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The Keepers Trilogy #1
Museum of Thieves
Welcome to the tyrannical city of Jewel, where impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime.
Goldie Roth has lived in Jewel all her life. Like every child in the city, she wears a silver guardchain and is forced to obey the dreaded Blessed Guardians. She has never done anything by herself and won’t be allowed out on the streets unchained until Separation Day.
When Separation Day is canceled, Goldie, who has always been both impatient and bold, runs away, risking not only her own life but also the lives of those she has left behind. In the chaos that follows, she is lured to the mysterious Museum of Dunt, where she meets the boy Toadspit and discovers terrible secrets. Only the cunning mind of a thief can understand the museum’s strange, shifting rooms. Fortunately, Goldie has a talent for thieving.
Which is just as well, because the leader of the Blessed Guardians has his own plans for the museum—plans that threaten the lives of everyone Goldie loves. And it will take a daring thief to stop him. . . .
Museum of Thieves is a thrilling tale of destiny and danger, and of a courageous girl who has never been allowed to grow up—until now.
Goldie Roth has lived in Jewel all her life. Like every child in the city, she wears a silver guardchain and is forced to obey the dreaded Blessed Guardians. She has never done anything by herself and won’t be allowed out on the streets unchained until Separation Day.
When Separation Day is canceled, Goldie, who has always been both impatient and bold, runs away, risking not only her own life but also the lives of those she has left behind. In the chaos that follows, she is lured to the mysterious Museum of Dunt, where she meets the boy Toadspit and discovers terrible secrets. Only the cunning mind of a thief can understand the museum’s strange, shifting rooms. Fortunately, Goldie has a talent for thieving.
Which is just as well, because the leader of the Blessed Guardians has his own plans for the museum—plans that threaten the lives of everyone Goldie loves. And it will take a daring thief to stop him. . . .
Museum of Thieves is a thrilling tale of destiny and danger, and of a courageous girl who has never been allowed to grow up—until now.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2010
159 people are currently reading
7452 people want to read
About the author
Lian Tanner
23 books308 followersLian Tanner has been dynamited while scuba diving and arrested while busking. She once spent a week in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, hunting for a Japanese soldier left over from the Second World War. She likes secrets, old bones, and animals that are not what they seem. Nowadays she lives by the beach in southern Tasmania.
Lian's bestselling fantasy series The Keepers won two Aurealis Awards for Best Australian Children's Fantasy and has been translated into eleven languages. Her second series, The Hidden, has been published in Australia/New Zealand and North America. Lian's third series, The Rogues, is set in the same world as The Keepers, and has been translated into Spanish.
Lian's first picture book 'Ella and the Ocean' (illustrated by Jonathan Bentley) won the 2020 NSW Premier's Award for Children's Literature and the 2022 Tasmanian Literary Award for Children's Books. A Clue for Clara won the 2021 Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for Best Children's Crime Novel, and its sequel, Rita's Revenge, was shortlisted for the 2022 NSW Premier's Award for Children's Literature.
Lian's bestselling fantasy series The Keepers won two Aurealis Awards for Best Australian Children's Fantasy and has been translated into eleven languages. Her second series, The Hidden, has been published in Australia/New Zealand and North America. Lian's third series, The Rogues, is set in the same world as The Keepers, and has been translated into Spanish.
Lian's first picture book 'Ella and the Ocean' (illustrated by Jonathan Bentley) won the 2020 NSW Premier's Award for Children's Literature and the 2022 Tasmanian Literary Award for Children's Books. A Clue for Clara won the 2021 Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for Best Children's Crime Novel, and its sequel, Rita's Revenge, was shortlisted for the 2022 NSW Premier's Award for Children's Literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 676 reviews
December 4, 2013
The fact that it took so long for me to finish listening to is in no way a reflection on the overall quality of this book. I had some issues with my CD player in my car, which is how I listen to audiobooks, and I started The Left Hand of God and wanted to finish that up first.
This is a book that I would say I liked, but did not love. The ideas in it were quite interesting. I love the concept of a place that is more than it seems, much like the TARDIS for Doctor Who fans. The Museum of Thieves is very much that sort of place. It has a mystical element to it that makes it a fun, and even scary place to hang out. And only the right persons can serve as the caretakers there. The Museum sees into a person, and it chooses its caretakers wisely. The Museum chose Goldie.
Goldie is a girl that seems rebellious and stubborn, but she's just a normal little girl. She yearns to be free in a world in which children are actually chained to their parents and city custodians called Blessed Guardians. Sadly, while the parents do love and wish the best for their children, the Blessed Guardians don't seem to like kids at all. In fact, they seem to go out their way to torment them in small ways.
Separation Day, the day on which Goldie is to be freed from her guardian chains, a horrible catastrophe occurs, and a person with a deeper agenda uses this to make even more restrictions on the city and to the children, putting off all the childrens' separation. Goldie can't take it and she runs off. She ends up in the Museum, and so begins her very important role in changing her city for the better.
Ms. Tanner has written an enjoyable story that has good messages that children and an older person who appreciates children's books would appreciate. She writes about the themes of responsibility, confronting and fighting fear, personal freedom, and doing what's right, even if it doesn't seem to match what others consider as right. If I had a child, I would let my child read it, and I'd discuss some of the events in the book, and use them as an opportunity for entertainment and education. Parents should be warned that there is a fair amount of violence, and that stealing is condoned, but for particular reasons that made sense to me. The villains are particularly heinous, and it is disturbing that they are so cavalier about children's lives, and perpetuate deliberate acts of emotional cruelty to them.
This book didn't blow me away, but I found it a very entertaining story. Claudia Black, who starred on Farscape and Stargate, did a great job as the narrator. She does a whole host of voices and accents, and they illustrate this story beautifully. It's a short listen, and I think that it's worthwhile if you enjoy this sort of book. Three stars seems like a low rating from me, but it reflects the fact that while I enjoyed it, it wouldn't be a favorite of mine, and I wouldn't listen to it again. That doesn't mean that you won't like it more than I did.
This is a book that I would say I liked, but did not love. The ideas in it were quite interesting. I love the concept of a place that is more than it seems, much like the TARDIS for Doctor Who fans. The Museum of Thieves is very much that sort of place. It has a mystical element to it that makes it a fun, and even scary place to hang out. And only the right persons can serve as the caretakers there. The Museum sees into a person, and it chooses its caretakers wisely. The Museum chose Goldie.
Goldie is a girl that seems rebellious and stubborn, but she's just a normal little girl. She yearns to be free in a world in which children are actually chained to their parents and city custodians called Blessed Guardians. Sadly, while the parents do love and wish the best for their children, the Blessed Guardians don't seem to like kids at all. In fact, they seem to go out their way to torment them in small ways.
Separation Day, the day on which Goldie is to be freed from her guardian chains, a horrible catastrophe occurs, and a person with a deeper agenda uses this to make even more restrictions on the city and to the children, putting off all the childrens' separation. Goldie can't take it and she runs off. She ends up in the Museum, and so begins her very important role in changing her city for the better.
Ms. Tanner has written an enjoyable story that has good messages that children and an older person who appreciates children's books would appreciate. She writes about the themes of responsibility, confronting and fighting fear, personal freedom, and doing what's right, even if it doesn't seem to match what others consider as right. If I had a child, I would let my child read it, and I'd discuss some of the events in the book, and use them as an opportunity for entertainment and education. Parents should be warned that there is a fair amount of violence, and that stealing is condoned, but for particular reasons that made sense to me. The villains are particularly heinous, and it is disturbing that they are so cavalier about children's lives, and perpetuate deliberate acts of emotional cruelty to them.
This book didn't blow me away, but I found it a very entertaining story. Claudia Black, who starred on Farscape and Stargate, did a great job as the narrator. She does a whole host of voices and accents, and they illustrate this story beautifully. It's a short listen, and I think that it's worthwhile if you enjoy this sort of book. Three stars seems like a low rating from me, but it reflects the fact that while I enjoyed it, it wouldn't be a favorite of mine, and I wouldn't listen to it again. That doesn't mean that you won't like it more than I did.
