Type of Read:
Dark Fantasy
Plot Summary:
As an orphan, Locke grew up stealing and pulling off cons to survive. When he gets adopted into a gang of thieves called The Gentleman Bastards, his education widens to encompass anything he would need to know in order to imitate and/or fool anyone. As an adult, he is able to accumulate a lot of wealth by doing just that. But little does Locke and his friends know, there are more sinister plots brewing in the shadows that could bring their world and their lives to an end.
Strengths:
To me, second to the story, the characters are one of the biggest things I look for in a book. When it comes to thieves, I looked even more closely. Thieves (in my opinion) are supposed to be cocky, flippant, and in it more for the con than the money. At the same time, there has to be a sense of honor and loyalty. If you cross the thief, there will be dire consequences. Lynch hit this nail on the head. Locke Lamora is the mastermind behind all the cons and his friends follow him no matter what. Of course there are arguments and dissent at times, but the every character is memorable and lovable in their own way.
Also while there is magic in the world they live in, the main characters rely more on their wit and charisma to pull off their schemes. They take advantage of magic and superstitions, but they don't really use it themselves. The band of thieves are the old school Oceans Eleven. They each lend their own talents to pull off a job. I enjoy this type of fantasy because the characters have to solve problems on their own without the use of magic, but the world is still an escape from our world.
Weaknesses:
This isn't so much a weakness as it is a warning...this is a VERY dark book. There is a lot of bad language, adult themes, and very graphic images. I'm talking drowning someone into a barrel of horse urine. Yeah... But don't let that scare you away. The darkness lends to the setting. It's just hard to read at times.
Opinion and Recommendation:
I really enjoyed this book. (but I have a thing about thieves, heists, and Robin Hood...) It's one of those nitty-gritty books that you get sucked into. Lynch is a great author who builds a fantastic world and you should really check him out. If you are a little skeptical about how dark this book is, find a copy at the library. I actually bought the paperback version, read it, LOVED it and then went searching for the hardback. Just forewarning...this might happen to you!
