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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Significant violence — sea battles, torture, combat; Lynch does not spare his characters
Language
A lot
Very strong language throughout
Sexual Content
Barely any
Mild romantic content; the book is not focused on relationships
Substance Use
Some
Heavy drinking, especially in the pirate and tavern sections
Emotional Intensity
Some
The question of what Locke is becoming after Camorr; the strain friendship takes under genuine crisis
What this book is about
Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen have fled Camorr for the city of Tal Verrar, where they've spent two years working their most ambitious con — infiltrating the unbeatable Sinspire casino. When a Bondsmage and the city's brutal secret police force them to take a different job — becoming pirates and infiltrating a fleet — the con within a con begins to spin in directions no one planned. Scott Lynch's second Gentlemen Bastards novel is larger in scale than the first and darker in places, with the relationship between Locke and Jean under genuine strain. The ocean material is detailed and well-researched; the cons are satisfying; the ending is brutal in classic Lynch fashion.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
graphic violence including torture sequences
very strong language throughout
second in the series — prior book provides important context
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