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A review by juliaap
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
sad
fast-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
“We we’re all supposed to make it.” (Bardugo, 510)
(I’m not crying, your crying 💔)
This is now one of my all time favourite books…EVER! I don’t know where begin to tell you how heartbreakingly gorgeous this book is. My heart has been broken and repaired within the span of 536 pages!
Don’t get me wrong, the story in the first book was AMAZING, but this book took the cake. It was 1000000% better than the first book, which like I said I loved! There were so many layers and and it was so interesting. Equal parts funny and heartbreaking, there wasn’t a dull moment the whole book!
I don’t think I’ve ever loved a character like I love Kaz. Not only do I think he would make a fine boyfriend, but he has so many layers that keep you surprised the whole time. Deep down somewhere, dirty hands is just a scared boy. He loves so deeply, even if he doesn’t show it. However the way he loves Inej, 🥺…I WANT SOMEONE TO LOVE ME AS MUCH AS KAZ LOVES INEJ! Chapter 44 melted my broken heart!
Speaking of broken hearts, if you haven’t read this book and plan on it, please skip this paragraph…I’ll try to keep spoilers at a minimum, but don’t want to give away anything to anyone who plans to read this book…especially not about chapters 39-41.
OH MY GOODNESS I HAVE CRIED SO MUCH SINCE I READ THAT SECTION! I didn’t particularly sympathize or to be honest even like the character (if you know you know), in the first book however they were way more likeable in this book. I don’t think it was the fact that this character died that broke my heart but rather the reaction of the other character (again, if you know you know) that broke me. I might actually start crying just writing this tbh. Also the reactions the other 4 BROKE MY HEART IN A MILLION PIECES 🥺😭💔! My heart breaks just thinking about this part of the book. “I’m already home.” (Bardugo, 495)
The characters in this book were so amazing! I liked the characters in the shadow and bone trilogy, but I think we can all agree, six of crows has the better characters. If I had to rank the characters after reading this book I think it would be:
Kaz (obvi)
Nina
Jesper
Inej
Wylan
Matthias
Ok but seriously, someone please take me to Ketterdam! Like the aesthetic was *chefs kiss*! Leigh Bardugo is the literal queen of world building!
I think that we can all agree, this is the better series all around. Shadow and bone was good, but the characters, plot and setting in my opinion was WAY better in the six of crows duology. It’s clear that Leigh improved a lot as a writer between series’s, and after reading this book, it was clear shadow and bone was her debut novel. Absolutely no hate to shadow and bone though, I still gave the series 4/5 stars overall!
Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite authors now and, I know I’m basic but I love this series with all my heart! Leigh, if you ever read this, I think it would be so cool to have a third book where we get to see the gang get back together and go on another heist, but this book is also an amazing ending to the duology!
Just a warning…I read the first book without reading the shadow and bone trilogy and I regret that so much! I’m so glad I read it before I read this book because all the little hints were so cool! (Every time Inej prayed to “Sankta Alina” I couldn’t help but smile). Also, I would have been so clueless for some important parts because Genya, Zoya and “Sturmhond” (if you know you know), actually played a huge role in this novel as well!
Anyway I don’t give a lot of books five stars but if I didn’t give this book five stars, it would have been a crime!
“There’s so much in the world you don’t have to be a afraid of, if you would just open your eyes.” (Bardugo, 487)
As a whole, I give this series 5/5 stars:
Book 1: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Book 2: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
(I’m not crying, your crying 💔)
This is now one of my all time favourite books…EVER! I don’t know where begin to tell you how heartbreakingly gorgeous this book is. My heart has been broken and repaired within the span of 536 pages!
Don’t get me wrong, the story in the first book was AMAZING, but this book took the cake. It was 1000000% better than the first book, which like I said I loved! There were so many layers and and it was so interesting. Equal parts funny and heartbreaking, there wasn’t a dull moment the whole book!
I don’t think I’ve ever loved a character like I love Kaz. Not only do I think he would make a fine boyfriend, but he has so many layers that keep you surprised the whole time. Deep down somewhere, dirty hands is just a scared boy. He loves so deeply, even if he doesn’t show it. However the way he loves Inej, 🥺…I WANT SOMEONE TO LOVE ME AS MUCH AS KAZ LOVES INEJ! Chapter 44 melted my broken heart!
Speaking of broken hearts, if you haven’t read this book and plan on it, please skip this paragraph…I’ll try to keep spoilers at a minimum, but don’t want to give away anything to anyone who plans to read this book…especially not about chapters 39-41.
OH MY GOODNESS I HAVE CRIED SO MUCH SINCE I READ THAT SECTION! I didn’t particularly sympathize or to be honest even like the character (if you know you know), in the first book however they were way more likeable in this book. I don’t think it was the fact that this character died that broke my heart but rather the reaction of the other character (again, if you know you know) that broke me. I might actually start crying just writing this tbh. Also the reactions the other 4 BROKE MY HEART IN A MILLION PIECES 🥺😭💔! My heart breaks just thinking about this part of the book. “I’m already home.” (Bardugo, 495)
The characters in this book were so amazing! I liked the characters in the shadow and bone trilogy, but I think we can all agree, six of crows has the better characters. If I had to rank the characters after reading this book I think it would be:
Kaz (obvi)
Nina
Jesper
Inej
Wylan
Matthias
Ok but seriously, someone please take me to Ketterdam! Like the aesthetic was *chefs kiss*! Leigh Bardugo is the literal queen of world building!
I think that we can all agree, this is the better series all around. Shadow and bone was good, but the characters, plot and setting in my opinion was WAY better in the six of crows duology. It’s clear that Leigh improved a lot as a writer between series’s, and after reading this book, it was clear shadow and bone was her debut novel. Absolutely no hate to shadow and bone though, I still gave the series 4/5 stars overall!
Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite authors now and, I know I’m basic but I love this series with all my heart! Leigh, if you ever read this, I think it would be so cool to have a third book where we get to see the gang get back together and go on another heist, but this book is also an amazing ending to the duology!
Just a warning…I read the first book without reading the shadow and bone trilogy and I regret that so much! I’m so glad I read it before I read this book because all the little hints were so cool! (Every time Inej prayed to “Sankta Alina” I couldn’t help but smile). Also, I would have been so clueless for some important parts because Genya, Zoya and “Sturmhond” (if you know you know), actually played a huge role in this novel as well!
Anyway I don’t give a lot of books five stars but if I didn’t give this book five stars, it would have been a crime!
“There’s so much in the world you don’t have to be a afraid of, if you would just open your eyes.” (Bardugo, 487)
As a whole, I give this series 5/5 stars:
Book 1: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Book 2: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death