I could tell where Anderson was coming from when she used short, concise sentences for dramatic effect, but she used the technique too often, leaving me feeling like I was in middle school again. While Anderson’s knowledge of refugee culture in Africa kept me enthralled in the dilemma of finding Tina’s mother’s killer, her writing style took some getting used to. Anderson gives insight on what it means to be “mixed” in Africa and a degree of discrimination on those who are of mixed descent, a problem I hadn’t even considered. Tina is black, but her sister and Michael, who both have white dads, are interracial. The setting gave me a new view of urban African that kept me reading to learn about culture.Īnderson’s extensive research also played a major part in the character development and diversity. Anderson’s history of working with the United Nations on refugee relief equips her with knowledge of the culture that makes me feel like I know the characters.

This book, set in modern day Africa where Anderson has done research, was a refreshing change of pace compared to the New York and Chicago based books I normally read. But when Tina is caught by Greyhill’s son, Michael, they agree that Tina won’t expose Greyhill until after Michael helps her find out if he is the actual killer. With the help of the Goondas, Tina plotted to break into the home of Greyhill. Tina thrives as a thief with the “Goonda” gang, but stereotypically wants revenge on a grey-haired Roland Greyhill, a business fraud who she believes shot her mother. “City of Saints and Thieves” follows the story of Tina, a teenage girl living alone on the streets in Sangui after her mother was murdered four years prior. While the unique setting - in the urban city of Sangui, Kenya - successfully did this, the blunt writing style made me feel like I was reading at a middle school level. I hoped it would distract me from the stressors of college applications.

In the midst of a reading rut, I turned to the Barnes and Noble best seller list to get me away from exclusively reading “Jane Eyre” and metaphors about heavy high school work loads in “College Essays that Worked.” Since I haven’t read a mystery since I was reading the “Nancy Drew” books in elementary school, young adult mystery “City of Saints and Thieves” by Natalie C.

City of saints & thieves