Book Review :: Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Series: Six of Crows #1, Grishaverse #4
Also in this series: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, King of Scars, Rule of Wolves, Demon in the Wood
on October 6th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 465
Goodreads

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows 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 a 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.

Last updated on 28 March 2023

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What is Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo about?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is the story of Kaz Brekker, the leader of the Dregs in Ketterdam, and his motley crew of six on the heist of their lives. Kaz is commissioned by a high-flying member of the city to do the impossible: break Bo Yul-Bayer out of the infamous Ice Court. No one can get in or out of the high security, impenetrable prison in the north, but Kaz draws together a team of 6 to ensure that they have the skills needed for this impossible heist.

“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.”

Inej Ghafa is a spy known as the Wraith, Jesper Fahey is a sharpshooter with impeccable aim, Nina Zenik is a Grisha – a Heartrender -, Wylan Van Eck is a runaway with an aptitude for explosives, and Matthias Helvar is a convict with connections to the Ice Court. Together with Kaz, the best thief in Ketterdam, the six Crows make their plans, take the journey, and put their heist into action.

Get to the Ice Court, break in, get Yul-Bayer, get out, and accept the large monetary reward. Simple. Or so they think …

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My Thoughts on Six of Crows

This has got to be one of my favourite books of the year. I had read Bardugo’s Grisha Series before and really enjoyed it, so I’m well annoyed that it took me so long to pick up Six of Crows. There was nothing about this story I didn’t love.

Who are the Six of Crows?

• Kaz Brekker – Leader of the Crows
• Inej Ghafa – Spy, aka The Wraith
• Jesper Fahey – Sharpshooter
• Nina Zenik – Heartrender
• Matthias Halver – Druskelle
• Wylan Van Eck – Explosives Expert

The characters in Six of Crows are a dream.

Kaz isn’t quite your typical leader – he’s got an attitude, he can be a bit of a you-know-what at times, and he isn’t in great physical shape. But he is a strong leader with a sharp mind and excellent ideas. The others in the group all have their backstories, their quirks and their strong personalities.

There was a lot of shipping going on while I was reading this, and I can’t wait to get into Crooked Kingdom to find out where the characters go from here. I also really enjoyed how the team was a mix of Grisha and non-Grisha; it made the group dynamics that little bit more interesting.

No Mourners. No Funerals.

The plot

The plot was this spectacular mix of carefully planned events that were well thought out and executed, and so many twists and turns you could call it a pretzel. I haven’t read too many heist books, but this one was brilliantly set out, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Grisha aspect to it all.

It’s fast-paced, dark at times, and light at others. There’s mystery, back-stabbing, friendship, adventure, a little romance, and, of course, a lot of money. It’s everything I love in a book!

“Many boys will bring you flowers. But someday you’ll meet a boy who will learn your favorite flower, your favorite song, your favorite sweet. And even if he is too poor to give you any of them, it won’t matter because he will have taken the time to know you as no one else does. Only that boy earns your heart.”

Writing

Bardugo’s writing is just as fantastic as always. I love the way she differentiates between characters, and even though the perspective is split between the Crows throughout the book, it was never jarring, nor was there a perspective I didn’t enjoy reading. Every character has their voice, and it’s such an enjoyable read, getting to know them all through their chapters, but also through the eyes of the other Crows.

Overall thoughts

I can’t wait to pick up Crooked Kingdom and see where the story takes us. While this series is a duology, I can already see myself wishing there were more in this series. If you’ve read Bardugo’s Grisha series then you really must pick up Six of Crows. If you haven’t, there are a couple of things mentioned in SOC that might be spoilers for the Grisha trilogy, however, if you’re not phased about it then it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the trilogy yet.

Have you read Six of Crows? Tell me what you thought!

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Update: The Shadow and Bone TV series has the Six of Crows story woven throughout. Season 1 was released in 2021, and Season 2 in 2023.