The Blurb On The Back:
”Here, we will teach you to do wrong, but only so that one day you will put the world right.”
When talented pickpocket Gabriel is recruited to Crookhaven, he is welcomes into a whole new world. This secret school trains its students in classes like Forgery, Deception and Crimnastics - all so that one day they will go out into the world and do good.
On the first day, the mysterious headmaster Caspian announced the infamous Crooked Cup competition. Determined to win, Gabriel soon realises his best chance will be to assemble a crew of multi-talented misfits. Except that’s not exactly encouraged.
But when has breaking a few rules ever stopped a crook?
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
J. J. Arcanjo’s criminal adventure novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a trilogy) is basically all backstory and world building to set up the next two books. The story is just Gabriel learning about the school and doing lessons - particularly disappointing the heist itself comes very late in the book and mainly occurs off page. It’s all readable, but it also feels like one long prologue to book 2, which I’m not sure I’d rush to read.
CROOKHAVEN - THE SCHOOL FOR THIEVES was released in the United Kingdom on 2nd March 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
When talented pickpocket Gabriel is recruited to Crookhaven, he is welcomes into a whole new world. This secret school trains its students in classes like Forgery, Deception and Crimnastics - all so that one day they will go out into the world and do good.
On the first day, the mysterious headmaster Caspian announced the infamous Crooked Cup competition. Determined to win, Gabriel soon realises his best chance will be to assemble a crew of multi-talented misfits. Except that’s not exactly encouraged.
But when has breaking a few rules ever stopped a crook?
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
J. J. Arcanjo’s criminal adventure novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a trilogy) is basically all backstory and world building to set up the next two books. The story is just Gabriel learning about the school and doing lessons - particularly disappointing the heist itself comes very late in the book and mainly occurs off page. It’s all readable, but it also feels like one long prologue to book 2, which I’m not sure I’d rush to read.
CROOKHAVEN - THE SCHOOL FOR THIEVES was released in the United Kingdom on 2nd March 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.