The Patron Thief of Bread by Lindsay Eagar

The Patron Thief of Bread by Lindsay Eagar
Format:  ARC paperback
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Number of pages:  488
Publishing:  May 17th, 2022
Source:  publisher

Opening Line: "All the gargoyles on the unfinished cathedral in the dusty market district of Odierne face east except one."  

For ninety years, the five east side gargoyles have gathered for their daily gossip, while the one westside is left facing the Sarluire river flowing below.  Each of the gargoyles has one sole purpose, to protect the cathedral.  Then one stormy night, a woman is chased with a baby up onto their rooftop by the constable, seeing no means of escape, she jumps into the river below.  The story then jumps ahead eight years to a group of orphans who call themselves the Crowns.  Gnat is the leader and divvy's out their daily pinch.  Duck is the baby girl of the bunch, she's also the baby from the beginning of the story who was found floating in the river by Ash.  The names of this ragtag group of orphans (Frog Eyes, Spinner, Fingers, Drippy, and Le Chou) had me chuckling, as I couldn't help thinking of the seven dwarves.

The Crowns don't usually stay in one town for too long, but Gnat has hatched a new plan to send Duck to the bakery to pose as her new apprentice.  Not only will she be providing the group with bread, but she'll have to swap out their fake coins for real ones.  Master Griselde easily accepts Duck's foraged documents and takes her under her wing showing her how to prepare the bread, she even gives her a roof over her head and an abundance of food to eat.  It's the first time Duck has received any form of tenderness and she relishes in being listened to.  The more that Duck settles into her new life, the closer it feels like a home to her.  But Duck is grows concerned when she hears that the last apprentice Master Griselde had was a thief and worries constantly about being found out.  As the season's pass from chapter to chapter beginning with Summer, things appear to be going well.   Duck secretly gives bread and coins to the Crowns and Master Griselde continues to provide for Duck.    But then a rival gang, the Red Swords show up and try to force the Crowns out of their territory. Gnat tries to align with the Red Swords in a new scheme, which ends up posing a dangerous threat to them all.  

Told in the alternating perspectives of Duck and the unnamed gargoyle, The Patron Thief of Bread is a story of belonging, family and loyalty.  It's a story that will pull at your heartstrings, especially over the beautiful relationship that develops between Master Griselde and Duck.  So very sweet.  Duck is defiantly the star of this story.  I love how she grew under the love and attention of Master Griselde, how she begins to question Gnat's motives and how the guilt of stealing from the baker ways on her.  This is one of those slower, thoughtful books plot wise, but it will stick with you after reading it.   It reminded me of a gentler Oliver Twist mixed with Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame and all the warmth of a freshly baked loaf of grandma's banana bread.