October 28, 2010
Confession – I’m a museum nerd. A full fledged, card carrying, Smithsonian loving, history geek. Pack a delightful fantasy adventure into a fantastical museum, and to me it’s like Christmas morning – add to that careful plotting and deft characterization and you have Museum of Thieves.
The world of Museum of Thieves is an original, fascinating place – as for the Museum itself, think Narnia, if Narnia had taken everything scary from its history and stuffed in into one place, where it all lives on, forgotten and ignored, barely held back from bursting forth and wreaking havoc once again. It’s a fantasic metaphor for the power of history. The city of Jewel is the antithesis of the museum, a world sanitized of fear and danger, filled with citizens so ridiculously over-protected they have forgotten how to think and act for themselves. This strictly enforced infantilism makes it shockingly easy for The Fugleman, leader of the Blessed Guardians, to enact his scheme to use the museum for his own nefarious purposes.
Enter Goldie, a young girl who runs away and hides in the museum, where she struggles to overcome her own indoctrinated helplessness. Not only does she have to learn to protect herself, soon she is called on to help protect the museum and the entire city from what the museum could unleash. I really enjoy Goldie – she is exactly the right combination of daring and afraid. Her courage isn’t the lack of fear, it’s the struggle to overcome it. She learns about the museum from Toadspit, a boy who came to the museum before her. He is the perfect blend of bratty, resentful, and loyal, and the scenes of them together are my favorite parts of the book.
I almost had one complaint about this story, and that was triggered by the first scene of The Fugleman and The Protector together, when Fugleman is obviously setting his Evil Scheme of Evil into motion. It was so overt, I felt mustache twirling could have broken out at any moment, and The Protector, his opposition, seemed naive to the extent it strained credulity. But then Goldie’s arc made clear all the reasons for that naivety, and the scene fell neatly into place within the larger architecture of the story, which smothered my objections. And happily, after that one scene, there was never such telegraphing again – The Fugleman got down to business and everyone quickly came to realize something shady was going on.
Tanner goes on to dole out tidbits that deepen our understanding of exactly what The Fugleman is:
The Protector’s scalp prickled and, for the first time in years, she found herself remembering her seventh birthday. Her father, a talented whitesmith, had made her a mechanical dog. When she wound it up with a tiny key, it whirred along behind her, wagging its tail. She had loved that dog the minute she saw it. And so had her brother – loved it even more because it was hers. Loved it especially because it was hers. He was only five, but by nightfall he had somehow persuaded their father that the dog was really meant for him. With an awkward apology to his daughter, their father handed it over. Within a day the dog was broken, and the clever little key lost forever.
Across the board, I love the character work in this book. Tanner has sown the story with little discerning insights into all her characters, making them all authentic and unique.
I also love what this story has to say about what happens to a society when fear is given rule and too much is sacrificed in the name of safety. It’s depressingly relevant to today’s world.
While this book does have interesting things to say, it is first and foremost a fun fantasy adventure. On a pure story level, it surprised and delighted me. And there is much, much more to be explored, in this world and in the museum. I for one am delighted there are more books to come.
So if you’ve ever had Professor (Indiana) Jones type daydreams of exploring dusty corners, lost worlds, and forgotten history, you will love this book.
Fans of Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember, definitely check this one out.
Byrt Grade: A
The world of Museum of Thieves is an original, fascinating place – as for the Museum itself, think Narnia, if Narnia had taken everything scary from its history and stuffed in into one place, where it all lives on, forgotten and ignored, barely held back from bursting forth and wreaking havoc once again. It’s a fantasic metaphor for the power of history. The city of Jewel is the antithesis of the museum, a world sanitized of fear and danger, filled with citizens so ridiculously over-protected they have forgotten how to think and act for themselves. This strictly enforced infantilism makes it shockingly easy for The Fugleman, leader of the Blessed Guardians, to enact his scheme to use the museum for his own nefarious purposes.
Enter Goldie, a young girl who runs away and hides in the museum, where she struggles to overcome her own indoctrinated helplessness. Not only does she have to learn to protect herself, soon she is called on to help protect the museum and the entire city from what the museum could unleash. I really enjoy Goldie – she is exactly the right combination of daring and afraid. Her courage isn’t the lack of fear, it’s the struggle to overcome it. She learns about the museum from Toadspit, a boy who came to the museum before her. He is the perfect blend of bratty, resentful, and loyal, and the scenes of them together are my favorite parts of the book.
I almost had one complaint about this story, and that was triggered by the first scene of The Fugleman and The Protector together, when Fugleman is obviously setting his Evil Scheme of Evil into motion. It was so overt, I felt mustache twirling could have broken out at any moment, and The Protector, his opposition, seemed naive to the extent it strained credulity. But then Goldie’s arc made clear all the reasons for that naivety, and the scene fell neatly into place within the larger architecture of the story, which smothered my objections. And happily, after that one scene, there was never such telegraphing again – The Fugleman got down to business and everyone quickly came to realize something shady was going on.
Tanner goes on to dole out tidbits that deepen our understanding of exactly what The Fugleman is:
The Protector’s scalp prickled and, for the first time in years, she found herself remembering her seventh birthday. Her father, a talented whitesmith, had made her a mechanical dog. When she wound it up with a tiny key, it whirred along behind her, wagging its tail. She had loved that dog the minute she saw it. And so had her brother – loved it even more because it was hers. Loved it especially because it was hers. He was only five, but by nightfall he had somehow persuaded their father that the dog was really meant for him. With an awkward apology to his daughter, their father handed it over. Within a day the dog was broken, and the clever little key lost forever.
Across the board, I love the character work in this book. Tanner has sown the story with little discerning insights into all her characters, making them all authentic and unique.
I also love what this story has to say about what happens to a society when fear is given rule and too much is sacrificed in the name of safety. It’s depressingly relevant to today’s world.
While this book does have interesting things to say, it is first and foremost a fun fantasy adventure. On a pure story level, it surprised and delighted me. And there is much, much more to be explored, in this world and in the museum. I for one am delighted there are more books to come.
So if you’ve ever had Professor (Indiana) Jones type daydreams of exploring dusty corners, lost worlds, and forgotten history, you will love this book.
Fans of Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember, definitely check this one out.
Byrt Grade: A
December 4, 2013
I suppose every parent has sometimes wished they could wrap their little ones in bubble wrap so they will never get hurt, physically or emotionally. But what kind of people would we be if we had never been allowed to stand on our own? Slender trees, dense in a forest, develop shallow roots, and can easily be blown over in a high wind. But the oak standing alone in a meadow, bearing rain and winds year after year, develops deep roots and stands strong.
Lian Tanner envisions a world in which children are sheltered until they are 16 years old -- not only sheltered, but literally chained to their parents, so they cannot even run around. In the City of Jewel, all the children are safe. All dogs, hawks, and other dangerous animals have been eliminated because they might hurt the children. Loose nails, broken glass and wood splinters are forbidden by law. War, disease, and dangerous winds have been locked up. To make sure that they don't get lost or injured, the children are chained to their parents.
As the book opens, we meet Goldie on the day of her Separation Ceremony, eager for the Separation to be done. When an explosion is heard in the distance, the shocked Guardians decide the the world is not safe, and all the Separations must be canceled. Goldie can't bear to stay chained any longer, so she slips her temporary Ceremony ties, and runs away.
It is a frightening world for a child who has never had to make her own decisions. Where should she run? How can she even run when her un-exercised legs have no experience? Goldie finds surprising difficulty in slipping away quickly. She knows that if the city's Guardians find her, they will lock her up forever in a Care facility for rebellious children.
With the Guardians actively searching for her, Goldie slips into the city's Museum for refuge. There she is protected and befriended by all the museum keepers, and by a boy named Toadspit, who is also a runaway. Goldie finds that the museum is filled with magic, and also with all the things that have been hidden from her protected world.
Highly entertaining for grades 4-8.
Lian Tanner envisions a world in which children are sheltered until they are 16 years old -- not only sheltered, but literally chained to their parents, so they cannot even run around. In the City of Jewel, all the children are safe. All dogs, hawks, and other dangerous animals have been eliminated because they might hurt the children. Loose nails, broken glass and wood splinters are forbidden by law. War, disease, and dangerous winds have been locked up. To make sure that they don't get lost or injured, the children are chained to their parents.
As the book opens, we meet Goldie on the day of her Separation Ceremony, eager for the Separation to be done. When an explosion is heard in the distance, the shocked Guardians decide the the world is not safe, and all the Separations must be canceled. Goldie can't bear to stay chained any longer, so she slips her temporary Ceremony ties, and runs away.
It is a frightening world for a child who has never had to make her own decisions. Where should she run? How can she even run when her un-exercised legs have no experience? Goldie finds surprising difficulty in slipping away quickly. She knows that if the city's Guardians find her, they will lock her up forever in a Care facility for rebellious children.
With the Guardians actively searching for her, Goldie slips into the city's Museum for refuge. There she is protected and befriended by all the museum keepers, and by a boy named Toadspit, who is also a runaway. Goldie finds that the museum is filled with magic, and also with all the things that have been hidden from her protected world.
Highly entertaining for grades 4-8.
Read
December 11, 2025Review coming
April 5, 2012
This book caught my interest very quickly. Opening as the story of the bold young girl who escapes the oppressive control of the Guardians. Unfortunately the book started losing my interest just as quickly.
It seems to me that the author had "a" good idea. The problem seems to have come in because she had a couple of "good ideas" that began clamoring to be the main idea of the book.
Are we telling a story of the young girl (and boy, lest we forget Toadspit) who want to rebel against the evil oppressive government that holds everyone under a spell of paralyzing fear? A government that knows it has to control everyone and every thing from cradle to grave to remain in power... Or is it a story about evil humans who have driven "nature" out and damaged it? A novel about how nature has to be brought back? Or to paraphrase an old TV commercial is it "two, two, two plots in one"?
The book is okay and I think younger readers who get caught up in Goldie's story may not be bothered so much by the confusion and the somewhat openly "indoctrinative" (yes I suppose it may be a made up word, but you get the meaning...right?) parts of the book. I wasn't taken with it that much and probably won't follow it up, but I suppose I didn't really dislike it.
To quote a friend here (Ala) it's just a bit..."meh".
It seems to me that the author had "a" good idea. The problem seems to have come in because she had a couple of "good ideas" that began clamoring to be the main idea of the book.
Are we telling a story of the young girl (and boy, lest we forget Toadspit) who want to rebel against the evil oppressive government that holds everyone under a spell of paralyzing fear? A government that knows it has to control everyone and every thing from cradle to grave to remain in power... Or is it a story about evil humans who have driven "nature" out and damaged it? A novel about how nature has to be brought back? Or to paraphrase an old TV commercial is it "two, two, two plots in one"?
The book is okay and I think younger readers who get caught up in Goldie's story may not be bothered so much by the confusion and the somewhat openly "indoctrinative" (yes I suppose it may be a made up word, but you get the meaning...right?) parts of the book. I wasn't taken with it that much and probably won't follow it up, but I suppose I didn't really dislike it.
To quote a friend here (Ala) it's just a bit..."meh".
December 2, 2019
An alternate world with a system in place to "safeguard" children till they go through a ceremony. This safeguarding involves placing the children in dormitories away from their families, while being constantly chained and watched over by Protectors, who adults charged with constantly monitoring them to prevent bad things from happening to them. Very few of the children are happy in the situation.
One child, Goldie Roth, manages to escape during an aborted ceremony. Aborted because of a terrorist plot and a tightening of security for the city and all its children. Goldie ends up at a museum, and it's not your average museum. The corridors keep changing, there are odd creatures there, and some unusual people working there. Goldie is told she is a Keeper, and begins learning a little about all the secrets and lies surrounding her, many of them generated by the Protectors' organization, and the Fugleman, one of the city's leaders who is pretending to be concerned about the population.
The plot is fast-moving, with lots of peril and humour and lots of opportunities for Goldie to learn and grow. It's also pretty dark, with an entire system of child abuse and information control, as managed by the Fugleman and his supporters.
This book was an unexpected, good surprise; I really enjoyed it, and have to finish this series.
One child, Goldie Roth, manages to escape during an aborted ceremony. Aborted because of a terrorist plot and a tightening of security for the city and all its children. Goldie ends up at a museum, and it's not your average museum. The corridors keep changing, there are odd creatures there, and some unusual people working there. Goldie is told she is a Keeper, and begins learning a little about all the secrets and lies surrounding her, many of them generated by the Protectors' organization, and the Fugleman, one of the city's leaders who is pretending to be concerned about the population.
The plot is fast-moving, with lots of peril and humour and lots of opportunities for Goldie to learn and grow. It's also pretty dark, with an entire system of child abuse and information control, as managed by the Fugleman and his supporters.
This book was an unexpected, good surprise; I really enjoyed it, and have to finish this series.
September 8, 2018
In an alternative reality/futuristic world, a society keeps its children safe by constantly having them chained to an adult. They are never left alone, never allowed to stand to close to the edge of something dangerous or scrape their knees. All things that might cause danger are banned by the Blessed Guardians who rule over the land in the name of 7, capricious gods.
Only one place, an old museum, is the danger allowed to stay. There it is kept at bay by a strange collection of people. But the balance between danger and safety is crumbling and one little girl is about to get swept up in it all...
This was a fun, creative read and pleasantly surprised me. At the same time, there is so much going on that the story often seems to lose itself. The gods, the museum, the characters all seem to be vying for focus and it means none of them gets the reader's full attention.
Still, enjoyable. I think I'd read the next one in the series.
Only one place, an old museum, is the danger allowed to stay. There it is kept at bay by a strange collection of people. But the balance between danger and safety is crumbling and one little girl is about to get swept up in it all...
This was a fun, creative read and pleasantly surprised me. At the same time, there is so much going on that the story often seems to lose itself. The gods, the museum, the characters all seem to be vying for focus and it means none of them gets the reader's full attention.
Still, enjoyable. I think I'd read the next one in the series.
December 4, 2013
Hurray for fantastic, middle-grade level adventures! I think the last book I read that I enjoyed this much was Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Lian Tanner has created a fantastic world in Museum of Thieves and provided middle-schoolers with a strong, female lead character (and a strong, male secondary character), no romance (none needed!), a mysterious building and a world that could be so real it's frightening!
Have you ever seen parents walking about with their children tied to them? Take that and magnify it 100 times and you have the basic idea behind this book. In Jewel, children are strapped to their parents until the age of separation. But Goldie, a 12 year old girl, decides this is not the life she wants to lead... and so she takes measures to change it.
Enter an interesting crew of thieves (although.. I would have liked a bit more fleshing out of them). A building that, rather than using the Harry Potter-style of staircases, actually lives and moves about according to its moods. Caught your interest yet?
Let me just say.. when this book came in I set it on the counter in the kitchen. The moment my 7 year old nephew (who is becoming quite the prolific reader) saw it he wanted to know what it is about. Then, his father stopped as he passed it and checked it out. I took it with me to babysit, and one of the adults of the house picked it up off the table when it was lying out. This is a book that inspires interest and, especially if you have a pre-teen reluctant reader, will beg to be read.
Have you ever seen parents walking about with their children tied to them? Take that and magnify it 100 times and you have the basic idea behind this book. In Jewel, children are strapped to their parents until the age of separation. But Goldie, a 12 year old girl, decides this is not the life she wants to lead... and so she takes measures to change it.
Enter an interesting crew of thieves (although.. I would have liked a bit more fleshing out of them). A building that, rather than using the Harry Potter-style of staircases, actually lives and moves about according to its moods. Caught your interest yet?
Let me just say.. when this book came in I set it on the counter in the kitchen. The moment my 7 year old nephew (who is becoming quite the prolific reader) saw it he wanted to know what it is about. Then, his father stopped as he passed it and checked it out. I took it with me to babysit, and one of the adults of the house picked it up off the table when it was lying out. This is a book that inspires interest and, especially if you have a pre-teen reluctant reader, will beg to be read.
January 6, 2018
خوب بود ، موضوع جدیدی در داستانهای dystopian داشت. روند خوب و سریعی داشت. البته سادگی طرح واقعا مناسب بچه های نوجوان هست. اگر به ادبیات فانتزی نوجوان ها علاقه دارید ، انتخاب خوبیه
January 23, 2022
cute book but nothing rlly special
January 29, 2022
وقتی این کتاب رو اتفاقی دیدم ؛ لبخند به لبم اومد :)
واقعا یکی از بهترین کتاباییه که وقتی ۱۲ ۱۳ ساله بودم خوندم. اگه به ادبیات فانتزی علاقه دارین انتخاب خوبیه😌♥️یه مجموعه سه جلدیه و این اولیشه.
واقعا یکی از بهترین کتاباییه که وقتی ۱۲ ۱۳ ساله بودم خوندم. اگه به ادبیات فانتزی علاقه دارین انتخاب خوبیه😌♥️یه مجموعه سه جلدیه و این اولیشه.
December 4, 2013
SOOOOO GOOD! I know I could probably come up with a more savvy "hook" than that, but....THIS BOOK IS SOOOOO GOOD! Lian Tanner's Museum of Thieves blew me away. It is scary and dark and thrilling and inspiring and clever. But beyond being thoroughly entertaining, Museum of Thieves raises some very thought-provoking questions. It never ceases to amaze me how authors create elaborate fantasy worlds that on the surface seem to have nothing in common with ours, but soon are revealed to examine deep truths about the cultures and societies of our own humdrum world. Museum of Thieves is just such a book.
The story begins with one of the best, most-tension-filled opening scenes I have read in a long time. We are introduced to the city of Jewel. Ages ago, this land used to be filled with dangers (flood, kidnapping, murder, famine, plague, etc.), and it made the people fearful. A law was declared that all children under the age of 16 must be safely chained to an adult at all times. At home, children are connected to their parents by a "guardchain," and out in the world, they are connected to "Guardians" (who are basically like teachers/nannies/body-guards). But the times have changed, and Jewel's leader (the "Grand Protector") has become concerned about the power of the Guardians and their leader (the "Blessed Guardian"). The Grand Protector, much to the Blessed Guardian's dismay, has decided to lower the age of separation from 16 to 12. The book begins on this controversial "Separation Day," and Goldie, our bold and rebellious 12-year-old protagonist, is going to be the first one to have her chain removed. But (in one of the best introductions of a plot's conflict that I have read in a long time) suddenly, the Separation Ceremony is cancelled due to a mysterious explosion in the city. Panicked at the thought of having the freedom she longs for snatched away from her at the last moment, Goldie runs away, and so her adventure begins. She discovers the mysterious museum of the book's title and quickly learns that there is much more danger left in Jewel than anyone realizes.
This book is a genuine page-turner. As the end of each chapter drew near, I would promise myself that I would set the book aside and get some sleep, but when I got to the last line, I just couldn't bring myself to close the book. I had to keep going. Goldie is very likable--extremely bold and defiant but also frightened, at times, and unsure of herself. And she is surrounded by an entertaining posse of strange characters. The villains of the book are despicable and the moments of danger (which are many) feel extremely real and urgent.
But beyond being entertaining, there is a lot we can learn from Museum of Thieves, as it reveals truths about our own often-paranoid culture. The panicky, control-obsessed people of Jewel made me think of the ways we try to escape the necessary dangers of living life. I found myself thinking of security measures (in airports, and even in schools, etc) and people's willingness to trade their privacy (even dignity) to feel a little safer. Museum of Thieves shows that risk and danger are not something we can simply get rid of. They exist and are a part of life, and when you try to pretend they aren't, it only backfires--often in ways that are even more dangerous than you first feared.
The story begins with one of the best, most-tension-filled opening scenes I have read in a long time. We are introduced to the city of Jewel. Ages ago, this land used to be filled with dangers (flood, kidnapping, murder, famine, plague, etc.), and it made the people fearful. A law was declared that all children under the age of 16 must be safely chained to an adult at all times. At home, children are connected to their parents by a "guardchain," and out in the world, they are connected to "Guardians" (who are basically like teachers/nannies/body-guards). But the times have changed, and Jewel's leader (the "Grand Protector") has become concerned about the power of the Guardians and their leader (the "Blessed Guardian"). The Grand Protector, much to the Blessed Guardian's dismay, has decided to lower the age of separation from 16 to 12. The book begins on this controversial "Separation Day," and Goldie, our bold and rebellious 12-year-old protagonist, is going to be the first one to have her chain removed. But (in one of the best introductions of a plot's conflict that I have read in a long time) suddenly, the Separation Ceremony is cancelled due to a mysterious explosion in the city. Panicked at the thought of having the freedom she longs for snatched away from her at the last moment, Goldie runs away, and so her adventure begins. She discovers the mysterious museum of the book's title and quickly learns that there is much more danger left in Jewel than anyone realizes.
This book is a genuine page-turner. As the end of each chapter drew near, I would promise myself that I would set the book aside and get some sleep, but when I got to the last line, I just couldn't bring myself to close the book. I had to keep going. Goldie is very likable--extremely bold and defiant but also frightened, at times, and unsure of herself. And she is surrounded by an entertaining posse of strange characters. The villains of the book are despicable and the moments of danger (which are many) feel extremely real and urgent.
But beyond being entertaining, there is a lot we can learn from Museum of Thieves, as it reveals truths about our own often-paranoid culture. The panicky, control-obsessed people of Jewel made me think of the ways we try to escape the necessary dangers of living life. I found myself thinking of security measures (in airports, and even in schools, etc) and people's willingness to trade their privacy (even dignity) to feel a little safer. Museum of Thieves shows that risk and danger are not something we can simply get rid of. They exist and are a part of life, and when you try to pretend they aren't, it only backfires--often in ways that are even more dangerous than you first feared.
March 23, 2012
Wow, Lian. What a thrilling journey! Your museum is the coolest. If I'd had the opportunity to read this book in primary school, it would have become one of my instant favourites, and I would have wanted Broo to be my best friend, and I would have spent hours trying to think of nothing so that nobody could see me. 8-year-old-me would have tried hard to remeber what she had stolen in the duration of her short life to qualify her as a thief, and probably settled on the meringue crust from a lemon meringue pie that she crept out to the kitchen and devoured in the middle of the night.
When, actually, as a writer, I am more a thief of lives than I am a thief of meringue.
Yes, yes. That's how I'll get a job at the Museum of Dunt, the Museum of Thieves!
Kudos to last year's Aurealis jury that gave this book its well-deserved crown, and I look forward to sharing this with the Small One when she gets old enough for slaughterbirds to send shivers down her spine.
When, actually, as a writer, I am more a thief of lives than I am a thief of meringue.
Yes, yes. That's how I'll get a job at the Museum of Dunt, the Museum of Thieves!
Kudos to last year's Aurealis jury that gave this book its well-deserved crown, and I look forward to sharing this with the Small One when she gets old enough for slaughterbirds to send shivers down her spine.
flipped-to-the-end
August 9, 2016A did not finish review.
Museum of Thieves is basically a pre-teen dystopian story, of a world which is surely the nightmare of most children, one where all children are so overprotected that they are kept chained (to their parents or Keepers). This apparently is to save them from child thieves, or plagues, or robbers, or any of dozens of dangers.
How being chained makes you safe from a plague isn't exactly clear.
I suspect many readers will like this story better than I did. I should definitely stay away from dystopias because the worldbuilding usually makes it impossible for me to stick at it. Otherwise, I wasn't quite captured by the characters, thought it a little heavy-handed (the so Good but not too politically wise leader and her patently a bad guy brother, for instance).
I found myself disinterested enough to not even bother to flip to the end to find out if the explosion was a set up by the brother. Just not for me.
Museum of Thieves is basically a pre-teen dystopian story, of a world which is surely the nightmare of most children, one where all children are so overprotected that they are kept chained (to their parents or Keepers). This apparently is to save them from child thieves, or plagues, or robbers, or any of dozens of dangers.
How being chained makes you safe from a plague isn't exactly clear.
I suspect many readers will like this story better than I did. I should definitely stay away from dystopias because the worldbuilding usually makes it impossible for me to stick at it. Otherwise, I wasn't quite captured by the characters, thought it a little heavy-handed (the so Good but not too politically wise leader and her patently a bad guy brother, for instance).
I found myself disinterested enough to not even bother to flip to the end to find out if the explosion was a set up by the brother. Just not for me.
