Six of Crows

Six+of+Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is a book that is masterfully written. I highly recommend it. The characterization in it is a true work of art. It greatly expresses and inspires emotions. It has all the elements that make a great story.

There are six kids, Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Matthias, Nina, and Wylan, whose very different backstories unfold throughout the book. The main plot is about how they all have to come back together to break into one of the most impenetrable prisons in this fantasy world.  

It’s a book about a group of teenagers who have been forced into tough situations and have had to do hard things to survive. It is a great heist book, but is also not just a heist book. It expresses so much more, and weaves the story and back stories, and their ideas, with intriguing ease.  

The characters are relatable and feel real, Bardugo gives each character a unique voice. By the word choice and the details the character focuses on it, it makes it easy to read into their moods and motivation. Inej focuses a lot on Kaz’s eye color and speaks more elegantly. Jesper focuses on the more humorous aspects of their adventure and has an uplifting word choice.

Like in a lot of  young adult (YA) novels, there is romance, but it doesn’t dictate the whole story or hold the characters back. It flows naturally and helps fuel the plot. For a reader looking for more adventure and who doesn’t like a whole lot of sappy romance, this is an excellent reading that has a good balance. This novel has an excellent mix of action, drama and comedy. It doesn’t overwhelm the reader, but is never boring and keeps the reader engaged and firmly hooked into the story.

There is also the sequel called Crooked Kingdom that continues the trend of great writing, engaging characters, and an excellent plot line. It’s an easy transition and it doesn’t feel like there’s any lag in the story. It’s an excellent duology. Not too long, not too short.

The author’s first series, The Grisha Trilogy, was a huge hit and has a lot of fans who are also greatly invested in Six of Crows. There has been a lot of talk around Instagram that Leigh Bardugo has joined up with Netflix to create a Netflix Original crossover of Six of Crows with one of her other books, Shadow and Bone that is equal parts exciting and terrifying. As most people know, cinematic adaptations often ruin books. However it seems to be going well so far, and the fandom has high hopes.