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deerlybeloved's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Crooked Kingdom is a phenomenal sequel to Six of Crows, leaving the reader antsy and waiting, on the edge of their seat with every new twist and turn. Every revealed detail, paid off foreshadowing, character interaction, and planned event leaves you in a new bout of stunned silence as you listen, tense and wanting to know more.
Each character is unique, and fleshed out, meaning every chapter (each written from a different perspective) leaves you excited to learn more about that individual, and has its own personal bit of characterized flair that makes you excited to turn the page and learn who the next point-of-view is fore-- Matthias, Inej, Wylan? You just have to find out, sleep be damned.
So much weaves together to form a plot where just as one issue is resolved, you remember that ah, that's right, three chapters earlier that other plot point was introduced, and all of a sudden it's coming back-- You can't believe you forgot, but how could you not when the fate of the world was being handled first?!
The end will break your heart, as much as it heals it, giving you as many tears as it does grins as you flip through the ending chapters and realize just how much has been lost...and how much is being rebuilt.
Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Confinement, Chronic illness, Torture, Religious bigotry, Drug abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Drug use, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Grief, Blood, Addiction, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Murder, Hate crime, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Ableism, and Forced institutionalization
Inej, one of the main characters, has a backstory HEAVILY rooted in discussion of pedophilia, child trafficking, sex trafficking, slavery, sexual slavery, rape, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and so much more. While handled with beautiful tact and insight, the depictions of flashbacks and Inej's feelings of these things can comfort survivors of similar things as much as it destroys us. Go with caution. As well, religious bigotry, ableism, trauma, emotional neglect, horrid things happening to children, war, racial fetishization, and so much more is dealt with in tactful ways, but ever presently used as reminders that the world is as imperfect and dark as it is beautiful.watenelysh's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Murder, Drug abuse, Ableism, Child abuse, and Kidnapping
wishwash06's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Minor: Drug abuse and Addiction
nannahnannah's review against another edition
4.0
This second book has the same whirlwind pace and nonstop action/tension as the first, but I feel a little disappointed in some character development--while absolutely delighted in other characters' development. Granted, there are six main characters and several PoV characters. That's a lot to work with in a single novel/series. Even so, I still expected a bit more.
The Six of Crows remain the same: Kaz Brekker, the "detached" leader who'll do anything to get the job done; Inej Ghafa, "Wraith", a gatherer of intelligence and who can move unseen just about anywhere; Nina Zenik, a George--oop, Grisha sorcerer with an addiction to the powerful drug jurda parem and whose powers are now forever altered because of it; Matthias Helvar, a Nordic character whose noble ideas of protect and serve have been upended after meeting Nina; Jesper Fahey, the team's bi sharpshooter--also an untrained Grisha--with a weakness for gambling (and Wylan); and lastly Wylan Van Eck, a rich merchant's son with a knack for explosives.
Of course joining this group we have Kuwei Yul-Bo, son of the creator of jurda parem, and according to Jesper, someone who's definitely "more trouble than he's worth". He, surprisingly, was a much more enjoyable character than I ever thought he would be.
Our diverse crew have basically a couple purposes this book: get Inej back and expose Van Eck (Wylan's father, not dear Wylan himself) for the crook he is.
Seems straightforward; of course, it never is.
The first half of the book kept me on my toes. What was going to happen? Were they really going to be safe??
But then it became too predictable. I didn't worry about the characters, because of course Kaz Brekker was ten steps ahead of everyone. Someone was mysteriously kidnapped at the end of their chapter? For a second I worried, but then I remembered this was probably a part of the convoluted plan the reader wasn't a part of. I was right! Damn.
The few surprises the book contained were definitely not plot-based and were more character-based. Which isn't bad, necessarily, but as a more plot-based book it would've been nice to have a balance between the two. Especially since many characters lacked the development they were given during the first book. Notably Kaz and Inej (Inej being my most favorite character of book one, and now one of the most lackluster characters here).
I may be biased, but Wylan is the shining hero of this novel. The heart and soul. Every PoV of his became my main concern, and every time his chapter ended I felt like I just left the meat of the story. Of course, in every multiple-PoV book, there's bound to be characters you don't connect to and others you connect to more, but I never felt this level of connect and disconnect in the first book. But Wylan, my boy Wylan. He provided the heart and emotion the book desperately needed.
Kaz became unbearable till the end, whining about Wylan being coddled, whining about people whining about Wylan, when in reality he coddled himself more than anyone else. He pitied himself more than anything else in the universe, and barely gave a thought to someone else unless it was how they related to him. But that's how he is, you say. Okay, but it got damn annoying to read PoV after PoV of this, expecting me to give some sympathy for him. Especially since Inej's PoVs were expected to do the same; poor Kaz. Poor Kaz.
But overall, this book was a fun ride.
Moderate: Drug abuse
also: human traffickingkevin_the_intern's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Addiction
seren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child abuse, Murder, Drug use, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Trafficking, Slavery, Racism, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, and Ableism
Minor: Child death and Alcohol
laneys_library's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Addiction, Child death, and Chronic illness
littletiramisu's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Slavery, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Ableism, Addiction, and Drug use
lunar_witch's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Gun violence
Minor: Addiction and Confinement
athenaminerva13's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Sexual violence, Slavery, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Ableism, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders