Bo is stubborn with his childish admiration for Scipio. I loved how individual the characters were. I loved the simplicity of the story and the twist. I really didn’t see it coming and was pleasantly surprised. Then comes the twist and the magical element is introduced. The magic seemed to be the boys’ perception of their surroundings and the life they were leading. Funke’s books typically have magical element to the books, but in the beginning this doesn’t seem to be the case with this one. The story turned out different than I expected it to. She is such a fantastic author, so when I found this book at Bookoff, it was a no-brainer to buy it. I have been a fan of Cornelia Funke ever since I found Inkheart many years ago. Because of this, none of their lives will ever be the same. With a persistent aunt and uncle, a dishonest Conte, squabbling children, and a moronic antiques dealer, the events that ensue could not have gone any less smoothly. She agrees to give them the wing on the condition that afterward they all follow the Conte to discover whether or not he has the merry-go-round. She tells them the story of the wing and the fantastical legend of a magical merry-go-round associated with it.

Naturally, the job is bungled and Ida discovers the would-be thieves. The children feel betrayed and resolve to steal the wing without him. Victor, an investigator employed by the boys’ aunt and uncle to find them finds the boys and reveals the truth of who the ‘Thief Lord’ is. Scipio accepts and they prepare for the biggest hit of their lives.

He wants Scipio to acquire for him an ordinary looking wooden wing from Signora Ida Spavento. One day, Barbarossa propositions a meeting between Scipio and a client known only as the Conte. Prosper shows a talent for haggling and is put in charge of selling the loot. He steals stuff, gives them the loot, and they go to Barbarossa to pawn the stuff for cash. The children are taken care of by Scipio, a boy who calls himself the Thief Lord and who Bo reveres. Luckily, they meet Hornet who takes them back to live with her and a few other orphans. When the couple plan on sending Prosper away, the boys runaway to Venice. After her death, the boys are grudgingly taken in by their aunt and uncle. Before Prosper and Bo’s mother died, she would tell them stories of the magical city of Venice.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke