Reread started: 22/12/17
Reread finsihed: 02/01/18
Spoilers:
I was a little wary rereading this. I was worried I wouldn't love it as much as I did the first time I read it. My worry was quite unnecessary.
This book blows my fucking mind with each read.
When I first read this book in 2014, I was instantly hooked. I hadn't read a whole lot of fantasy back then outside of Tolkien so didn't really know what to expect. Never had a book so completely enthralled me or sparked my imagination the way this did. It was unlike anything I'd ever read and I knew it was an instant favourite.
Four years later (with the hopes of seeing The Thorn of Emberlain sometime soon) I've decided to reread the series, and The Lies of Locke Lamora is every bit as enchanting as I remember.
Characters
Ultimate squad goals. The anti-hero trope is my absolute favourite and I love these particular anti-heroes on a deep, almost personal level. There's just something about them and their characterisation that speaks to me. They're so in tune with each other and the banter is harsh and hilarious. They have such a strong relationship. The level of loyalty and care they have for one another is incredible. The group dynamic is one of the best I've ever read, and reading it just makes you feel like ones of the guys.
Locke is the brains behind the Gentleman Bastards and absolutely not a fighter. He can't defend himself for shit but I love that he isn't perfect. He has weaknesses and he's very aware of that fact. What I also really appreciated and found quite touching is how real and normal the Bastards' emotions are portrayed. Bad shit happens and it emotionally effects them. Despite how charismatic and brave they are, they're also sensitive and human and don't hold back expressing themselves. These fellas aren't ashamed to cry when they're hurting, which only reinforces my adoration for them.
Anyone who loves this book series will surely understand the feeling of protectiveness the readers develop for the Bastards. When you realise how high the stakes are and that truly no one is safe, no life is guaranteed, every chapter becomes an anxiety issue. We just want our boys to happy and safe . . . please stop hurting them . . . please?
They make me laugh, they make me cry. Collectively they warm my heart and they break my heart and everything in between. The feels are real, and if this is what true love feels like, I don't want to feel anything less.
Locke, Jean, Bug, Calo and Galdo. These are characters that I truly care about and they hold a very special place in my heart. If you want to read character dynamic done right, then read this book.
Plot
Locke Lamora is a thief, but not just any thief. He and his Gentleman Bastards are expert con-artists, weaving elaborate confidence games around unsuspecting wealthy nobles while pretending to be small-time sneak thieves stealing a pittance from the poor. The reason for this facade? The Secret Peace of the city of Camorr agreed between the Duke and the Capa (the boss of every gang in Camorr) allows the crooks to steal from the poor providing they don't steal from the rich. The Gentleman Bastards break this Secret Peace regularly, stealing thousands from the rich and keeping every crown for themselves.
Though these apparent con-artists are never discovered, rumours circulate about a mysterious thief who steals from the rich to give to the poor. They call him the Thorn of Camorr. Locke Lamora is the Thorn, much to his disdain.
It is during Locke's latest scheme to con thousands of crowns from Don Salvara that he gets tangled up in another rumour. The Grey King. The mysterious villain has come to Camorr to challenge Capa Barsavi's power, murdering his way through the Capa's biggest and fiercest gangs. The unassuming and apparently lousy Gentleman Bastards get yanked into the schemes and deceits of the Grey King as he blackmails them, threatening to reveal the true nature of their gang unless Locke works for him.
It has to take all of Locke's cunning and guile to juggle the Grey King/Capa war, as well as his own cons and trying to remain unknown to all, not to mention escaping with his life.
It's so complex but to so well weaved. When reading it feels like loose threads and you wonder how it can all come together and make sense, but every action, every flashback, every conceivable thing is relevant. It's just so damn clever it makes my head spin. One of the most intelligent books I've ever read.
Setting
The city of Camorr, described with such beautiful clarity that I can clearly see it in my mind like it's a real place. The world building is so masterfully done, like painting landscape to canvas, layer by layer, creating a vast and vivid world.
Often in books, I feel like the world is only alive around the characters, but I always have a distinct feeling that Camorr continues to lives despite the characters, even when the characters aren't present, it always feels like there is a living, thriving world happening around them filled with busy and diverse citizens.
Every aspect is covered: Language, religion, currency, class, districts, race, accommodation, transport, countries, politics, history, months and seasons, sport and entertainment. Everything Scott Lynch writes only adds to the enormous colourful world he's created, from the Elderglass towers and catbridges to the Shifting Market and the Venice-esque canal routes to the strange and wonderful hour of Falselight. Everything is depicted is such detail that I rate this fantasy world as highly as I rate Middle-Earth or Westeros.
Writing Style
So I've already mentioned how brilliantly Scott Lynch writes characters and settings, so I'd like to mention how equally great he is at dialogue. I love it when characters speak the way real people speak. Nothing seems contrived or jarring. I never feel like the characters are explaining stuff they themselves already know purely for the benefit of the reader. That sort of thing is delivered in a much more subtle way.
The banter is first class, as are the insults and curses, and the dry humour is just my cup of tea.
I also have to mention the frequent bad language - I fucking love it. To me, real people swear. That's life. It's more realistic and utterly refreshing to read something so unapologetic about its use of bad language. A character in a dire situation simply isn't going to say 'darn', they're going to say 'fuck', and when they don't it completely pulls me from the story. I almost can't take it seriously when characters don't swear when bad stuff happens. Personally, I swear even when good stuff happens, and so do the Gentleman Bastards. It's a small thing, but something I genuinely appreciate in this book.
Final Impression
I love it, I love it, I fucking love it. This was my favourite book four years ago and it's still my favourite book now. It makes me laugh out loud and cry out loud in equal parts.
Incredibly creative, exciting, heart-breaking, thrilling, adventurous and intelligent. I'll also be rereading books 2 and 3 in anticipation for The Thorn of Emberlain, but already I can't wait to reread Lies in a few years time.
So until next time, "here's to us, richer and cleverer than everyone else!"
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