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A review by nannahnannah
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
4.0
Ah, it's nice to revisit this world again (even though I'm still side-eyeing some ridiculous names/concepts)!
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse
also: human trafficking