Kristin K. (escapeartistk) -
"The Sting" and, occasionally, "The Godfather" meet "Oliver Twist" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:" this novel combines elements of picaresque, Bildungsroman (coming-of-age), and fantasy for a fast-moving story that's hard to put down. Lynch pulls off a remarkable feat in bringing together every element of an intricate plot and setting at the end. The flashbacks to Locke's childhood, which detail his development as a confidence man, parallel the main story (and are clearly marked in the text, so the narrative isn't hard to follow).
A few complaints:
1. 30-40 pages of hurried explanation of the villain's motivations (much like when a Hollywood film realizes it's overshot it's mark and now needs to wrap things up).
2. A Batman-esque finale to the villain's scheme. (Fortunately, the story recovered from these first two.)
3. The marked increase in "f-ing" swearing (up until the end, the f-word had been used minimally and very effectively for comedic or dramatic effect, but it seemed as if the author got so caught up the characters' urgency that he forgot how to write without it).
Overall verdict: definitely recommend, but be prepared: The first part of the novel is more caper than fantasy, and there are some disturbing, even gruesome, dark elements of the tale that are not for the faint-hearted. However, I, for one, will be reading the next book in the series.
A few complaints:
1. 30-40 pages of hurried explanation of the villain's motivations (much like when a Hollywood film realizes it's overshot it's mark and now needs to wrap things up).
2. A Batman-esque finale to the villain's scheme. (Fortunately, the story recovered from these first two.)
3. The marked increase in "f-ing" swearing (up until the end, the f-word had been used minimally and very effectively for comedic or dramatic effect, but it seemed as if the author got so caught up the characters' urgency that he forgot how to write without it).
Overall verdict: definitely recommend, but be prepared: The first part of the novel is more caper than fantasy, and there are some disturbing, even gruesome, dark elements of the tale that are not for the faint-hearted. However, I, for one, will be reading the next book in the series.
