The Lies of Locke Lamora

Why does Lynch establish a secret thirteenth god for thieves? How does this addition influence the Gentlemen Bastards?

How do the Gentlemen Bastards protect each other, and in what ways? What role does Locke play within the Bastards, and how does this role evolve over time? How do the Gentlemen Bastards connect to the novel’s theme of found family? Use specific examples from the text to explain your answer.

What does Locke’s friendship with Nazca show us about Locke? How does Locke’s friendship with Nazca differ from his relationships with the Bastards? How does their relationship help illustrate Locke’s character?

What are Father Chains’s ethics, if he has any? Why does he operate within these beliefs? How do these beliefs influence the Gentlemen Bastards as children and as adults?

How do vivid descriptions of torture and violence throughout the novel change your understanding of the characters? How do these descriptions affect the narrative’s tone, and how would the novel change without them?

Out of the original group of Gentlemen Bastards, why do only Locke and Jean survive? Why does Lynch depict only the two of them together at the end?

Why does Locke have a particular hatred for the Bondsmage, even more so than the Gray King? What does this communicate about his character and history? How does his hatred evolve throughout the novel?

Why does the book go into such elaborate detail about the Bastards’ schemes? Examine at least one of the gang’s schemes from inception to finality, illustrating how it influences characterization, narrative themes, tone, plot, etc. Cite passages from the novel to support your answer.