At first I rated this as a 3. In hindsight, I think I went into this book thinking it would be more of the same from Lies of Locke Lamora. However, I now realize that was a bad plan in itself because of the huge events at the end of the first book that affected the whole world (characters, setting, the main characters' attitudes toward life,, etc). Not that the book wasn't similar in some respects, but it was so different from what I expected and the tone was so different that it threw me off. After some reflection however, it was a really well written book with a great plot and great characters.