The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Review by Sarah Kogan

Hushed whispers float across the still canals of Venice. Abandoned theaters and starry curtains host pigeons and runaways… wooden wings and carousels spin time merrily away… and the poorest hide lies with the finest silk…. Cornelia Funke’s The Thief Lord is an intriguing novel that follows two runaway brothers, protective Prosper and curious, impressionable young Boniface, who arrive in Venice with the intention of escaping their abusive aunt and uncle. But among the canals and tourists, they find much more than a safe haven — they meet and join young thieves, and are sent on a mission that changes their lives.

The Thief Lord’s enchanting plot was extremely well thought-out. Events that appear in the beginning of the book resurface at the end with a renewed importance. Mrs. Funke’s use of symbolism adds a fresh view of the story for those that look deeper into it. The Thief Lord, Scipio, for example, wears a mask shaped like the beak of a crow, concealing his true identity. Never is there a dull moment when one might be tempted to put down the book and go check their text messages. The Thief Lord is impossible to stop reading until you've reached the end (and possibly reread it once or twice or fourteen times).

A defining characteristic of a truly talented writer is the touch that gives life to the characters. Many potentially wonderful books have been destroyed by the unfortunate lack of verisimilitude — their characters are kind, smart, beautiful, talented, and possess every other positive trait imaginable. No real person exists without flaws, nor is anyone’s personality so focused on a single characteristic that they are unable to live any other way. Cornelia Funke carefully chisels each personality, giving each a voice that speaks through the paper. Scipio, for example, is the leader of the group of children, and he casts himself as a fearless, cunning person. But a closer look into his history exposes every tale he had fabricated for his admiring followers — and how well the Thief Lord can spin lies.

Mrs. Funke’s setting choices were extremely appropriate for the subject of the story. Venice is a beautiful place, and it’s unlike many other locations. Many things are lost there by the numerous tourists who visit the area every year, and it is an ideal setting for the protagonists, a group of young runaways. The city also has many buildings that are no longer populated, the perfect places for the thieves to hide. The book adds an air of mystery to the city, both to common tourist attractions (like Saint Mark’s Square) and fictional locations (like the store of swindler Ernesto Barbarossa, to whom the thieves sell their stolen goods so he could resell them at much higher prices).

The book has resonated with readers around the globe. Cornelia Funke is the third most popular children’s book writer in Germany. (Joining her ranks are the timeless J.K. Rowling and R.L. Stine.) Her book had won several literary awards, the most notable being the 2005 Young Reader’s Choice Award and the 2003 Mildred L. Batchelder Award. In 2002, The Thief Lord was named the New York Times Notable Book, a great honor to anyone in the literary community. When asked where she gets her inspiration, she said, “There are so many magical places in books you can’t go to, like Hogwarts and Middle Earth, so I wanted to set a story in a place children could actually go.”

The Thief Lord is truly a literary masterpiece. With a stunning plot, relatable characters, a deliciously mysterious setting, and prestigious awards, Cornelia Funke has written an international bestseller. This tale contains themes of friendship, family, and individuality, and has earned its place as one of the favorite books of America’s teenagers.

Bibliography

     Funke, Cornelia. The Thief Lord. New York: Chicken House, 2002.
     Author), Cornelia Funke (Goodreads. “The Thief Lord.” Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.