The Rebel and the Thief

by Jan-Philipp Sendker, Imogen Taylor (Translator)

Eighteen-year-old Niri and his family live a modest but secure life working in the villa of the wealthy Benzes. But when the pandemic comes, they are all let go, and left staring into the abyss of abject poverty. As their situation grows increasingly desperate, the once rule-abiding monastery student decides he won’t wait at the mercy of a corrupt, indifferent government, and rebels against his father’s resigned acceptance.

Sneaking through the locked-down city at night, past the military patrols, Niri returns to the villa to take what his family needs to survive. Waiting for him there is his childhood friend—and the Benzes’ daughter—Mary, who has a bigger plan that will change their lives forever.

A universal story of love across social classes, The Rebel and the Thief poignantly shows how adversity can teach us what matters most: courage to resist, will to change, and unconditional trust in each other.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Novels, Adult Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2021

About the author

Jan-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, and, longing to travel the world, became the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. In 2000 he published Cracks in the Great Wall, a nonfiction book about China. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is his first novel, and since then, he has written 3 further novels, including a sequel to "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats", "A Well-Tempered Heart". In 2013, he received The indies Choice Honor Award in the category Adult Fiction for "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. He lives in Potsdam with his family and is currently working on the third installment in his China-trilogy.
http://artofhearingheartbeats.com

Reviews

[Nadine Schrott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Einfach ein schönes Buch.....mit einer wertvollen Message....

Im Zentrum der Geschichte steht Niri...der mit seiner Familie am Existenz Minimum lebt. Angestellt bei einer überaus reichen Familie führt die Familie ein karges aber zufriedenes Leben.
Doch dann beginnt die Pandemie und die gesamte Familie steht von heute auf morgen vor dem nichts.
Als Illegale im Land bekommen sie keine staatliche Hilfe und landen in einem Elends Slum.
Als Niris kleine Schwester der Hungertod droht, beschließt Niri zum Dieb zu werden...und erhält unverhofft Hilfe von seiner Freundin Mary, die die reiche Tochter seines ehemaligen Arbeitgebers ist.....

Wunderschön geschrieben führt die Story mitfühlend ein in die Abgründe menschlichen Daseins, den Zwiespalt zwischen Bedürfnissen und religiösen Regeln und nahm mich fest gefangen!

Eine moderne Robin Hood Geschichte mit aktuellem Bezug!

Wirklich lesenswert!

[Inita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grāmatas notikumi risinās Āzijā, pandēmijas laikā. Ja nu kādam šķita, ka pie mums šajā laikā bija grūti, tad, jā, bet tur bija briesmīgi. Daļa cilvēku, kas iebraukuši strādāt kā apkalpojošais personāls, zaudē darbu, dzīvesvietu un mirst badā un no slimībām nelegālās apmetnēs.
Tiesa gan, līdz sirds dziļumiem neviens no varoņiem mani neaizkustināja, jo autora aprakstītie tēli šķiet plakani.

[ambersometimesreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️'s

[Evelina Fruman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I'm torn. This book started out as 4 ⭐️, but the last few chapters seemed rushed. It ends on a cliffhanger, which is unsatisfying, considering that there is no part two. Still really enjoyed reading it.

[Jeri Bitney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incomplete, self-centered characters, disappointing ending.

[Simone Jaccoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Sterne

[Tytti Hirvonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐ pyöristyköön neljään. Tämä tarttui mukaani uutusshyllystä. Pidin kovasti kirjoittajan "Sydämenlyönneissä ikuisuus" kirjan aloittamasta sarjasta ja sen perusteella tartuin tähänkin. Jonkin verran samoja elementtejä sisälsi tämäkin, mutta se lumoavuus, jota koin sydämenlyönneissä olevan, jäi vielä tästä uupumaan. En tiennyt tämänkin olevan sarja, joten hieman harmitti, kun tarina jäi ihan kesken. No, tuleepahan jatkot sitten aikanaan luettua.

[˙⋆✮ Anny ✮⋆˙ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Sterne
Insgesamt hat mir das Buch gut gefallen und je mehr ich gelesen habe, desto mehr mochte ich es. Trotzdem habe ich einige Kritikpunkte und mir hat irgendwie etwas gefehlt.

Mir haben die Ideen, die hier behandelt werden, sehr gefallen, die Umsetzung teilweise leider nicht so. Vieles lief irgendwie zu glatt. Mit der Beschreibung der Pandemie und der Armut in den Slums ist das Buch sehr realitätsnah, deshalb hat es mich irgendwie gestört, in Niri so einen "Held" zu finden, denn ich glaube leider nicht, dass eine Geschichte wie seine in Wirklichkeit möglich wäre.

Was mir aber gut gefallen hat war die Beziehung zwischen Niri und Mary. Die Gegensätze ihrer Hintergründe ergänzen sich toll und zeigen, dass Menschen zusammen gehören können, obwohl es vielleicht auf den ersten Blick nicht so scheint.

Ich kann verstehen, warum das Buch so endet, wie es das tut, leider war es mir aber zu offen. Die Kernpunkte der Geschichte sind zwar erzählt und die Message kommt an, trotzdem hätte ich gerne noch gewusst, wie Niris und Marys Geschichte weitergeht.

Das war mein erstes Buch des Autors und der Schreibstil hat mir gut gefallen. Es lässt sich sehr schnell und flüssig lesen und der Autor schafft es, dabei Bilder im Kopf entstehen zu lassen, sicherlich auch durch seine beruflichen Hintergründe und Einblicke in die fernöstliche Welt.

[Marie Julin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this little novel. It addresses important issues, however, I find it lacks a depth, and even though I sympathize with the characters and am intrigued by the story, compared to Sendker’s other writings it doesn’t really move me or live up to my expectations.

[annarueckwaerts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Geschichte erzählt von den Lebensverhältnissen der in Slums lebenden „Illegalen“ zur Zeit der Corona Pandemie in Asien und hielt mir meine Privilegien vor Augen. Die Wut und der Mut des Protagonisten Niri inspirieren mich, auch wenn seine Heldentaten teils unrealistisch wirken. Die Charaktere sind schön gezeichnet und ließen mich an ihren Gedankengängen und ihrer Gefühlswelt teilhaben, wobei sie noch vielschichtiger sein könnten. Trotzdem regt mich das Buch dazu an, vom Denken in die Tat zu kommen und hinterlässt Dankbarkeit für das, was ich habe, ebenso wie gute Wut auf all die Ungerechtigkeit.

[Claire Iverson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably a 3.75 star read. I liked it quite a lot and it’s a pretty quick read (don’t let the page count intimidate you). The story made me think more deeply about class, status, action vs. inaction, and the like, so I think the author accomplished what he set out to do. However I do think there were some plot holes and aspects that could have been more fully fleshed out, particularly Mary’s story and her and Niri’s youth together. I also wished there had been more context specifically given to what her family did to gain/protect their wealth. Lastly (and my biggest qualm), I thought the ending was a bit rushed. I would have liked a bit more of the story, and the epilogue as a handful of newspaper articles didn’t quite win me over. Overall though, I definitely recommend this!

[Meldra Vītola · Rating 4 out of 5]

“To, ka es nespēju noskatīties, kā mēs visi nomirstam badā! Ka no meditēšanas neviens nav paēdis. Ka nekas nemainīsies, ja tikai liksim altāra priekšā banānus un dedzināsim sveces.”
“Buda saka...” tēvs iesāka.
“Buda saka, Buda saka... Buda nav teicis, ka pasaulei jāpaliek tādai, kāda tā ir. Viņš saka: katram cilvēkam jābūt atbildīgam par to, ko viņš dara. Taču mēs arī esam atbildīgi par to, ko nedarām. Klusēšanai, neredzēšanai, nedarīšanai arī ir sekas. Ja mamma nomirst, jo neaizvedu viņu pie ārsta, es esmu vainīgs. Ja Tīda mirst badu, jo nesagādāju viņai ēdienu, es esmu vainīgs.”

[Elizabeth Bartos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this little story. Short & compelling, I’d wished for more to develop between the young couple, beating the odds against the caste system of India. Truly, the story really isn’t about them as a couple, but more as a dynamic pair that just want to see justice done during hard times. Set during the birth of the Covid Pandemic, the story is similar to Robin Hood & Maid Marian who strive to bring the message that hope is what must be held onto when all else is lost.

[Kovalenko · Rating 1 out of 5]

אבל למה לאכזב חיים
כל כך הפצצת באומנות ההקשבה למה אתה עושה קטע מלוכלך
העלילה זה פשוט רובין הוד עם סיפור אהבה שמרגיש כמו טלנובלה
לא יודעת למה קראתי עד הסוף אולי הייתה לי תקווה שזה ישתפר אבל לא מאמי
וגם מה הקטע שלו עם נכים למה כולם צריכים להיות נכים זה גם ממש לא היה חובה לעשות את הבחורה נכה לא היה בזה שום צורך

[Gail Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it is no "Art of Hearing Heartbeats", I will read anything, and have, by this author...

[Jamie Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

That ending pissed me off

[Inga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Īpatnēja grāmata un īpatnēji notikumi.
Galvenais varonis tāds nekāds, it kā viņam būtu 10, nevis 19 gadu. Jocīgas attiecības. Bet var jau būt.

