Running away seemed like a fantastic idea, at first. Finally, brothers Prosper and Bo would be able to be together after being separated after their mother's death. As a little boy Prosper's mother would tell him tails of magical Venice, Italy. After a difficult journey from Hamburg, Germany to Venice the two brothers join a band of orphans who live in an abandoned theater. Under the leadership of the Thief Lord, a Robin Hood figure, who robs the rich to give to the poor, the children survive.

Scipio, the Thief Lord, is a strong young Italian gentleman who sneaks into upper crust homes to swipe any trinkets worth value. To the orphaned children he is a savior, a super hero, and a father figure. The fame of the Thief Lords daring adventures spread through the streets of Venice, for no job has ever been too tough for him. One day an offer is made that Scipio can't refuse: the job to get a delicately carved wooden wing. The wing is part of a magical carousel that has the power to change children to adults and adults into children. During this final adventure, things are revealed about the children as well as the “cliental”, some things that shouldn't be known to small children and others that explain everything.

This book is simply captivating from start to finish. From plot lines to the intense finally Cornelia Funke has done an exquisite literary job. The fluidity of her writing really makes The Thief Lord fun and easy to read. Plot twists and mysteries hide behind every corner. The book is sprinkled with reality and fantasy alike. Over all, I highly recommend The Thief Lord.