Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Number of Pages: 328
Date Published: February 5, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary / MysteryGoodreads:
Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting--or stealing--whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. So instead of being the heir--this time, Hale might be the mark. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.
***
My Thoughts:
(Date Read: February 19, 2013)
(Date Read: February 19, 2013)
“I sincerely love that whenever anything is stolen anywhere in the world, YA readers think of me.”
That is one of the statuses Ally Carter posted on her Facebook page just a day or two after the Diamond Heist in Brussels. And I couldn't help but agree with it and say, “Yes, I do that too.” Why? Because Ally Carter has wrapped her readers around her finger. She has that ability to create a world where you want to be in.
She has that amazing skill of crafting witty and lovable characters you want to be (or you want to be with). She has the knack of satisfying her readers after indulging in her books. She is a gifted writer, an exceptional storyteller and most of all; she is either a spy or a thief, or a terrorist who knows all about hydraulic compressors, C4s and all those big guns.
She has that amazing skill of crafting witty and lovable characters you want to be (or you want to be with). She has the knack of satisfying her readers after indulging in her books. She is a gifted writer, an exceptional storyteller and most of all; she is either a spy or a thief, or a terrorist who knows all about hydraulic compressors, C4s and all those big guns.
Now, the book…
Perfect Scoundrels has given me an extremely pleasant reading experience from the moment I began up to the very last page. Everything about it screams “wow”. And comparing it to the first book, I would say that the third book has reached a whole new level of depth and intensity, story-wise and character-wise. It is not just about stealing and Kat’s family anymore. It is not even about Kat’s issues with herself. The story is actually mostly about Hale and his family. Here, we get to see more of Hale and how it is really like to live in a family so different than Kat’s. Readers also get more of Kat and Hale, from how they met to how their relationship played out (Spoiler Alert: YES! YES! YES! They are together now!). The story held more drama, but still has that balanced touch of sweet romance, thrilling heist experiences and the funny antics and witty mouths of Kat, the gang and the family.
Kat has shown greater maturity in this book, yet the normal teenage girl still surfaces from her personality. A thief she may be, her jealousy was as normal as it can be. When she felt scared and confused, her father’s presence was the key to her comfort. She might have grown up with an extraordinary family, but she loves, she worries and she gets scared. She is still normal. Aside from Kat, Hale also showed another side to his personality. The fun and teasing W.W. Hale V was on and off. He is quite different here due to some unfortunate events. But the development of both characters and the growth of their relationship have been very good.
Again, readers get to travel around the world with Kat and the gang and experience firsthand (or second hand) how cool it is to be thief. From New York to Buenos Aires, then to London and Brussels (*remembers diamond heist*), and Hong Kong, then Paris, and Venice, Canada, Switzerland, and finally, back to New York. The whole world is their playground, but instead of running around chasing each other, they’re chasing some bad guy with an evil plan. Now who wouldn't want that?
Generalization: Now, I love BOTH of Ally’s series!
To wrap things up, I’ll shower Perfect Scoundrels with five glorious stars for its brilliance and awesomeness. Ally Carter has proven again how her great story crafted by free flowing narration easily transcends to the readers’ minds and emotions, which they will keep for a long time.
February 2016 Update: This 2013 review has been somewhat updated to suit the format and the layout of the blog. No major change has been made with my review. The thought, and most of the words I used back when I wrote this review is still the same. Only some minor editing, like deleting unnecessary words, phrases, expressions and emoticons.
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