Three word review: Read this book.

Now to a more thorough and detailed look into why I finished Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows in just under nine days. For any escapist, fantasy nerd, or general book practitioner, Six of Crows offers an enchanting and gripping trip through a world of criminals, industry, and world-bending magic. The book centers around the enigmatic, criminal bastard, Kaz Brekker. A young cripple with a penchant for schemes and trickery leads a merry band of five others through an against-all-odds heist. With a flurry of twists, turns, and general buggery this book weaves a master class on how to not only plan a heist, but handle the eventual mishaps and faults that come with human design. Each character, rife with skills and background, offers a unique venture and opportunity for Brekker to leverage throughout the book. You’ll find yourself caring for characters within mere moments of meeting them as Bardugo pieces them together like the cogs of a well oiled machine.

What really sold this book for me, aside from all the awards and hype, was the ever-present world building that was carefully and deliberately dripped all over the pages. The bustling city of Ketterdam, and the great and impenetrable fortress of the Ice Court are oozing with flavor and intricate detail. Bardugo brings her characters and the world around them alive with each passing word, allowing the reader to walk the streets, smell the stench, and feel the unrelenting unease.

The reader is tasked to follow along a criminal enterprise built on pilfering pockets and a sordid need for revenge. Brekker, though faulted, is an admirable character in some ways at least. You find yourself rooting for this bastard and his ragtag group of people he surrounds himself with. Between Inej and Nina, the female characters in this book are often more entrancing than their male counterparts. Nina, a heartrender (a mage who can pop the eyes out of foes’ sockets) became one of my favorite characters by the end. She’s headstrong and conscious of her faults, and seems to be a large part of the sequel. Crooked Kingdom, the second part of this book, is next on my list.

Though it may never reach the lofty heights of fantasy greats like LotR and GoT, Six of Crows brings a lot to the table in an easily digestible fantasy romp. Follow the group through the planning, pilfering, and plotting as they face an impossible task. Filled to the brim with emotion, humor, and cunning, this book offers a plethora of what every reader wants. The book was a joy to read, each page itching to be turned, wanting to reveal the next pivotal plot point or ingenious twist. Another added bonus is that this book rests in a larger world, where Bardugo has another trilogy waiting to be read. The Shadow and Bone trilogy rests in the world she so artfully designed in Six of Crows. So those hungry for more of the “Grisha”-verse, will be satisfied. Grisha is the name used for mage in these novels. 

Final Thoughts

Just a quick note on “Grisha” and the magic system used in Six of Crows. I’ve read a ton of fantasy novels with innovative and interesting magic systems. The “Grisha” offers an absolutely mesmerizing take on magic with three separate types of mages. Their powers and their limits are all clearly defined and allow the reader to experience the weight of such gifts. Just wait until you read about jurda parem.

I can’t say it enough, this book was fun to read. I enjoyed my romp through the streets with Kaz Brekker and his crew. If you aren’t much for the fantasy genre I would still suggest reading this book. The world building is absolutely incredible and it should be experienced, even in a small dose. 

Stars? 8.2 out of 10.

Final Final Thoughts

If you enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora, then this book is for you. Also if you haven’t read that one, you should. 

Also an apparent Netflix series is coming, so get on it friends.