same couldn't be said about Demi, who likes to brag a little too much, but they are the best of pals and Demi is one of the best in the group as well. Things go wrong once a ring is stolen from a wealthy woman and the fragile existence that Baz and Demi have been living is threatened.

I can see this easily being made into a movie. Actually, with the right actors/director, the movie could be better than the book.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book features two kids deprived of a normal life living in a poor neighborhood. They are master pickpockiters. They go into rich and wealthy areas and steal anything they can get there hands on, ranging from wallets to purses and rings. Everything They steal to goes to another person. They are apart of a group where there is one leader. One of the children stole an expensive ring. The police were closing in on here and the kids were separated. They never knew how much they needed each other until they weren't together. There were sometimes I wish I could tell the authors to speed up, other times I wanted them to slow down. I loved this book. I would give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. If they spread out the action evenly It would definitely get 5 stars from me. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into mystery and suspense.

[Ahmad Hassan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book is a boy name Demi anda girl name Baz .They are master mind pickpocketspeople.They work at a gang.the gang is made up of children thieves.the head of the gang is a woman name Fay .one day Baz and Demi steal a ring from the haed of police wife.the police are on the look for the ring day and night .the police cloes in on Fay .what do you thind will happen next ? I like the book i hope you like it to.

[Charles Benoit · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great, exciting and brilliantly written book. The characters are alive and the descriptions of the Barrio are more vivid than photographs. Baz, the She Thief of the title, is one of those characters that you'll remember long after you've forgotten the details of the plot. Can't recommend it enough.

[Lace · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a pretty good story, had a really good start to it, until the dreaded lull in the middle but overall not too bad! now i get that they live in the ghetto and talk ghetto-speak but it was hard to follow actually written like that i had to go back and slowly read and calculate all the double-negatives to get what they say, hey!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baz and her friend Demi are two street kids who work for Fay as thieves in a Latin American city barrio. They are just getting by when Fay comes up with a job that will enable them to retire, if they survive. This book offers a bleak, realistic portrayal of the plight of such children, who are subject to abuse and exploitation.

[Rheanna]

This book had so much awesome potential, but fell so flat.
The writing is really bad. It's awkward and messy.
The story is actually pretty boring. You just want it to get exciting, but it never does.
The characters aren't likeable or relatable.
Let's just say, I could definitely tell it was the author's first book.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This is one of those rare items that is all action, full of narrow escapes and scenic chases, but also all heart. While also being a terrific, brainy suspense novel, all twists and strategy."

Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/201...

[Maxine]

READ THE FOLLOWING:

This is a pre-advanced copy, the book that is made before the actual book. It DOES NOT have the same cover but is in paper back. Everything is the same compaired to the real book.

[Zsophia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like the dialect in this book but the storyline was okay. I usually take 2 days to read a book but this one took me a while because the story didn't really catch my attention, the author took long of a time to get to a point.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ended up being a lot better than originally thought when I first started it. It was full of action, fast paced, and I adored the main characters. The backstories were incredible and the plot was amazing. All in all, a very entertaining and educational read.

[Kristin Fletcher-spear · Rating 2 out of 5]

reviewed for LMC.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/21/10 Advanced copy from book club. Thank you Lisa : )

[Shireen Zehra · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was ok not that good but i liked the point of view in the story.

[Micaela · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know it's bad when you can't even finish the first page.

Horrible writing. Horrible, weird 3rd person, present tense.
Ew........

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, I didn't like it, didn't hate it. Kind of a boring read until you got up to about 2/3 of the way unto it. Not really worth the time.

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

i

[Arashel13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a good book

[Michele Snyder]

I couldn't finish it.

[Rescue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cant put down read all in one day it was that good!