Series: Gentleman Bastard #1
Source: bought paperback
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: 2007
Age Group: Adult due to character's ages and language
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 Gentleman Bastards.
The capricious, colourful underworld of the ancient city of Camorr is the only home they have 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...
DNF
The Lies of Locke Lamora sounded like the perfect book for me. I love thieves, I love imperfect characters, I love schemes and acts and the whole scene, and so I went crazy and bought books one and two together (they were on sale, though).Probably a big mistake, because from page one, Locke and I were a story of hardships and struggle, and eventually - a bad breakup. The first time I opened the book, I stopped after the prologue. It was probably a combination of my mood and the time of the day I read it, but I just couldn't keep my head straight with the names, times, and locations. I was oh so confused, and I couldn't get a fixed image of all the scenery and world as I was reading--and there was a lot of those.
So I put it down, very dejected, to say the least. I picked it up again eight months later after seeing a favorable review from a much loved reviewer, but I had no real illusions. I put my goal at reading one chapter per day. And yes, it was easier. I wasn't confused, and I guess that's why I think my confusion originally came from a combination of things unrelated to the book, but I had also given up on the world as a whole and decided to just focus on what we were seeing (or reading) at any given time because I just couldn't follow.
There were so many parts of just describing stuff, and telling us stuff (a lot of it about the world, and not the plot), and those I just couldn't take. I wish there were more conversations and things actually happening, because those I did enjoy. They were just so overshadowed by the descriptions and world building it's not even funny!
However, at page 153, when I was still struggling through every page, I lowered my goal to two/three chapters a week. Quite frankly, my only propose while reading this book was to finish it. Because I had already gotten book two. Because I wanted to love it so desperately. Because I wanted to prove to myself that this book would not beat me.
But it did. Because the moment I lowered my page count, it became more and more difficult to pick it up at all. And so, ten days later, I had only read 10 new pages of the book. And the worst part was I kept giving up after mere sentences. I just couldn't do it! Add to that that I knew what was going to happen in the broadest sense of the word, as I read a few spoilers to see if it was even worth continuing and I came to the realization - why am I reading a huge book I'm not enjoying? Why am I wasting time fighting with a story that doesn't appeal to me? With characters that I've failed to become attached to?
Because I can honestly say I didn't connect or relate to Locke, the twins, Jean, or anyone. Sure, they were kind of cool. Very cunning. Joked a lot. But that didn't exactly made me feel anything toward them. I didn't particularly root for them, and I didn't feel much when they encountered difficulties.
I have so many books I want to read. So many stories that are for me, and here I am, with one that's not. No thank you. It was depressing me, honestly.
Nitzan★
= I didn't like it.
= It was okay.
= I liked it.
= I really liked it.
= LOVE!
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