Six of Crows Review

Book: Six of Crows

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series: Six of Crows

Status: Book 1 (ongoing)

POV: 3rd person by various people, past tense

Setting: Kerch

Genre: YA fantasy

Source: Physical copy

Publisher: Henry and Holt

Pages: 465

Release: September 29th, 2016

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.  Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first. (Goodreads)

                         ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭

Talk about a completely new and different aspect of the Grisha world!

Against what others may think, this series is nothing like the original Grisha trilogy. It may be set after the events of Ruin and Rising (Grisha series book 3), but it has absolutely nothing to do with what happened then. This is a completely different part of the world, and the plot has absolutely nothing to deal with anything that happened in the other books. It is not a continuation of the original series; it is wholly unique with its own plot. You don't need to have read the Grisha series to read this book. Not at all.

This book features Kaz, a brilliant criminal and thief, who is offered 3 million kruge in return for completing an impossible heist. To do so, Kaz scrounges up a crew of other thieves and outcasts as they attempt to break into the most heavily guarded in Fjerda. However, they might have actually stumbled upon something much bigger than just a job for money...

At first, I was fearful that the numerous points of views and characters would make the story too convoluted. However, I was completely wrong. Each character is distantly unique, and the problems they face personally are relatively simple though still scarring. What I liked about it was that it didn't make the story too overwhelming. Simple problems, with tons of time to go in depth with them, which balances the character arcs and plot development quite nicely.

Kaz leaned back. "What's the easiest way to steal a man's wallet?" "Knife to the throat" asked Inej. "Gun to the back?" said Jesper. "Poison in his cup?" suggested Nina. "You're all horrible," said Matthias. Kaz rolled his eyes. "The easiest way to steal a man's wallet is to tell him you're going to steal his watch. You take his attention and direct it where you want it to go."

Kaz is hands down, one of the most scheming characters I've ever read about. He is absolutely brilliant, and isn't above lying, blackmailing, torturing, or killing. But as we see, Kaz isn't as high and mighty as others think he is. His past isn't a pleasant one, and he's fuelled by revenge regarding his brother's death. But I really loved seeing exactly how human he really is, and I especially loved see in how his mind worked.

Inej is definitely the most badass of the crew. She's known as the Wraith in Ketterdam, a spy who works for Kaz, who has an uncanny ability to scale walls, eavesdrop, and gain information on practically anyone or anything. Inej is like a ghost, able to move quickly without making a sound, and can easily slip away into the darkness. Though she is one among the famous criminals of Ketterdam with her knives, Inej has her fair share of a past worth fearing.

Nina is our Heartrender, the only Grisha in crew. I really liked her personality, and her confidence, and her fluency in literally every language. She actually is part of the Second Army in Ravka, and as much as she wants to go back, she's held back in Ketterdam for one reason, and one reason only: guilt. And until she can set things right, she won't leave.

Matthias a Fjerdan convict. It's true he has been part of some bad things, but if anything, Matthias is not someone to judge based on his history. He is very strong, determined, and loyal character, straightforward in everything except his heart. I felt so much angst and agony with his, but in a good way!

Jesper is one of my personal favourites, mainly because I love his humour. His unabashed love for his guns and gambling had me laughing a few times as he reminded me of one of those cowboys. But believe me, Jesper is way better than any cowboy. He's a sharpshooter and is absolutely exhilarated whenever he gets to shoot at things. Jesper really smoothed things along, and I loved him for it.

Wylan happens to be the newest of the group, having grown up in a lavish home. He is the crew's demolition expert, but apart from that, he isn't as strong, cunning, vicious, or resilient as the rest of the characters. Wylan doesn't actually get a perspective in the book, but he does play some major roles in helping others.

If you've noticed, the main cast of characters are not Grisha dominated. We really get to see the difference between Grisha and those who aren't Grisha, and see that they are equally as powerful as Grisha are. Who says you need powers to be deadly?

This book didn't contain much romance, but I do have 3 major ships going on right now, plus an additional 2 ships that probably won't ever happen. There is just enough romance to have you gasping for more, but it doesn't take over the plot completely at any point.

"I will have you without armour, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all."

This book is fantastic, and I highly recommend you read it if you're looking for a book about daring escapes, brilliant plans, a smudge of romance, and a rich world. The book was fast paced, and there were twists and turns at every corner. Characters were unpredictable, as was plot.  As for the ending...well, I'm going to be sitting quietly and sobbing for a year until the next one comes out. But definitely pick this one up!