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phoenixxx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
errski's review against another edition
3.0
I think this was a nice conclusion to the first book, the first book has a bit more action, but this one was still pretty good. I love all the characters and how they are diving into the more complicated emotions and feelings.
hurrikanekathrina's review against another edition
4.0
8 out of 10
Genre: High Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Six of Crows
Fav. Character: Nina
Writing: Pretty good
Recommended for: Anyone who likes gritty, dark settings, misfit/criminal characters; Fans of the Grisha Trilogy
!There is a spoiler in this review hat is hidden by a spoiler tag! Do NOT click it, if you haven't finished the book yet and don't want to massively spoiled!
I had a somewhat hard time going into this book. I wasn't such a massive fan of the first one as everyone else on my update feed, and while I myself hate those people that rate a book down because they think that it doesn't 'deserve the hype' (after all, it's not the book's fault that it got popular after people read it), I felt myself sliding into a similiar mindset. I was just tired of seeing all the - for me - unjustified hype around this series, because, honestly, I never really connected with the main characters as everyone else seemed to do. Still, I over all enjoyed the first book and would pretty much read anything that Leigh Bardugo writes anyway, so it was clear that I wouldn't skip this one. Even if only to see what all the fuss was about.
Like with the first book, this book struck me as one of the good sort, strong plot, entertaining characters, good writing, but still, I didn't really feel myself getting all hyped-up about it. I tried to rid myself of any expectations that reviews and status updates had built up, and since I tried to stay mostly clear of Crooked Kingdom-reviews beforehand (didn't want to get spoiled after all), I mostly succeeded.
The best thing about this book for me was the setting. I loved Ketterdam in the first book, how Bardugo described it so beautifully, with its narrow and crooked alleys, dubious characters, all the grit and darkness that she worked into her world. Therefore, I was excited to douse deeper into the city, see more of its districts, get a more detailed image of how the city works. Since this is a follow-up series to the Grisha series, Bardugo now had five books to expand her world and it really shows in this book. There are so many different (sometimes familiar) nationalities that come together in Ketterdam, it's a blast to read.
In the first book, my main problem was that I didn't connect to the characters as much as many other readers did. I'd say that they grew closer to me in this book, and I certainly have my favorites (*cough* Nina *cough* Matthias), but I still don't really feel a strong connection to any of them. When. I'd say I like Kaz the least out of all the characters, despite him being a somewhat fan-favorite from what I can tell. He just feels so unorganic and constructed to me. Whenever he appeared, I had a hard time actually feeling the character as a vivid, organic person. I know that no fictional character is real, but there are those that feel real, that I don't experience as the work of an author, but as an independent, lively (if fictional) person. And Kaz just doesn't give me that feeling.
I was super excited to see some familiar faces from the Grisha series reappear, and their appearance just fortified the feeling, that I connected to the Grisha characters better. I wish they'd been a bigger part of this series, but then again, this is a new series, so I understand that Bardugo wants the spotlight on the new characters.
Another thing that bothers me is how strong the YA element is despite the gritty atmosphere. Now, don't get me wrong, I like Young Adult books, but in a series that tries so hard to establish the character's ruthlessness and callousness, has them dealing with (international) politics, repeats over and over again what they've all experienced in their lives/professions in the Barrel, it just feels wrong and a bit imature to be reminded that the characters are only seventeen years old. And we have six characters, and they all perfectly match up into 3 love couples. Come on? I thought we were trying to get a gritty gangster vibe across here? It just doesn't fit with the whole YA thing.
Regardless of those complaints, the book was very entertaining, the plot unpredictable and the writing as good as always in Bardugo's work, and the book therefore earns a well-deserved four star rating from me.
Genre: High Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Six of Crows
Fav. Character: Nina
Writing: Pretty good
Recommended for: Anyone who likes gritty, dark settings, misfit/criminal characters; Fans of the Grisha Trilogy
!There is a spoiler in this review hat is hidden by a spoiler tag! Do NOT click it, if you haven't finished the book yet and don't want to massively spoiled!
I had a somewhat hard time going into this book. I wasn't such a massive fan of the first one as everyone else on my update feed, and while I myself hate those people that rate a book down because they think that it doesn't 'deserve the hype' (after all, it's not the book's fault that it got popular after people read it), I felt myself sliding into a similiar mindset. I was just tired of seeing all the - for me - unjustified hype around this series, because, honestly, I never really connected with the main characters as everyone else seemed to do. Still, I over all enjoyed the first book and would pretty much read anything that Leigh Bardugo writes anyway, so it was clear that I wouldn't skip this one. Even if only to see what all the fuss was about.
Like with the first book, this book struck me as one of the good sort, strong plot, entertaining characters, good writing, but still, I didn't really feel myself getting all hyped-up about it. I tried to rid myself of any expectations that reviews and status updates had built up, and since I tried to stay mostly clear of Crooked Kingdom-reviews beforehand (didn't want to get spoiled after all), I mostly succeeded.
The best thing about this book for me was the setting. I loved Ketterdam in the first book, how Bardugo described it so beautifully, with its narrow and crooked alleys, dubious characters, all the grit and darkness that she worked into her world. Therefore, I was excited to douse deeper into the city, see more of its districts, get a more detailed image of how the city works. Since this is a follow-up series to the Grisha series, Bardugo now had five books to expand her world and it really shows in this book. There are so many different (sometimes familiar) nationalities that come together in Ketterdam, it's a blast to read.
In the first book, my main problem was that I didn't connect to the characters as much as many other readers did. I'd say that they grew closer to me in this book, and I certainly have my favorites (*cough* Nina *cough* Matthias), but I still don't really feel a strong connection to any of them. When
Spoiler
Matthias died at the end, I wasn't expecting it, and I was sad that he out of all of them had to die, but it didn't shock me like many other character deaths haveI was super excited to see some familiar faces from the Grisha series reappear, and their appearance just fortified the feeling, that I connected to the Grisha characters better. I wish they'd been a bigger part of this series, but then again, this is a new series, so I understand that Bardugo wants the spotlight on the new characters.
Another thing that bothers me is how strong the YA element is despite the gritty atmosphere. Now, don't get me wrong, I like Young Adult books, but in a series that tries so hard to establish the character's ruthlessness and callousness, has them dealing with (international) politics, repeats over and over again what they've all experienced in their lives/professions in the Barrel, it just feels wrong and a bit imature to be reminded that the characters are only seventeen years old. And we have six characters, and they all perfectly match up into 3 love couples. Come on? I thought we were trying to get a gritty gangster vibe across here? It just doesn't fit with the whole YA thing.
Regardless of those complaints, the book was very entertaining, the plot unpredictable and the writing as good as always in Bardugo's work, and the book therefore earns a well-deserved four star rating from me.
soph_2022's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Cried at the 2nd last chapter. Love the characters and the GrishaVerse.
remilauren's review against another edition
5.0
Crooked Kingdom is a perfect mix of vengeance, sufferings, and passion. The crew was duped by Van Eck and have lost their Wraith to captivity. To this, they owe him revenge. They are at their best hatching devious plans and at their lowest discussing what haunts them. They are vulnerable yet strong to cope with their emotions and past. How or if they happen to succeed in their schemes forms the plot of the book. If you enjoyed Six of Crows, I'm sure you'd love this.
Now since I can't discuss much without giving away spoilers, I advise you to stop here if you haven't read the book.
How I wish the book did not end! Six of Crows built the characters as people so devious and competent that they could not be defeated, until the very end. But Crooked Kingdom tore them all down, made them vulnerable, exposed their flaws, told us stories of their past. They failed several times yet picked themselves up and proved they were the wrong ones to pick a fight with.
Kaz was always a step ahead in Six of Crows. So it is sad to see him being blindsided and be almost duped by Pekka Rollins, again! Kaz's plans fail and he is one not used to failure. He's worried he's going to fail them all. But he's able to pull his crew through by being the master planner he is! While Kaz sees only the dark, Inej is one for hope. She could face all the hardships in life and still manage to remain positive. They were the other's rock and helped them be freed of their demons. Kaz paid off her indenture, gifted her The Wraith and brought back her parents. She made him strong enough to be able to hold hands together and have an almost-kiss! Their scenes were layered wherein not only did they ooze with passion, but it also involved them being vulnerable and exposing their flaws.
While Jesper saw an elevation from just being comic relief, Wylan had chapters with his POV. These two were refreshing to read. While their lives weren't as dramatic as the others, their dilemmas realistic, much closer to our problems. I know finding your mother alive when you are wearing someone else's face is harsh but still. These two made such a cute pair, it was just pure love and affection. They held each other throughout and boosted the other's confidence. When Wylan gave up the plans, I was so shocked, I was so anxious but who am I to underestimate Kaz Brekker lmao! Not only was Wylan confident, but he was also quick to scheme and beat his father at his own game. They were the only source of happiness in this book, being gay and flirting with each other unabashedly, I loved them!
Even Nina and Matthias were plagued with issues, what with Nina suffering from parem and Matthias acting more as a bodyguard than as a lover. Matthias had his moment of enlightenment and began seeing the Grisha in a new light upon leading his own little Grisha army. Nina, who initially hated her altered power, finally embraced it. Even though I saw it coming, "Nina, I'm already home" brought me to tears. Death is so powerful that not even a Grisha can do anything about it. Matthias served Nina and Fjerda even in his death, asking her to be free and requesting her to save his people.
The three ships aside, three other bondings had so much impact. Nina and Inej's friendship and their silly banter with waffles, they are BFF goals. And Nina is bi, so who knows! When Kaz and Jesper fought and he called Jesper as Jordie, damn. Jesper seeks attention from Kaz and we know from the previous book that Kaz does have some soft spot for him. Kaz calling him by his brother only proves how much he means to him. Jesper and Inej shared a friend/brother-sister bond. Forgiving him for his mistake and asking him to treat his wounds as real, she gave him a real push towards exploring his Grisha powers.
