Six of Crows-Leigh Bardugo-Book Review
Rating: 4/5 stars
This is not the first book by Leigh Bardugo that I've read. I had previously read her Grisha Trilogy, which followed main character Alina in her quest to vanquish the Darkling.
You don't need to have read the Grisha Trilogy to understand the action that occurs in this novel. But it is much more enjoyable if you have. There are many references to the Grisha Trilogy (which I really enjoyed:) Six of Crows is set a couple of years after the Ravkan Civil war.
The Plot:
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.
The plot sounds a bit like Ocean's Eleven , which I LOVED.
A heist? Count me in.
The Review:
The book started with Bardugo giving us a detailed and in depth description of the bustling streets of Ketterdam and of the characters. Which gave the reader a greater knowledge of the inner workings of the Dregs (gang to which the main characters belong to).
The pace of the novel was moderate. The beginning didn't have me hooked right away, probably because of the thorough description. But maybe that was a good thing because I could enjoy the book more, its characters, its setting, the inner jokes, ... all of it.
I loved how in depth the description of the characters were. I can not make myself clear enough here on how lovely the characters are (they are sweetheart criminals).
My favorite characters? well that's tough, but...
It's probably got to be Nina and Kaz. What I loved about Nina's character was that she was fearless, head-strong, and her love of food (I mean she LOVES food, she was told to bring only the essentials, and she brought toffee).
What I loved about Kaz's character was...everything. His character and reputation are presented as a myth. He appears to be a god of sorts. As the story goes on, Leigh Bardugo pulls apart the shields protecting this character to present us finally with this vulnerable 17 year old boy. And that I loved.
Plot-wise this novel was good, albeit a bit slow at the beginning. But over the course of the plot those flaws were smoothed out.
Overall, I loved this book. I recommend it to everyone, ESPECIALLY fans of Ocean's Eleven. Well done Leigh Bardugo! I'm looking forward to reading the sequel Crooked Kingdom.
Some Quotes and Pictures:
“The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.” ― Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows
“No mourners. No funerals. Among them, it passed for 'good luck.” ― Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows
“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.” ― Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows
“She'd laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and gotten drunk on it every night, he would have. It terrified him.” ― Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows
