A review by gisl
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.75

This book is both incredible and incredibly difficult. I remember thinking at one point that I was nearing the end of the book because the stakes were so high, it must be about to wrap up! Wasn’t even halfway. The stakes just kept getting higher and the situation kept getting more dire. I almost couldn’t finish it I was so tense and scared. Overall very good read. My only gripe is the villains were built up so incredibly, and the protagonists were shown so out of their depth, and then the plot wrapped up way too quickly and easily. I feel like the

Falcon would’ve had the anti-attack spell on himself that he was said to have had earlier so Locke couldn’t get the jump on him. I feel like the Spider wouldn’t one-on-one confront a healthy young man as an old lady and taunt him by waving the real antidote he needs without guards in the room, and not expect Locke to do what he did and just punch her, steal the potion, and escape. And I feel like the clever Grey King who escaped and waited and plotted over 20 years to avenge half of his family wouldn’t simply accept defeat and wait for the Gentleman Bastards to kill him; He would escape and plot however long he needs to in order to avenge his sisters

. My only problem is the author made the antagonists too smart for them to be defeated in a single book, but even with that this is an amazing book. The way the timelines were written was incredible. I’m not going to continue bc this is too long already but great book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Fatphobia and Blood

I would say a tiny bit of fatphobia because when the main character, who

grew up starved and poor and had stunted growth because of that, first had the son of wealthy merchants introduced to him as a teammate in thieving when they were both kids, he insulted him and said he couldn’t be a good thief because it’s obvious looking at his size that he’s never wanted for anything and stuff like that. They fought but then made up as kids and became best friends, and Locke never said anything like that again.