Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
5 stars
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“No mourners. No funerals. Among them, it passed for 'good luck.”
I'm cynical about over-hyped things. My impossibly high expectations are incredibly hard to beat, and I'm usually left disappointed. Like the very first time I tried deep fried ice-cream after hearing about it for years. Sure, it was good, but it wasn't that good.
Not only did The Six of Crows meet my expectation, it went beyond them.
Trying to search my brain to think any cons to this story, but everything was done masterfully:
Realistically flawed, and sympathetic characters ✓
Fast-paced plot ✓
Character development ✓
Hilarious-moments-where-I’m-actually-laughing-aloud-in-public (please don't think I'm crazy, fellow train-goers) ✓
Deep, quotable lines ✓
Imaginative world building ✓
The book starts out with Kaz Brekker. Also known as Dirtyhands, he was the enigmatic, ruthless leader of the Dregs, a city gang in Ketterdame. Due to his expertise in all things criminal, and his penchant for not getting caught, he is propositioned by the council of Ketterdame.
The mission Break out this scientist from the highest security prison in their world.
This scientist holds the secrete to jurda parem , a highly addictive substance that is given to Grisha's, or witches, to accentuates their powers to impossible heights.
The stakes? 30 million kruge.
The risks Death. Life imprisonment. Torture
The team:
(I bet Kaz could could do that)
Kaz:
The leader. The plan-maker. The bastard of the barrel. He will lead his team to the Ice Court, but can they trust him? What is fact or fiction about Kaz...and is he as ruthless as they say?
“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”
Inej:
The wraith. The acrobat. Dealing with a tragic past, she is now Kaz's spy. Can she face the challenges of the Ice Court? and the challenges of the future?
“The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.”
Jesper:
Sharp-shooter. Hired gun. Gambler. One of Kaz's most trusted crew, but will the high risks he takes be the end of him in the Ice Court?
“His heart was pounding, and adrenaline crackled through his body in delicious spikes.”
Nina:
Grisha. Witch. Heartrender. A once devoted soldier to the Grisha cause, she is now a member of the Dregs. She seeks to set right the crimes of her past, but will her loyalty to the Grisha cause prove to be the teams doom?
“It's not natural for women to fight."
"It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet there you stand.”
Matthias:
Druskelle. WItchhunter. Wrongfully imprisoned for slave-trading, he is offered a deal by Kaz. Help them break into his home, the Ice Court, and he will be pardoned for his crimes. Can Matthias betray his home country? his fellow soldiers? Or will he betray his team, instead?
“The water hears and understands. The ice does not forgive.”
Wylan:
Merchant's son. Engineer. The (willing!) hostage. A runaway from his life of luxury before Kaz picked him as his team. If his father does not pay the 30 million kruge, Wylan's life would be at the wrath of Kaz. But is there more to Wylan than just a merchants son?
“Always hit where the mark isn't looking"
"Who's Mark?" asked Wylan.”
“Kaz leaned back. "What's the easiest way to steal a man's wallet?"
"Knife to the throat?" asked Inej.
"Gun to the back?" said Jesper.
"Poison in his cup?" suggested Nina.
"You're all horrible," said Matthias.”
Each character's past, motivations, fears, and hopes were explored throughly. Through flash backs, we are able to see the stories and events that shaped them. These teenagers, for they are my age (and I know that I would NOT be able to successfully break into anywhere. I can't even sneak into my sisters room unnoticed when she's asleep to get the phone charger) were capable. Not once did I think 'they're too immature to pull this off' or 'that was a stupid decision, they almost deserve to get caught.' It was a pleasure to see these misfits, once strangers to each other, develop loyalties and friendships. It was even more of a pleasure to see these character evolve and grow.
(view spoiler)
The plot was fast-paced. It tore your hear out because everything that could go wrong...went wrong. You had to know what happened next, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I'll need to reread this book in the not too distant future, just to savour the words like wine, instead of guzzling them like cheap soda. This book is meant to be savoured, but unfortunately the temptation of finding out what happens to our favourite band of misfits proved to be too much.
The world-building was out of this world (hahaha, get it?). Heavily influenced by Eastern European culture, it was fascinating to read about the customs and traditions of that world. The world was described in great detail at the right places , but thankfully not too much detail (I'm looking at you, Lord of the Rings!).
(I imagine Ketterdame like Prague)
Diversity:
Thank you Leigh Bardugo, for including a cast of characters that are as diverse as the world you created. Thank you for creating diverse characters that were not influenced by stereotypes, or were background noises. Thank you.
“A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.”
Six of Crows was a great book. Scratch that, it was one of the best books I've read this year. Will I reread this? Hell yeah. But let me get the second book in my hands first. Screw savouring, that book I will devour.
Book Pairings
The Demon King (World-building is similar)
Daughter of Smoke & Bone (although not my favourite book, the world-building was stunning)
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