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momoclouds's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
anniedelsignore's review against another edition
3.0
Review at Books, A Novel Idea
*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Okay, so this book has a lot of my favorite things: Victorian circuses, thievery, diamonds, and curses. Add on an adorable all-about-the-law police officer and I'm immediately hooked. So basically, premise-wise, I loved this book from the beginning, but unfortunately, it didn't really live up to my expectations.
What I liked: The story. Like I said, many of my favorite story tropes in one book is like a dream come true. It was fast paced and action packed and I loved seeing Rémy use her circus training to beat up on the bad guys. I also really liked her hesitation to fall in love and lack of hesitation in being fiercely independent and (not in a bad way) self-centered. Now, I think my absolute favorite thing about this book was little J. Can I get a J spin-off or novela or something pretty please? He's the perfect sidekick and I'm ready for him to have his own plot now.
What I didn't like: There was something about the way The Diamond Thief was written that kind of bothered me. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was, but it was there. I wanted to see more of the circus, more of the magic and mystery and romanticism that surrounds it (or maybe The Night Circus set my expectations too high). I also thought that there were some times when the plot was confusing and seemed a bit too much. There were times when it was super unrealistic (nobody can almost die that many times and not actually die), and the plot holes distracted from an interesting story. It was like everything was a bit too convenient and solved with ease.
It's worth a read, especially if you're into steampunk, historical, or fantasy. And the setting is vivid and there's magic that shows up every once in a while. Basically, it's pretty fun and fast once you can get over all the other problems.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Okay, so this book has a lot of my favorite things: Victorian circuses, thievery, diamonds, and curses. Add on an adorable all-about-the-law police officer and I'm immediately hooked. So basically, premise-wise, I loved this book from the beginning, but unfortunately, it didn't really live up to my expectations.
What I liked: The story. Like I said, many of my favorite story tropes in one book is like a dream come true. It was fast paced and action packed and I loved seeing Rémy use her circus training to beat up on the bad guys. I also really liked her hesitation to fall in love and lack of hesitation in being fiercely independent and (not in a bad way) self-centered. Now, I think my absolute favorite thing about this book was little J. Can I get a J spin-off or novela or something pretty please? He's the perfect sidekick and I'm ready for him to have his own plot now.
What I didn't like: There was something about the way The Diamond Thief was written that kind of bothered me. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was, but it was there. I wanted to see more of the circus, more of the magic and mystery and romanticism that surrounds it (or maybe The Night Circus set my expectations too high). I also thought that there were some times when the plot was confusing and seemed a bit too much. There were times when it was super unrealistic (nobody can almost die that many times and not actually die), and the plot holes distracted from an interesting story. It was like everything was a bit too convenient and solved with ease.
It's worth a read, especially if you're into steampunk, historical, or fantasy. And the setting is vivid and there's magic that shows up every once in a while. Basically, it's pretty fun and fast once you can get over all the other problems.
fredicia's review against another edition
4.0
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
If you liked The Friday Society, then you'll like this book. Or if you like books with clever thieves, honourable men and adventurous girls, then give this book a try.
Remy is a trapeze artist by day and a jewel thief by night. She is sent by her boss to steal a prized gem from the Tower of London, but is thwarted by another aiming to snatch the gem for himself. In her haste, she accidentally swipes a copy-cat diamond from the coat of a new detective.
The detective, Thaddeus Rec, is subsequently accused of stealing the gem himself, loses his job but manages to escape. He reluctantly teams up with Remy to find the real culprit and clear his name.
Gosling wrote a lovely tale. We have our plucky heroine, Remy, who has a heart of gold but was raised in bad circumstances. We also have our uprising police officer Thad, who insists on sticking to the moral code and is determined to prove his worthiness despite him being born in the worst neighbourhood of Victorian England.
Victorian England! The churning of the Thames and smoke of factories and the beggars in the streets. Of course, no modern adaptation is complete without fashionable steampunk inventions for the ladies and gents. Despite the lady not being a lady and is actually using these tools to break into a highly secure mansion and not, you know, entertaining house guests. But no matter!
What I like about The Diamond Thief is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a fun book, readers know it's a fun book, Gosling clearly wrote it as a fun book, basically, you get what you expect. It's straightforward and an absolute enjoyment to read.
If you liked The Friday Society, then you'll like this book. Or if you like books with clever thieves, honourable men and adventurous girls, then give this book a try.
Remy is a trapeze artist by day and a jewel thief by night. She is sent by her boss to steal a prized gem from the Tower of London, but is thwarted by another aiming to snatch the gem for himself. In her haste, she accidentally swipes a copy-cat diamond from the coat of a new detective.
The detective, Thaddeus Rec, is subsequently accused of stealing the gem himself, loses his job but manages to escape. He reluctantly teams up with Remy to find the real culprit and clear his name.
Gosling wrote a lovely tale. We have our plucky heroine, Remy, who has a heart of gold but was raised in bad circumstances. We also have our uprising police officer Thad, who insists on sticking to the moral code and is determined to prove his worthiness despite him being born in the worst neighbourhood of Victorian England.
Victorian England! The churning of the Thames and smoke of factories and the beggars in the streets. Of course, no modern adaptation is complete without fashionable steampunk inventions for the ladies and gents. Despite the lady not being a lady and is actually using these tools to break into a highly secure mansion and not, you know, entertaining house guests. But no matter!
What I like about The Diamond Thief is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a fun book, readers know it's a fun book, Gosling clearly wrote it as a fun book, basically, you get what you expect. It's straightforward and an absolute enjoyment to read.
felinity's review against another edition
4.0
A great adventure! Once I started reading I couldn't bear to stop!
Rémy, trapeze artiste and jewel thief, finds herself allied with a young policeman after an attempted heist unexpectedly falls through and their futures - or at least, their careers - become entwined. Through their eyes we see the disadvantaged and marginalised in society as issues of social justice begin to raise their heads.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rémy, trapeze artiste and jewel thief, finds herself allied with a young policeman after an attempted heist unexpectedly falls through and their futures - or at least, their careers - become entwined. Through their eyes we see the disadvantaged and marginalised in society as issues of social justice begin to raise their heads.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
katsmiao's review against another edition
2.0
I was a little disappointed by this book.
I loved the premise and couldn't wait to start the book, but then I had a hard time finishing it. The plot was ok, for the most part. There were some parts that were hard to follow or didn't make sense to me. But more than that I was distracted by something in the writing style.
The book started off with a huge BANG, with an extremely fast paced first chapter. After that the pace would slow right down, and then you would get another part where it was hard to keep up with the fast pace. It's an ok book, but I think it could have been better.
I loved the premise and couldn't wait to start the book, but then I had a hard time finishing it. The plot was ok, for the most part. There were some parts that were hard to follow or didn't make sense to me. But more than that I was distracted by something in the writing style.
The book started off with a huge BANG, with an extremely fast paced first chapter. After that the pace would slow right down, and then you would get another part where it was hard to keep up with the fast pace. It's an ok book, but I think it could have been better.
erinmcgawley's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. The only reason I read this is because I bought it at a Scholastic book fair when I was 8 and never managed to get through it when I was a ✨child✨. But, I found it on my shelf the other day and decided to go through it - just to see what it was actually like. And there was actually good reason for me not being able to get through it as a child; there was far too much happening at all given times. It felt rushed and the ‘plot twists’ were forced and clichéd. It was a cool concept but not particularly well written. I can see why it was marketed to kids, but by the same token it wasn’t coherent enough to make enough sense to eight year old me who just got too bored/confused of it to keep going. I sort of liked it? But wouldn’t read again due to the lack of structure it had. It honestly felt like the writer didn’t know what was going to happen next either and thus something got made up that didn’t completely make sense.
