Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

16 reviews

anniereads221's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Murder, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Animal cruelty

lotten4's review

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? No

5.0

The dialogue was very funny and the plot changed directions a lot but still made sense. The characters and their relationships were perfect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Gore, Kidnapping, Child death, Grief, Blood, Death, Vomit, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Genocide and Trafficking

claire_baco's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Medical content

Minor: Death of parent and Sexual content

wolfthorn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very intriguing. I thought it was quite difficult to get to grips with as it seems to throw the reader into the middle of an already established plot and I can see how that can be problematic for some readers. I spent quite a bit of the early part of it not entirely understanding what was going on. I kept waiting for a full backstory but there's a lot of it that you never get to find out. There is some backstory doled out intermittently as Interludes before the main chapters but it still left me wanting to know a lot more. 

There's a major twist about halfway through that I didn't anticipate, and the second half of the book contains several other twists and various thrilling incidents which really made it exciting reading. It's quite a long read and I didn't really get into it until a third of the way in, but after that point, I was hooked. There were several moments throughout the last third when I realised what Locke's plan or intention was, and seeing how it all came together was most joyous. It's definitely one that you have to stay with, but I think it's worth it. I could write a really lengthy review of the plot in great detail because I was just so taken with it but that would be too much. The characterisations are great, although I didn't like Locke at first because he seemed to be too smug and perfect, but I soon found out that he wasn't like that at all. It was nice for him to have definite flaws, he might be intelligent and great at disguises, but he can't fight with fists or sword to save his life. Literally. The amount of times he got beaten up! 

The world building itself is outstanding. The religion and system of 13 gods is very detailed and complex, and having it link in with the calendar so that years are named after the gods all ties together incredibly well. The class system, the economy, and justice system are all well laid out. I loved the detail regarding clothing and how that indicated a person's status. Locke's eye for style, fabrics, and colours suits the time and place, particularly with it being based loosely on 16-17th century Venice. 

The main plot of the book is all finished off quite nicely, but I was still left with so many questions about the world, its history with the Elderglass and previous inhabitants; what happened to Chains and Sabetha; and, most importantly, what will Locke and Jean do next??

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Grief and Kidnapping

Minor: Alcohol, Child death, Death of parent, and Sexual content

vittorioseg's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I honestly liked it. I didn't expect to do it and I think it was mostly because the narrator Michael Page was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. Be aware, that none of the characters can be considered heroes and the main point is between a bunch of selfish assholes against mass murderers. The world of Camorr is brutal, short and it doesn't forgive anybody. The moral of these characters (beside the core group) is reprehensible, but you get the idea that its part of the world, that is not made to be shocking but as a natural consequence of the type of world and level of technology the people live in. 

The plot were very well crafted, the story polished and the action tense and so very vivid. Its truly a heist story with mastermind against mastermind for the right of life and vengeance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Gore, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

The story its has some strong white american misoginy on its background. I think only two female characters where not reduced in a sexual way or sexualized inapropiely and one of them was a 70 year old. Its not in your face and it seems at face value to be quite egalitarian, until your realize that 99% of the women presented are: dumb muscle, whore, seductress and/or tragic victim. But its not graphic and I think its mostly unseen by the author in his type of writing, like say Asimov (but without being a piece of shit in real life) or say Marvel directors. Besides that, it can be a little hard the sheer spike it gets into the dark side of murder, betrayal and torture that it get in the second half.

mscalls's review

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit