** spoiler alert ** 
 3.5/5 
 This is the most difficult book to review so far in the Gentleman Bastard series. It had many flaws; however, Lynch has improved greatly as a writer, and it shows. I enjoyed the two plotlines it focused upon and the cast of characters were mostly boiled down to establish the main three: Locke Lamora, Jean Tanner, and the enigmatic Sister Bastard. 
 This book may as well been titled "Sabetha" as it is what the book surrounded as a concept. Briefly mentioned in the past two novels and known to be Locke's only exception in his non-existant love life, she was brought onto the stage in full glory from beginning to end in the Republic of Thieves. She fulfilled the tropes in every way - fantastically skilled, admired, lusted for, the only true threat to Locke and Jean that can send shivers down their spine. Let's not forget she is also intelligent, fashionable, and cunning... however, Sabetha is then fleshed out during the chapters set in her shared past with the other Gentleman Bastards to be a bit more of an actual person. A relief, and the saving grace of the book. 
 My gripes with The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies were mostly due to Lynch's struggles with incorporating everything he is attempting in a coherant way, plotlines becoming crossed and overly convuluted. This book felt much more organised and thorough, albeit it seemed like a story that could have been cut down a huge amount due to it being more of a 'character build/development' scene setting for the fourth installment - the possible reveal of Locke's dark past to be much more than anyone anticipated, with the additional element of 'grey names' and 'red names', were mostly smoothed over in favour of detailing his next dinner with Sabetha. As endearing his obsession was, it began to wear by the end of the book and I feel more focus on their criminal antics would have done a lot to keep the action going - we have enough Sabetha/Locke in their flashbacks! There was also a cruel lack of Jean in this book which felt like we'd left quite an important aspect behind; in a lot of ways it was almost as if the author had love goggles on and was so honed in on Sabetha that the rest of the plot sort of blurred around her presence. 
 Perhaps that was the aim; if so, Lynch has done marvellously well. Despite my complaints I still enjoyed the book... I can really see this being a divider amongst the Gentleman Bastard fans.