Six of Crows » Review

I love this book so much I carry it around with me when I go places. I love it so much that I mark it up with colored pens so I can figure out how Leigh Bardugo writes so well. I love it so much that I'm currently reading everything Bardugo has written. I love it so much that I've read the book five times over already, and it hasn't even been a month since its release.

Part of the reason I love it is that I'm currently writing an industrial fantasy adventure and Six of Crows happens to be an industrial fantasy adventure. It's a little niche off of steampunk that I love. So right away the genre of this book had me. There are all the issues that come from the setting being on the cusp of modernity, there's a healthy dose of magic, and there's action, risk, and suspense. Love it!

Another aspect I adored was the character development. The book follows a team of criminals and has an ensemble narration, with clearly defined arc for each character. Mechanically, the character arcs were neat and well done. Emotionally, they were compelling.

My favorite characters, though I loved them all, were Kaz and Inej. Kaz is the perfect anti-hero, a twisted and dark criminal genius, who happens to still be a teenager and working his way to the top. Inej is a former sex slave that Kaz rescued and turned into his own personal spy, redirecting her skills in acrobatic performance.  Their relationship is so compelling.  I could seriously write an essay on their relationship, their dynamics are so complex.

There's also Jesper, a combat savant with a nasty gambling addiction. There's Nina, a grisha Heartrender — a throwback connection to Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series. There's Matthias, a Nordic-inspired giant who worked as a grisha hunter before he was imprisoned on a hellish island. And then there's Wylan. Poor Wylan is the only member of the team who doesn't get POV chapters, so as of now, I'd call him a more peripheral character. He has a privileged background, but threw it all away because of his principles.



The book starts out with a chapter that could turn off readers, because it slides into the action indirectly and gradually, through the POV of a redshirt. Chapter two is when we get introduced to Inej, and from there, I can't see readers having a problem sticking with the book. It sinks its claws in.

As for the plot, I think Bardugo did a marvelous job in making things believable. There were a few instances where I questioned plausibility, but for a heist novel, it was pretty solid. Bardugo also did fantastic work in weaving quiet moments into the action. I just want to give her a standing ovation.

Already, I'm plotting how to get my greedy paws on the sequel, Empire of Crows as soon as I possibly can. Six of Crows ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, setting up book two perfectly. This is going to be an amazing series, everyone.

Also, I entered a contest to get my name inserted in the second book.  This is my entry.