SIX STRONG POINTS
1.) Setting・Worldbuilding: Ketterdam and Djerholm, the two main cities where she sets the story, come to life in scene. Description only goes so far, but Leigh brings her world to life by the actions, reactions, and customs of groups: the gangs and merch of Ketterdam with their cleverly named gambling parlors and brothel houses, the initiation rites of the Fjerdan drüskelle, and the magical powers of the Grisha. The world unfolds never in an info dump or description binge, but rather gradually and generously through vivid scenes, where characters interact with the clash of cultures that is Ketterdam.
2.) Dialogue: The dialogue is both witty and revealing without ever seeming pedantic, over-the-top, or on-the-nose. The retorts the main characters use to poke fun at each other’s vices made me laugh as I learned new barbs. Most of the banter had a purpose, which meant even the funniest insults carried a side of seriousness or truth vital to the plot or matter at hand; it was never just talk to pass the time, but rather verbal jousting that advanced the plot. Furthermore, Leigh Bardugo creates her own slang native to the Grisha universe, with its own curse words and turns of phrase, but the foreign terms always come with enough context or explanation, without ever seeming forced or excessive.
3.) Voice・POV: The story is told from the third-person limited perspective of five of the six main characters and a couple of side characters at the beginning and end. Normally, head jumping can be confusing for the reader, but Leigh pulls this off masterfully because of how unique the characters sound. In short, Six of Crows is a clinic in filtering, a textbook on how to reveal character and conceal plot and backstory through third-person perspective. Kaz’s dry humor and pragmatic efficiency. Inej’s search for meaning and inner tenderness, coated with a tough exterior. Nina’s shameless flirtation and effervescent energy. Matthias’ modesty and soldier honor. Jesper’s carefree thirst for action and danger. (Sheltered Wylan doesn’t receive a POV chapter.) Every character imbues his or her dialogue with a unique, distinctive style and way of speech or viewing the world, that reading the story, told from different perspectives, with little to no overlap in time, was a joy in and of itself. This experience was so good it convinced me to try writing my own fiction from multiple third-person limiteds.
4.) Characters: Each of the six main characters has some redeeming quality that makes his or her vices all the more realistic, tolerable, and relatable. Kaz is a merciless demon content to treat his team members as investments or pawns, but it is his sentimentality - which proves to be a weakness - in the book’s final act that redeems his ruthless pragmatism. Moreover, he is just a cool customer, never blinking or showing any weakness through the early scenes. Matthias, too, is hardened in his ways and outlook on life, but as Nina and the others save his life time and time again, he begins to question his own upbringing and soften up. The bonding and trust that characters form with one another - but always with the edge of the task at hand, and the threat of betrayal from muddy pasts - give the entire story a positive, redeeming vibe despite the prevalence of vice in the characters’ pasts and world looming as a possible excuse. Each character has a volume of backstory, but the author never dumps it on the reader; instead, she parcels it out in flashbacks throughout the plot, interleaved skillfully between as interludes between the action. Only Wylan and Jesper don’t reveal much backstory in this book, but their pasts receive ample attention in Crooked Kingdom.
5.) Plot Twists: In a world where loyalty changes as quickly as money changes hands, it is remarkable that the six characters collaborating on the heist actually grow closer as the plot unfolds. So much betrayal and surprise happen from page 1 — and even before, with Matthias and Nina’s past — that it isn’t always a given that the characters have any virtue or loyalty. Like a house of cards, every single character experiences a moment — sometimes several — where a well-timed betrayal could end the heist then and there. We learn through early plot twists that anyone could be a traitor, and anyone can be bought or bribed with money. These loyalty plot twists set the stage for a different level of plot twist on the heist, when unforeseen obstacles force the characters to trust each other to stay alive. Finally, the plot twists crescendo toward a final betrayal in the end, further layered with the protagonists’ own counters. In brief, everyone in the story is always trying to stay a step ahead of his peers and rivals, and often that level of gamesmanship - thinking two or three plies ahead - thrills the reader when they are revealed in rapid succession.
