Reviews with content warning for Death - Crooked Kingdom

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

690 reviews

applesaucecreachur's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Crooked Kingdom managed what many second installments of duologies do not: it improved upon its predecessor. Where Six of Crows left off, Bardugo picks up the story of corrupt power structures and the underdogs scheming against them. Only this time, the game has changed. The entire book is set in Kerch, the majority in Ketterdam. Our protagonists’ home base writhes with animosity against them. I spent the entire 500+ pages feeling backed into corner after corner, only to emerge from each through a hole in the floor above

(or over a lavish dining room table)

, waggling my tongue at the merches and Barrel bosses behind their lacquered desks.

While the fast-paced heist structure keeps the reader pressing onward, its characters are what give the plot life. Kaz Brekker’s gang are crooks whose hearts are made of gold and whose fingers itch for it. With the exception perhaps of Kaz himself (I'm still torn on his redeemability), the reader shares their successes and failures.

Jesper and Wylan’s chance at peace, Matthias’ death and Nina’s grief all flood me with emotion. Still, it is that final image of Inej running to embrace her parents at the docks which alone physically tightened my throat.

As much as I enjoyed this duology, though, I am content with letting this be the extent of my time in the Grishaverse. For all its play at international politics, and even while thumbing its nose at intolerant ideologies, its portrayal of non-Kerch or Ravkan cultures feels flat at best, a cardboard stereotype of entire empires. There are other worlds where I can spend my free time, and other authors who deserve it more. All the same, I owe this story my thanks for its wit and its heart, and for all the times I squealed in joy at its sweet and salty moments.

Content Warnings

aree's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

kaydee_reads's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book picks up immediately after Six of Crows and continues the heists, double-crosses and twists and turns as the crows face off with literally every single other faction possible in Ketterdam.

The characters continue to be excellent and their back stories are told in more flashbacks. Wylan in particular is given more focus this book and his story was heartbreaking and compelling, and his ending my favourite of all the crows.

The book suffers from being at least 1/4 too long - the story could have easily been told with at least 100 pages less and missed nothing. Occasionally the author repeats motifs and stories we already learned in the last book - Kaz’s narration in particular started to feel overly long from repeating the same beats over and over.

The world is imaginative and overall still a very enjoyable read - I’ll be finding Nina’s next book in particular!

Content Warnings