Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society, #2)

by Ally Carter

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she's simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That's why Kat isn't surprised when she's asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn't been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long - and in Kat's world, history almost always repeats itself. But it's the third problem that makes Kat's crew the most nervous, and that is...the emerald is cursed. Kat might be in way over her head, but she's not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend -- the gorgeous Hale - and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless for this heist. This time, Kat's going to have to make up her own rules...

Reviewed by ladygrey on

2.5 of 5 stars

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So, this is a really clever heist. And moderately engaging book. I still feel like Hale is an underdeveloped character. 

But my main thing is that all the characters act like they're in their twenties. And I get it’s YA (young YA for sure) so the characters are going to be teens. But then they should act like teens. Kat is nothing like a fifteen year old. And it’s like Carter knows that because she keeps telling us that Kat is fifteen because clearly we’ve forgotten it as she and Hale jet around the world. And her relationship with Hale (even with his lack of development) is way too emotionally mature. 

So one way or another you have to suspend a whole lot of disbelief. Either buy into the story that a fifteen year old acts like this. Or ignore it every time it says Kay is fifteen and read it like she’s 22. I prefer the latter.  

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Reading updates

  • 29 March, 2021: Started reading
  • 29 March, 2021: on page 0 out of 304 0%
  • 29 March, 2021: Finished reading
  • 30 March, 2021: Reviewed