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brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
2nd time through: I felt pretty much the same as the first time I read it. There was a lot of extra world building, to the point that it felt distracting. I didn't have a problem with the timeline this time, though. I'm not sure why I had a hard time with it the first time I read, either. It's not that bad.
1st time reading:
I'm quite late to the party in reading this one, as it was published years ago, but it's been on my to-read list for so long that I finally put it on my list for the "Books to Read Before I Die" challenge. I wanted to get to it, and having it on my challenge list made me do it.
I've struggled with my feelings about this book, to the point where I don't quite know how to grade it. On the one hand, I really loved the plot. It was original and complex. And once I figured out that the timeline wasn't necessarily chronological, I stopped feeling quite so lost. But the fact that I was lost for a bit, trying to figure it out lessened my enjoyment a little bit. For nearly a whole chapter, I was trying to figure out if I, as a reader, had previously been tricked or if something else was going on. Maybe that was the author's intention. I don't know.
I also could have done without the endless descriptive details about every building, every bit of history, every single place the characters happened to be. I don't mind some details. It definitely adds to the story when you have them, but there are times when I really don't care, and I just want to get back to the meat of the story, so I end up skimming over paragraphs.
All in all, though, I did like Lies of Locke Lamora, and I will continue on with the series, even though I've heard the second isn't as good. I really liked the plot and the humor in the first, and we'll see how the second turns out. I would recommend this to fans of gritty fantasy (although there really is very little fantasy in this one), and to those who like a little intrigue in their stories.
1st time reading:
I'm quite late to the party in reading this one, as it was published years ago, but it's been on my to-read list for so long that I finally put it on my list for the "Books to Read Before I Die" challenge. I wanted to get to it, and having it on my challenge list made me do it.
I've struggled with my feelings about this book, to the point where I don't quite know how to grade it. On the one hand, I really loved the plot. It was original and complex. And once I figured out that the timeline wasn't necessarily chronological, I stopped feeling quite so lost. But the fact that I was lost for a bit, trying to figure it out lessened my enjoyment a little bit. For nearly a whole chapter, I was trying to figure out if I, as a reader, had previously been tricked or if something else was going on. Maybe that was the author's intention. I don't know.
I also could have done without the endless descriptive details about every building, every bit of history, every single place the characters happened to be. I don't mind some details. It definitely adds to the story when you have them, but there are times when I really don't care, and I just want to get back to the meat of the story, so I end up skimming over paragraphs.
All in all, though, I did like Lies of Locke Lamora, and I will continue on with the series, even though I've heard the second isn't as good. I really liked the plot and the humor in the first, and we'll see how the second turns out. I would recommend this to fans of gritty fantasy (although there really is very little fantasy in this one), and to those who like a little intrigue in their stories.
d3vilxl3gacy's review against another edition
5.0
It's like when you play Skyrim as a stealth archer, you're really overpowered bc nobody notices you and you kill enemies fast. But here you just steal money really quickly after having the high stealth skill.
11/10 would recommend with a helmet for all the whiplash it comes with.
11/10 would recommend with a helmet for all the whiplash it comes with.
maskofthedawn's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
mrbear's review against another edition
4.0
A reasonable book, but it definitely didn't blow my mind the way that many reviews seemed to suggest it might. Lynch's character development for his lesser characters could use some work, and some of the "twists" were mediocre (either were too obvious, or too absurdly random). It was a story and an adventure, nothing more.
mtbdbassbot's review against another edition
funny
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
an_everyday_penguin's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
literarilyadjacent's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
4.75
freadomlibrary's review
4.0
Actual rating 4.5 stars
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Trigger warning for graphic violence.
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
The plot is really intricate and super intense. It was so much more complicated than I was expecting it to be but it was exciting all the same. There’s violence, blood and stealing but also friendship, love and intelligence and personal growth. Honestly, there were like various different plot lines going on that managed to intertwined in the coolest of ways and I was really impressed.
Writing Style – 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is my biggest issue in this book because of one thing: the world building. I was so confused the entire time I was reading and it was a huge bummer. There wasn’t enough explanation though it still managed to be detailed, descriptive, intricate and thorough. The story moves between the past and the present and it’s really intense and also really graphic, so watch out if you’re squeamish.
