Stand and deliver…"A rat was like a snail beside Smith, and the most his thousand victims ever got of him was the powerful whiff of his passing and a cold draught in their dexterously emptied pockets."Smith is a twelve-year old pickpocket surviving by his wits in the London of the 18th century. But one day Smith picks the pocket of an elderly man and as he runs away, he sees the man being attacked and killed. Running for fear that he will be caught and accused of this much worse crime, Smith has to wait to find out what he managed to steal – a document, clearly official, but that’s as much as he can tell since he can’t read. But Smith knows documents are worth money and he’s determined to find out what it says…This book is always marketed as if for children and it certainly is suitable for any child from about ten or eleven, I’d say. But it is also entirely suitable for adult consumption and very enjoyable. Who wouldn’t enjoy a story about pickpockets, highwaymen, mysterious documents and murder? Like Treasure Island or the Quatermain books, this is complex and well written enough to satisfy even a demanding adult, while having enough excitement and adventure to appeal to a younger audience. And, because of its historical setting, it hasn’t suffered from age. Garfield’s skill is in creating an entirely believable setting and filling it with interesting characters – sympathetic good guys, villainous bad guys and several that fall somewhere between the two. Smith himself is a mixture of hard-nosed thief who will do anything to survive and soft-hearted child who can’t stop himself from helping Mr Mansfield, a blind gentleman whom he meets by accident while on his quest to learn to read. Mr Mansfield is a man who believes in law and justice but who gradually learns the meaning of trust and pity, while his daughter devotes herself to protecting him from anyone who might wish to take advantage of his blindness or good-nature. Together with Smith’s sisters and Lord Tom, the highwayman, all the characters are slightly caricatured in the way Dickens’ characters are.And the Dickens comparison extends to the setting – this London, its streets and jails, its dirt and poverty, and the heaths around it where the highwaymen ruled could have come straight from the pages of the master himself. But, unlike Dickens’ little pickpocket Oliver Twist, Smith is not sickeningly good – he’s more of an Artful Dodger, trained by the circumstances of his life to rely on his own wits to survive. The one concession Garfield makes to a younger readership is to keep the language simpler than Dickens, making this an easier and shorter read, but without ever condescending or patronising the reader. But the simpler language still allows room for some great writing and imagery…"Even great ladies came and went – their huge skirts swinging and pealing down the doleful passages like so many brocaded bells, tolling:What a pity. What a shame. Dick’s to die on Tuesday week. What a pity. What a shame. Poor Mr Mulrone."I first read this book many years ago and am often reluctant to re-read a book that I remember with pleasure in case it doesn’t live up to my memories. In this case, I enjoyed it just as much again and look forward to reading more of Garfield’s work. Highly recommended to young and old alike. NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, NYR Children’s Collection.www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERSSmith by Leon Garfield is and exciting novel about a young man named smith. Smith is a 12-year-old pickpocket set in a Victorian London esque town. After pickpocketing an elderly man Smith runs to the street in hopes to find a getaway route, but is instead is trapped. He whirls around expecting to find his victim but instead witnesses the elderly man getting murdered by two other men. Smith terrified and watching from the shadows watches the two men plunder the body with no avail. What has smith stolen from the elder to cause his death? After consulting with his sisters they agree on telling no one. Leon Garfield writes a fun fast paced novel. My favorite part was when the elderly man was murdered “The taller one came at the man from the front and the smaller from the back – and slid a knife into it” This reminds me of watching CSI with my parents and watching the fear in the victims eyes as they’re body is introduced to a knife.If you like Sherlock homes or old style writing I would definitely recommend this book to you. If mystery, social issues or crime books is your genre then I recommend this Book
What do You think about Smith (2000)?
The Huckleberry Finn of old London town, picks pockets, does what he likes, and looks out for his sisters. Smith is your typical unwashed toerag who minutes after picking a particularly ripe looking target witnesses that same individual being brutally murdered, with the perpetrators after the very thing Smith just pocketed. Turns out it's a letter, but Smith can't read, what is he to do?Great character, shame it was so short, would love to have read more of his adventures, felt it slowed down a little too much towards the end.
—Scott
This was an odd book. I only happened to see it on a shelf in passing and after reading the back figured I'd give it a try. I'm surprised it's being published for such a young age group; both because of content and because of the reading level. It's extremely English in its words and phrases, which makes it enjoyable for me (I've been on a rather large binge of 1900's English mystery fiction), but it was a bit hard to follow at times because of how English it was and how Garfield would describe certain objects and settings. It was a very good plot though, enjoyable, and a lot longer read than it originally looked.
—| dυngeon [levι] мaѕтer |
Smith was a twelve-year-old who during his time had survived smallpox, the consumption, brain-fever, jail-fever and even the hangman's rope. You see, Smith was a pickpocket, and he was the best, that is as far as pickpockets go. Each night he slithered and crept the streets looking for unwary victims. One particular chilly night an older gentleman caught Smith's eye. He cleverly brushed up against the man and was successful in lifting something from his pockets, but it wasn't money. Right after, two other pickpockets pounced on the man and killed him. Afterwards, they desperately searched the man for something that wasn't there. Smith then wondered what he had lifted that was worth a man's life. When he investigated, he discovered he had a letter, but unfortunately for Smith he couldn't read. His sisters Miss Bridget and Miss Fanny couldn't read the mysterious letter either, but that didn't stop them from offering up their suspicions of confessions or property deeds, neither of which Smith thought were it. Smith thought the best way to solve the mystery of the letter was to find someone to teach him to read. He wasn't very successful, at least not at first. How will Smith solve the mystery of the stolen letter? Garfield has created a well written and well versed story of misfortune. The words weave a tale so eloquently that readers will become engaged, intrigued and mesmerized by the verbiage that is representative of classic literature. Parents, teachers and children of all ages will enjoy this story, best read aloud by a warm fire or moonlight.
—Kristi Bernard
