Lala
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
• 4/5 ☆ •
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
This is not my usual kind of book, but once I settled into the storytelling, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected. Odden’s London is vivid and feels lived in. The noise, the grime, the crowded streets. It's easy to picture Kit moving through it all with the instincts of someone who has survived by being quick and clever.
Kit Jimeson is the heart of the story. She's a talented pickpocket and one of the top earners in an all women thieving ring, but her motivations are simple. Take care of her family and find a way out. She's written with a mix of grit and vulnerability that makes her easy to root for, especially as the pressure around her builds. I liked the tension in her choices, the way she weighs survival against the hope of something better. The stakes rise as Kit realizes how tangled the connections around her really are. The story stays grounded in character, but there are enough twists and turns to keep the momentum moving.
The audiobook narration is excellent. Anna Burnett brings the cast to life with clear, expressive delivery that fits the tone of the world. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive the audio is. It really adds texture to the setting.
Overall, this is a well crafted historical crime story with a strong sense of place, a compelling heroine, and a cast of women trying to survive a world that gives them very few choices. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ Victorian heists
✔️ all women crime crews
✔️ morally grey heroines
✔️ historical crime fiction
✔️ stories about survival and loyalty
✔️ immersive audiobooks
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
📅 Pub Day: Out Now 🎧📚
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from RBMedia. All opinions are my own.
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
• 4/5 ☆ •
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
This is not my usual kind of book, but once I settled into the storytelling, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected. Odden’s London is vivid and feels lived in. The noise, the grime, the crowded streets. It's easy to picture Kit moving through it all with the instincts of someone who has survived by being quick and clever.
Kit Jimeson is the heart of the story. She's a talented pickpocket and one of the top earners in an all women thieving ring, but her motivations are simple. Take care of her family and find a way out. She's written with a mix of grit and vulnerability that makes her easy to root for, especially as the pressure around her builds. I liked the tension in her choices, the way she weighs survival against the hope of something better. The stakes rise as Kit realizes how tangled the connections around her really are. The story stays grounded in character, but there are enough twists and turns to keep the momentum moving.
The audiobook narration is excellent. Anna Burnett brings the cast to life with clear, expressive delivery that fits the tone of the world. I was pleasantly surprised by how immersive the audio is. It really adds texture to the setting.
Overall, this is a well crafted historical crime story with a strong sense of place, a compelling heroine, and a cast of women trying to survive a world that gives them very few choices. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
If you like:
✔️ Victorian heists
✔️ all women crime crews
✔️ morally grey heroines
✔️ historical crime fiction
✔️ stories about survival and loyalty
✔️ immersive audiobooks
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
📅 Pub Day: Out Now 🎧📚
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from RBMedia. All opinions are my own.