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zach_r's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Excrement, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Sexual violence, Grief, Violence, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child death, and Vomit
katieroth25's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
medium-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
5.0
I picked up this book for its themes of brotherhood, found-family, and heist-adventure. It is all of these things in addition to an intricate plot and great character development. I really enjoyed the stories of little Locke and Chains. In some other stories, jumping back in time to visit your characters as children would seem superfluous. But no word, theme, side-story, flashback or piece of lore is wasted. It is all used to drive the story and characters to a satisfying conclusion!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Torture
Minor: Sexual content
sandeater's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Minor: Sexual content
maidofbees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was actually my third attempt at reading this book, and I finally did it! The content is a lot darker than my usual fantasy reads, which I think is why I struggled. That said, it was also funny and had a lot of heart. It's a shame there weren't many female characters- those that were in this book were minor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, and Sexual content
Minor: Terminal illness
ziopera's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Death, Child death, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual content and Pedophilia
Minor: Animal cruelty
saskia_slottje's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Loved this tale of crossing and double crossing and triple crossing, with deep within its onion like plot the golden nugget of a heart, set against a wonderfully detailed but distinctly uncomfortable world
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
dragonaion's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
This book is brilliant, a wild ride, and I was delightfully surprised. I thought this would be a story of a petty thief who would get caught and end up escaping in a new Robin Hood retelling. What I got was something completely in a world of its own that has almost made me cry repeatedly. What can only be described as "grunge fantasy" (high fantasy 1,000 years post societal collapse in the slums of New York) this has more heart, love, and sheer brilliance than almost any other book I've read to date. Every moment, every interlude, weaves together in such a way that turns this from a story into art, following a batch of characters that are relatable, lovable, and wears no plot armor. I cannot gush more about how amazing and unique this book is- if you have fond memories of the concept of the brotherhood in Theives, this is just the story for you.
"Liar... Liar... Liar... Bastard!"
Edit: I've found another book that is a sibling-story to this. If you enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora, you will absolutely feel right at home with Nevernight by Jay Kristoff.
"Liar... Liar... Liar... Bastard!"
Edit: I've found another book that is a sibling-story to this. If you enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora, you will absolutely feel right at home with Nevernight by Jay Kristoff.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Torture, Violence, Sexual content, and Gore
Minor: Gore, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Bullying, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Medical content, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Alcohol, and Medical trauma
This is intended for adult readers, starting at the end of an epidemic sparing only children, contains sexual content, violence, gore, animal cruelty, graphic animal death (only at one point), and mentions slavery all in a realistic lense.madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Torture, Misogyny, Cursing, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Ableism, Abandonment, Blood, Sexism, Slavery, Death of parent, Confinement, Classism, Child death, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Sexual content, Police brutality, Gore, Grief, Excrement, Death, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
josiah17's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was pretty indifferent through the first 100 pages. It was honestly difficult to read parts of it. But I think I also may have been super tired the first night I picked this up.
Anyways, the 2nd half of this book really is excellent. Everything clicks. The plot takes off, and the characters really shine. This was a fun ride. Locke and Jean are an awesome duo. I'll likely continue the series sometime this year.
Anyways, the 2nd half of this book really is excellent. Everything clicks. The plot takes off, and the characters really shine. This was a fun ride. Locke and Jean are an awesome duo. I'll likely continue the series sometime this year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
mikhoest's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
While I think it does rely a bit on the second book to give this story its full weight, The Lies of Locke Lamora is still such a great introduction to this series. Having failed to enjoy some other books that tried to go for a similar mood, I've come to appreciate all the things this novel gets right.
The world is cool and unique, with a strong atmosphere and tons of little cultural touches that bring it to life. Camorr is an unforgettable place. I'd hate to live there, but I feel like I could read a hundred books about this twisted, layered version of Venice. I love concepts like elderglass, the alchemical drinks, the strict social orders and the nuanced religions.
The characters are fun and lovable. Locke proves himself to be more heroic than I had expected, but even if he were as much as a 'bastard' as he claims to be, I think I'd still have fun reading about him. His charisma is magnetic. The others are great, too, and their interactions are pure gold.
The main plot takes a bit to kick in, but only because we first have to be treated to an absolutely beautiful scam by Locke's gang, in which they pretty much pull out a nobleman's wealth with one hand, while pushing it with the other. That is some Better Call Saul-grade chicanery, and I ate it up. The rest is a revenge-driven power struggle between Camorr's major players, with the surprising angle thatLocke is not one of them. He and his gang are just pawns in a bigger game, which is one of my favourite things about the plot.
The regular flashback sequences took a bit for me to get used to, but the book is written that way for a reason. A lot of moments are given extra meaning in the context of Locke's childhood. It also works really well for setting up jokes.
I've never read a better 'thief fantasy' story, and I doubt I ever will. Not with this kind of imagination poured into it, at least.
The world is cool and unique, with a strong atmosphere and tons of little cultural touches that bring it to life. Camorr is an unforgettable place. I'd hate to live there, but I feel like I could read a hundred books about this twisted, layered version of Venice. I love concepts like elderglass, the alchemical drinks, the strict social orders and the nuanced religions.
The characters are fun and lovable. Locke proves himself to be more heroic than I had expected, but even if he were as much as a 'bastard' as he claims to be, I think I'd still have fun reading about him. His charisma is magnetic. The others are great, too, and their interactions are pure gold.
The main plot takes a bit to kick in, but only because we first have to be treated to an absolutely beautiful scam by Locke's gang, in which they pretty much pull out a nobleman's wealth with one hand, while pushing it with the other. That is some Better Call Saul-grade chicanery, and I ate it up. The rest is a revenge-driven power struggle between Camorr's major players, with the surprising angle that
The regular flashback sequences took a bit for me to get used to, but the book is written that way for a reason. A lot of moments are given extra meaning in the context of Locke's childhood. It also works really well for setting up jokes.
I've never read a better 'thief fantasy' story, and I doubt I ever will. Not with this kind of imagination poured into it, at least.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Violence and Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse