Heist Society Family

It's possible to have two families: the family you're born into, and the family you choose. Unless you're a time traveler, you probably didn't have any choice in the family you were born into. But some people find a set of non-relatives to be intimate with, to share secrets with, and so on. This "found family" can be as close-knit, or even more so, than a flesh-and-blood family because they're united by shared interests or values. The family that steals together, stays together, right? Well, in Heist Society, Katarina's biological family and her chosen family are one and the same. She was born into a family of art thieves, and she decides to be a thief herself. This kind of family-work dynamic makes things complicated for her, but keeps the reading interesting for us.

Questions About Family

1. In Heist Society, what makes someone a member of Katarina's "family"? Cite passages from the text to support your answer.
2. Is Hale a member of "the family"? Is Nick? Why or why not?
3. Can Kat rely on her Uncle Eddie? What is up with that guy, anyway?

Chew on This

Family members are simply people you can trust—to listen to your problems, to give you hugs when you need them, to help you rob a museum—whether they're related to you by blood or not.

Kat's family of thieves is like any other family: they get together over the holidays, and even bond over food.