6.) Action: The action scenes are surprising and well-paced. Not a single character is spared any blood or challenge; everyone faces a demon at some point, and it is those difficult moments of action where the characters truly come to life. Even our introduction to Kaz, where he encounters a rival gang, rings with vivid action, complete with a surprising betrayal and moments of doubt. What Leigh does particularly well is keeping the outcome in suspense: We’re not always sure who will win the battles, and Kaz or one of his characters must often improvise despite maniacal preparations. The amount of stabbing, gunfire, punches, eyeball-ripouts, and Grisha magic (a well-conceived system) rarely seem gratuitous, but they convey the mortal danger these characters face around every corner, and their reactions build character and bring us closer.
NEGATIVES
Besides the obvious complaint of Wylan’s lack of chapter time — remedied in Crooked Kingdom — I would say the book is like many of its characters: seemingly incomplete and unsalvageable on the outside, but truly substantive and attractive in the middle. Unlike many other books, which are the opposite in how they operate, Six of Crows doesn’t begin with as much relevance, or close with as much closure as I would have liked.
Most if not all of the prologue characters never play a tangible role in the rest of the story; they certainly don’t appear in the flesh, only as bits of conversation. Though the beginning sets the stage of the prized drug jurda parem, the characters that first dance on that stage never see the spotlight again.
Likewise, the ending, after a sequence of breathtaking plot twists and grand reveals, leaves the protagonist group of six separated, without any sense of closure or accomplishment. Two of them falter, leaving their relationship at a low point, while a third is kidnapped, and the book ends without any firm resolution or plan, although we sense comeuppance is on the horizon. Fortunately, the second book resolves those loose ends and brings much more satisfying closure.
Like many of her characters, Leigh Bardugo more than makes up for this by the strength of the novel’s interior. When I started reading, I wasn’t sure how badly I’d want to follow Joost, or when I’d see Anya again, but the farther I read, the more the true main characters came to life, and once I got past Chapter 2, I knew I was experiencing something special. In that sense, the novel itself is like a lesson to look beyond the surface, at the interior, because sometimes the beauty of a person (or book) is in the redeeming qualities inside.
As a writer working on my craft, I can't think of a better paragon or more inspiring read to offer hope -- much like hope for Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias -- and affirmation that this market still has room for a story well-told and prose well-written.
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Popular Highlights in this book
“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”Highlighted by 2,686 Kindle readers- There was no part of him that was not broken, that had not healed wrong, and there was no part of him that was not stronger for having been broken.Highlighted by 2,250 Kindle readers
- Matthias suspected that Brekker would drag the girl back from hell himself if he had to.Highlighted by 1,912 Kindle readers
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4-stars: 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo
This is going to be a very long review. I’m sorry ahead of time, but I knew it wouldn’t be a short review after I finished the book. Lots needed to be typed, but I promise no spoilers.Six of Crows is set in Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, but this time readers will get to follow six different characters on a mission to pull off a very dangerous heist together. This book will pull you in different directions because all six characters get to tell the story from their point of view before, during, and after the heist. It’s crazy how Leigh Bardugo managed to keep up with all six points of view while building the storyline to this new epic adventure in the Grishaverse.Storyline/My Thoughts: First, if you read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, then I will let you know now that Six of Crows doesn’t take place simultaneously as the trilogy. It’s set further in the years after the war has happened. Unfortunately, the Grisha are still treated horribly, and most are hidden or at Ravka helping the King rebuild, but this book is not focusing on that storyline. Instead, it’s focusing on six different characters, which each have a different personality and background. They are all supposed to be in their teens but come off as maturer in age. If you lived the way they did, then you would be much wiser in years to deal with the issues they have had to succumb. Readers will get to read some of their backstories when they tell their points of view in Six of Crows. (It’s amazing how authors can keep up with everything. I can’t even remember yesterday sometimes due to memory issues.)I’m going to try to break down what I liked about each character without going overboard. I loved how Leigh Bardugo wrote each character differently. This is one reason why I was interested in the book.Kaz Brekker has a heartbreaking back story, but he has managed to fight through everything thrown at him. He has a disability that requires him to have a cane, but he’s stronger than ever. He’s one scary character, even to his team, because he plans things that will put himself and everyone at risk. I enjoyed his character, especially after finding out what happened to