December 4, 2013
I read The Keepers because I had many good reviews bout the book, and one of my good friends had raved that it was an excellent book. So I decided to read the first book of the trilogy, "Museum of Theives" and I got really into it, it was really exciting and I couldn't put the book down!
This book comes under the category of "a book with themes related to those we've studied in class in the 2nd half of the year." It comes under this category as it is a dystopian text."
The book is basically about a girl called Goldie Roth who lives in the tough city of Jewel. She finally decides to run away from this city of crime and finds herself in the Museum of Dunt, where she meets a boy named Toadspit. She finds out that the museum holds terrible and dark secrets. The Museum is not a normal museum though, it has shifting rooms that only a theif could understand, and fortunately Goldie is talented in that area. But when the guardians from back in Jewel come to the museum and threaten to ruin everything, Goldie needs to bring her theiving skills to the table.
My favourite character in the book is definitely Goldie Roth. She really interests me because even though she is a theif and exceeds in that, she is still a caring girl. This is shown as she doesn't want to leave her sick parents, and she will do anything to protect the museum, her new home.
My favourite scene in the book is absolutely the ending. I always hate endings to books, but I loved this one. When everything seems to have worked out Goldie yells out "I'm Goldie Roth. I am the Fifth keeper of the Museum of Dunt!" I adore this scene as you have gotten so into the book and so attached to the characters, you cant help but feel the joy that Goldie feels as she says this. The ending is also very frustrating aswell, as it leaves you wondering what is going to happen next, and you refuse to leave it at that. But I guess that's how a good book should end, leading up to the second book.
Since this is a dystopian novel, the thing obviously learnt is to appreciate what we have now, and to be careful with the future and how we go about it. But this book also gets you really thinking about how much we could change, and that the future is scary but very intriguing.
I loved the book! Normally I wouldn't read this type of book, but I'm very glad I did!
This book comes under the category of "a book with themes related to those we've studied in class in the 2nd half of the year." It comes under this category as it is a dystopian text."
The book is basically about a girl called Goldie Roth who lives in the tough city of Jewel. She finally decides to run away from this city of crime and finds herself in the Museum of Dunt, where she meets a boy named Toadspit. She finds out that the museum holds terrible and dark secrets. The Museum is not a normal museum though, it has shifting rooms that only a theif could understand, and fortunately Goldie is talented in that area. But when the guardians from back in Jewel come to the museum and threaten to ruin everything, Goldie needs to bring her theiving skills to the table.
My favourite character in the book is definitely Goldie Roth. She really interests me because even though she is a theif and exceeds in that, she is still a caring girl. This is shown as she doesn't want to leave her sick parents, and she will do anything to protect the museum, her new home.
My favourite scene in the book is absolutely the ending. I always hate endings to books, but I loved this one. When everything seems to have worked out Goldie yells out "I'm Goldie Roth. I am the Fifth keeper of the Museum of Dunt!" I adore this scene as you have gotten so into the book and so attached to the characters, you cant help but feel the joy that Goldie feels as she says this. The ending is also very frustrating aswell, as it leaves you wondering what is going to happen next, and you refuse to leave it at that. But I guess that's how a good book should end, leading up to the second book.
Since this is a dystopian novel, the thing obviously learnt is to appreciate what we have now, and to be careful with the future and how we go about it. But this book also gets you really thinking about how much we could change, and that the future is scary but very intriguing.
I loved the book! Normally I wouldn't read this type of book, but I'm very glad I did!
October 10, 2020
Ґолдi Рот – дванадцять, і все своє життя вона ходить в ланцюгах. Благословенні Стражі зовсім не благословенні, бо вони часто вдягають на неї ланцюги покарання – на обидві руки. Дівчина мріє про нормальне вільне життя. Коли нарешті має статися День Розділення, дещо цьому заважає; дівчина не витримує і втікає, не задумуючись про наслідки. Її дехто рятує, і Ґолдi потрапляє до музею крадіїв, де й розгортатимуться загадкові події.
⠀
Це дитяча книга, і хоч вона мені сподобалась, деякі моменти, як для мене дорослої, були очікувані. Але від цього історія не стала для мене гіршою! Бо я розумію, що тим, хто читатиме її в 11, 12, 15 років, вона дуже сподобається.
⠀
«Життя саме по собі – небезпека! Дихання – це небезпека! Невже так легко забули про це?».
⠀
Найбільше мене підкупила атмосфера книги. Академії, школи, зАмки, музеї – усе це моя слабкість! І завжди так виходить, що ці книги чимось зачіпають мене, притягують і не відпускають. Є в цьому щось таємниче і таке рідне! Думаю, в кожного є такі теми.
⠀
Ну і звичайно ж, я обожнюю занурюватись у новий фентезі-світ. Саме через це мені й не набридає цей жанр! А цієї книжулі було навіть трохи малувато (300 сторінок – коли востаннє я читали такі тоненькі книги? 😅). Дуже рада, що продовження трилогії не змусить себе чекати – і уже взимку вийде друком друга частина «Місто брехні».
⠀
Це дитяча книга, і хоч вона мені сподобалась, деякі моменти, як для мене дорослої, були очікувані. Але від цього історія не стала для мене гіршою! Бо я розумію, що тим, хто читатиме її в 11, 12, 15 років, вона дуже сподобається.
⠀
«Життя саме по собі – небезпека! Дихання – це небезпека! Невже так легко забули про це?».
⠀
Найбільше мене підкупила атмосфера книги. Академії, школи, зАмки, музеї – усе це моя слабкість! І завжди так виходить, що ці книги чимось зачіпають мене, притягують і не відпускають. Є в цьому щось таємниче і таке рідне! Думаю, в кожного є такі теми.
⠀
Ну і звичайно ж, я обожнюю занурюватись у новий фентезі-світ. Саме через це мені й не набридає цей жанр! А цієї книжулі було навіть трохи малувато (300 сторінок – коли востаннє я читали такі тоненькі книги? 😅). Дуже рада, що продовження трилогії не змусить себе чекати – і уже взимку вийде друком друга частина «Місто брехні».
October 24, 2017
به عنوان یه کار کودک بهش 3 دادم
عنوان کتاب موزه ی دزدان هست. کاش یکی بتونه اینجا ویرایشش کنه
عنوان کتاب موزه ی دزدان هست. کاش یکی بتونه اینجا ویرایشش کنه
August 28, 2025
3.75 rounded up
fun ya fantasy-ish with city of ember vibes! took me a minute to get into it but interesting characters && very coming-of-age <3 && fun to read whilst on the treadmill.
good one, rhema!
fun ya fantasy-ish with city of ember vibes! took me a minute to get into it but interesting characters && very coming-of-age <3 && fun to read whilst on the treadmill.
good one, rhema!
May 31, 2018
This book was recommended to me two years ago.... and I finally got the chance to pick it up!
A restless museum full of dangers and mystery, a very intriguing read indeed.
A restless museum full of dangers and mystery, a very intriguing read indeed.
May 19, 2024
I found this in my hunt for books narrated by Claudia Black. I’m not going to deny that my adoration for this woman’s skill as a performer easily biases me. She gives her all, as usual, in this book and her performance may have tipped the scale, but, stepping back and trying really hard to be objective, I’d like to believe I’d have enjoyed it just as much had I read it myself (though I could never have done it justice!)
The Museum of Thieves exists in a dystopian utopia where all the dangers of the world have been removed to keep everyone safe. There are no pets, save for clockwork creations, because live animals bring disease and could bite you at any moment! Children are literally bound to their parents or to the Blessed Guardians until they are 16 years old, again, all in the name of keeping them safe. Were they not chained to their parents, or to their beds at night, they could be stolen away by any number of monstrous pirates and slavers! The children don’t particularly care for this arrangement, but fear keeps them in check, with the exception of Goldie Roth, of course.
On her Separation Day, the ceremony to allow her her freedom is cancelled after a bombing that causes the death of a child and a whole lot of panic. This immediately throws the Protector’s plans to limit the powers of the Blessed Guardians and lower the Age of Separation to twelve out the window. Refusing to accept the cancellation, Goldie steals a pair of scissors and boldly snips the ribbon binding her to her parents and escapes, only to find herself lost, alone and hungry in the streets, hunted by the Blessed Guardians until a mysterious man guides her to the Museum.
