The Lies of Locke Lamora

I was going to post this as Rory, who was the last person signed in to gmail on my computer, but I'm too much of a goody-good. I haven't had much time for reading recently, but I did manage to finish The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch, which one of our flatmates lent to me. Sorry for the haphazard nature of the review.

The book is set in an amazing city that sort of reminded me of Ankh Morpork (at least at first), but without so much funny. It felt so realist, but so unrealistic! So clichéd, but so unique. Into this world Lynch puts Locke Lamora, who I'd love to be able to sum up in a couple of words, but really can't. He's a thief and a fraudster, but also so much more. He's ordinary in nearly every way, but so classy. Can you see a pattern here?

At its heart, however, LLL is about schemes. Plots and tricks and politics and scams and the awesomest twists and turns that leave you going OMGOMGOMGMGOMGICAN'TBELIEVEITOMGOMG!

And what did I think of it? A few points (all I have time for right now) are:
- The writing was always very good, sometimes excellent, but rarely superb.
- Lynch shows so much favouritism towards his characters, but it doesn't seem to come across badly. He's quite happy to humanise them with drawbacks and things, but when it comes to the crunch, you know they're gonna be ok, because they're his favourites. And then they're not. And then they are again. And then they're not. And then they are again. And then they're not. And I won't tell you how it ends.
- It takes about two-fifths of the book to actually get going. Until then, it's vaguely interesting and fun, but not really exciting or anything. After that, it's incredibly gripping.
- It is definitely not a children's book. Lynch doesn't seem to like telling the grotesque or overtly sexual aspects of his tales in the way that some authors do (ahem, Laurell K Hamilton and Sara Douglas), but he will throw in a few swearwords here and there, stick in some gross bits, and when a sex scene is appropriate, he'll include that too. He just doesn't seem to enjoy it much.
- It's got lots of laugh-out-loud-and-scare-your-partner-things in it.
- It's now one of my favourite books of all time. And I want the next one, Gabrielle! :D

Read it. It is well worth it.

Essyllt

P.S. If, after reading it, you can honestly tell me you guessed all the twists and turns, I will give you $10 or buy you pizza or something.