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Book Review: City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson


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Rating: 4 stars. 

 Are you sick of YA mystery novels yet? Had enough of stories whose plots revolve around a teenager going missing? Over Gossip-Girl like plots? Well, let me tell you, this book will actually blow your socks off because it has none of those things! 

City of Saints & Thieves is about Tina, a Congolese girl whose mother was murdered. Ever since, she has become part of a gang and is trying to get revenge for her mother's murder. But when she gets caught by someone from her past, she starts to question her mother's past and who she can trust. She must navigate the world of oil industry men to find out why her mother was killed. 

The first awesome thing about this book is that it is set in Kenya. I have never read a book set in Africa and it was so interesting! The author is knowledgable in the field of refugees in Africa and it really shines through in her writing. There was one scene where the main character and her friends have to travel across the continent to investigate her mom and they have to travel on a truck that transports bananas. It was so interesting to read about a culture that is so different than what I'm accustomed to (Canadian culture). Natalie C Anderson is really great at making an imaginable setting. Even though it's almost been a month since I've read this book, I can still imagine the places described and the feelings this author was able to invoke in me while reading. 

I really loved the main character, Christina, and her childhood best friend, Michael. Christina, or as she is known in the book Tina, is a really good thief and this is actually proved in this book. (I know, what a concept!) She learns about revenge from reading the The Count of Monte Cristo, a treat for all you literary nerds out there. Overall, she is a complex, strong, and diverse heroine that you can't help but root for. Michael is an intriguing character as he is the son of Christina's enemy and also grew up with Christina. They have been separated for a while and Christina wants to get revenge on his father so watching them interact kept me reading. The plot was also pretty thrilling. The ending wasn't a huge letdown and I didn't guess the plot twist so I was very satisfied after reading this book. 

I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a diverse read that offers an interesting setting, complex characters and thrilling plot twists. 


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