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
Fun steampunk novel set in England in the late 1800's. A thief and inspector have to work to recover a lost diamond and stop a madman. This is full of plenty of action, steampunk machines, and a light romance. A pretty good YA read. I'd probably read the next book in the series.
erin7's review against another edition
5.0
This was the first book that truly made me love reading. The slow burn romance between the two main characters is so perfect and the ending still makes me smile whenever I think about it.
I will never stop recommending this book!
I will never stop recommending this book!
bookwormemi's review against another edition
2.0
I received this as an ARC from Netgalley so I feel obligated to post a review even though I don't usually do so, so forgive me if it turns out poorly.
Mild Spoilers Below.
Essentially the synopsis of the story is beautiful. Remy the cool trapeze girl in a French circus in steampunk London is also a jewel thief on the side. Supposedly the best jewel thief in Europe but there isn't really any evidence to support that claim. She also has a penchant for nearly dying. It's what identifies her besides being part of the circus and having some vague backstory. Her personality is slim but it's also largest in the book.
Enter the romantic interest. Thaddeus, a cop with two mismatched eyes and a couple of lousy parents the reader hears about in passing. His personality is that of a ticking clock. You know he's there to serve a purpose but the sound of him is pretty annoying. The romance between Thaddeus and Remy was fairly weak and very forced. There was no chemistry, although Thaddeus did get in a few somewhat swoonful lines, overall it didn't work.
There were other characters that honestly don't matter and are even less fleshed out than the two main protagonists.
Overall, the characters were in desperate need of some fleshing out. That was the true hamartia of this novel.
The writing itself was a bit juvenile, but I suppose that's unfair of me to say. I was under the impression the book was made out for the older YA crowd, but it is easily attainable to those much younger. I think that is where the book will meet its target audience. Honestly it wasn't a bad book, if I were much younger, probably 10-13.
The story is great if one is looking for a fast paced adventure and the author throws in a lot of fun historical tidbits to enjoy. It was fun and light and the setting was intriguing, and honestly who doesn't love the circus? I wish there was more of the circus. For the right age group this book is fantastic, so if you're looking for a book to give as a present to someone of a certain age, or if you are a person of a certain age, this novel is perfect.
(This is not to demean a certain age. It truly is a good book that to me seems more suitable to a younger audience)
Also, this cover is pretty great, bravo to the cover artist if they keep THIS particular cover. The one I got from Netgalley was less creative and far more generic.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Mild Spoilers Below.
Essentially the synopsis of the story is beautiful. Remy the cool trapeze girl in a French circus in steampunk London is also a jewel thief on the side. Supposedly the best jewel thief in Europe but there isn't really any evidence to support that claim. She also has a penchant for nearly dying. It's what identifies her besides being part of the circus and having some vague backstory. Her personality is slim but it's also largest in the book.
Enter the romantic interest. Thaddeus, a cop with two mismatched eyes and a couple of lousy parents the reader hears about in passing. His personality is that of a ticking clock. You know he's there to serve a purpose but the sound of him is pretty annoying. The romance between Thaddeus and Remy was fairly weak and very forced. There was no chemistry, although Thaddeus did get in a few somewhat swoonful lines, overall it didn't work.
There were other characters that honestly don't matter and are even less fleshed out than the two main protagonists.
Overall, the characters were in desperate need of some fleshing out. That was the true hamartia of this novel.
The writing itself was a bit juvenile, but I suppose that's unfair of me to say. I was under the impression the book was made out for the older YA crowd, but it is easily attainable to those much younger. I think that is where the book will meet its target audience. Honestly it wasn't a bad book, if I were much younger, probably 10-13.
The story is great if one is looking for a fast paced adventure and the author throws in a lot of fun historical tidbits to enjoy. It was fun and light and the setting was intriguing, and honestly who doesn't love the circus? I wish there was more of the circus. For the right age group this book is fantastic, so if you're looking for a book to give as a present to someone of a certain age, or if you are a person of a certain age, this novel is perfect.
