Hello friends! We can’t believe that the month of August is almost over, time is flying. We have absolutely loved reading PORTRAIT OF A THIEF with everyone, and we’re super excited to share our discussion questions and thoughts with you!
A quick reminder that Mary is on an indefinite hiatus, and you can catch up with her on @bookswithmary!
Question 1: Portrait of a Thief is told through the point of view of all five main characters. How did this work for you? Was there a particular character you felt more drawn to? Were there any characters that you wanted to hear more, or less from? Why or why not?
Caitlyn: I love all the characters and was drawn to each one for different reasons, but right away I felt a connection to Lily. Not because I grew up in a waterfront town (I did not), or because I also drive race cars (I absolutely do not), but because I understood the feeling of being connected and simultaneously disconnected to your culture. I could’ve read a whole book about Lily’s cultural identity and family dynamics, though I could say the same about all the characters. I feel that Grace D. Li did such a wonderful job of creating characters that are real and relatable, and that she covered a wide range of diaspora experiences.
Cossette: While pitched as a heist novel, Portrait of a Thief is, at its very core, a diaspora story. I really appreciated how Grace D. Li doesn’t tell just one diaspora experience, and goes on to show that even characters who come from the same background, or same family, may have different relationships with their culture, and identity. While I adored all the characters in Portrait of a Thief, I found myself gravitating towards Daniel, Alex and Will, because my experiences, and my family dynamics were similar to theirs. I found myself wanting to hear more from Alex and wanting to know more about Alex’s family, but that didn’t deter from my enjoyment of the book in any way.
Question 2: If you had to pick a fictional character — or four, to help you on an art heist, who would you pick and why?
Caitlyn: Oh man, I will do my best to not pick characters from heist books because that’s just a little too easy. I think that Meredith Dardenne from If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio would be a great person to have on your team because she is so charismatic. She would be such an asset because people are drawn to her; she could absolutely get out of any possibly sticky situation — plus, she’s an actor and having someone who can think on their feet is crucial. Nora O’Malley from Tess Sharpe’s The Girls I’ve Been is another obvious choice for me — she grew up with a con artist for a mother, bestie would make sure that we’ve got a fool-proof plan. Next, I would go with Éponine Thénardier from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Just like Nora, Éponine grew up with parents who were con artists, so she knows what she’s doing. She’s scrappy and very street smart, so I’d absolutely want her on my side. Finally, I’d go with Pippa Fitz-Amobi from Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Pip solved a cold-case murder with very little help; she’s extremely intelligent, creative and good at solving puzzles — she would definitely be an asset during a heist!
Cossette: I think the easy answer here is to pick characters that are in heist books — for example, characters from the Grishaverse, or characters in The Gilded Wolves, but for the purpose of this question, I’ll go with some other characters: I think Alisa Montagov from These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong would be a good pick. I initially wanted to go with Juliette, but given Alisa’s penchant for sneaking around and spying, I think she might be a better pick. I’d also pick Weston Winters from Allison Saft’s A Far Wilder Magic, because I think his bubbly persona would be good to help ease any tensions there might be on the team. I know I said I’d try to avoid characters from heist books, but I think I’d actually have to pick Vanja Schmidt from Little Thieves by Margaret Owen — she’s crafty, clever, and very good at her job. And lastly, I think I’d pick Nora O’Malley from The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe; a daughter of a con artist is definitely someone you want on your side in a heist.
Question 3: Why was it important to the story for the characters to travel to Beijing at the beginning of the book? What did it mean to each of them to visit China—either returning to it or arriving for the first time? How do you think it impacted their decisions to participate in the heist?
Caitlyn: That first visit to Beijing is the solidifying factor in the decision to go through with the heists. At first, I think for all of them besides Will, the heist is a fantasy. It sounds like a crazy idea that they’re entertaining, but once they touch down in Beijing, this crazy idea suddenly becomes real.
Cossette: I think it was important for us, as readers, to see Beijing through their lens, and to understand how each of them had a different relationship with ‘home’. For Lily, we see someone who yearns for a deeper connection; for Daniel, it’s homecoming, it’s something settling within him. I think that without the trip to Beijing, there wouldn’t have been any heists. It was a visual reminder to them of what could be.
Question 4: How do you think the characters’ ages and the points they’re at in life—either in their last years of college or recently having started their first job—affects their decisions? Why do you think taking this job is so appealing to them as they graduate from school and think about what they want to do for their lives and careers?
Caitlyn: I don’t think that this book would’ve worked had the characters been any age but their early 20s. There’s a sort of fearlessness that comes with that age, and I think that fully influences each of the characters when deciding to take on this heist. Additionally, they’re all a little lost and looking for a way to belong — they want to have ownership of something and to make a difference somehow, and the heist gives them that opportunity.
Cossette: When you’re in your early 20s, you’re really still figuring out your sense of self. We’re often told that college is the best four years of your life, and so I think for a lot of them, Will especially, they’re looking for a way to make a mark. Reconnecting with their own culture and gaining a stronger sense of identity is just another factor into their decision. Lastly, the money — money, financial stability, gives a sense of freedom and an opportunity to explore different avenues. I don’t think I need to explain why getting that amount of money would be life changing for them all.
Question 5: Think about Daniel and his father’s relationship and Will and Irene’s relationship throughout the book. How does the arc of both of these loving but, at times, strained familial relationships help frame the story?
Caitlyn: The familial dynamics were probably some of my favorite parts of the book. The relationship between Daniel and his father is absolutely heartbreaking to me — the death of Daniel’s mother took the two of them in completely different directions and created the rift between the two that they didn’t know how to mend. It’s so evident that they love each other and care about each other more than anything, and I loved reading about how they started to reconnect.
What I found so interesting about Will and Irene’s relationship is how they view their relationship in exactly the same way, just in reverse. They spend so much of their time comparing themselves and believing that the other has it easier when really, they’re a mirror to one another. I love when characters are foils for one another and I think that dynamic is even more interesting when it’s between siblings. However, even with their arguing, bickering, and blaming one another for things there is no doubt that the two love one another and would sacrifice anything for each other.
Cossette: Despite the strain between Daniel and his father, and Will and Irene’s relationship, the love and loyalty is evident. There’s nothing Irene wouldn’t do for Will’s goals and dreams, which leads to some tension and a little bit of animosity between the two of them. But really, they’re just two sides of the same coin. Caitlyn and I have talked about how they’re in a way, reminiscent of Jo and Amy from Little Women; they’re foils for one another, and very similar in many ways. With Daniel and his father, we get to see more about how generational differences and grief play into their dynamic — Daniel misses China, not just because it’s China, but because of the time in his life that it represents.
Question 6: We learn early on, Will Chen wrote a recent article for the Harvard Crimson titled “What Is Ours Is Not Ours: Chinese Art and Western Imperialism.” How does the discussion of this topic in the first chapter set the stage for Will’s passion for the heist and what’s to come in the rest of the book?
Caitlyn: The article for the Crimson is everything to Will and it influences all the choices that he makes throughout the book. The article may only be mentioned at the beginning and end of the book (which I love! I love that it comes full circle), the contents of the article can be found in every page of Portrait of a Thief and in every choice that Will makes.
Cossette: For Will, the article for the Crimson is his guiding light. He’s solely interested in returning stolen art. While the article itself isn’t brought up again until the very end — like a bookend, of sorts — it’s definitely called upon throughout the book.
Thanks so much for reading our answers to this month’s discussion questions! We cannot wait to discuss our September pick, The Tea Dragon Society, with you soon!