While Kaz was The Unbeatable in Six of Crows, he was vulnerable to failure this time around. But his final monstrous plan was leveled employing all his crew in such a detailed manner that it blew my mind! Kaz had all the corners covered and ended up checkmating The Shu, Van Eck and Pekka.
Crooked Kingdom fleshed out its characters. We learned of their past, their sufferings, their challenges, and their journey so far. So when the book was finished, it felt like saying goodbye to a bunch of friends. Since I haven't read the Grisha Trilogy, I wasn't aware of the additional characters that appeared for a brief while but I was pleasantly surprised to see Kaz dealing with a King lmao. I loved my crows and would love to see them again!
Now since I can't discuss much without giving away spoilers, I advise you to stop here if you haven't read the book.
Spoiler
How I wish the book did not end! Six of Crows built the characters as people so devious and competent that they could not be defeated, until the very end. But Crooked Kingdom tore them all down, made them vulnerable, exposed their flaws, told us stories of their past. They failed several times yet picked themselves up and proved they were the wrong ones to pick a fight with.
“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”
Kaz Brekker
“But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren’t chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.”
Inej Ghafa
Kaz was always a step ahead in Six of Crows. So it is sad to see him being blindsided and be almost duped by Pekka Rollins, again! Kaz's plans fail and he is one not used to failure. He's worried he's going to fail them all. But he's able to pull his crew through by being the master planner he is! While Kaz sees only the dark, Inej is one for hope. She could face all the hardships in life and still manage to remain positive. They were the other's rock and helped them be freed of their demons. Kaz paid off her indenture, gifted her The Wraith and brought back her parents. She made him strong enough to be able to hold hands together and have an almost-kiss! Their scenes were layered wherein not only did they ooze with passion, but it also involved them being vulnerable and exposing their flaws.
“Maybe he was the same. A bullet in a chamber, spending his whole life waiting for the moment he would have direction.”
Jesper Fahey
"But they were his first friends, his only friends, and Wylan knew that even if he'd had his pick of a thousand companions, these would have been the people he chose."
Wylan Van Eck
While Jesper saw an elevation from just being comic relief, Wylan had chapters with his POV. These two were refreshing to read. While their lives weren't as dramatic as the others, their dilemmas realistic, much closer to our problems. I know finding your mother alive when you are wearing someone else's face is harsh but still. These two made such a cute pair, it was just pure love and affection. They held each other throughout and boosted the other's confidence. When Wylan gave up the plans, I was so shocked, I was so anxious but who am I to underestimate Kaz Brekker lmao! Not only was Wylan confident, but he was also quick to scheme and beat his father at his own game. They were the only source of happiness in this book, being gay and flirting with each other unabashedly, I loved them!
“I have been made to protect you. Even in death, I will find a way.”
Matthias Helvar
“Nina had grieved for her loss of power, for the connection she’d felt to the living world. She’d resented this shadow gift. It had seemed like a sham, a punishment. But just as surely as life connected everything, so did death. It was that endless, fast-running river. She’d dipped her fingers into its current, held the eddy of its power in her hand. She was the Queen of Mourning, and in its depths, she would never drown.”
Nina Zenik
Even Nina and Matthias were plagued with issues, what with Nina suffering from parem and Matthias acting more as a bodyguard than as a lover. Matthias had his moment of enlightenment and began seeing the Grisha in a new light upon leading his own little Grisha army. Nina, who initially hated her altered power, finally embraced it. Even though I saw it coming, "Nina, I'm already home" brought me to tears. Death is so powerful that not even a Grisha can do anything about it. Matthias served Nina and Fjerda even in his death, asking her to be free and requesting her to save his people.
The three ships aside, three other bondings had so much impact. Nina and Inej's friendship and their silly banter with waffles, they are BFF goals. And Nina is bi, so who knows! When Kaz and Jesper fought and he called Jesper as Jordie, damn. Jesper seeks attention from Kaz and we know from the previous book that Kaz does have some soft spot for him. Kaz calling him by his brother only proves how much he means to him. Jesper and Inej shared a friend/brother-sister bond. Forgiving him for his mistake and asking him to treat his wounds as real, she gave him a real push towards exploring his Grisha powers.
While Kaz was The Unbeatable in Six of Crows, he was vulnerable to failure this time around. But his final monstrous plan was leveled employing all his crew in such a detailed manner that it blew my mind! Kaz had all the corners covered and ended up checkmating The Shu, Van Eck and Pekka.
Crooked Kingdom fleshed out its characters. We learned of their past, their sufferings, their challenges, and their journey so far. So when the book was finished, it felt like saying goodbye to a bunch of friends. Since I haven't read the Grisha Trilogy, I wasn't aware of the additional characters that appeared for a brief while but I was pleasantly surprised to see Kaz dealing with a King lmao. I loved my crows and would love to see them again!
hannahdrew's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
fireball's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
sarahmaae's review against another edition
5.0
my favourite book of all time. i need whatever this book make me feel injected into my bloodstream. the plot is so intense and high stakes and I would literally die for any of these characters. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH and kaz is high key my fav mc of all time. was screaming the entire way through. love this book so much
jean_marchbanks09's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
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
4.5
thenamesjanice's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0