him. He’s on a mission for revenge for what happened to him, and he will do anything to get that revenge. One thing that drove me crazy about him is his feelings for a particular character that he would rather deny than tell the truth. Just tell her!!!!Inej Ghafa is by far my favorite character of the six. She’s been through a lot too, and Kaz saved her from the life she had at the Menagerie. She became known as the Wraith since she’s able to sneak up on people. She’s a fighter. She puts Kaz in his place a couple of times, and only she can do it to him. I could go on and on about her character. I loved getting to read her point of view.Jesper Fahey has a secret that he’s unwilling to share with anyone on the team until he has to on the heist. He has a gambling issue, but he’s an excellent sharpshooter. I loved how even he questioned Kaz, but he also became friendly with another person on the heist.Nina Zenit is a Grisha Heartrender who uses her magic to survive the slums. Her abilities include controlling someone’s breathing, heart, and cells in their bodies. She’s one Grisha you don’t want to mess with, and in this book, she ends up putting herself at risk for everyone else to survive.Matthias Helva is a former druskelle and a Fjerdan witch hunter. Both Nina and he are dangerous together because he can’t stand what she is, and Nina is trying to make it right by Matthias. They have a complicated past and relationship that could put the others at risk. Matthias is one person you either could trust or not, and there were times I didn’t feel I could trust him with the group during the heist.Wylan Van Eck is someone that Kaz brings to the crew for leverage since the person who requested Kaz’s help happens to be Wylan’s father. Wylan, though, has his own tricks up his sleeve, and I hope I get to know him more in the next book. He fit right into the crew during the heist.All six are on a dangerous heist to break out a scientist from an impenetrable prison and put themselves at risk of being put in jail or, worst, being killed. (It’s all Kaz’s fault, but it was a deal that no one could turn down.) The heist reminded me of the movie Ocean’s Eleven, but much more risk to it, and instead of stealing money and gold, they have to steal a person. This person is someone everyone wants for themselves since they have created something that will change the odds.The thing that drove me bonkers about this book was how slow it started for me. It took me a while to gain my interest in the story. I’m used to reading multiple POVs, so that was not an issue. It was the issue of getting to the heist, going through everything, and then how it ended. It took a while to get through it all. I also was bothered by how Kaz did not get the revenge he wanted in this book. He had a chance but didn’t take it. He deserves revenge for what happened to him. He also didn’t share his feelings with a specific character that he should have in this book. I hope he starts sharing them in the next book. I know Kaz will be out for revenge even further in the next book, but for something else entirely. Overall, this book receives four stars from me. I think if the book would’ve grasped me from the beginning and not been slow to start, then I would have given it five stars. There was a lot to take in the beginning.Leigh Bardugo is a master at storytelling, though, and I can’t wait to see the Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows books be brought to life in the Netflix series. I already love the actors/actresses they chose to play the book characters.Now I need to make time to read the Crooked Kingdom because this book left me with a cliffhanger.Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Six of Crows Duology. It’s also part of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. (If you read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, then you will read about certain characters in this book from the current characters. There will be a moment of clarity of who Nina is and where she came from, and why she ended up with the crew. I don’t think you have to read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy to read this book, but I feel readers will miss out on some connections between the books.)Cliffhanger: Yes.Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are a fan of YA Fantasy involving a dangerous heist with six different characters, you will enjoy this book. I also would recommend the audiobook if you enjoy listening to books. The narrators were fantastic at having the characters come to life when I listened to the book instead of reading it.
Top reviews from other countries
Mandy
Amazing book 😍👏🏻
Reviewed in Sweden on October 4, 2023
Mandy
Reviewed in Sweden on October 4, 2023
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Rubina Sayed
Surpassed my Expectations 🤩🤩
Reviewed in India on August 18, 2023
Rubina Sayed
Reviewed in India on August 18, 2023
Now, onto the book itself. "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo is a captivating fantasy novel that intertwines intricate characters, high-stakes heists, and a world filled with magic and intrigue. Whether you're a fan of fantasy, adventure, or just great storytelling, "Six of Crows" is an absolute must-read. I can't wait to dive into this mesmerizing world and follow the characters on their thrilling journey.
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Maddalena valdinoci
One of the best books i've ever had the pleasure to read
Reviewed in Italy on June 18, 2023Paulina
Sooo Pretty!
Reviewed in Poland on April 30, 2021
Paulina
Reviewed in Poland on April 30, 2021
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