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A review by myleejmiller
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Kaz Bekker has one of two things on his mind at any given moment - money or revenge. When a job presented by a healthy mercher gives him and his gang the opportunity to accomplish both of his deeply rooted desires, he assembles a ragtag team to break into the most secure prison in the world. A wraith of an assassin. A young, wealth-born demolitions expert. A heartrender who can drop men through their bones and blood. And an expert gunslinger with a secret dominating his past. They will succeed in demolishing their way out of an inescapable fortress - or die trying.
Okay, so, I have a lot to say about Six Of Crows, and it starts with my junior year of college in 2021 (and no, I'm not here to offer my autobiography). I remember hearing my classmates rave and rant about the newly released Six Of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. I was even judged for not reading the books and embarrassingly, thinking the story was about three characters robbing a bank (I know). At the time, I'd heard whispers of Barudgo's work. But in a several-years gap, I hadn't done much reading or writing. My priorities were not to partake of Bardugo's excellent literary craft. After a long wait (and many college classes) I bought the books. And... they sat on my bookshelves for over a year. I have never regretted a decision more in my life.
Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is everything a reader would want in a fantasy: high stakes, vivid worldbuilding, luscious prose, and cunning characterization. Reading Bardugo's first book in this duology was like seeing life breathed back into the fantasy genre. Although this duology is a sequel to the infamous Shadow And Bone trilogy (which I read earlier in 2023) I found it deliciously easy to read and captivating. I didn't need to remember Shadow And Bone to get the full experience of this story. Each time I set the book down, I picked it up seconds later - unwilling to wait and see what happened next. It was a rollercoaster that never stopped giving, a constant high before the eternal drop. And every page, every word, paid off in kind.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the characterization and intelligence of the cast. I am a sucker for excellent characters and deep, dark backstories. Kaz Bekker was, hands down, the smartest character I have ever read on a book's page. It takes a special kind of talent to create characters so fine-tuned and finessed, but Bardugo pulls it off not just with Kaz Bekker, but via the entire crew which appears in this first installment of this series.
Another thing of note is Bardugo's phenomenal use of prose, which both inspired my own writing as I read and enlightened my understanding of the story. When things happened in Six Of Crows, I found myself leaping upright in my seat and grasping for more (literally). I cannot wait to read the next installment of Bardugo's work in Six Of Crows and the other books she has since then produced. Rapidly, she is making her way to the top five authors I have ever had the joy of reading. Well, well worth the read!
Okay, so, I have a lot to say about Six Of Crows, and it starts with my junior year of college in 2021 (and no, I'm not here to offer my autobiography). I remember hearing my classmates rave and rant about the newly released Six Of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. I was even judged for not reading the books and embarrassingly, thinking the story was about three characters robbing a bank (I know). At the time, I'd heard whispers of Barudgo's work. But in a several-years gap, I hadn't done much reading or writing. My priorities were not to partake of Bardugo's excellent literary craft. After a long wait (and many college classes) I bought the books. And... they sat on my bookshelves for over a year. I have never regretted a decision more in my life.
Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is everything a reader would want in a fantasy: high stakes, vivid worldbuilding, luscious prose, and cunning characterization. Reading Bardugo's first book in this duology was like seeing life breathed back into the fantasy genre. Although this duology is a sequel to the infamous Shadow And Bone trilogy (which I read earlier in 2023) I found it deliciously easy to read and captivating. I didn't need to remember Shadow And Bone to get the full experience of this story. Each time I set the book down, I picked it up seconds later - unwilling to wait and see what happened next. It was a rollercoaster that never stopped giving, a constant high before the eternal drop. And every page, every word, paid off in kind.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the characterization and intelligence of the cast. I am a sucker for excellent characters and deep, dark backstories. Kaz Bekker was, hands down, the smartest character I have ever read on a book's page. It takes a special kind of talent to create characters so fine-tuned and finessed, but Bardugo pulls it off not just with Kaz Bekker, but via the entire crew which appears in this first installment of this series.
Another thing of note is Bardugo's phenomenal use of prose, which both inspired my own writing as I read and enlightened my understanding of the story. When things happened in Six Of Crows, I found myself leaping upright in my seat and grasping for more (literally). I cannot wait to read the next installment of Bardugo's work in Six Of Crows and the other books she has since then produced. Rapidly, she is making her way to the top five authors I have ever had the joy of reading. Well, well worth the read!