Okay, so–
(Yes, that was a Merphy Napier reference because her channel is what got me into The Lies of Locke Lamora in the first place.)
I finally read The Lies of Locke Lamora, and it was amazing. Beautifully twisty and insanely well-executed, this book actually contains some of my favorite tropes (an elaborate heist, an unlikely family, and likeable comic relief characters). But those tropes aren’t just why the book is so well-written.
This is a nice and safe spoiler-free analysis (unless you count quotes as spoilers), so let’s dive in.
The Lies of Locke Lamora — Scott Lynch
The Thorn of Camorr is said to be an unbeatable swordsman, a master thief, a friend to the poor, a ghost that walks through walls.
Slightly built and barely competent with a sword, Locke Lamora is, much to his annoyance, the fabled Thorn. And while Locke does indeed steal from the rich (who else would be worth stealing from?), the poor never see a penny. All of Locke’s gains are strictly for himself and his tight-knit band of thieves: The Gentlemen Bastards.
The capricious, colorful underworld of the ancient city of Camorr is the only home they’ve ever known. But now a clandestine war is threatening to tear it apart. Caught up in a murderous game, Locke and his friends are suddenly struggling just to stay alive …
Character bonds and backstory
“I only steal because this wicked world won’t let me work an honest trade!” Calo cried, hoisting his glass.
“LIAR!”
“I only steal because I have to support my poor lazy twin brother, whose indolence broke our mother’s heart!” Galdo elbowed Calo as he made this announcement.
“LIAR!”
“I only steal,” said Jean, “because I’ve temporarily fallen in with bad company.”
“LIAR!”
(The Lies of Locke Lamora, p.107)
Like I’ve mentioned before, I cannot turn away from a band of misfits. The chemistry between the Gentlemen Bastards is incredibly enjoyable to read and the plethora of strong platonic relationships in the book makes me so happy. Sure, all five of them are constantly making fun of each other, but they stick together like brothers and they all have got each other’s back.
Lynch actually weaves in multiple interludes through the book. These are usually after each chapter, either detailing pieces of Locke’s backstory or a short story revealing a new layer about the world of Camorr. Throughout these interludes, I was able to see the bond within this brotherhood strengthen as they grew closer together. What’s even better is the fact that the backstory isn’t just there for extra information — rather, everything that happens during the interludes becomes relevant to the current plotline. This then becomes a great way to foreshadow plot points and get payoff that feels satisfactory for the readers.
Twists and turns
“Oh no.” Locke sighed and put his face in his hands. “Oh, Doña Vorchenza, I’m so sorry to disappoint you, but the list of people who haven’t outsmarted me seems to be getting smaller all the f***ing time.”
(The Lies of Locke Lamora, p.468)
Another part I enjoyed about this book were all the plot twists. There are certain details that Locke does not give away to the reader, so when something surprising happens or when something throws me off, it’s usually down to Locke’s genius.
While I did predict some of the twists in the book, there are other things that Locke himself does not expect. There are certain things that I didn’t expect. That’s one thing I absolutely admire about Locke, because Locke is not smarter than everyone else. In fact, he doesn’t always anticipate what other characters are planning to do to him, so he generally has to improvise a quick way out. Sometimes, he doesn’t even find a way out of the situations he gets himself in. And that’s what I respect about Lynch’s writing — when it comes to Locke Lamora’s unfortunate luck, there is never an easy way out.
High stakes and consequences
Gods, Locke thought as he stumbled past Jean into the Wardrobe, gods, I have been a fool. We should have packed up and run.
(The Lies of Locke Lamora, p.343)
The final thing that added to my respect of the book are all the consequences in it. When you first read this book, the stakes don’t seem high, because it’s literally just Locke and his friends carrying out a heist. But then things start to go downhill for the crew and the stakes soar to a whole new level.
Lynch doesn’t play nice in the narrative, either. A lot of things that went wrong in The Lies of Locke Lamora made me go, “ohh, no. He really went there. Where do we go now?”
This is why Locke’s story is so satisfying. Despite all the gore and death in this book, despite facing all the consequences of his actions and then some, despite all the losses he has to take in, Locke Lamora still manages to rise above the circumstances and get out alive.
“Some day, Locke Lamora,” he said, “some day, you’re going to f**k up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and the moons will spin and the gods themselves will sh*t comets with glee. And I just hope I’m still around to see it.”
“Oh, please,” said Locke. “It’ll never happen.”
(The Lies of Locke Lamora, p.520-21)
That’s all for now!
Tell me, have you read The Lies of Locke Lamora? If you have, what did you think about it? If you haven’t, what are your thoughts on unlikely families, heists, and serious consequences in stories? I’d love to hear from you.
Make your mark,
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