[G _harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have really enjoyed this book and I would give it 5⭐️…But the ending was just not it. A great and enjoyable story tho I would still recommend it to people…❤️

[Carlo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sono deluso da questo romanzo, pensavo in qualcosa di più accattivante.
La trama è quella di un moderno Robin Hood che, a seguito della pandemia, si ritrova a convivere con la povertà.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between 3.5 or 4 stars idk what to do😭😭😭

[Karen T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book but in my humble opinion "The Art of a Hearing Heartbeats" much better. I liked the idea of the story but at times felt it was almost unlikely that some situations would have happened in the way they were written. I also wished that the ending were a bit different. 😕

[Ellie Pettee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming and lovely writing

[Gsmyles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am surprised this book didn't get as many 4 star reviews! I love this author and he wrote one of my favorites- the Art of Hearing Heartbeats. I flew through this book in 2 days. The premise is interesting about COVID coming to an Asian country and the illegals losing their jobs, moving to slums, and barely surviving. How the police and government don't do anything to help yet shoot people that are out and about after curfew, and how a young man, in love with his employer's daughter, continues his relationship with her and "steals" money from her family to give to the poor. I had a few issues with the story as I am not sure I found his initial "stealing" to be that unethical since it was gifted from Mary. BUT, I do not understand why he didn't just take the sum of money and move his family somewhere more palatable. IF you give many people small sums of money, it doesn't go far. I get that he was trying to make a statement of goodwill and caring for the least important person in the country and that is what eventually gives him a following and protection- the love of the people- but I am not sure it made sense that he would continue to live in squalor when he could have lived happily ever after and not continued his charade. It is interesting that he doesn't feel guilt in the story as well. Overall the story was unique and intriguing. I did see some similarities between the characters in Art of Hearing Heartbeats-- Mary is a cripple with her legs and can't walk properly.... I also don't like when an author won't name a country and creates a fictional place in Asia. Not sure why Sendker chose to do that. I spent a lot of time trying to Google the koo minority and to find the setting of the book's slums. Worth the read!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Two young people, raised in the same house - one the son of a gardener/handyman, one the wealthy daughter of the man who owns the house.
Growing up together, Niri & Mary becomes best friends and fall in love, but a union between the two would be unthinkable, coming from two such wildly different castes.
Coronavirus hits the world and Niri’s father is laid off to protect the rich family from germs.
With nowhere to go, Niri & his family rent a tin shack in a nearby slum.
People are starving and sick and without a penny to their name. There is no work to be had.
Niri becomes tired of watching others suffer around him and decides to take matters into his own hands.
Together with Mary they become a Robin Hood duo.
Sneakily stealing from her father’s safe and giving to the poor over & over again.
But where “free” money is being given out, so too follows danger. The local government doesn’t like this charity being handed out, especially when they don’t know where it’s coming from.
With warrants out for their arrest, all the two young lovers can do is run and keep trying to hide in between their charity events.
A good book. Enjoyable, if a little frustrating - Niri is doing good, but continues to put himself in such gratuitously dangerous situations.
I’m a big fan of this author. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as his previous trilogy, THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS, (which you should read ASAP!), but it was a good read.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend this book, but I certainly wouldn’t turn you away from it either.

[Mai Laakso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saksalaisen Jan-Philipp Sendkerin Kapinallinen ja varas kertoi nykyaikaan sijoittuvan tarinan koronapandemia-ajasta köyhässä aasialaisessa maassa. Olen lukenut häneltä aiemmin Burmaan sijoittuvan trilogian, mutta tässä kirjassa ei mainittu maata missä elettiin eikä kansallisuutta.

Kirjan päähenkilöllä, nuorella Nirillä, ei edes ollut mitään kansallisuutta eikä oikeuksia, niin kuin maan omilla kansalaisilla. Pandemia-ajan alkaessa heidän perheensä, samoin kuin muidenkin maan asukkaiden, joilla ei ollut kansalaisstatusta, joutuivat muuttamaan slummeihin ja elämään roskiksista löydetyillä ruuilla ja hyväntekeväisyysjärjestöjen avulla. Valtio ummisti silmänsä heidän kurjuudelta. Ei annettu rokotuksia eikä terveydenhuolto hoitanut, jos ei ollut rahaa.

Niri alkoi varkaaksi. Hän varasti rikkailta ruokaa ja rahaa ja jakoi ne slummien asukkaille. Siitä alkoi kilpajuoksu viranomaisia ja poliiseja vastaan. Niri toimi mielestään oikein. Rikkailla oli kodeissaan suuria ruokavarastoja ja kassakaapeissaan rahaa ja kultaa miljoonittain. Niillä hän sai hankittua viikoiksi ruokaa köyhille ihmisille, joilla ei ollut mitään.

