Book Review of 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo

Premise:

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

Review:

"Better terrible truths than kind lies."

    

    If the author’s name seems familiar, it might be because I’ve read and reviewed Shadow and Bone, also written by her. I liked but didn’t love that series and was kind of expecting a similar reaction to this duology despite the hype, but I was pleasantly surprised! It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I’ve enjoyed this much.

Worldbuilding: The worldbuilding in this novel was handled well, and while you don’t have to have read the previous trilogy first (see Shadow and Bone), it does help to give you a background so you don’t feel like you were thrown into the story without context. 

The descriptions were really intricate, so it’s really easy to picture the settings in your mind. For example,

“Ketterdam - a canvas of black, gray, and brown, tangled streets dense with mist and coal smoke, ships of every kind in the harbor, pulsing with the rush and bustle of trade.” 

See? You can picture the aesthetics of the backdrops easily. 

Additionally, there were these different countries, each with their own cultures and reputations/stereotypes and rivalries, which was really cool, but again, I think it’s more enjoyable and less confusing if you’re already familiar with the world. 

Writing Quality/Style: I know I mentioned that the descriptions of the settings were handled well, but at some points, it got a little dense (this is more towards the middle of the book), and I was tempted to skim over a few paragraphs. But for the most part, it was really good! 

One thing the author did very well is revealing backstory and foreshadowing. The flashbacks often come from a character in a situation that triggers the memories, like how the readers found out about Inej’s time in the Menagerie when she walked by it. This way, the flashbacks don’t feel forced and instead seem natural because it’s similar to how we remember things.

Character Development/Complexity: 

A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.

This quote sums up the six main characters pretty well, I think. Each of the characters are so complex and unique from each other.

So, there’s Jesper Fahey, a sharpshooter who can’t resist gambling and living life on the edge; he’s the comic relief character who always has a witty and sarcastic comeback. 

There's Wylan Van Eck, a brilliant inventor and chemist. He's also the son of a rich merchant/businessman, who ran away from home. But who would run away from a life of luxury? Wylan might be naive and new when it comes to the criminal life, but he's got his own secrets too.

There’s Matthias Helvar, a warrior from Fjerda who was (falsely?) convicted and sent to Hellgate, a brutal prison; he’s dealing with internalized prejudice and also has a history with…

Nina Zenik, who is a Heartrender (meaning, she can use powers to inflict damage on internal organs, like literally stopping someone’s heart); she’s hilarious and sweet and remains positive despite everything that’s happened to her. Also, I now associate her with waffles (this sounds weird without context, doesn’t it? It makes sense if you read the book)

Then there’s Inej Ghafa, a religious girl from Ravka with a talent for acrobatics, just like the rest of her family. Circumstances had forced her into a contract with Per Haskell, a crime lord in Ketterdam, so now her goal is to make enough money to pay off her debt and return home. Having to live in a city which is known for its multiple criminal organizations and underworld, Inej taught herself to fight, scale walls and rooftops, to be invisible. She’s an infamous spy (and reluctant assassin) known as the Wraith. 

Last but not least, there’s our antihero protagonist Kaz Brekker, who’s the most manipulative, cutthroat, morally-black character you’ll ever meet. He’s a master thief, who’s feared by Ketterdam’s underworld for good reason and well known for being willing to do any job for the right price. He’s also the right-hand man of Per Haskell, leader of one of the many criminal gangs in Ketterdam. Technically, he and his crew are on a mission to save the world, but is saving the world his motive? Nope, he’s just doing it for the money. 

This description may make him seem like a boring character with no interest in anything but making money, but his backstory is just as detailed as the other characters’ and Kaz is so much more than that.

Each of the main characters obviously want their heist to succeed, but they each have their own agendas which make things more complicated. Additionally, all of these characters have their own backstories, which was amazing and none of them were just 2D.

Plot: In this novel, the plot was really engaging and the heist was very thought out. Six of Crows is told from five different points of view and this is used to create tension, like how the author switches POVs every time something goes really wrong (this is especially in during the Ice Court heist).

Each POV has a unique voice, and the author uses them to hide information from the reader in a masterful way, so the reader doesn’t completely know what each character wants or their motives… and neither do the other characters.

(the brilliant) Plot Twists: Look, Kaz Brekker is literally described as a criminal prodigy. He’s not just “one step ahead”, he has “a running head start”. If someone had to describe this main character in 2 words, then “plot twists” would definitely fit. Need I say more? (apparently I do) So, as you might already have guessed, this is a twisty, thrilling novel and you think you might be able to predict what will happen next, but then something will happen that you totally won’t be expecting.

Intrigue: This book was quite intense, especially once the plan for the heist gets put into action. This book is fast paced, very engaging, has high stakes, etc. so of course any reader would be on edge the entire time. The characters’ actions and the general plot line keeps you on your toes, though it’s not too hard to follow along. 

Overall, this was an amazing book and is now one of my favorites. I’ve read the sequel, Crooked Kingdom, as well, and it’s honestly one of the best sequels I’ve read. I recommend this book to everyone, but especially if you like morally gray characters, heists, etc. This character-driven book is for ages 13 and above. I rate this book (and the duology) 5 stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

~ Candria

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