Revenge is a common motivation in Hooked, but does anyone get revenge? What evidence does the text show for revenge as either a worthwhile or an ill-advised motivation?

Although James and Ru run a criminal enterprise, are they bad people? What do each of these characters do or feel that shows a capacity for sympathy and kindness, and do these points of goodwill outweigh their crimes?

Emily McIntire prefaces the book by saying that this is not a story in which a villain becomes a hero. Who is the real villain in the text, and who could be seen as transforming from a villain to a hero? Be sure to use specific examples from the text to support your analysis.