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A review by wordaddiction
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
5.0
I read Six of Crows after Shadow and Bone, and I was expecting something similar because authors tend to do that. Especially when it’s a crossover type book like this one. I was pleasantly surprised at how all of the right connections to the Shadow and Bone Series were there, but it was a stand alone book/duology. This book definitely gave me some “Red Queen” Series vibes, but that’s a good thing for me because Red Queen is one of my favorites.
Bardugo took the time to write very dynamic characters with details and back stories that make them real to the reader. You seem to connect to every character in some way because their backstories, trials, struggles, fears, regrets, hopes, etc are so vivid and developed throughout the books. I love when authors don’t just give away things in the beginning about characters, but builds up the suspense toward finding out information. Bardugo nailed this. For example, when Kaz mentions Jordie in the beginning of the book it seems like he might be an enemy that Kaz betrayed. Through the build up we find out Kaz and Jordie were actually close. It is not until later that we find out their real connection, then even later until we hear the story. This happens throughout the book with different characters and I love trying to figure it out in my own then seeing how close I got. In this book, I got close very few times. I love how even though there are hints of romance, she doesn’t make the girls “damsels in distress”. She makes them fierce, smart, beautiful, capable, and able to take care of themselves. She allows them to save the day based on their own wit and strengths as much as the boys. No female in these books is anymore vulnerable than a male. It is refreshing. Bardugo is a great writer and storyteller.
This book was a slower start for me. I was sucked into Shadow and Bone immediately and didn’t put it down until I was done. I had the same expectation going into Six of Crows, but I felt lost in the first couple of chapters. I think that is what Bardugo wanted. Like I mentioned previously, she doesn’t just give anything away. She goes through characters naturally, like if you met a person they wouldn’t tell you their entire life story, deepest, darkest secrets, etc. until they knew you and were comfortable with you. Because I’m an avid reader I know to give books time, so I did. I was not disappointed. Around chapter 3 I got sucked in.
This is a book I could read multiple times and find things I missed each time because it is so dynamic and complex. Throughout the book I was so impressed at how smart Bardugo has to be to come up with all the minor details she wrote, all the moving parts that flowed seamlessly, all the character interactions, etc that propel the story along and keep the reader sucked in. This book is almost flawless. I could write for days about it.
I almost gave it 4 stars because of a personal pet peeve. I understand when a writer is creating an entire world that doesn’t exist they want it to be completely unique to anything we know or have read before. But... I HATE when a book is riddled with names of characters, places, spells, etc. that I can’t pronounce. I am an English teacher and we teach students very young that pronunciation of a name of place isn’t important when you’re reading, so don’t get stuck on it. The entire book (Shadow and Bone series, as well) are nothing but words the typical reader doesn’t know. I hate not knowing how things are actually said, especially when it’s in about every sentence. It drove me crazy across both series’. I decided to give the last star because it was that good. I did notice when I picked up the second book, Crooked Kingdom, that there is a “Cast if Characters” section in the back with pronunciations of all names in both of the series’, so I was relieved to see that.
All in all, this book is a 5 star book. I can’t wait to read the second one, and I can’t wait to see the Netflix adaption soon!
Bardugo took the time to write very dynamic characters with details and back stories that make them real to the reader. You seem to connect to every character in some way because their backstories, trials, struggles, fears, regrets, hopes, etc are so vivid and developed throughout the books. I love when authors don’t just give away things in the beginning about characters, but builds up the suspense toward finding out information. Bardugo nailed this. For example, when Kaz mentions Jordie in the beginning of the book it seems like he might be an enemy that Kaz betrayed. Through the build up we find out Kaz and Jordie were actually close. It is not until later that we find out their real connection, then even later until we hear the story. This happens throughout the book with different characters and I love trying to figure it out in my own then seeing how close I got. In this book, I got close very few times. I love how even though there are hints of romance, she doesn’t make the girls “damsels in distress”. She makes them fierce, smart, beautiful, capable, and able to take care of themselves. She allows them to save the day based on their own wit and strengths as much as the boys. No female in these books is anymore vulnerable than a male. It is refreshing. Bardugo is a great writer and storyteller.
This book was a slower start for me. I was sucked into Shadow and Bone immediately and didn’t put it down until I was done. I had the same expectation going into Six of Crows, but I felt lost in the first couple of chapters. I think that is what Bardugo wanted. Like I mentioned previously, she doesn’t just give anything away. She goes through characters naturally, like if you met a person they wouldn’t tell you their entire life story, deepest, darkest secrets, etc. until they knew you and were comfortable with you. Because I’m an avid reader I know to give books time, so I did. I was not disappointed. Around chapter 3 I got sucked in.
This is a book I could read multiple times and find things I missed each time because it is so dynamic and complex. Throughout the book I was so impressed at how smart Bardugo has to be to come up with all the minor details she wrote, all the moving parts that flowed seamlessly, all the character interactions, etc that propel the story along and keep the reader sucked in. This book is almost flawless. I could write for days about it.
I almost gave it 4 stars because of a personal pet peeve. I understand when a writer is creating an entire world that doesn’t exist they want it to be completely unique to anything we know or have read before. But... I HATE when a book is riddled with names of characters, places, spells, etc. that I can’t pronounce. I am an English teacher and we teach students very young that pronunciation of a name of place isn’t important when you’re reading, so don’t get stuck on it. The entire book (Shadow and Bone series, as well) are nothing but words the typical reader doesn’t know. I hate not knowing how things are actually said, especially when it’s in about every sentence. It drove me crazy across both series’. I decided to give the last star because it was that good. I did notice when I picked up the second book, Crooked Kingdom, that there is a “Cast if Characters” section in the back with pronunciations of all names in both of the series’, so I was relieved to see that.
All in all, this book is a 5 star book. I can’t wait to read the second one, and I can’t wait to see the Netflix adaption soon!