This is a coming of age book where a young girl who has never been allowed to think and do for herself has to learn to do so with the help of her own instincts, a little voice in her head, the memory of her bold aunt and the Keepers of the Museum. The secrets of the Museum are revealed, as is the dastardly plot against the city of Jewel. Some of the events are quite predictable, but keeping in mind the audience the book is meant for, everything works nicely and the characters and sense of adventure drive everything along at a pace that kept me interested the whole way through.
Tanner really spoke to me with the idea of children – and parents – being restricted in this society because it’s something that I rage against as a parent. The locks and chains binding the children may seem extreme, yet it’s not uncommon to see kids on leashes now. Sure it’s convenient and ensures a little runner can’t do just that, but I’d much rather hold my children’s hands and teach them why they should hold mine. It’s far more respectful to them and I believe that children are just as deserving of respect as adults, and in return, they will learn to respect and be responsible for and to others. Our society restricts children in so many other way– much of it coming from our fear of them getting sick or hurt or worse. Of course no parent wants such things to happen to their child and I’m not naïve enough to believe I can protect my child from everything, but it is possible to be too overprotective to the point of not letting our kids live and learn through experience. Living in fear is no way to live! Consequently, I really enjoyed the liberation of the children at the end and the genuine pride that the elder Keepers and the parents showed for Goldie and her fellow escapee, Toad Spit.
Returning to the narration, Black does such an incredible job with accents, tones, pronunciation, pacing and most importantly, emotion. I was literally on the edge of my seat during some parts and in almost tears during others. I loved the characters, including the Museum itself, and Black very successfully brought them all to life. I am absolutely going to continue with the other books in the trilogy to find out what happens next.
The Museum of Thieves exists in a dystopian utopia where all the dangers of the world have been removed to keep everyone safe. There are no pets, save for clockwork creations, because live animals bring disease and could bite you at any moment! Children are literally bound to their parents or to the Blessed Guardians until they are 16 years old, again, all in the name of keeping them safe. Were they not chained to their parents, or to their beds at night, they could be stolen away by any number of monstrous pirates and slavers! The children don’t particularly care for this arrangement, but fear keeps them in check, with the exception of Goldie Roth, of course.
On her Separation Day, the ceremony to allow her her freedom is cancelled after a bombing that causes the death of a child and a whole lot of panic. This immediately throws the Protector’s plans to limit the powers of the Blessed Guardians and lower the Age of Separation to twelve out the window. Refusing to accept the cancellation, Goldie steals a pair of scissors and boldly snips the ribbon binding her to her parents and escapes, only to find herself lost, alone and hungry in the streets, hunted by the Blessed Guardians until a mysterious man guides her to the Museum.
This is a coming of age book where a young girl who has never been allowed to think and do for herself has to learn to do so with the help of her own instincts, a little voice in her head, the memory of her bold aunt and the Keepers of the Museum. The secrets of the Museum are revealed, as is the dastardly plot against the city of Jewel. Some of the events are quite predictable, but keeping in mind the audience the book is meant for, everything works nicely and the characters and sense of adventure drive everything along at a pace that kept me interested the whole way through.
Tanner really spoke to me with the idea of children – and parents – being restricted in this society because it’s something that I rage against as a parent. The locks and chains binding the children may seem extreme, yet it’s not uncommon to see kids on leashes now. Sure it’s convenient and ensures a little runner can’t do just that, but I’d much rather hold my children’s hands and teach them why they should hold mine. It’s far more respectful to them and I believe that children are just as deserving of respect as adults, and in return, they will learn to respect and be responsible for and to others. Our society restricts children in so many other way– much of it coming from our fear of them getting sick or hurt or worse. Of course no parent wants such things to happen to their child and I’m not naïve enough to believe I can protect my child from everything, but it is possible to be too overprotective to the point of not letting our kids live and learn through experience. Living in fear is no way to live! Consequently, I really enjoyed the liberation of the children at the end and the genuine pride that the elder Keepers and the parents showed for Goldie and her fellow escapee, Toad Spit.
Returning to the narration, Black does such an incredible job with accents, tones, pronunciation, pacing and most importantly, emotion. I was literally on the edge of my seat during some parts and in almost tears during others. I loved the characters, including the Museum itself, and Black very successfully brought them all to life. I am absolutely going to continue with the other books in the trilogy to find out what happens next.
December 4, 2013
All children in the city of Jewel are chained to a Blessed Guardian until their Separation Ceremony. This is for their own good and protection. On her way to the Separation Ceremony, 12-year-old Goldie, is in trouble again and is wearing the heavier, more cumbersome chains of punishment around her wrists for not obeying the Blessed Guardians. Goldie longs to be free and cannot wait for her chains to be cut, but while the ceremony is in process the man in charge of the Blessed Guardians, Fugelman, bursts into the auditorium announcing to the parents that there was a bombing that killed a child. Horrified, the adults stop the ceremony because they feel the children should not be separated from their protectors, the Blessed Guardians, with a Bomber on the loose.
Goldie cannot stand the thought of being so close to her freedom only to have it snatched away. She escapes from the ceremony and finds refuge in the Museum of Dunt while her parents are imprisoned for her running away. The museum is alive and keeps balance in the city. Goldie is taught to be a “keeper” of the museum with the help of another runaway named, Toadspit, a magical dog, and three adults. When the museum comes under attack, Goldie is the only one who can save it and the city.
The story is full of action and has some some strong characters. The plot has some incidents that are never explained such as who set off the bomb. I think it is Fugelman who wants to control the city but it is never confirmed. Also, why does the museum need Goldie as a Keeper? I think it’s because she can withstand the wildness of it better than the others when they sing the First Song, but again, it never says exactly why. I also found it too unbelieveable when the levee broke that the people wouldn’t run to higher ground for safety because the city had crippled them so much with the inability to think for themselves. The citizens do show signs of disobeying the system with Goldie. I think survival instincts would have kicked in for them to run. I thought Fugelman was a one-dimensional villian and that the friction between him and his sister, The Protector, should have been explained more. Why was he jealous of her? There is a scene at the end of the book where she basically says good ridance to her brother who is probably dead and deserves it. She’s a kind person and it was out of character. I would have shown her to be sad as well as angry. I think their relationship should have been fleshed out more and made more complicated. But these were small incidents in a book that overall had fine pacing and a strong main character.
One reason Goldie is chosen as a Keeper is that she is a thief like Toadspit. The author tries to explain through the adult, Olga, that she doesn’t mean thieving but being brave and standing up for what is right. She means civic duty or civic responsibility but uses the word thief. I thought Olga got preachy at one part about overprotective parents as well. It wasn’t really necessary because the whole novel shows this. I feel like I’m nitpicking this book because I know students will like it, but I think all the little things make it an average read.
Goldie cannot stand the thought of being so close to her freedom only to have it snatched away. She escapes from the ceremony and finds refuge in the Museum of Dunt while her parents are imprisoned for her running away. The museum is alive and keeps balance in the city. Goldie is taught to be a “keeper” of the museum with the help of another runaway named, Toadspit, a magical dog, and three adults. When the museum comes under attack, Goldie is the only one who can save it and the city.
The story is full of action and has some some strong characters. The plot has some incidents that are never explained such as who set off the bomb. I think it is Fugelman who wants to control the city but it is never confirmed. Also, why does the museum need Goldie as a Keeper? I think it’s because she can withstand the wildness of it better than the others when they sing the First Song, but again, it never says exactly why. I also found it too unbelieveable when the levee broke that the people wouldn’t run to higher ground for safety because the city had crippled them so much with the inability to think for themselves. The citizens do show signs of disobeying the system with Goldie. I think survival instincts would have kicked in for them to run. I thought Fugelman was a one-dimensional villian and that the friction between him and his sister, The Protector, should have been explained more. Why was he jealous of her? There is a scene at the end of the book where she basically says good ridance to her brother who is probably dead and deserves it. She’s a kind person and it was out of character. I would have shown her to be sad as well as angry. I think their relationship should have been fleshed out more and made more complicated. But these were small incidents in a book that overall had fine pacing and a strong main character.