Tämä kirja avasi silmäni koronapandemia-ajan köyhyydelle ja turvattomuudelle Aasian slummeissa.

[Oceandreams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe es geliebt 🥺
Es wird sehr lebhaft davon erzählt, wie es den Menschen in den Slums geht, welchen Gefahren Niri ausgesetzt ist und wie er trotz allem sein bestes versucht den anderen armen Menschen zu helfen. Gemeinsam mit Mary und Bagura verteilt er von reichen geklautes Geld an jene, die selbst Nichteinmal genug haben um sich eine Mahlzeit am Tag zu kaufen. Das leid der Menschen hat mich sehr getroffen und es ist traurig, wie wahr diese Geschichte ist. Wie vielen es schlecht geht, während andere nicht wissen wohin mit ihrem Geld. Niri hat mich an einen modernen Robin Hood erinnert und mich mit seinem Mut absolut überzeugt. Auch Mary fand ich toll, sie hat nochmal deutlich gemacht, wie unterschiedlich es der Bevölkerung doch geht. Das auch reiche nicht unbedingt Glücklich sind und das Geld nicht alle Probleme löst. Beide Seiten waren toll hervorgebracht und gegen Ende wurde es nochmal richtig spannend, obwohl ich da gerne mehr Informationen gehabt hätte. Den Schreibstil fand ich besonders, irgendwie poethisch und einfach anders.
Ich habe noch so viele Worte und so viel Lob übrig, kann es aber nicht in Worte fassen. Dieses Buch ist sehr zu empfehlen und ich werde wohl noch einige Zeit darüber nachdenken 🥰

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

There have always been haves and have-nots in this world. The pandemic sharpened these divisions in most parts of the world. Enter Niri and his family, working for a wealthy Asian family, they are cast out into the streets as the pandemic enters their country. The family is left with absolutely nothing, no visas, no green cards, no work permits, no roof over their heads, no food, no money, no nothing.

Niri resolves to go against his father's firm belief that Buddha will provide what they need. Sneaking back to the home where his father worked, he enters the basement to find a huge storehouse of food. More importantly, the daughter of the family, Mary, decides to work with him to save the lives of people in the refugee camps. If the reader can imagine a modern-day Robin Hood and Maid Marian story, then you have the story of the Rebel and the Thief. Love and compassion and some resources can make a huge difference in people's lives.

I received an ARC from Penguin Random House in exchange for a review.

[Moira Naboni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro scorrevole e facile da leggere. Tratta temi scottanti di attualità ma non è mai molto crudo. Devo dire però che non mi ha fatto impazzire. Do tre stelle, ma potrebbero essere anche 2,5.
I personaggi non mi sono piaciuti, un po’ macchiette, soprattutto Mary, la ragazza ricca che era quasi irritante. L’unico che mi ha realmente interessato è stato Bagura.
Anche la storia non mi ha lasciato molto, non sono riuscita ad immedesimarmi più di tanto e non mi ha trasmesso le emozioni che prometteva. Non ritengo che sia tanto un problema di scrittura, ma proprio di costruzione della storia e dei personaggi. Probabilmente la cosa è stata influenzata anche dal contesto storico/sociale in cui è ambientata che di per se non è nelle mie corde: ovvero il periodo del covid in un campo di immigrati irregolari. Forse è ancora un po’ troppo presto per riuscire ad apprezzare storie ambientate in questo periodo, di cui siamo tutti quanti più che saturi. Anche il finale è inconcludente.

[Jeanette · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so dangerous that if I believed in banning books I would ban it. The whole idea of teenagers robbing the rich to help the poor is short-sighted and false. Stealing is wrong, period, and should not be romanticized, especially in front of impressionable young people. The insinuation that governments do nothing, that rich people do nothing to help the poor is ignorant and uninformed. Besides having a terrible, deceiving message, the book was banal. The characters were poorly developed, there was minimal conflict, minimal suspense. In a book where 100 bad things could have and should have happened, it was just a fairy tale, and a fairy tale with an evil moral to boot.

[Heidi]

Olen pitänyt aiemmista Jan-Philipp Sendkerin kirjoista, joten siitä syystä tartuin myös tähän. Maata, johon tarina sijoittuu, ei suoraan kerrota, mutta selvästi Aasiasta on kyse. Tarinan päähenkilönä on Niri, jonka perhe menettää toimensa hienostoperheen palvelijana pandemian puhjettua. Toisena päähenkilönä on Mary, hienostoperheen tytär. Mary auttaa Niriä hankkimaan ruokaa perheelleen, joka saa hieman laajemmat puitteet kuin Niri on alun perin ajatellut. Kirjan pitäisi olla sarjan aloitusosa, mutta saa nähdä ovatko jatko-osat riittävän kiinnostavia, että ottaisin ne lukulistalle.