I have succumbed to the suggestions of BookTok and Bookstagram, (If you are unfamiliar with what those are, there are different accounts on Instagram and TikTok that center on books, recommendations, and other book-related themes. Therefore it is essentially a sector of those platforms). After scrolling through social media and constantly seeing recommendations for Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, I had to see what the hype was all about. I can say with certainty, I now understand and was not disappointed. 

Six of Crows tells the story of six outcast teenagers doing all that they can to make a living or repay their debts in the slums of Ketterdam. Surrounded by assassins, sharpshooters, con men, and Grisha, life in Ketterdam is dangerous but proves no issue for Kaz Brekker and his crew of misfits. 

Each member better than the next proves irreplaceable with their talents. Inej Ghafa, a Wraith and skilled with a blade. Nina Zenik, a Grisha Heartrender who can control anyone in her field of vision with her hands. Jesper Fahey, a sharpshooter unafraid of combat. Matthias Helvar, a former Fjerdian soldier with the intel and muscle to get them through the Ice Court. Wylan Van Eck, a skilled demolitions expert. And the man with all the tricks of the trade, Kaz Brekker. 

When faced with a seemingly impossible task, with a lot of money on the line and the lives of those around them, Kaz gathers his team and sets out to Fjerda in an attempt to break into a high-security prison known as the Ice Court to retrieve a very powerful scientist, Bo Yul-Bayur. Knowing it wouldn’t be easy, the team stood together, fighting with every last breath to achieve their mission. 

Broken into six sections, Six of Crows follows each part of the heist while simultaneously switching perspectives of the outcasts to allow the reader a better understanding of Brekker’s crew and how their pasts have made them who they are today. As noted at the start of each chapter, each change in perspective proved engaging to the reader. Being that six is a large number to keep together if wanting to remain inconspicuous, Bardugo made the right choice in filtering the perspectives so the reader could see all that was going on throughout the heist. 

Usually, with as many perspectives as there were to read in this story, I would have been turned away. However, they all worked well, and I quickly became attached to each of the characters anticipating their next chapter to learn more about them. Bardugo does a great job at separating each character and creating a voice of their own while giving them a clear and distinct personality.  

Aside from the slow start in the first half of part one, Bardugo kept me on the edge of my seat with this fast-paced read and enthralling adventure. If I hadn’t worked so much in the past week, I would have gladly finished Six of Crows in one sitting. 

I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for an adventure. With Covid still around and many people still cautious about travel and getting out, this novel took me to a new realm. I felt that I became part of the Dregs and was standing alongside this crew on their journey. Holding my breath when they held theirs, being on edge when they were, and so much more. With so many twists and unexpected turns, this novel got me out of a book slump that I didn’t know I was in. I hadn’t finished a book in a while before I picked this up, and I am so glad I did. And I am really looking forward to Crooked Kingdom, the next novel in this duology. Bardugo, I am giving you five stars for this excellent story. Next time you are at the library or your local bookstore, pick up Six of Crows. You won’t regret it. 

“No mourners. No funerals.” - Leigh Bardugo

As always, thanks for reading! 💜

★★★★★