its_kievan's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
There was a period in the early-to-mid 2000s where fantasy literature began moving away from Tolkein-esque epic fantasy to stuff that was more "gritty", or at least had fewer elves. The Lies of Locke Lamora is a perfect example of this era. It's a fantasy world with magic and gods and a weird precursor race that built some funky towers, but all of that mostly takes a back seat to the story of a group of thieves trying to get rich in the middle of a gang war in fantasy Italy. It's a side of fantasy that you didn't get to see in earlier works, and it definitely did a lot to bring the genre out of its 90s ghetto. The schemes are complex without being overwhelming, and Locke is a very well-written protagonist. At the same time, it's clearly Lynch's first novel, and he definitely needed to trim a couple chapters. Overall, Lies is a fun read, but it's more notable for what it inspired than for what it is.
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Cursing
Minor: Addiction and Alcohol
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
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
More...