Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo really knows how to write dark stories and I love them. I first read Bardugo’s The Language of Thorns and loved the dark twist on some very well known fairytales. In Six of Crows, Bardugo focuses on a hero’s quest to save the world from a menacing threat, but, the individuals saving the world are thieves, criminals and runaways. Let’s not forget these individuals are all teenagers and their motivations for this mission are not altruistic.
This book could have been a mess as we receive 5 different perspectives in the third person point of view that change from chapter to chapter. We learn each character’s past and certain hints of their thoughts while they continue on their mission but we are also continuously surprised by their next step. There is world-building, dark pasts, magic, humor and romance and Bardugo somehow crafted each character so well that they are seamlessly integrated and the story flows so wonderfully.
The characters are a bit wicked but also bad-ass and although you don’t like them there are so many deeper layers to each that you find yourself loving them anyway. They also have unique relationships with each other which is another example of how great Bardugo is at character development. One character doesn’t just act the same towards the other 5, no they have unique feelings and opinions that shapes how they act towards another, which is real. The female characters are strong and independent yet also know their own limitations. They are brave but aren’t set on trying too hard to prove themselves, they just are who they are.
There is a bit of romance but it is very light and just a small element to add another layer to the story, but it never takes over, which I appreciated. I would not have liked it as much if the romance overshadowed the criminal aspect of these characters. This book of the series ends on a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to read what happens next to these fantastically wicked characters.
Side note: I listened to an audible version of this book narrated by Jay Snyder, Brandon Rubin, Fred Berman, Lauren Fortgang, Roger Clark, Elizabeth Evans and Tristan Morris. I agree, this was way too many people for an audiobook. Each narrator had a different tone of voice for the other characters so I would continually get confused on who was speaking. Kaz is also explained as having a very raspy voice and then the narrator they used for his portion sounds too young and smooth to fit the description at all. Obviously this has nothing to do with the book itself and is just a critique on the audible version, so I’d suggest physically reading this book or finding a different audiobook version if you choose to read it.
Synopsis: 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 is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.