One reason Goldie is chosen as a Keeper is that she is a thief like Toadspit. The author tries to explain through the adult, Olga, that she doesn’t mean thieving but being brave and standing up for what is right. She means civic duty or civic responsibility but uses the word thief. I thought Olga got preachy at one part about overprotective parents as well. It wasn’t really necessary because the whole novel shows this. I feel like I’m nitpicking this book because I know students will like it, but I think all the little things make it an average read.
December 4, 2013
Goldie Ruth lives in Jewel, a place where fear has become so rampant that helicopter parenting is institutionalized. In this world people so fear that children will run off, get lost, be kidnapped, or some other dire disaster that the children are literally chained to an adult or to a surface at all times. When the book begins, Goldie has just reached the age where she will no longer have to wear a silver handcuff, a day that impatient Goldie has been awaiting her whole life. But just as her cuff is removed, an explosion rocks the city leading to the cancellation of her separation. Unable to bear the idea of being chained again, Goldie runs away. However, to disappear in such a well-ordered, law-abiding city proves to be difficult. The only place Goldie can find refuge is at the Museum of Dunt, an odd, shape-shifting place where only a person with a thief’s mind can hope to survive.
Now, every child I’ve ever met (including me) has at some felt like their parents were dominating his/her entire life. So, I think everyone can relate to Goldie’s oppression and her need to escape her city’s repressive regime. In fact, the world Tanner builds is not an entirely unrealistic view of what our world could look like if certain forms of “helicopter” parenting were taken to the extreme. It’s a relief when Goldie discovers a while different world contained in the museum. It’s true that this world contains many of the dangers that had been eliminated from Jewel, but at the same time, it also contains much of the creativity, joy, and fun that Jewel has lost in its all-consuming fear.
Obviously, I found the spectacular world-building of this book to be its best feature. It’s true that there is a great adventure and some interesting characters, but the twist and turns of the city of Jewel and the museum it contains overshadows everything else. It’s a fun, intriguing book that I found I couldn’t put down. I would recommend this book for kids ages 9 & up. There is a fair amount of violence, so I wouldn’t go younger or use the book as a bedtime story for highly imaginative kids.
Now, every child I’ve ever met (including me) has at some felt like their parents were dominating his/her entire life. So, I think everyone can relate to Goldie’s oppression and her need to escape her city’s repressive regime. In fact, the world Tanner builds is not an entirely unrealistic view of what our world could look like if certain forms of “helicopter” parenting were taken to the extreme. It’s a relief when Goldie discovers a while different world contained in the museum. It’s true that this world contains many of the dangers that had been eliminated from Jewel, but at the same time, it also contains much of the creativity, joy, and fun that Jewel has lost in its all-consuming fear.
Obviously, I found the spectacular world-building of this book to be its best feature. It’s true that there is a great adventure and some interesting characters, but the twist and turns of the city of Jewel and the museum it contains overshadows everything else. It’s a fun, intriguing book that I found I couldn’t put down. I would recommend this book for kids ages 9 & up. There is a fair amount of violence, so I wouldn’t go younger or use the book as a bedtime story for highly imaginative kids.
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December 4, 2013Museum Of Thieves
By Lian Tanner
Critique by Failenn Aselta
This book was about a trying to be utopian city called Jewel. The people of he city would put chains on the children until separation date when kids could take their chains off. Any one who did something wrong were put into the House of Representatives. The museum of dun was were all the animals were placed so no animals lived inside the city. Goldie a twelve-year-old child escapes the City and finds refuse in the museum of dunt where she discovers thievery and secrets that could destroy the city.
The main charters in the book are Goldie Roth a bold and impulsive 12-year-old girl who runs away to the Museum of Dunt. Toadspit is a young boy who stole himself and lives in the museum as one of the keepers. Broo is a large great daneish dog that can speak. He is over 200 years old and can change form from a huge dog to a small little, white, fluffy dog. Guardian Hope is an evil woman who tortures Goldie for all the years she was on her chains.
The main conflict of the book is that the Museum of Dunt is moving faster and getting all riled up and this will eventfully destroy the City. “Imagine a kettle coming to the boil. If you hold the lid down and don’t let any steam out escape, the pressure will build and build. Eventually it will explode.” (Pg. .197). Goldie, Toadspit and Broo take Olga Ciavolga’s another one of the keepers wind napkin. Goldie releases the great wind from the wind napkin creating a great storm. Then every thing goes back to normal and the City is saved.
I think the book was interesting because or the unique people and methods. That every single wild thing was kept in that museum and that it would shift. If you sang The First Song to the museum it would sing with you. “Herro Dan reckons it’s the very first song, from the beginning of time. From even before humans even existed. He reckons every other song in the world grew out of this one. The museum doesn’t take any noticed of anything else. Mm mm mm oh-oh oh-oh. Mm mm mm mm oh oh oh-oh.” (Pg. 158). I also enjoyed the book because it ended in a mystery that makes you want to read the next book.
By Lian Tanner
Critique by Failenn Aselta
This book was about a trying to be utopian city called Jewel. The people of he city would put chains on the children until separation date when kids could take their chains off. Any one who did something wrong were put into the House of Representatives. The museum of dun was were all the animals were placed so no animals lived inside the city. Goldie a twelve-year-old child escapes the City and finds refuse in the museum of dunt where she discovers thievery and secrets that could destroy the city.
The main charters in the book are Goldie Roth a bold and impulsive 12-year-old girl who runs away to the Museum of Dunt. Toadspit is a young boy who stole himself and lives in the museum as one of the keepers. Broo is a large great daneish dog that can speak. He is over 200 years old and can change form from a huge dog to a small little, white, fluffy dog. Guardian Hope is an evil woman who tortures Goldie for all the years she was on her chains.
The main conflict of the book is that the Museum of Dunt is moving faster and getting all riled up and this will eventfully destroy the City. “Imagine a kettle coming to the boil. If you hold the lid down and don’t let any steam out escape, the pressure will build and build. Eventually it will explode.” (Pg. .197). Goldie, Toadspit and Broo take Olga Ciavolga’s another one of the keepers wind napkin. Goldie releases the great wind from the wind napkin creating a great storm. Then every thing goes back to normal and the City is saved.
I think the book was interesting because or the unique people and methods. That every single wild thing was kept in that museum and that it would shift. If you sang The First Song to the museum it would sing with you. “Herro Dan reckons it’s the very first song, from the beginning of time. From even before humans even existed. He reckons every other song in the world grew out of this one. The museum doesn’t take any noticed of anything else. Mm mm mm oh-oh oh-oh. Mm mm mm mm oh oh oh-oh.” (Pg. 158). I also enjoyed the book because it ended in a mystery that makes you want to read the next book.
December 4, 2013
Goldie lives in the city of Jewel. The city has lived through disastrous times and now the people live in fear of everything. For their protection kids are raised and chained to a Blessed Guardian until they are 12 yrs old.
When the book opens 12 yr old Goldie is being punished on Separation Day. Goldie has spent much of her time with The Blessed Guardians in trouble, the last day is no different. Many of the kids are excited about separation day but they worry about everything from colds to kidnappers. Goldie only wants to be free.
Separation Day is canceled after Fugleman, leader of the Blessed Guardian gives word that there was an explosion. Goldie couldn't take it anymore and dared to escape. Goldie finds shelter at Dunt, an old museum with many secrets and hidden doors.
The museum is home to four keepers who disagree with the power of the Blessed Guaridans and are dedicated to doing what's best for the city. One is a boy named Toadspit. Everyone at the museum teaches Goldie, not to be scared of everything and how to fight the Guardians.
This was a great page turner. I found myself holding my breath for Goldie. Even more so, because its visually well done.
"As they crept from wagon to wagon, Goldie's skin itched with the knowledge that the sentries might return at any moment. She tried to tell herself that this was a war from hundreds of years ago, that it was over and done with, that surely it could not hurt her. But the camp around her was as real as anything she had ever seen. Flies settled on her face and arms. her feet kicked up little clumps of mud. High above her, the slaughterbirds wove a dance of death."
There were moments when the message of , the need for freedom and living should not be sacrificed for fear was a little heavy handed. Though I liked Goldie so much I was more then willing to focus on what worked, which was a lot.
