It's not that the book isn't well written or that the story is terrible, but rather that the book spent so much time in the mind of someone who was rather awful. He wasn't even interestingly evil -- more impulsive, not very introspective, and -- especially for an experienced conman -- not very good at understanding his compatriots. Now, there was another protagonist -- the hero -- who sits dangerously close to the "Magical Negro" trope. Or maybe he's firmly immersed? Particularly as his real role seems to be walking out of his own life to rescue a random little girl.

I'm assuming that the novel purposely has quite a few nods to King's "The Shining."