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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Not as gripping as the first book in the series.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Three point five. The beginning dragged for me. Soooo much. But after the halfway point? FOEGET IT. The second half was better than the first book. So great. And I can't WAIT to get the next one!! This dude knows how to write. For anyone turned off bc your library keeps it in the scifi or fantasy section- don't be. It's not that kind of book. So great. Jean Tannen is my boyfriend.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well now I have to read the third one right away bc what now ???????
More fun with Locke and gang. I liked the idea of the Sinspire heist, and the complication with Stragos added an interesting layer to the mix. At first, I thought the stuff with the Red Messenger was a bizarre and unnecessary detour, and while I ultimately still think the Sinspire heist should have been the focus, I still ultimately liked what I heard. Locke's schemes within schemes are entertaining, and the Red Messenger stuff turned out fine. Plus, there was the addition of cats. The other main qualm I have is how the end just happens really fast, and feels somewhat rushed as a result.
So many typical sequel problems are avoided here because we left the first book with a few heroes and nothing else. The book strikes a great balance of being more of the same (a heist with the proper ratios of trickery, violence, and luck) and being entirely different (most everything else). The new characters are all fantastic.
It got a little muddy in the middle third for me. The flashbacks were harder to distinguish from the present, as the two are much closer chronologically, and they weren't building characters or relationships. The villain's plans seemed dubious, and Locke is working three separate cons while you're in the dark to all of them. Two things powered me through:
First, any time I start to go "is that really how people would go about their plans?", I remind myself of the premise and the world I've bought into, and chide myself for being a buzzkill. It's a heist, it's supposed to be bonkers.
Second, Scott Lynch takes the one precious thing strong enough to survive the first book and tells you on page 1 that he's willing to sacrifice it. He's built the reputation, and the evidence throughout the book is subtle enough to be believable. Every word until that resolution was filled with either dread or denial, and I have so much respect for that ability to amplify the story.
The final third was again perfection, dramatic and tragic while still clever and satisfying. I loved the ending again. I love this world and the creativity behind the setting and the hijinks. The narrator was amazing again.
It got a little muddy in the middle third for me. The flashbacks were harder to distinguish from the present, as the two are much closer chronologically, and they weren't building characters or relationships. The villain's plans seemed dubious, and Locke is working three separate cons while you're in the dark to all of them. Two things powered me through:
First, any time I start to go "is that really how people would go about their plans?", I remind myself of the premise and the world I've bought into, and chide myself for being a buzzkill. It's a heist, it's supposed to be bonkers.
Second, Scott Lynch takes the one precious thing strong enough to survive the first book and tells you on page 1 that he's willing to sacrifice it. He's built the reputation, and the evidence throughout the book is subtle enough to be believable. Every word until that resolution was filled with either dread or denial, and I have so much respect for that ability to amplify the story.
The final third was again perfection, dramatic and tragic while still clever and satisfying. I loved the ending again. I love this world and the creativity behind the setting and the hijinks. The narrator was amazing again.