Monday, August 08, 2016

Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

From Goodreads: 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. Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction - if they don't kill each other first. 

My Rating: Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo was a book that I waited so long to read because I didn’t want to get sucked in by the hype for it and because I typically avoid reading novels where there are more than two POVs. I shouldn’t have doubted Bardugo’s ability to write an entertaining story, however, since I ended up enjoying Six of Crows.

Although I wish some of the characters were older – I find it hard to believe that a cast of characters that can break into highly guarded places only consists of teenagers I did like the characters and the fact that we got all of their backstories, even though it resulted in the plot taking some time to get going. My favourite characters at this point are Nina and Inej because I love that they’re two strong girls that are just as capable as the guys they’re surrounded by. I also really like the friendship that developed between them - probably even more than all the potential romances.

Finally, I enjoyed seeing the expansion of the Grisha world. In The Grisha series, we learn about Ravka, but little about its neighbours. In Six of Crows though, we get to see how Grisha abilities are perceived in the other countries.

A great start to a new series by Bardugo, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to Kaz and his gang in Crooked Kingdom. Six of Crows was released by Henry Holt and Company in September 2015. 

Comments About the Cover: It kind of reminds me of the covers from The Grisha series because it too features a creature and a building.

7 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this too, Z. I didn't have any issues about the character's ages. I just figured that they all had to grow up really fast due to their environment. I can't see anyone retain their innocence in Ketterdam. I definitely thought this was a stronger book than the Grisha trilogy. I'm just sad that it's only a duology. I'm looking forward to Crooked Kingdom too!

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  2. Trueeeee. I think you're right about the age thing. I would probably have enjoyed it more if they were older.

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  3. I'm a new follower to your blog and I love it! Will be stopping here more often for sure.

    I haven't read Six of Crows yet because I too am waiting for that period of hype to go. But with Crooked Kingdom out soon I think I might need to get on that asap. I loved her Grisha series so really am looking forward to it. Great review.

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  4. I didn't much care for her Grisha books, but I have a feeling I might enjoy these much more. I pre-ordered the box set so we'll see. As for the characters' age, I guess I can live with it.

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  5. I'm curious about this one, but I also need to read the Grisha books still. I know you can read this without having read those, but I'd rather have the full picture. Glad you liked this one overall.

    -Lauren

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  6. I know what you mean about the young adult aspect, there was some serious potential for this to be a kick ass adult book. Still, I'm glad you enjoyed this one :) I'm pretty excited for the sequel!

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  7. Huh, I hadn't noticed that about the cover, that it had buildings on it and a creature like the Grisha books, before. I've seen it countless times, but until I get a book in my hands or am specifically drawn to take in the cover, I don't really see all those extra things that you can notice about the art. It's kinda neat, though! And I do like this cover!

    I'm planning on reading this one, too, especially after hearing such positive things about it, although I haven't yet gotten around to that- the hype can be scary, as can all the positive reviews- but I think I'm going to enjoy it. I really enjoyed Leigh Bardugo's writing style, even if the Grisha trilogy wasn't one I decided to complete, and it will be interesting to read more about that world because it was so interesting and something I definitely felt myself invested in.

    It's also nice to hear there's a strong female friendship and that worked really well for you. I'm looking forward to reading about it! xx

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