Hey, guys! I was able to receive a copy of City of Saints & Thieves during Yall Fest in October, and it is now official out in stores!
The Cover:
The Cover:
It shows Tina blending into the background of the colors of Sangui City as a refugee from the Congo. It's a neat cover that fits with this book. A- cover
Official Description:
In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn't exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill's personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it.
With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang. It’s a job for the Goondas that finally brings Tina back to the Greyhill estate, giving her the chance for vengeance she’s been waiting for. But as soon as she steps inside the lavish home, she’s overtaken by the pain of old wounds and the pull of past friendships, setting into motion a dangerous cascade of events that could, at any moment, cost Tina her life. But finally uncovering the incredible truth about who killed her mother—and why—keeps her holding on in this fast-paced nail-biting thriller.
My Review:
I wasn't sure how I would feel about City of Saints and Thieves because I wasn't sure what to expect. This book felt like a mystery novel meshed with an adventure novel, with some political documentary mixed in. The main story was Tina's attempts to get revenge for her mother's murder, as well as make sure she knows who the murderer is. The backdrop is refugee-crisis and the effect of war-torn African countries on the women and children in those places. This set-up added depth and an interesting element to the story, yet still did not seem preachy at all.
The characters were fun to read about. Tina was a well-thought out character who was easy to route for. She was not perfect, but her imperfections improved her as a character. The supporting characters (Boyboy, Michael) were also interesting and developed, though to a lesser extent than Tina. However, the other characters in this book were a bit one-dimensional. For example, Tina's sister is frequently mentioned yet is flat with very few relevant emotions.
The characters were also really representative. They were a variety of races, from different backgrounds, different sexualities. It had a nice variety that is not often represented, and, again, this book was able to have a diverse cast of characters without really unnatural (like it was trying to prove something).
The plot was mostly fast-paced. It was easy to get involved with the story. It moved quickly for the most part, with only a few slow parts.
I especially liked the transition between characters with one of Tina's "rules" for surviving on the streets of Sangui City. It allowed a smooth transition between chapters and a comedic break.
Overall, I would recommend reading City of Saints & Thieves if you like stories about murder mysteries, street gangs, or African politics/ refugees. It is a nice mix of all of them!
(Warning: While being a Young Adult book, it does mention some adult themes (i.e. rape).)
Phrase:
Kiki
If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Six of Crows
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret
The Cover:
It shows Tina blending into the background of the colors of Sangui City as a refugee from the Congo. It's a neat cover that fits with this book. A- cover
Official Description:
In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn't exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill's personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it.
With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang. It’s a job for the Goondas that finally brings Tina back to the Greyhill estate, giving her the chance for vengeance she’s been waiting for. But as soon as she steps inside the lavish home, she’s overtaken by the pain of old wounds and the pull of past friendships, setting into motion a dangerous cascade of events that could, at any moment, cost Tina her life. But finally uncovering the incredible truth about who killed her mother—and why—keeps her holding on in this fast-paced nail-biting thriller.
My Review:
I wasn't sure how I would feel about City of Saints and Thieves because I wasn't sure what to expect. This book felt like a mystery novel meshed with an adventure novel, with some political documentary mixed in. The main story was Tina's attempts to get revenge for her mother's murder, as well as make sure she knows who the murderer is. The backdrop is refugee-crisis and the effect of war-torn African countries on the women and children in those places. This set-up added depth and an interesting element to the story, yet still did not seem preachy at all.
The characters were fun to read about. Tina was a well-thought out character who was easy to route for. She was not perfect, but her imperfections improved her as a character. The supporting characters (Boyboy, Michael) were also interesting and developed, though to a lesser extent than Tina. However, the other characters in this book were a bit one-dimensional. For example, Tina's sister is frequently mentioned yet is flat with very few relevant emotions.
The characters were also really representative. They were a variety of races, from different backgrounds, different sexualities. It had a nice variety that is not often represented, and, again, this book was able to have a diverse cast of characters without really unnatural (like it was trying to prove something).
The plot was mostly fast-paced. It was easy to get involved with the story. It moved quickly for the most part, with only a few slow parts.
I especially liked the transition between characters with one of Tina's "rules" for surviving on the streets of Sangui City. It allowed a smooth transition between chapters and a comedic break.
Overall, I would recommend reading City of Saints & Thieves if you like stories about murder mysteries, street gangs, or African politics/ refugees. It is a nice mix of all of them!
(Warning: While being a Young Adult book, it does mention some adult themes (i.e. rape).)
Phrase:
Kiki
If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Six of Crows
Happy Reading!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookshelfSecret
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret
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