How long did it take me to pick up this book?
Well, I’ve owned it for many months. Only now have I actually gotten round to reading it. And WOW, am I glad I did!
Let’s talk about Six of Crows!
Title: Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Indigo / Orion Children’s Books
Series Status: The 1st book in the Six of Crows duology
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure
Number of Pages: 491
(Found on back cover. See Goodreads page)
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he’ll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:
Break into the notorious ice court (a military stronghold that has never been breached)
Retrieve a hostage (who could unleash magical havoc on the world)
Survive long enough to collect his reward (and spend it)
Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done – and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.
Why I’m attempting to write this review only half an hour after finishing the book, I’ve no idea. Because right now I’m struggling to extend my thoughts further than “AAAAAGGGHHHHHHH WHAT!!!”
But here’s to trying.
You know how I always say characters are the most important thing in a book for me? How if I adore the characters, no doubt I’ll adore the book? Well guess what happened.
I ADORE THESE CHARACTERS.
Every single member of the crew. I just want to tuck all six of them into my heart and hold onto them forever (which I already have actually done but shhh we can’t admit that because bad things happen). And that’s a dangerous thing, because as a reader, that’s how we get hurt. But I can’t help it! They’re all just so complex, unique, talented and somehow lovable despite their ruthlessness. I want them as friends. I want to be part of their crew. I want them to be real.
AAGGHHHH.
Okayy. Focus.
So other than my complete and utter love for every single one of the main characters, believe it or not, there were actually other things I liked too. I know, shocking right? (really not). And I know everyone says this but I feel the need to reinforce it:
Leigh Bardugo’s writing development between the Grisha trilogy and this book is INCREDIBLE. I read the Grisha trilogy at the start of the year and enjoyed it, but “enjoy” is too small a word for how much I loved Six of Crows. The descriptions were just so much more enticing and vivid. I had no problem understanding and imagining the world once again. I was thrown into this world full of diversity and friendship, crime and danger. And I accepted it wholeheartedly.
And then….ohhh and then there’s the plot. There’s fantasy. There’s scheming. There’s a heist. There are witch-hunters. There’s betrayal and plot twists and all the danger possible. What else can you want? There’s so much action, this book is seriously addictive *glances over at Jurda Parem* (readers will get it). But it never gets overwhelming. The pacing is just right, keeping you on your toes and making you feel alive.
The only reason this didn’t get a full 5/5 stars was because there were a few chapters that sort of dragged for me. Just because at that point in the story, I didn’t really like one of the characters, so their perspective just didn’t grab me as much as the rest. I’m sure people who have read the book might be able to guess who I mean. But trust me, that changed about halfway through so I can’t hold too much of a grudge.
If you’re like me and you somehow haven’t gotten round to this book yet – DO IT. DO IT NOW.
(Plus then you don’t have to wait for the second book because it’ll already be out. See – there’s benefits to procrastinating sometimes.)
Rated 4.5/5 stars!
Amazon
Share your thoughts!
Have you read this book? What did you think?
Who’s your favourite character? (mine are Nina, Jesper and Inej)
If you haven’t read it, do you plan to?
Maybe you’ve read the Grisha Trilogy?
Let me know in the comments!
Until next time…
Come and visit me!
A frolic through fiction 
I’m so glad you liked this!
I recently read it, too. It’s been a loooong time since I read the Grisha trilogy, so I forget a lot. Thank goodness I didn’t really need my memory for this!
Anyway, I ADORE the characters, too. I don’t have on favorite… It’s so hard. I love Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina… Mattias is broody and Wylan didn’t get enough air-time (next book, I hope!). He seems adorable, though!
And I loved all the elements of the plot. Can’t wait for Crooked Kingdom!
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No doubt Crooked Kingdom will be just as amazing!
While I know the Grisha trilogy wasn’t really needed to read this one, I’m glad I read it before. I feel like I’d have been disappointed in the trilogy had I read them the other way round!
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I haven’t read the Grisha trilogy, because the wait at the library is FOREVER long. But I know it’s coming. It didn’t even occur to me that I should read Six of Crows, though– now it’s hiher on my TBR, for sure.
Should I read the Grisha trilogy first, though?
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You don’t HAVE to read the Grisha trilogy first, because hardly anything from it is mentioned. BUT I know that I wouldn’t have enjoyed the Grisha trilogy anywhere near as much as I did had I read Six of Crows first. So I’d definitely recommend the trilogy first!
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That’s a great point. It’s best to continue to be impressed, and not start with the best. Thanks for the recommendation!
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No problem!
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I really enjoyed Six of Crows as well! (I can’t wait for Crooked Kingdom!) I liked it a lot better than the Grisha trilogy. I read Shadow and Bone but I DNF’d Siege and Storm. 😦
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Siege and Storm was my least favourite I think – which I found odd because everyone else seemed to like that one the best! But the difference between that trilogy and Six of Crows is just…AAGGHH! ❤
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Really? I honestly thought Siege and Storm was just so boring and predictable… I suppose I didn’t read enough to see why people really like it! And yes!! Six of Crows was on a whole different level for me!
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I think most people like it so much because of one character *shrugs*
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Haven’t read it but checked it out a couple times from the library…I guess it just hasn’t been the right time yet lol.
I’m going to read it before the year is out! This I want to accomplish!
Excellent review as always…you make me feel how you’re feeling, and I can tell this book made you feel very strongly.
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Thank you so much!! 😀
I think I was the same. I’d owned the book for months but hadn’t gotten round to reading it, but it was finally the right time. I hope you love it just as much as I did when you get to it!
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Me too. But I know I will bc we have similar tastes in books.
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AHHHH I’M SO GLAD YOU READ THIS!!! I absolutely adore this book!!! Yess the characters are the best, I love them so much! And the writing and the world building… I could go on fangirling forever about Six of Crows! I’m so happy you enjoyed it ❤
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Ahaha thank you! I’m happy too – I was a little bit terrified that the hype would be too much and it’d let me down, but it didn’t at all 😀
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Great review 😊 I can’t wait to buy and read this soon! Maybe I’ll get both books and just have a marathon!
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Thank you! And that’d be a great idea! The ending of this one definitely leaves you wanting more 🙂
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