(This is not to demean a certain age. It truly is a good book that to me seems more suitable to a younger audience)
Also, this cover is pretty great, bravo to the cover artist if they keep THIS particular cover. The one I got from Netgalley was less creative and far more generic.
And that's all I have to say about that.
b00kr3vi3ws's review against another edition
3.0
Remy Brunel may be only 16 years old but she is also an amazing trapeze artist also known as the ‘Little Bird’. But there is a secret life that she lives beyond the spotlight of the circus – a life of a thief. It is only when she is assigned to steal a famous piece of diamond that she uncovers a whole new world of treachery and conspiracies. On the other hand we have Thaddeus Rec, a young Scotland Yard official who is looking to catch the Jewel thief. When the two worlds of Remy and Thaddeus collide, we get a world with curses, conspiracies and chemistry.
The first thing about the book that is most likeable is its characters. I absolutely loved Remy and Thaddeus. Remy is such a fierce character that I instantly loved her for her strength. I would have loved to get colder into her mind. Thaddeus, only a couple of years older than Remy, balances out Remy with his stability. It is only once I put down the book and looked back at the story that I realized that they were just too young to play the characters assigned to them. The kind of reputation that Remy has built up in her few years of work is a bit too much too accept. Also, Thaddeus as a Scotland Yard official may be acceptable as a responsible person, but the amount of responsibilities handed off to him should usually go to a more experienced officer. There is another character, J, who is easy to like too.
The author has done an excellent job of portraying Victorian London. It was easy to get into the setting of the plot. The descriptions provided helped build vivid images of the settings and situations. The plot in itself was an interesting one with a circus, a curse, a bit of steampunk involved. There are a lot of aspects to this plot and together they form an intriguing piece. The author gets her grip on the reader right at the very beginning and keeps it on with her well set pace of the story.
There are few things that I didn’t really ‘get’ at all. For instance how Remy and Thaddeus fall for each other. It was just too abrupt for my taste. Also, things ‘conveniently’ fall into place for the protagonists throughout the book – too conveniently. Then there is the superficial aspect of the characters that I just didn’t like.
With its high ups and low downs, this book really makes for a rollercoaster ride. Overall, it comes down to an average of sorts where, you can pick up this book for a light time-pass read, but will not miss much if you give it a pass.
http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/09/TheDiamondThief.html
The first thing about the book that is most likeable is its characters. I absolutely loved Remy and Thaddeus. Remy is such a fierce character that I instantly loved her for her strength. I would have loved to get colder into her mind. Thaddeus, only a couple of years older than Remy, balances out Remy with his stability. It is only once I put down the book and looked back at the story that I realized that they were just too young to play the characters assigned to them. The kind of reputation that Remy has built up in her few years of work is a bit too much too accept. Also, Thaddeus as a Scotland Yard official may be acceptable as a responsible person, but the amount of responsibilities handed off to him should usually go to a more experienced officer. There is another character, J, who is easy to like too.
The author has done an excellent job of portraying Victorian London. It was easy to get into the setting of the plot. The descriptions provided helped build vivid images of the settings and situations. The plot in itself was an interesting one with a circus, a curse, a bit of steampunk involved. There are a lot of aspects to this plot and together they form an intriguing piece. The author gets her grip on the reader right at the very beginning and keeps it on with her well set pace of the story.
There are few things that I didn’t really ‘get’ at all. For instance how Remy and Thaddeus fall for each other. It was just too abrupt for my taste. Also, things ‘conveniently’ fall into place for the protagonists throughout the book – too conveniently. Then there is the superficial aspect of the characters that I just didn’t like.
With its high ups and low downs, this book really makes for a rollercoaster ride. Overall, it comes down to an average of sorts where, you can pick up this book for a light time-pass read, but will not miss much if you give it a pass.
http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/09/TheDiamondThief.html