The author created a great bad guy in Fugleman. One of the books many strengths are the developed secondary characters. I am really looking forward to seeing where Tanner takes this series.
When the book opens 12 yr old Goldie is being punished on Separation Day. Goldie has spent much of her time with The Blessed Guardians in trouble, the last day is no different. Many of the kids are excited about separation day but they worry about everything from colds to kidnappers. Goldie only wants to be free.
Separation Day is canceled after Fugleman, leader of the Blessed Guardian gives word that there was an explosion. Goldie couldn't take it anymore and dared to escape. Goldie finds shelter at Dunt, an old museum with many secrets and hidden doors.
The museum is home to four keepers who disagree with the power of the Blessed Guaridans and are dedicated to doing what's best for the city. One is a boy named Toadspit. Everyone at the museum teaches Goldie, not to be scared of everything and how to fight the Guardians.
This was a great page turner. I found myself holding my breath for Goldie. Even more so, because its visually well done.
"As they crept from wagon to wagon, Goldie's skin itched with the knowledge that the sentries might return at any moment. She tried to tell herself that this was a war from hundreds of years ago, that it was over and done with, that surely it could not hurt her. But the camp around her was as real as anything she had ever seen. Flies settled on her face and arms. her feet kicked up little clumps of mud. High above her, the slaughterbirds wove a dance of death."
There were moments when the message of , the need for freedom and living should not be sacrificed for fear was a little heavy handed. Though I liked Goldie so much I was more then willing to focus on what worked, which was a lot.
The author created a great bad guy in Fugleman. One of the books many strengths are the developed secondary characters. I am really looking forward to seeing where Tanner takes this series.
March 12, 2012
I saw this book in the store, and I literally did a double take. I mean, just look at that cover. Without even reading the summary on the back, I bought the book and started reading immediately.
And--fortunately--the story inside is just as good as the cover suggests.
My favorite part of this book has to be the world--and not just the crazy, ever-changing museum, but the dystopian city of Jewel as well. It's just got so much room for storytelling! And who wouldn't love a place where one can learn the Three Methods of Concealment (Concealment by Sham, by Camouflage, or by Imitating Nothingness)? Or a place where you can walk up a staircase (though it feels as if you're going down) that changes steepness based on its mood--and is called Harry Mount, no less?
The characters--especially the villains--fit so well in the world. From the charmingly evil Fugleman to our brave heroine Goldie, each person had his/her own story that was deftly shaped by the world in which they all live. My favorite character is Broo--but I won't tell you who or what he is. ;)
Museum of Thieves is the sort of book I'd recommend to lower MG readers. It doesn't have the depth of story/character that an older reader or adult might crave, BUT it's exactly what I'd want to see for the younger kids. In terms of storytelling, it actually reminded me a lot of Fablehaven, so if you enjoyed that MG, then you'll definitely like Museum of Thieves.
So if you like adventure, cooky worlds, or fast-paced middle grade fantasy, then be sure to check out Lian Tanner's Museum of Thieves.
And--fortunately--the story inside is just as good as the cover suggests.
My favorite part of this book has to be the world--and not just the crazy, ever-changing museum, but the dystopian city of Jewel as well. It's just got so much room for storytelling! And who wouldn't love a place where one can learn the Three Methods of Concealment (Concealment by Sham, by Camouflage, or by Imitating Nothingness)? Or a place where you can walk up a staircase (though it feels as if you're going down) that changes steepness based on its mood--and is called Harry Mount, no less?
The characters--especially the villains--fit so well in the world. From the charmingly evil Fugleman to our brave heroine Goldie, each person had his/her own story that was deftly shaped by the world in which they all live. My favorite character is Broo--but I won't tell you who or what he is. ;)
Museum of Thieves is the sort of book I'd recommend to lower MG readers. It doesn't have the depth of story/character that an older reader or adult might crave, BUT it's exactly what I'd want to see for the younger kids. In terms of storytelling, it actually reminded me a lot of Fablehaven, so if you enjoyed that MG, then you'll definitely like Museum of Thieves.
So if you like adventure, cooky worlds, or fast-paced middle grade fantasy, then be sure to check out Lian Tanner's Museum of Thieves.
December 4, 2013
I really enjoyed this juvenile fiction book of fantasy! There were several passages I marked to remember that I just loved the wording of:
"With each movement, with each sound, her skin prickeled.
But at the same time the blood surged through her veins and she had never felt so alive. I've been asleep! she thought. I've been asleep all my life, and now I'm waking up!" p. 80
"But there are some things, child, that you should steal. That you must steal, if you have enough love and courage in your heart. you must snatch freedom from the hands of the tyrant. You must spirit away innocent lives before they are destroyed. You must hide secret and sacred places." p. 123
"...I am not saying that it is a good thing to give children such heavy responsibilities. They must be allowed to have a childhood. But they must also be allowed to find their courage and their wisdom, and learn when to stand and when to run away. After all, if they are not permitted to climb the trees, how will they ever see the great and wonderful world that lies before them..." p. 185
"They tried to nail life down. They wanted to be completely safe and happy at all times. The trouble is, the world just isn't like that. you can't have high mountains without deep valleys. You can't have great happiness without great sadness. The world is never still." p. 197
"With each movement, with each sound, her skin prickeled.
But at the same time the blood surged through her veins and she had never felt so alive. I've been asleep! she thought. I've been asleep all my life, and now I'm waking up!" p. 80
"But there are some things, child, that you should steal. That you must steal, if you have enough love and courage in your heart. you must snatch freedom from the hands of the tyrant. You must spirit away innocent lives before they are destroyed. You must hide secret and sacred places." p. 123
"...I am not saying that it is a good thing to give children such heavy responsibilities. They must be allowed to have a childhood. But they must also be allowed to find their courage and their wisdom, and learn when to stand and when to run away. After all, if they are not permitted to climb the trees, how will they ever see the great and wonderful world that lies before them..." p. 185
"They tried to nail life down. They wanted to be completely safe and happy at all times. The trouble is, the world just isn't like that. you can't have high mountains without deep valleys. You can't have great happiness without great sadness. The world is never still." p. 197
August 15, 2011
Ever had one of those books where you feel like you jumped right into the middle of it and your slowly catching up? Well, this book was mine. The story begins in the city of Jewel with Goldie going to her separation ceremony. To protect the children of Jewel they are placed in guard chains until the age of sixteen. Unfortunately, Goldie's separation day was canceled this year. This does not sit well with her, so she runs away. Eventually, Goldie finds refugee in a Museum and is introduced to the four keeper of the Museum and her new purpose within its walls is revealed. The story's underlining theme reminds me of the expression "being tied to your mother's apron strings," but in this case the children of Jewel are being overprotected by their parents and the rules of the city. The story was a fairly easy read. I enjoyed the playful bantering of Goldie and Toadspit, so much like a brother and sister would argue. The character of Broo was also entertaining and heightened the adventure as well. Overall an enjoyable read with many side themes on allowing children to grow up and learning how to solve problems.
February 27, 2011
Not a bad read overall. It's the first in a series and has an appealing main character and some interesting secondary characters. I do enjoy the fact that Goldie is able to be strong and capable without turning into uber warrior woman or some such. I did feel that the world Goldie lives in was not fleshed out as well as I would have liked--it was hard to picture it in real detail and get a notion of what kind of time period it was, how people worked and schooled with the rules that were set up in the city, etc. It's too bad we didn't really get to see some of a typical day of life in the city of Jewel. Still, didn't make it bad, but I did think that there could have been more meat to the setting. I'll likely look to read the second book when it comes out, though this one had a satisfactory ending without resorting to cliffhangers.
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January 29, 2017We loved Museum of Thieves, it had my daughter whirling around the room, completely transfixed in the fantasy of the story whilst I read it at bedtimes. We also read it on trains, planes and across a number of holiday places. The story was all consuming and the two child characters are just so gritty and fantastic, thank you Lian, from Caitlin and Olive
July 9, 2023
*3.5 stars. Took this from my mom’s 5th grade classroom. Her students loved it and I get why. It would’ve been 5 stars if I were 10, but at age 26 it was just a fun read.
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