Characters – 4.5 out of 5 stars
Never in my life did I think I would get so incredibly attached to the characters in this book but here we are. They are so precious to me in their little deceitful and crass way. Locke is such a shit but in the best way possible. We get to know him as an adult and as a kid and we see how he grows up. He’s street smart, cunning and kind of cocky. He’s really good at what he does and he’s kind of the brains of the operation. But he’s also a really sucky fighter and he gets caught in this worst situations ever. He’s kind of desperate towards the end of the books and really hurt and torn over what to do. I liked seeing his progression as a person and also how he interacted with the rest of the crew. They are amazing as well! Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this series is seeing the dynamic of these gentlemen bastards. Their friendship is so honest and real and they care about each other, but in that dude way where you like give each other shit for stupid stuff that you do, it’s so awesome. They’re hilarious and loyal and one of them is the most adorable thing to live on the page and it just made my reading experience so much better. Jean is Locke’s closest, maybe even best friend, and their bromance was amazing. They look out for each other, they care for each other and they just want to steal and live life to the fullest together and gosh, I love them.
Emotionally
The plot is complicated. We follow Locke, an orphan bought and taken in by a man pretending to be a priest who teaches him how to be a refined thief. Together with his friends, the Gentlemen Bastards, they steal from the rich until a threat to their game comes to town. I had such high expectations for this book. A lot of the people that I enjoy watching on Booktube and some blogger friends have recommended it for a really long time and have been praising it forever, so I was coming into it expecting to be completely blown away. First off, I really enjoyed reading it. The plot was really exciting and interesting. There’s various plot lines happening at the same time and they all manage to connect and become a part of each other in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Besides that, the story also moves between the past and the present. So we get to see how the Gentlemen Bastards became a crew and how their relationships grew and developed as well as their adult dynamics and seeing how all the lessons in the past help them now in the present and that was really awesome. The back and forth worked to keep me entertained and anxious at the same time. The way the chapters were arranged made both story lines exciting and action packed that every time that I had to change from one to the other, it made me anxious and super engages so that was pretty awesome. However, my biggest problem was the world building but because I have two different opinions about it. I read this on my Kindle and there was no map that explained the way the world is like which was a huge freaking problem because I was confused the entire time! You get immediately thrown into this world that has various kingdoms or countries with different kinds of people and languages but they don’t really explain where they come from or how they are where they are. I commend the author for creating such an intricate and thorough world to have this amazing story but like I was so confused guys, it did not help me. That’s my biggest complaint, that while I was super impressed with the way the author created the world, I did not understand it the majority of the time.
Locke is freaking cool. He’s really smart and a natural thief. He’s unapologetic about who he is which makes him really cocky and self-assured. However, he’s a really sucky fighter and he gets pulled into really awful situations and has to scramble to get his shit together in time. These characters aren’t the greatest people ever because they’re thieves and while they take money from rich people, they’re not like Robin Hood where they give it to the poor, nope, they just keep it haha. But I liked seeing how flawed they are as characters even though I am rooting for them to pull of their shitty decisions like stealing from people. It’s not a good thing to do, but we get to see so much of them that I still want Locke to be able to pull off everything that he’s trying to do and make sure he doesn’t get caught in the crossfire. I really want to see more growth from him though.
Something I want to mention about the characters in general and I don’t really know where else to mention it. The Gentlemen Bastards reside in Camorr which is one of the countries in this world I guess and they are all described with “olive skin” which makes me think that the majority of this cast of characters is made up of POC characters. However, olive skin is really ambiguous and can be considered as if it’s someone white with a tan but I think that the characters, at least the ones from this particular place, are all POC, which if it’s true, is pretty freaking cool. Just wanted to mention that. I’m gonna talk about the rest of the side characters just a little bit because of reasons. Jean is one of my absolute favorites. I think he’s such an amazing person and the most loyal friend like ever. He’s really book smart which compliments Locke’s street smarts really well and their bromance is intense and powerful. The bromance is enough to make up for the fact that I’m a girl who likes romance and there’s none in this book. Bug is adorable and a cinnamon roll. Caldo and Galdo are incredibly awesome. It was really interesting to see their dynamic as twins as well as within the entire crew.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m so looking forward to continuing the series. The plot is really entertaining and intricate. I wish the world building would’ve been explained more because while it was really well thought out and complex but I didn’t understand it at all and it was really confusing. I loved the characters and they are now embedded in my heart for life now. They are now cinnamon rolls and I want them happy and safe and doing what they love: stealing money from rich people.
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Trigger warning for graphic violence.
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
The plot is really intricate and super intense. It was so much more complicated than I was expecting it to be but it was exciting all the same. There’s violence, blood and stealing but also friendship, love and intelligence and personal growth. Honestly, there were like various different plot lines going on that managed to intertwined in the coolest of ways and I was really impressed.
Writing Style – 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is my biggest issue in this book because of one thing: the world building. I was so confused the entire time I was reading and it was a huge bummer. There wasn’t enough explanation though it still managed to be detailed, descriptive, intricate and thorough. The story moves between the past and the present and it’s really intense and also really graphic, so watch out if you’re squeamish.
