Rendell Wins Again
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A good read, what one would expect from Ruth Rendell, ideal for commuters as thin and light weight, perfect briefcase size.
When reading this you are drawn to Polly and wonder why she does steal it is down to her upbringing or is she totally in control and knows that it is wrong..... one way or another a brilliant storyline, and well written.
Just remember to keep an eye on your belongings in the future, there could be another Polly out there.
Cheaper than a monthly magazine and better written.
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The Thief
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There are two problems with this novella.
One is the length. Too long to have the short sharp shock a short story would have. Not long enough to fully flesh out the story. The other problem is the character of Polly. I did not warm to her at all, and while I could identify with her anger at the way she was treated by Lant, by the end I couldn't help thinking she got what she deserved. As a quick read, I suppose it served it's purpose but I was left unsatisfied.
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A huge disappointment.
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Having never read a Ruth Rendell book before, but knowing of her reputation, I thought this would be an ideal starter for her books. How disappointed I was!
While no-one can expect incredible storylines in such short books, I found this mind-numbingly boring. The plot was very repetitive and I'm amazed that a book of only 86 pages could have so many slightly differently-worded versions of the same sentence.
While I'm sure that Rendell's other books are probably superior to this one, I'd only recommend this story if you have a long journey and nothing better to do.
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Worthy of a full-length novel
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I've read several of the Quick Read series, and this Ruth Rendell novella is by far the best in my opinion. Despite its short length, the central character of Polly is amply fleshed out: after a problem childhood during which she exacted spiteful revenge on anyone who crossed her, she has gradually found happiness and stability, until she reverts to her old habits and her world begins to crumble. Despite her tendancy to steal precious objects from her perceived enemies, she is surprisingly sympathetic, and we share her fear and despair when events spiral out of control. It is a testament to Ruth Rendell's skill that she manages to achieve so much in so few pages; in fact, the story is well developed enough that I couldn't help wishing it had been one of her full-length novels. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - some readers may complain that the story doesn't explain the contents of the suitcase she steals or the shady nature of her nemesis Trevor Lant, but that isn't the point of the tale - this is about Polly and the focus is rightly concentrated on her point of view. Well worth the cheap price!
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Ruth Rendell - The Thief
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This was the first of the World Book Day Quick Reads I read. And while it's a great tale, and fulfills the brief of being an engaging and gripping story written in simple language, it's also the weakest. (Let's put this in perspective a bit more, though: I've read two. None of the others appealed to me whatsoever; probably a good thing: it shows that there's a huge range of titles across the board, and that at least one is going to appeal to someone.) So, of the two I've read (the Walters being the other (that one was superb), I didn't find Rendell's as strong. Normally, Rendell's short pieces (particularly her novels, such as The Strawberry Tree and High Mysterious Union) are among her absolute best work, allowing a wonderful union of her direct, clipped style and her ability to focus plots and characters brilliantly, but this tale, which does succeed in being incredibly interesting and still entertaining, lacks a punch. It's almost Rendell-lite. It wasn't quite what i'd expected from the blurb, certainly. I did get an enjoyable read, but it just wasn't what i'd expected, that's all. Rendell's analysis of Polly is, as expected, excelllent, and Polly's little compulsion is pure Rendell. It's the kind of fascinating foible that makes her characters fascinate as much as thin twisted trees. Rendell just doesn't use it in quite her usual way, that's all.
The Thief has a brilliant premise, and if Rendell had thrown in a little bit more nastiness, it would have made an absolutely perfect novel. As it is, it's a quick, enjoyable, really easy to read story, and one that I'm sure people will enjoy. It may not be quite what I'd expected , but it still gets five stars. And that's Rendell in a nutshell.
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