"I only steal because my dear old family needs the money to live!" 
 Locke Lamora made this proclamation with his wine glass held high; he and the other Gentleman Bastards were seated at the old witchwood table. . . . The others began to jeer. 
 "Liar!" they chorused 
 "I only steal because this wicked world won't let me work an honest trade!" Calo cried, hoisting his own glass. 
 "LIAR!" 
 "I only steal," said Jean, "because I've temporarily fallen in with bad company." 
 "LIAR!" 
 At last the ritual came to Bug; the boy raised his glass a bit shakily and yelled, "I only steal because it's heaps of fucking fun!" 
 "BASTARD!" 
 Locke Lamora is a Orphan taken to shades hill as a child, he's taught to pickpocket and get himself into a ridiculous amount of trouble, once he's caused enough trouble his master sells him to the Blind Priest known as chains, only Chains isn't what he seems and is a con that's there to train him how to control his recklessness and carve it into cunning. 
 Chains teaches his orphans to become Gentlemen's Bastards, to be able to eat with high society and steal from under their nose. As far as the other gangs know The Gentlemen s Bastards are street thieves doing quick tricks and not a threat. 
 The snark of Locke Lamora, the fucking spirit in him, I LOVED HIM. I loved that Locke wasn't strong, he wasn't a master ninja or muscle he was easily out boxed and at times out smarted but the guy is ruthless, has heart and a plan. 
 "What kind of knife is this?" Locke held a rounded buttering utensil up for Chains' inspection. "It's all wrong. You couldn't kill anyone with this." 
 The dialogue was exactly what I love, I love a book that won't shy away from saying fuck when it's called for, when the characters are exactly the criminals they act like, what are we going to have a gang of street crims saying frick? I AM ALL THE HAPPINESS THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. 
 The fights, the interludes with pieces of the boys childhood that sewed itself seamlessly into the current plot, dirty gritty fights won by sheer determination and revenge. 
 You ever read an ending and just want to punch the air and scream FUCK YES because the main character just surprises you again and again? That's what this ending did to me (view spoiler)[ When Locke said he just has to hold him here and wait for Jean I WAS LIVING FOR IT, he's stabbed to bits, has a fucking blade sawing up the muscles in his forearms and he's still playing the game and winning. AH SO GOOD (hide spoiler)] 
 I cannot wait to read the rest of this series