Characters – 4.5 out of 5 stars
Never in my life did I think I would get so incredibly attached to the characters in this book but here we are. They are so precious to me in their little deceitful and crass way. Locke is such a shit but in the best way possible. We get to know him as an adult and as a kid and we see how he grows up. He’s street smart, cunning and kind of cocky. He’s really good at what he does and he’s kind of the brains of the operation. But he’s also a really sucky fighter and he gets caught in this worst situations ever. He’s kind of desperate towards the end of the books and really hurt and torn over what to do. I liked seeing his progression as a person and also how he interacted with the rest of the crew. They are amazing as well! Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this series is seeing the dynamic of these gentlemen bastards. Their friendship is so honest and real and they care about each other, but in that dude way where you like give each other shit for stupid stuff that you do, it’s so awesome. They’re hilarious and loyal and one of them is the most adorable thing to live on the page and it just made my reading experience so much better. Jean is Locke’s closest, maybe even best friend, and their bromance was amazing. They look out for each other, they care for each other and they just want to steal and live life to the fullest together and gosh, I love them.
Emotionally
Spoiler
I was really excited to read this book since I’ve heard so many great things about it and while I loved it, the world was so confusing haha.The plot is complicated. We follow Locke, an orphan bought and taken in by a man pretending to be a priest who teaches him how to be a refined thief. Together with his friends, the Gentlemen Bastards, they steal from the rich until a threat to their game comes to town. I had such high expectations for this book. A lot of the people that I enjoy watching on Booktube and some blogger friends have recommended it for a really long time and have been praising it forever, so I was coming into it expecting to be completely blown away. First off, I really enjoyed reading it. The plot was really exciting and interesting. There’s various plot lines happening at the same time and they all manage to connect and become a part of each other in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Besides that, the story also moves between the past and the present. So we get to see how the Gentlemen Bastards became a crew and how their relationships grew and developed as well as their adult dynamics and seeing how all the lessons in the past help them now in the present and that was really awesome. The back and forth worked to keep me entertained and anxious at the same time. The way the chapters were arranged made both story lines exciting and action packed that every time that I had to change from one to the other, it made me anxious and super engages so that was pretty awesome. However, my biggest problem was the world building but because I have two different opinions about it. I read this on my Kindle and there was no map that explained the way the world is like which was a huge freaking problem because I was confused the entire time! You get immediately thrown into this world that has various kingdoms or countries with different kinds of people and languages but they don’t really explain where they come from or how they are where they are. I commend the author for creating such an intricate and thorough world to have this amazing story but like I was so confused guys, it did not help me. That’s my biggest complaint, that while I was super impressed with the way the author created the world, I did not understand it the majority of the time.
Locke is freaking cool. He’s really smart and a natural thief. He’s unapologetic about who he is which makes him really cocky and self-assured. However, he’s a really sucky fighter and he gets pulled into really awful situations and has to scramble to get his shit together in time. These characters aren’t the greatest people ever because they’re thieves and while they take money from rich people, they’re not like Robin Hood where they give it to the poor, nope, they just keep it haha. But I liked seeing how flawed they are as characters even though I am rooting for them to pull of their shitty decisions like stealing from people. It’s not a good thing to do, but we get to see so much of them that I still want Locke to be able to pull off everything that he’s trying to do and make sure he doesn’t get caught in the crossfire. I really want to see more growth from him though.
Something I want to mention about the characters in general and I don’t really know where else to mention it. The Gentlemen Bastards reside in Camorr which is one of the countries in this world I guess and they are all described with “olive skin” which makes me think that the majority of this cast of characters is made up of POC characters. However, olive skin is really ambiguous and can be considered as if it’s someone white with a tan but I think that the characters, at least the ones from this particular place, are all POC, which if it’s true, is pretty freaking cool. Just wanted to mention that. I’m gonna talk about the rest of the side characters just a little bit because of reasons. Jean is one of my absolute favorites. I think he’s such an amazing person and the most loyal friend like ever. He’s really book smart which compliments Locke’s street smarts really well and their bromance is intense and powerful. The bromance is enough to make up for the fact that I’m a girl who likes romance and there’s none in this book. Bug is adorable and a cinnamon roll. Caldo and Galdo are incredibly awesome. It was really interesting to see their dynamic as twins as well as within the entire crew.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m so looking forward to continuing the series. The plot is really entertaining and intricate. I wish the world building would’ve been explained more because while it was really well thought out and complex but I didn’t understand it at all and it was really confusing. I loved the characters and they are now embedded in my heart for life now. They are now cinnamon rolls and I want them happy and safe and doing what they love: stealing money from rich people.
kshannahan26's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75